Jonathan drove us to the local park. It was pretty empty because it was a cloudy day, and it was very quiet in the parking lot. Jonathan turned off the engine to his car, and we sat in a moment of awkward teenage silence. I didn't know how I'd tell him about Will. I didn't think things through and was too impulsive. How was I going to tell Jonathan that I only saw Will in my dreams? Why was I trying to pretend to play hero?
Jonathan couldn't look me in the eyes the entire time we were in his car. He was a very odd character, stranger than my father's friends from London. But I guess that was what intrigued me. One should become friends with those stranger than oneself. That's what Mr. Lyle used to tell me when I questioned why his father, a world linguist and Egyptologist, was friends with my father, a gun store owner.
"I remember this park," I said looking at the playground through the window. "I was supposed to meet with Nance and Barb before I left Hawkins."
"Where'd you go?"
"To London."
"London?"
"Yeah." It got awkward again quick. Jonathan wasn't very good with small talk unlike myself. Well, I was only trained to learn how to do small talk by Mr. Lyle. I didn't enjoy it because it felt so shallow and like a routine. I liked deep conversations which was why I loved asking my father's friends so many questions while in London. Dr. Frankenstein and his friend, Dr. Jekyll, were one of the most interesting people I ever met in my life.
"W-when...you said you t-talked to Will...when? H-How?" Jonathan asked with a slight stutter.
"Do you believe in God?" I asked looking into his eyes. He looked back into mine for a few seconds and looked away, insecure and unsure.
"I grew up in church when I was little."
"But do you believe in God, Jonathan? Do you believe in the Almighty, All Powerful One?" Jonathan looked back into my eyes longer than before, understanding I was serious about this question and that he needed to tell me the truth about his opinion.
"I guess no, not really."
"Well, the point isn't whether you believe or not," I answered looking away slightly dismissive of Jonathan's answer. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, and I got that dismissive aggressiveness from my mother. It's how she got people to do things for her. "It's whether you have the courage to face a world you don't believe in." Jonathan didn't know what to say. He didn't understand what I was talking about. "Will...he's..."
"He's what?" he asked slightly leaning forward.
"He's...in hell...and he's being hunted down by monsters of that world." Jonathan's face distorted with confusion and disbelief at what I was saying. "I don't know how to bring him back, but I saw him in my dreams and it was real. I could hear your mom shouting through a tree, and I made Will run away while I stayed to stop the demon."
"What...are you saying? I-I-I don't understand," he said in a slightly panicked tone. It made me feel crazy for a bit, like I was a maniac torturing Jonathan with my words.
"Here, give me your hands." Jonathan didn't move, and I held my hands out. I ushered him to hold my hands, and he cautiously held my hands. I gripped his hands in mine, giving him a little jump from my aggression. I needed to believe what I was saying. "Close your eyes, and breathe slowly." I took the lead and started, and I could hear Jonathan's breathing slow down. I assumed he was doing what I was doing. "Now, think about one of your most cherished moments with your brother. Think about every detail you can imagine."
I could see everything Jonathan was thinking of in his memory. I described to him everything I could see and hear. Jonathan and Will were sitting on Will's bed listening to "Should I Stay Or Should I Go". Will liked the music, and Jonathan told Will to not like something just because somebody told him to. It was a sincere brother-to-brother moment. It was quickly interrupted by shouting: a woman and man. The woman was the mother, but I never heard this man's voice before. I assumed it was her husband, Jonathan and Will's dad.
"And you turned up the volume," I continued as Jonathan watched me in shock describing in full and complete detail of his memory, a memory he knew there was no way I could've known. "But you could still hear them. You turned up the volume so Will wouldn't hear, but you heard everything. You wanted to hear. You wanted to know exactly what they were saying to each other. Every word your father shouted to your mother, you took it personally as if he was saying it to you directly." I opened my eyes to stop the memories. Jonathan immediately looked away again, insecure and embarrassed that I saw an intimate memory. He was shaking and tried to control himself. "Sorry. I can't filter the good memories from the bad ones."
"H-how...how did you do that?" he asked looking back at me. "How did you...see that?"
"God blessed me with these powers. Though I could also argue that it's a curse." Jonathan didn't say anything trying to process everything. "I want to help you and your brother, Jonathan."
"Why?" He looked into my eyes to search for an answer. That's another thing he couldn't understand, probably the most bedazzling question in his mind.
"Because I believe God brought me back to Hawkins for a special reason, granted me with special gifts for a reason, too. Will you let me help you?"
"What do you want?"
"What?" I genuinely didn't understand this question.
"There must be something you want in return. What do you want?"
"Well...I guess your brother has something of mine that's really important to me. It's a gift my dad gave me for my 10th birthday. I told your brother I expect it back when he gets home safely."
"Why...how does he have your ring?"
"Would you believe me if I told you I gave it to him in my dreams?"
"I...I don't know...I don't...know what to believe..."
"Listen, Jonathan." I looked into his eyes, and he looked back into mine. "I can't tell you what to believe in. Maybe I shouldn't have told you what I know, or maybe not at once. And I'm sorry for that. But there is a world out there that you need to know about if you want to help save your brother. I can tell you about this world." Now Jonathan couldn't stop staring into my eyes. The way he looked at me made me feel like I accidentally conjured up a trance on him.
"Have you...been to this world?"
"In my dreams. But...I know there is a real way to go there, like in real life. I just...don't know how yet. I gotta figure that out."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"I...I don't know. I mean, the answer must be here in Hawkins. God sent me here for a reason, I believe it." I sighed heavily, frustrated just talking about it. I didn't know where to begin looking for Will and a way to the other world, and I wished Jonathan would be of help to me in the long run.
Jonathan dropped me off at home a bit before dinner time, and I bid him goodnight. I watched him drive off, and then I entered my house. There, sitting on the couch near the front door, was my dad. It scared the hell out of me the way he was just sitting there and glaring at me, and I jumped and screamed from fright. "Jesus, dad! You scared the hell out of me!"
"Where the hell were you?" he asked in a calm yet angry tone.
"I was...hanging out."
"With who?"
"There's this kid at school, Jonathan, and his little brother is missing. I..." I stopped myself short from telling my dad the truth. I was about to tell him that I told Jonathan about myself but that would've been a huge mistake because that was one of the rules my dad laid out for me: never tell anyone about my condition. And immediately on day 1 of school I disobeyed it. "I just felt bad for him."
"You were trying to look for this missing boy?"
"Yeah. You know how I told you God gave me a sign to come back home? Well...maybe this kid might be why."
"He's just a missing kid, Valerie." Shit. My dad was really mad at me. He used my full first name. "Why are you trying to play cop now? Are you trying to impress this boy?"
"No, dad. It's not like that."
"You can't just decide to come home late because you decide to play hero to impress a boy you just met today, Valerie! And without telling me? Do you...do you have any idea what went through my mind when you were gone?!" My dad was starting to lose it, and it frightened me. He opened his mouth to describe the horrible monstrosities and scenarios that played through his mind thinking I was hurt. Kidnapping didn't scare him. That wasn't the issue. He knew I could handle my own if ever I got kidnapped. I was too smart for that. My dad was worried about the other worldly monsters and demons, the ones he's seen in his younger years, the years he spent with my mother. Those were the years that continued to haunt him till today. I understood why he was losing it.
My dad held back his tears, and I put my head down in shame. I should've known better. I knew better, but...just made wrong choices. "I'm sorry, dad," was all I could mutter.
"When school is done, you are to come straight home. No hanging out, no strolling around in the park, straight home. Do I make myself clear?" He was calmer, thank God.
"Yes, dad."
I walked to school the next day and went straight to my locker. It was still exciting opening my very own locker, and I exchanged my books. I closed it and looked back to head to Nance and Barb's locker. I saw Jonathan, and I smiled and waved hi. He cracked a weak smile and he waved back awkwardly.
I then walked towards Nance and Barb. I saw the guy Nance was making out with the night I was taking a nightly stroll. He was there with another girl and boy, obviously a couple, and Nance and Barb. "Oh hey, it's the new girl!" Nancy's guy said with a big smile. His hair reminded me of whipped cream.
"Hey," I replied with a genuine smile.
"Let me see. If I remember correctly...your name is Valerie?"
"Yeah. And you are?"
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. Nancy," the guy said looking back at Nancy with a surprised look on his face but one that seemed a little too over-the-top. "You haven't told your best friend about your boyfriend?"
"Steve!" Nancy whined with a cute smile to him as if she was feigning annoyance. Barb rolled her eyes.
"I guess I'll have to introduce myself then." The guy then turned back to me with a smile still on his face. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or fake. "I'm Steve Harrington." He put his hand out for me to shake, so I did. In that moment, I decided to take a look at Steve's past. I saw way more than I wanted to. I saw his past sex memories, and I counted 4 of them.
"Valerie Chandler," I said letting go of the shake quickly. I didn't like this guy. He was just going to have sex with Nancy like the rest of the other girls. He was going to hurt her.
"So uh, I'm throwing a little party tomorrow night on the hush-hush. Parents are out of town for the weekend. Nance is gonna be there so you should come too."
"Yeah, it'll be fun," Nancy said to me with a big smile to convince me to go. "You and Barb have to come."
"Are you going too, Barbs?" I asked looking at Barbara. Her eyes went wide for a second as all eyes went on her.
"I...I don't know," she said with a heavy sigh. I could tell she didn't want to go.
"Oh c'mon, Barb. We'll all go together," Nancy said. Man, she really wanted to go to this party.
"I can't," I answered. "I'm grounded." That was just an excuse. Though I truly was grounded, it was the full moon tonight and my dad would be long gone from home. This was a chance to find Will with Jonathan.
"Grounded for what?" Nance and Barb asked at the same time.
"I...fought with my dad," I replied. "Gotta go home right after school." The bell rang at such a fortunate time, and Nance, Barb, and I left for English.
School was over and I bid goodbye to Nance and Barb. I started walking down the street to get home, but I stopped short and turned back. Dad wasn't going to be home, so he wouldn't know if I came back just a little late. I headed over to the student parking lot, and I saw Jonathan's car still there. I waited for a couple of minutes at his car, but he still didn't arrive. I thought something was up, so I walked off to look for him.
I walked towards the grassy field near the lot, and I saw him there with 2 guys in front of him. They were clearly bullying him, the way they were towering over Jonathan and the way Jonathan was looking down and away and not into their eyes.
I hesitated a moment, wanting to just be an observer for a moment. I got that trait from my dad. He was always cautious and wary of situations, always wanted to observe before taking action. My mother was the opposite. She was incredibly impulsive and headstrong especially when it came to a fight against both humans and demons.
I saw the bullies push Jonathan hard, and he staggered back helplessly. My mother's instincts kicked in. I walked as quickly as I could towards Jonathan trying to keep my backpack on my shoulders as best I could. "What's going on here?" I asked making my way next to Jonathan. He was shocked I was there and that I saw the whole thing.
"You his girlfriend?" one of the boys asked with a jeer. "Hate to break it to you, babe, but this one here isn't attracted to your female gender." The other boy snickered.
"Leave him alone," I demanded firmly.
"Oh ho, are you serious right now?" the other one asked. "You're sticking up for this pussy?"
"Bother him again, and you will regret it," I threatened. I saw fear in their eyes when I spoke those words. They felt the sun go cold around them, and they tried to compose themselves. The boys looked at one another and jeered at me while walking quickly away. How I wished I could curse those two right at that spot. There were so many at my disposal, but I knew better than to get mingled with rats.
"What are you doing here?" Jonathan asked. I looked at him, and I could tell he was embarrassed that he couldn't stand up for himself. He was embarrassed and angry.
"I thought I'd try to help you find Will today. You know, if you weren't busy." He started walking off, and I followed. We walked back to his car silently, and we both got in.
"So, where should we go?" he asked still unable to look into my eyes.
"I was thinking my house. My dad won't be home tonight." Jonathan glanced at me and quickly looked away awkwardly. "Can you stay out for long tonight?"
"Y-Yeah, sure." Jonathan started up the engine and started driving to my house under my instructions. He parked in the driveway and we walked into the living room. I could see him admire all the decorations on my wall. Most of them were various religious artifacts, paintings, and decorations. "Wow," he uttered amazed at the sight.
"Want anything to eat or drink? I got tea, juice...booze if you want. But if you want that then you'll have to sleep over tonight. I don't want you drinking and driving."
"W-Water will be fine," Jonathan stuttered. I kinda wished he said booze. He slowly went his way to the couch and sat on it while I got ourselves some water. I made sure to drink Dr. Jekyll's medicine before heading back out to the living room. Jonathan was very quiet even when I gave him the water. I sat right next to him on the couch.
"So, tell me about your brother," I said to Jonathan sitting and facing him. He paused thinking about where to start as he looked down at his hands.
"He's...just a kid. A really good kid. He'd never hurt anyone, not even a fly. I...I thought all this time he was kidnapped...being tortured, murdered. And I asked myself why it happened to him. How could anyone be so cruel to hurt someone good like Will. But now that he's in...hell..." Jonathan paused and looked at me. "You say you believe in God. How could God do that to Will? Will didn't do anything to anyone, but He sent him to hell. How could He? Why is God making Will go through this?"
"I can't speak for God," I replied looking away. Maybe I did tell him too much too quickly. Maybe dad was right when he told me to shut my trap and not tell anyone anything about myself. "But I promise you, Jonathan, I will do everything in my power to help your brother."
"How? You said you don't know how to actually find him."
"Last time, I saw your brother in my dreams. I'll just...go to sleep and try to find him again. And we'll go on from there." Jonathan wasn't buying it but I needed him to. I really wanted him to believe me. "Will you stay?" He looked at me and my eyes were pleading for him to stay.
"Fine."
"Thanks, Jonathan," I said to him with a smile. I went to my dad's cabinet and took some sleeping pills. I popped in only two and then I went into my room. I grabbed my mother's tarot card, too curious about what role Jonathan would have in my life.
I brought the cards out and spread it in a semi-circle on the carpet. He sat in front of me on the floor and I looked into his eyes and said, "Pick a card. But you have to think about it. You have to mean it, alright?" Jonathan looked at me, and then looked back at the cards. He thought about which one to choose as he hovered his hand above the cards, and he picked one up near the middle. He flipped it over and his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. "What is it?" He showed me the card he chose, and it was "Lover".
It was just like my mother and father when he chose a card for the first time with her. That was one of the only memories my dad told me because that was a time before all the turmoil ensued their lives.
I couldn't help but smile, and he couldn't believe I was smiling. A smile came upon his face too. I cleaned up the tarot cards and lied down on the couch. "How long do you plan to stay?" I asked.
"However long it takes."
"What if it goes all night?"
"...then I'll be here all night." I looked at Jonathan and yawned with a smile.
"Thank you, Jonathan. You can turn on the TV if you'd like." He nodded with a small smile so I closed my eyes. I heard Jonathan sit back on the couch and turn on the TV while I drifted off to sleep.
I saw Jonathan's house, and lights were glowing on and off inside. I made my way into the house and saw Will jumping around, spelling things by using the Christmas lights. He was guiding his mother, talking to her about what was going on. "Will," I said. He jumped from fright not noticing me at first, but he immediately smiled when he saw me.
"It's you!" he cried out. He ran to me and we hugged. "Did you come back for your ring?"
"Actually, I came here for you. Your brother wanted to talk to you."
"Jonathan?" he asked with his eyes widening.
"Yeah. Here, hold my hands and just...talk." I held Will's hands, and he was shaking.
"Jonathan? Can you hear me?"
Jonathan jumped from the couch. Will's voice just spoke through the air like a ghost. He looked around but couldn't see Will anywhere. "W-Will? W-Will is that...is that you?!"
"Yeah, it's me," Will cried out with tears streaming down his face. He sniffled and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
"Oh my god," Jonathan cried out in tears. He couldn't believe he was hearing Will's voice. He looked at me sleeping on the couch and fell to his knees, looking at me. "Will...I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should've been home that night to help you. I shouldn't have worked that day. I'm so sorry, Will."
"It's not your fault," Will answered sniffling but trying to sound strong. "I'm glad you weren't home. The monster would've killed you if you were there."
"Monster? What monster? Are you safe, Will? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine for now. This girl helped me run away before."
"Valerie? She helped you?"
Will looked at me. He didn't catch my name yet, and I nodded. "Yeah, Valerie saved me."
"Where are you? How can I help you?"
"I don't know where I am. It's...it's cold and scary." A roar echoed through the area, and Will started panicking. "Oh no, it's here."
"What? What's there? The monster? Is it there?!"
"Listen, you need to hide, Will," I said to Will.
"What about you?"
"You know the routine," I answered with a smile. "Just stay low until I come back."
"Do...you want your ring back?"
"Not yet. Keep it for luck."
"Please come back soon. I'll be waiting." I nodded and watched Will hide away. I ran out of the house and into the woods. The monster's roar sounded even louder, and I knew it was very near. I continued to run but made an unfortunate move. I ran right into the monster. I jumped back from fright, and quickly spat out spells and curses but it didn't work. Was it because I was in hell? Was it because I was in a dream? I tried to run away, but the monster's claws caught my back.
I awoke with a piercing scream, and Jonathan screamed and jumped back when he saw a monster appear before his very eyes from thin air standing right behind the couch. Cold sweat dripped down my face and I couldn't believe I was staring at the monster standing there inside my house. The lights were on, and we both could see clearly how ugly this monster really was. My back was in extreme pain and my shirt felt wet.
Jonathan and I staggered back as the monster watched us as if it was analyzing us. Jonathan held onto my arm, holding me close to him. I felt safe and protected near him even when facing against this monster. The monster roared, and I took a step forward. If we waited any longer, I was afraid it would fight us.
Etsi nüllaan an oge en Kailfernum troovea eksdamnaskek I spoke.
Etsi nüllaan an oge en Kailfernum troovea eksdamnaskek I took another step forward, and the monster roared.
Etsi nüllaan an oge en Kailfernum troovea eksdamnaskek I chanted louder and braver, staring right into the monster's face.
Jonathan watched this in shock. The monster roared once more and ran out of my house into the darkness of the night. I fell to my knees, considerably weak. I fell faint, and last thing I remembered before I fell unconscious was the howl of two wolves.
The blood loss had gotten to me. When the monster struck me in my dreams, it damaged my real body. I had 4 long claw marks across my back with blood gushing out. Jonathan ran to my side and panicked. He didn't even think about calling the police, not after everything he saw. He grabbed my arm and carried me on his back.
Jonathan walked out my house but fell on the porch. He dropped my body on the ground, and the full moon shone brightly. Jonathan was frantic and ran to my side, still hearing the wolves howling. He must've thought wolves were after us too. When he reached out to pull me up on his back again, he paused with his eyes locked on my back. He saw the gashes closing by itself as if sewing itself back together. The blood was still there but it stopped gushing out.
In just a matter of minutes, my body healed itself from any scratches entirely right before Jonathan's eyes. He sat there, eyes and mouth wide open in shock at the scene. It was this very night when Jonathan became a believer, when his entire world had flipped upside-down. It was this very night when both our lives paved the way for God's ultimate salvation for mankind all the while meaning the demise of us both.