Stranger Things in a Cabin in the Woods
Thanks for reading! This story is Stranger Things Fanfiction inspired by the movie Cabin in the Woods.
M is for chapter 3 and 5 (with some heavy Stoncy). There is also a bit of Will/Mike, but it's light.
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1: Old Relationships
"Smile bud!" Jonathan said, aiming his camera right at Will's face. The kid gave the biggest smile he could, then blinked right as the bulb flashed.
"Will, honey, you have to open your eyes for the picture…" Mom said. Mom was acting like…Mom. Worrying about him constantly, obsessing over every little thing about him…including this dinner with the Wheelers.
"Mom…" Will muttered, then pulled on the collar of his tight button up. The shirt, along with the pants and belt, were all too tight and uncomfortable, and Will wanted to get out of them as soon as possible. He grimaced as Jonathan lined up another shot, "We're gonna be late guys!"
"Alright, just one more…" Jonathan said. Mom smiled widely as Will did everything in his power to keep his eyes open.
"Perfect…" Jonathan took another, then another before Will threw his hand out.
"Stop! Stop!" Will regretted it as soon as he said it, because his mother was on him like a hawk.
"Will! Will, are you okay?" she said, grabbing his arms, "The light, is it? Was it…the other side?"
"No!" Will said, trying to rub the brightness of the light out of his eyes, "I'm fine, Mom…"
"Okay…sorry sweetie, I just…"
"I know…you care…" Will muttered. Despite it having been near eight months since the mind flayer incident, when he was taken over by a monster from the Upside Down, his mom still harped on him over his every daydream. And he'd be lying if he said he didn't occasionally glimpse into the other side. Into that terrible, horrible Vale of Shadows.
"Alright, Byers, let's go!" Mom yelled as she grabbed her purse and keys, "Come on Will…" she started toward the door, then looked back to Jonathan. It was only then that Will noticed he was in a jean jacket and old pants.
"Jonathan, are you really going to wear that over to the Wheelers?"
"I…" Jonathan hesitated, then shook his head, "You know Mom, I'm not feeling so well…maybe I shouldn't…"
"Jonathan…" Will piped up, touching his arm, "Mike told me that you had to be there…"
"Get that nicer jacket…and grab some pants…we're leaving now!" Mom said. Jonathan sighed, then went back into his room. Will looked up at his mother.
"Mike said Jonathan and Nancy…"
"Broke up…yes sweetie. But don't say anything tonight, okay…" she sighed, then bit her lip, "I hope this is a good idea…"
"What, the dinner?" Will asked, confused.
"You'll see honey…" Mom said. After was seemed like forever, Jonathan came out in an old brown suit jacket and khakis, then they loaded into the car and went to the Wheelers. Will looked out the window as he went, thinking, and hoping. Hoping he wouldn't have an incident at Mike's nice dinner. Everyone once in a while, when he stared too long into the sky, he thought he saw it, the horrible, huge mind flayer, towering over the Vale of Shadows. But as he stared today, he saw nothing but bright green tree leaves and felt the warmth of early summer.
When they arrived at the home and went to the door, it was Mike who answered. The short, pale skinned, freckled, black-haired boy smiled widely at Will, then grabbed his arm. A touch that made Will's heart flutter. But why?
"Hey, Will, come in!" Mike said, smiling widely, "Hi Ms. Byers, hi Jonathan!"
"Hello, Mike…" Mom said. Soon, Mike's mother was at the door, talking to Jonathan and Mom as Mike pulled Will to the dining room, where the big, rarely used oak table was covered in a white cloth and had been laid out for a nice dinner.
"Mike…what's going on?" Will asked. Mike looked back, then at the table.
"I'm not supposed to tell you yet. It's a surprise. But I overheard my dad talking and…"
"Mike!" Mike's father, Mr. Wheeler, stepped into the room, and put a plate of barbecued ribs onto the table, "This dinner is meant to celebrate you guys graduating middle school…and Nancy and Jonathan becoming seniors…" Mr. Wheeler turned and looked at his wife through his thick glasses, and watched her talking to Mom for almost a minute before clearing his throat.
"Let Joyce in the door before you talk her ear off, Karen…" Mr. Wheeler said, going to his wife. Mike made a sputtering noise with his lips, then lean in to Will's ear.
"We're going on a trip!" Will's eye grew wide, then he looked at Mike.
"Trip? Who?"
"Your family and mine! We're going out to a cabin that my dad's cousin owns…"
"Amazing. The surprise lasted almost ten seconds …" Mr. Wheeler muttered as he came back to the table, holding a plate of steaming mac and cheese and another of steamed vegetables that made Will's stomach roil, "I suppose we'll start dinner with the announcement then…Nance! Dinner!" Will and Mike took seats next to each other on one side of the table, while Jonathan sat down across from Will on the opposite side. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler took opposite ends of the table. Mom sat next to Mrs. Wheeler, with Holly in a chair between them, then, finally, Nancy came down the stairs wearing a long, green and white summer dress. She paused mid-stride as she saw that the only chair at the table was next to Jonathan, and sat down gently and cleared her throat.
"Jonathan…"
"Nancy…" the two locked eyes awkwardly for a few moments, then looked away. Break ups must suck… Will thought as he watched the two refuse to look at each other again.
"Ahem, Mr. Wheeler," Jonathan started, looked at Mike's father, who opened a beer and took a long drink of it without taking his eyes of Will's brother, "You said something about an announcement…"
"Ahem, yes," the man put down the beer and looked at his wife, in the same indifferent way Will thought a tiger might look at a tiny yapping dog, "As you all know, this first week of summer break is the normal Wheeler getaway trip. Usually, we go with my cousin Thomas..."
"But!" Mike said, leaning forward. Mr. Wheeler looked at him a moment nodded.
"He's got a conference this year, and can't meet us. So, he's letting us use his lake house instead…It sleeps 10 comfortably, and…well, with the leak at the lab and asphyxiation and all, Karen and I thought it might be nice to invite the Byers to the cabin with us…" he cleared his throat and looked at Will, then Jonathan, "It will be a week out in the woods, on Lake Monroe out in the south of the state…and there is boating, fishing, hiking, hunting…along with plenty of woods to explore…" by the time Mr. Wheeler had finished describing the place, Will was smiling as widely as Mike. However, when he looked at Jonathan, he saw a mix of terror and horror.
"Boys, the Wheelers asked me first, and…" Will's mom frowned in concern, the way she always did, then looked at Jonathan, "I think this will be a good break from Hawkins, and…Will coming to high school is a big moment, I think its worth celebrating with a trip like this…" Mom finished, smiling at her Will, then at Jonathan again. Will's brother's face remained shocked, however, and Will could see Nancy looking almost as frustrated.
"A…a week…" Nancy, who was apparently hearing this for the first time too, muttered softly, looking at Jonathan, then eyed her mother, "Do I have to come? These nerds are just going to be playing Dungeons and Drogans the whole time…"
"It's Dungeons and Dragons…" Mike muttered, "How could you mess that up? What's a Drogan? Nancy you used to play…"
"Nancy…it's a tradition that we go on this trip…" Mr. Wheeler cut in, "You don't get to stay home…"
"I personally think it will be good for us and the Byers to really connect…" Mrs. Wheeler offered.
"Mom…" Nancy said, trying to signal to Jonathan, who was now staring down into his lap. Mike, however, was ready to move on.
"Tell them about the next part too!" Mike said, looking at his father. Mr. Wheeler eyed him coolly.
"The five of us, and the three Byers make 8. It can fit two more, and, to be fair, Mike and Nancy, each of you can invite one more friend…" Mike's face slide into a frown.
"Dad, I thought you said…"
"I talked about this with your mother…One per person! And not Hopper's new girl…El or whatever her name is. Mike, she spends far too much time here at the house…hell, you'd think she lived here…" Mr. Wheeler filled his plate with ribs, "And if I see one more waffle in this house…" Mike looked at Will, who shrugged and smiled.
"We'll still have fun…right?"
"Yeah…you're right," Mike tried to smile, then squinted at his friend, "I have to decide who else to invite..." Will frowned at this too. Part of him really wanted to just hang out with Mike for a week, just to two of them, like they did at school before Lucas transferred to them, or before Dustin showed up in 4th grade. He liked his crew, but sometimes, he just wished he could hang out with Mike.
"Pick one of the boys…" Nancy muttered to her brother, crossing her arms, "I guess I'm supposed to pick a girl to talk to and do my nails with."
"Nancy, you're a teenager…" Mrs. Wheeler said, filling up a plate for Holly, who was slamming her hands on the table, "We trust you to behave, so you can pick whoever you want, boy or girl…but you're coming, and that's that…"
"That's not fair…" Mike muttered, crossing his arms.
"I agree…" Nancy said.
"Well, children, let me tell you something I learned a while ago…about 19 years ago to be exact…" Mr. Wheeler said, looking up at Mrs. Wheeler, "Life…is not fair."
Jonathan picked up another plate and handed it to Nancy, who took it gingerly and scrubbed it over the sink. His mother was with Mrs. Wheeler, talking excitedly about the trip, while Mr. Wheeler's snoring was barely audible through the chatter of the ladies. Mike and Will were downstairs, probably debating how they were going to pick which of their friends would go with them. And Jonathan? Jonathan was helping Nancy clean up from their meal. A month ago, he wouldn't have switched spending a week with Nancy for anything. Now, he wanted to be anywhere else.
"Hand me that spoon. And can you get a bin from that drawer for leftovers…" Nancy asked, wiping her brow with her sleeve. She was acting like nothing was wrong. Like there wasn't going to be a problem with them being together at a lakeside house for a week. If nothing else, she was doing a lot better job at pretending than Jonathan.
"Wh…wh…which drawer?" Jonathan asked, going the opposite way Nancy was pointing.
"That one! The one to your right, up…up there. And hand me the spoon…" Nancy grumbled. There was a harshness in her tone, and Jonathan felt like he was messing up their relationship all over again. Jonathan hurried to obey, then quietly dried two more plates before Nancy spoke again.
"Since we're going to do this Jonathan…"
"I'll stay out of your way Nance…er…Nancy…" Jonathan jumped in. He hoped that was what she wanted to hear. He wasn't very good at reading most people, but he had Nancy mostly down. Mostly.
"No, Jonathan, let's not make this miserable," Nancy said, "We're going to be friends, at least for this week, okay. And I was going to ask you, as a friend, who you think I should invite…" Jonathan looked at her a few moments, and then a name popped out of his mouth before he could even think about it.
"Steve," Jonathan said, then looked down in shock and confusion. Steve? Why Steve? Real smooth, why not let Nance have 2 ex-boyfriends on the trip instead of one? Nancy looked confused at first, then her shock turned to amusement.
"Very funny. You know I've been talking to Steve more recently, especially since he's planning on doing a semester at IU…" Nancy sighed, "At least, he going to try one…Bloomington isn't far from Lake Monroe…" Jonathan's eyes grew wide as Nancy started seriously pondering the idea. Seriously pondering it.
"Well…maybe it's not such a good idea…" Jonathan jumped in, "He is busy now…getting ready for college, and…his babysitting service…"
"He could take care of Will and Mike too while we're there! My parents would almost pay him to go…That's a good point…" Nancy said. Jonathan just barely stopped himself from facepalming. Was he trying to torpedo his chances with Nancy?
"Are you sure you don't want to invite one of your friends who's a girl? Like Ally or Stacy? I can spend time with the boys if…if…"
"Jonathan, Ally calls you the ugly duckling of Hawkins. You don't want to know what Stacy calls you. Taking them on the trip with you is not going to be fun. But Steve…you did suggest him…" Nancy said. Jonathan dropped his gaze and sighed. I know…and I'm already regretting it. But part of Jonathan wasn't. Part of Jonathan was actually getting excited about the prospect of being with Steve, hanging out with him…seeing him in swim trunks without a shirt…
"I…uh…I suppose…with Will still connected to the Upside Down…Steve's bat might be useful too…" Jonathan murmured, then nearly smacked himself again. He felt like he was fighting a civil war in himself, one side trying to be alone with Nancy, another trying to make sure Steve came.
"Just don't be too rough with him…" Nancy said, handing Jonathan the last plate, "Last time you got in an argument…Steve ended up in pretty bad shape…"
"Yeah…he's really better at fighting otherworldly monsters than other teenagers…" Jonathan said. Nancy laughed at that. A real laugh. Jonathan wanted to grab her and plant a kiss on those sweet smiling lips. But as he moved toward her, ever so slightly, she turned to him and took off her gloves.
"You should probably round up your brother and get home. We're leaving in a few days, and I can't imagine what packing is like with you Byers…" Nancy said, walking past him and brushing her arm into his. Jonathan blushed, but said nothing as she left. Steve, Nancy, and him. Back together again…in a cabin in the woods.
"Alright, gentlemen…" Mike said, holding out his hand. There were two straws in it. One, was nothing, worthless, a symbol of abandonment, being left behind. The other…was a golden ticket to a week of partying in a rich house with more Dungeons and Dragons than Lucas could ever want. As he reached his thick brown fingers out, he felt sweat dripping down his face, and his palm and fingertips were clammy. His other hand was intertwined with Max's, which was just as sweaty and gross. The red headed freckle faced skateboarder was his girl, and they had helped save the world together, as the ultimate adventure party. But, the party was going to have to break up.
"Come on…come on…" Dustin said, touching the left straw gently. Lucas gripped the right between his index finger and thumb, then at the count of three, they drew. Lucas held up the straw, and saw it, full length, beautiful, and with the smell of victory. He looked to Dustin, who seemed frozen in shock.
"I…I lost…"
"Sorry, Dustin, me and Will agreed this was the only fair way…" Mike said, putting a hand on Will. Dustin turned to El, the girl…THE GIRL…who had magic, special powers and now a thick, mangy mess of curly black hair.
"It's…okay…"
"Yeah, it will be…" Max said with a mischievous smile. A mischievous smile Lucas found he really loved, "El, Dustin and I will just hang out…and do all sorts of girl stuff…" Dustin's disappointment became horror, but Lucas, Will and Mike all began to laugh loudly. Max was about as far from girly stuff as a girl could get, and El…well, she didn't know much about the world in general, on account of being locked up at Hawkins lab all those years.
"It's just a week Dustin. And we'll stay in radio contact…." Will offered, trying to comfort their friend. Lucas nudged him in the elbow.
"We'll also let you know about all those trails and hills we explore, along with all those fish and tadpoles we find…"
"Trails…fish…" Dustin muttered, then looked at the two girls, "Any chance I could interest either of you in some leech collection outside of town?" Both drew back from his suggestion, leading to even more laughter from the boys. Lucas then turned to Mike, and pulled him close.
"Mike…do you think Will's gonna be okay? Without El, or Hopper or…"
"His mom will be there, and so will my sister and Jonathan. And they get to invite a friend too.
"Probably will be some pretty high school girl…" Lucas said, flashing Mike a smile. Lucas got a whack on the back of his head from Max for that comment, but in his mind, he knew it was worth it, "Let's do this, Cabin Adventure 1985!" Lucas did a complicated three way high five with Will and Mike, then smiled widely at the boys. He was going on adventure. And he'd seen it…Mike had made sure he got the straw.
"Hey, guys, we're taking bets…" Dustin said, stepping back into the group, "Who do you think Nancy is going to invite?"
"Twenty-One! Twenty-Two!" Steve roared as he pulled up the two heavy dumbbells. He took a deep breath, then thrust the dumbbells forward again, then again, then again.
"Twenty-Five!" Steve dropped the bells and jumped to his feet. It was good, better, much better than he had been. But if he hoped to have a chance of playing intramural basketball, much less in Junior Varsity at IU, he had to get into even better shape. Steve turned to the back of his basement, where his rowing machine sat, sighed and got into position to start pumping. Then, he turned to look at the dresser to his right. A book was sitting on it, a thick bound volume. A gift from Nancy. Something to help sharpen his mind before he left. College was hard, and the Beginners Guide to College Reading and Writing, was suppose to help get him ready for his semester at IU. Steve stood slowly from the rowing machine and opened the book and started flipping through it. It was a set of novel chapters and short stories with analysis and tips. And he was tearing through it, faster than he had read any other book in his life. In part because it was interesting, and well written. In part because Nancy had given it to him.
Steve thought back to that moment, when he'd heard Jonathan and Nancy had broken up. When his heart had started pounding and his mind had raced. He'd heard from the munchkins that Nancy didn't think she could give Jonathan all of herself anymore. That meant she had feelings for someone else…or at least room for them. Steve had thought it was his chance, his opportunity to reclaim Nancy from Byers at least one last time before he went to college. He'd bought flowers, chocolates, even had practiced a number of speeches to tell her that even now, after all those months, he still felt for her. But when he drove up, he'd wrestled and fought with himself to go to the door, and when he finally did, he just rung the doorbell and gave her a copy of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. That was how he'd become friends with Nancy again. And Byers…Jonathan had found him at school the day after, went with him to the locker-room, and cried into his shoulder as he explained to Steve in excruciating detail that Nancy had finally figured out he wasn't worth it. Steve had tried to comfort the boy, tell him things were gonna be okay, rubbed his head and wiped away his tears. But, it turned out taking care of middleschoolers was easier than his peers, and Steve didn't know what to do other than keep patting the Jonathan on the back. While Nancy and he had become close again, Steve hadn't said much other than say "hi" to Jonathan after that. But, every once in a while, his mind would return to that moment, the soft sobs and tight grip Jonathan had on him, the way Steve had stroked him,had ran fingers through his straight black hair. The way Jonathan had pressed into Steve, and how close their…their…
"Steve! Phone!" Steve heard from the stairs. He shook away the thought of Byers away and went to the stairs.
"Who is it? I'm working out Mom!" Steve yelled. There was a pause, then his mother's high, shrill voice returned.
"That girl you were going with. Nana!"
"Nancy, Mom! Her name is Nancy!" Steve groaned. Speak of the devil…He went up the steps slowly and found his mother, her curly black and grey hair a mess and her thick glasses weighing down her thin face.
"Here Steve, and don't be too harsh on her…"
"Mom!" Steve grumbled, then grabbed the phone.
"Hello?"
"Steve…" Nancy said. There was a long pause, then Steve laughed breathlessly.
"Good to talk to you too. You know, Nancy, I've been reading that book you gave me…" Steve said, putting a hand on his hip.
"Really? You're reading a book?"
"Yeah I know, shocking…But you have good choice in books…" Steve said, then sighed, "So, what's up?"
"Well, I wanted to talk to you…about a trip I'm taking…"
"Oh, the cabin. I heard from your brother last time I took them to the arcade. Going out to the woods, to a lakeside cabin, just for them. He was hoping to take Lucas, El and Dustin, along with Will. Do you have to go with them too?"
"Well, Steve, the whole Byers family is coming with mine…" Steve stopped his pacing, and looked into the phone, then put it back on his ear.
"Jonathan is gonna come?"
"Yep…And since our parents are making us go, Mike and I get invite one person each…" Well, that would be awkward. Mike and Will would have to pick only one friend. And Nance…she must need advice on how to deal with Jonathan.
"Look, Ally's got to be the choice. She doesn't like Byers, but Stacy really hates that kid and Bethane, or whoever that girl is you hang out with, she's going to bother you as much as Byers is going to bother her…and Byers really likes his brother. Just tell Jonathan to play with them, and you shouldn't have any…"
"Steve…" Nancy interrupted. She sounded stressed, and Steve switched ears with the phone, and frowned.
"Nancy, are you okay? Is something going on with Will or one of the…"
"Steve. Shut up!" Nancy said. Steve waited, then Nancy continued, "I don't want your advice. I want you…er…I mean, I want to invite…you…" Steve froze, then didn't know what to say. The two were silent for a long time before Nancy continued.
"It was Jonathan's idea. He was the one who…who mentioned you. And if there is a problem with Will or something weird…"
"You want my bat?" Steve muttered. Was there about to be something strange, some connection to another world? That was how it was with the Byers, wasn't it? Steven turned to his mother, who was standing too close and hearing too much and shooed her back.
"Has there been a recent…event?"
"No…Steve…it's not about that. I want…I want you to come for me. You don't have to. But I want you to…and Jonathan…he…well he sounded like he did too…"
"Hmph…" Steve smiled, "You know what you're getting into, don't you? Fine…" Steve looked at his mother and smiled, "So, I'm coming with you for a week in the cabin huh? I guess I'll drive my BMW, and take you and whoever else you need. When should I come pick you up?"
"Come on!" Mike muttered, looking through his drawer. Lucas sat on Mike's bed, waiting for other boy to find his last item, the extra batteries for his radio. To call El. Max knew Lucas was leaving, and they'd said bye, and even tried a little kiss. But Mike…Mike couldn't spend more than about 5 seconds from El without having a moment. Lucas groaned and leaned back on Mike's bed.
"Where are they?" Mike asked.
"I have extra batteries, Mike. Will should too…"
"I don't want to use your batteries. You might need them…" Mike said. Lucas rolled his eyes.
"I don't plan on making any long distance—or other dimensional—radio calls …"
"Mike!" Mr. Wheeler yelled from downstairs, "Let's go! Steve and Nancy are loaded in their car and the Byers are waiting for us…" Lucas sat up, pulled on his backpack and went to the door. Mike kept searching, digging through piles of clothes and old books and toys. Then Lucas saw it. The spare batteries, sitting on one of his dressers.
"Mike…" Lucas snatched them up, "Looking for this?"
"Wha…hey!" Mike raced after Lucas, who rushed down the stairs, slide around an angry looking Mrs. Wheeler and an annoyed looking Mr. Wheeler, and went to the van. Lucas jumped into one side, shut the door and handed Mike's sister Holly the case. And like a normal sister, and unlike his monster of a sibling, she hid it for him.
"Wha…where? My extra batteries! Where are they?" Mike asked, leaning into the car. The door was shut behind him, then Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler got into their seats and started it.
"Thank god. Alright, Wheelers, and Lucas, let's go!" Mr. Wheeler backed up quickly, then slammed the acceleration and hurried away from the home. Lucas turned back to see the Byers Ford Pinto, which Jonathan was driving with Joyce in the front and Will barely visible in the back struggling to keep up, and beyond that, Steve's BMW, which started to make a lot of revving noises as it took the third position. They headed out of town and got on State Road 35, then got on the highway. Mike brooded for about twenty minutes of the drive before Holly finally showed Mike that she had his batteries, then the boys spent most the rest of the ride talking about all the things they'd be doing down at the lake, and all the DnD games they'd have to play.
"Without Dustin though…" Mike murmured, "You guys' party won't be full…"
"It's alright. We can still have fun…" Lucas offered, then looked at Mike, "Can I ask you a question, Mike?"
"Of course…"
"Who do you like more, me or El?" Mike seemed shocked by the question, and drew back.
"What? What kind of question is that? I like you both. Not the same…but I like all my best friends, you, El, Will…Dustin…"
"There was hesitation between Will and Dustin," Lucas said with a wink, which led Mike to roll his eyes, "And I've got the years on Will with you…" Lucas smiled at the thought. Mike was his first friend, and Mike knew it, even if he wouldn't admit it.
"No…I…looked I like you in a different way. Different than El. I like you like a best friend. El and Will I like like…" Lucas did a double take when he heard that.
"Wait, hold on, El and Will you what?"
"I like El and Will and you differently."
"Yeah, but you like, like El. And you said you like, like Will."
"No I didn't! And I don't like either of them more than you!" Mike crossed his arms and turned to the window. Lucas eyed him, then, and looked out his side to the endless cornfields that stretched out around them, and tried to process what Mike just said as they continued south, heading toward Lake Monroe.
"Take…on…me," Jonathan sang. Will backed him up, bouncing against his seatbelt in the back.
"Take on me…"
"Take…me…on!" Jonathan yelled back.
"Take me on!" Will added.
"I'll be gone…" Mom added, joining in. The three took a breath, then finished the song.
"In a day!" They finished with a cheer, then the song changed, and Mom turned back to Will.
"How you doing?"
"I'm great. And so excited…" Will said, touching his bag. It had his DnD characters, drawings and crayons and markers, and two new record tapes Jonathan had made for him.
"I'm glad you're excited buddy. I'm excited too!" Mom said. She looked over at Jonathan, and touched his arm, "And how are you feeling?"
"I'm…okay…" Jonathan said, clearing his throat. He looked uncomfortable in the seat, and Will heard a long sigh from him.
"Jonathan…" Will offered slowly, "You…don't have to hang out with us. If you want to be with Nancy and Steve…"
"No…that's not it. I would never have a problem hanging with you buddy…" Jonathan said, looking up into the mirror. Jonathan still looked bothered, and Will guessed it had something to do with Nancy.
"Sweetie, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. But getting away from Hawkins and all that mess for a little while…"
"It will be good for all of us. I know…" Jonathan said, looking back at Will, "How did Dustin and El take it? That they were being left behind?"
"Better than Mike did..." Will said with a smile. Then he heard something. Something scratching at the edge of his mind. Oh no. No, no, no! Will looked out the window, then closed his eyes. He didn't want to go to the Vale. He didn't want to see that thing. He opened them slowly, and saw he was still in the car, looking out over the cornfields all around them. But something was off. The corn looked different, like Will could almost see the life coming from the plants. He watched for a while, then looked forward to see the outlines of his family. His mother was a shimmering white light, bright, guiding, and loving. Will felt himself draw to it, protected by it. Jonathan, however, was a different shade, darker, brooding, cold, a dim purple but under it was a light, hidden, but still powerful. Jonathan was afraid and embarrassed, Will could sense. He could see Jonathan's feelings for Nancy there. But there was another set of feelings there too. About Steve. Will watched for a few moments more, trying to understand, when he heard the sound of something coming at him. He turned to the window and saw a creature flying toward him, a human shape. It wasn't human though; it had milky white skin, so thin on the creature that Will could see the outline of its skull. It had torn black and green robes and bright green eyes that seemed to drill under Will's skin.
"You! Will…the Wizard!" The creature uttered in Will's head, "Come…show me…the way, to the dark world!" Just as the creature was about to burst through the car window, Will felt a hand on his arm.
"Will? Can you hear me?" Mom was gripping him tightly, looking terrified. Will shook away the images, and nodded.
"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking…"
"It wasn't a vision was it?" Jonathan asked. Will looked at him, and swallowed. He wanted to lie about it, say it was nothing. But he also wanted to tell the truth, tell them everything. About this new ability to see people's…aura? Shadows? Whatever they were. He wanted to tell Jonathan he'd seen that he still loved Nancy, and not to feel threatened by Steve. But he couldn't ruin this trip for Mike.
"I just…imagined it again. It was just me imagining though. Not a real vision. I promise…"
"It's okay sweetie, we can turn around and…"
"No, let's go!" Will said, tugging on his seat belt, "Let's have an adventure!" Will said with a smile, then looked back at the window and tired not to think about what he saw. Because it wasn't the Vale of Shadows he just glimpsed. It was another dimension…something else…and it seemed like came with a new monster…
"So, are we not going to talk the whole ride?" Nancy asked, looking at Steve. The boy adjusted his sunglasses slightly, then cleared his throat.
"I don't know what to say…"
"Thanks might be a start. I picked you over all my friends to…"
"And see, that's got me confused…" Steve muttered, "I'd get it, if you and Jonathan weren't broken up, and you wanted me to join you to make it fun. Or if I was invited with a group of our class. But Jonathan, you and I? Your exs? That's our group?" Steve asked, then looked back to the road, "You've got some other motive…"
"Steve. I invited you because you're my friend, and since you're going to college, I want to spend time with you…"
"Sure…keep telling yourself that…" Steve murmured, then turned to merge on 65, "And you are going to enjoy this week with Byers and I. This is going to be a great experience for all of us. Did I mention we're exs? But, its fine, we'll play Candyland and eat nice dinners. Oh, and probably hang out with your little brothers and maybe they'll let us be a part of their dungeons and drogans."
"Dungeons and Dragons, Steve. And no, we'll do teen stuff…"
"Like…?" Steve asked. Nancy hesitated and Steve snorted, "Yep, our teen stuff. Because the three of us, we're the definition of normal teens."
"Steve, I want us all to enjoy this. I don't want the past to…to…"
"Affect our relationship? Or Byers? Good luck with that…"
"If you thought this was such a bad idea, why did you agree to come?" Nancy muttered, crossing her arms. Because I still love you… Steve thought, And I want Jonathan to cry and hold on to me again…
"Fine…" Steve said, putting his right hand out as he guided the car with his left, "Let's act like adults. Truce between us. Me, you and Byers. Let's start all over once we get there, and have the time of our lives…" Nancy looked at the hand suspiciously, then took it slowly.
"Truce…"
"And I'm not being the babysitter. We're doing that together. If I have to watch your siblings, you have to come too…" Steve said. Nancy smiled and pushed her hair back.
"I honestly can't remember the last time I 'watched,' Mike." And I can't remember the last time Nancy and I really hung out Steve thought,…much less with Byers…