'Sh-should i stay or should i go now. If i go there will be...''
Will shivered uncontrollably in the icy, moldering dankness of the endless night, his stick-fort providing no real protection: only a tiny measure of comfort born of familiarity.
The wind howled like a beast, threatening to tear into his flimsy sanctuary and devour him.
'Should i s-stay or should i g-go now...'
Snap.
A twig broke not ten feet away.
'Please God, no...'
Will's mind flew into a panic at the sound of padding feet, which were soon accompanied by ragged, inhuman breathing.
Laying deathly still, the boy closed his eyes, and tried to calm his breathing, wishing the monstrous creature away.
Suddenly, a branch fell from a rotting tree in the distance. The creature took off to investigate the noise, and Will breathed a sigh of relief.
'GET UP! QUICK!'
The lost child nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of another voice, and just barely stifled a yelp.
'Who-who's there?' he said apprehensively, voice as high as he dared.
'RUN NOW OR DIE, STUPID!'
Peeking carefully out of the blanket that served as a door to ensure the coast was clear, Will took a deep breath, and began running
back towards the only other place that felt halfway safe.
'Not home, idiot! They've already figured out your patterns!'
'Where do i go then?!' he hissed, not wanting the noise to attract attention.
'Go south! I'll guide you, but you have to hurry!'
Blood pumping and heart pounding, the terrified adolescent dug into the corrupted earth, running harder than he had ever run
before in his life.
'Watch the tree-bases! Some of them have spore pods on them!'
An image of an indescribably bizarre creature flashed into his mind, and he stopped not a moment too soon as he saw one attached
to a rotten tree right in his path, its cup-shaped mouth flexing and heaving as it took in the unhealthy air.
Resuming his frantic pace, Will ran to the left, just enough to avoid the creature's toxic spew, and continued on in the direction in
which the mysterious voice was leading him.
'Go left now!'
A thin sheet of sweat covered his arms and legs now, and his lungs began to burn.
'Don't stop! You're almost there!'
Pushing himself to his limit, the unlikely survivor felt his strength quickly giving out...and that was when he spotted the opening in
the rock-face.
Stumbling and panting, the boy dug into his last reserve of energy and collapsed into the cave-mouth.
His vision began blurring, and black spots appeared.
'No' he thought, too exhausted to be alarmed. 'Not like this'
Familiar faces flashed before him:
His friends Dustin, Mike, and Lucas.
His Brother, Johnathan.
The bullies.
And lastly, his Mother, staring with tearful eyes.
'Mom' he gasped 'I'm sor...'
Unable to finish, and with tears streaming down his face, his vision went dark, and Will Byers breathed his last.
'Shhhhh...not today'