"Barb? Is that you?" I couldn't believe it. I thought Barb was missing because maybe the monster got to her, but she was fine. She was standing right in front of me. Though...she didn't look quite the same, and I wasn't talking about the absence of her glasses. She had a certain...air about her that was different than before. Before she was bubbly, glowing, and...well she was quite a bright and radiating character. Now...something seemed...tense and...misleading. It wasn't right, it didn't feel right at all. But my eyes weren't deceiving me. I was looking at Barb, the same old Barb.
"Hey Val," Barb smiled. She went in for a hug, and it made me feel queasy. I nearly lost my balance. "Are you okay, Val?" Barb chuckled when she saw me woozy. "Geez, I have quite the effect on you huh?"
"Y-yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just...I thought you were missing, Barb. Where were you this whole time?"
"Well, notice anything different about me?" she asked with an even bigger smile.
"Yeah, you're not wearing your glasses."
"Tada! I went to get this new procedure for my eyes called Lasik surgery. They use laser to slice...well...you don't need to know the details."
"Really? You got this laser surgery?" Something just didn't feel right. I didn't believe her story at first.
"Yeah. I just got tired of wearing my glasses, you know? It was just an annoyance, but now I feel so free without them."
"Yeah...yeah, sure." I smiled back weakly, not knowing whether to be wary or happy that Barb was back. "Hey, so what's all that commotion over there?" I remembered that I wanted to go see Nancy to talk to her about what she and Jonathan were doing in the forest last night. Barb and I walked together towards Nancy's locker, and I saw "Nancy the Slut Wheeler" written all over Nancy's locker with "Byers is a perv" next to it.
I wondered what the hell was going on. Nancy a slut? Jonathan a perv? I didn't understand why that was being written. "Did you hear?" Steve asked walking up to me to strike this conversation. "Nancy and Jonathan slept together."
"What?!" I asked in disbelief. I couldn't believe what Steve was saying.
"Yeah. I saw them with my own eyes. And...and I couldn't believe it either." I looked up at Steve seeing he was hit real hard by Nancy's betrayal. He really liked her, and it surprised me. I thought he was just a dick this entire time, but he truly cared for Nance. "I saw them together in her room, on her bed. He had his..." He clenched his fist just thinking about it. "He had his arm around her shoulder. That goddamn..." Steve tried holding in his anger the best he could.
"How did you see all this?"
"I climbed up to her window. I always do, I've done it many times before. I trusted Nancy, and I'm sure you trusted Byers." I didn't answer, confused. "They betrayed us, Valerie. They're cheaters, liars, fakers!" I couldn't stand there listening to this anymore. I needed to find out if it was true immediately.
I stormed away leaving both Barb and Steve behind. I searched the campus to find Jonathan and Nancy, and I saw them in the parking lot together. They were walking together, and I assumed they came together in his car from the way they were walking close. I walked slowly towards the two, anger boiling inside of me, rage about to burst open. Looking back on this day, I wish I could've held my anger better. I wish I didn't believe in nonsense and just trusted in Jonathan. Never once had he betrayed me, and he certainly didn't this time with Nancy.
"Did you two come to school together?" I asked rather abruptly and angrily.
"Val, thank god you're here. We need to talk," Nance said ignoring my question. I knew she wanted to talk about what I was doing in the other world.
"Answer my question," I demanded sternly. Nancy and Jonathan were caught off guard never having seen me this angry before. It worried them both. "Did you two come to school together?"
"Yeah, Jonathan spent the night. Look, we have to talk about-"
"So it's true. You two slept together."
"What?" Nancy asked in disbelief at my accusation.
"I can't believe you two. How...how could you? You, Nancy. I thought you were my best friend!"
"Are you kidding right now, Val? We have more serious issues than Jonathan spending the night at my house," Nance replied. She couldn't believe I was hung up on what she and Jonathan did last night when she wanted to talk about what I was doing in the other world.
"No, screw you, Nancy."
"Val!" Nancy shouted offended.
"Valerie, are you hearing yourself?" Jonathan said trying to defend Nancy. That only made things much worse than it was already. "Nancy and I didn't sleep together."
"So there's the slut and the perv." I heard Steve behind me, and I saw him walking towards us with Carol and Tommy. "Didn't think a sleaze like you'd be able to get a girl, but guess you got yourself a whore."
"Steve!" Nancy shouted hurt by his words. Tears were forming in her eyes, and it actually made me feel good seeing Nancy hurt. Barb watched everything from a distance.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw it. You betrayed me, Nancy. I thought what we had was real, but you played me."
"Steve, it's not like that."
"We didn't sleep together!" Jonathan shouted furious. A group of people surrounded us after hearing our shouting.
"Shut up, you perv. You know what? I should've seen it coming from you. Your whole family is goddamn crazy. You, your crazy mom, your dead-beat dad, your dead brother. Yeah, it's probably a good thing that your brother's dead so he doesn't have to live with you and your crazy-"
Steve was going too far with his insults, and Jonathan quickly turned around and punched him right in the nose. Steve went falling to the ground, and Jonathan was on top of him punching him in the face non-stop. Nancy shouted for Jonathan and Steve to stop fighting, but I stood there watching Jonathan spill Steve's blood. I watched him completely pummel Steve, and my body felt heavy. There it was again, that presence. But it was stronger this time as if it was hungry. I felt woozy again, and I almost lost my balance. Nancy was too busy shouting at Jonathan to stop hurting Steve.
I looked around to see who was having this effect on me when my eyes landed on Jonathan. My anger flared once more, and I knew I could take him down with just a mutter, a little enchantment in Verbis Diablo, and I could make Jonathan fall on his knees. I was so tempted to. It was nearly impulsive that evil, vindictive desire. The curse was at the tip of my tongue but a voice spoke to me. It was my mother there to remind me the consequence of speaking the foul language. "Let this language not become easy in your mouth, or soon it will not be your mouth, but His," she spoke to me.
The teachers caught along with the fight and they separated Jonathan and Steve. Steve was barely conscious and Jonathan was trembling with adrenaline. They were both taken to the nurse's office separately, and Nance followed them worried for Steve. I stood there, my wrath becoming exacerbated by the minute just looking at Nancy and Jonathan. "Are you okay?" Barb asked standing by my side.
"No," I confessed to my best friend. "Jonathan betrayed me. I thought...I thought he liked me."
"That's boys for you, Val," Barb said putting her arm around my shoulder comfortingly. "They'll screw anything that'll open their legs to them. I just thought Nancy would know better than to sleep with her best friend's crush." Barb was adding fuel to the fire, but I was oblivious to it.
"Nancy...that bitch...screw her," I fumed.
"Yeah, screw her. You don't need a friend like her. You have me, your best friend." I looked at Barb and she smiled at me. The glow was back in Barb's face, and I fell for her words. She persuaded me so easily especially since I was already emotionally crippled.
"Thanks, Barb." I hugged her and did my best to hold back my tears. "You're my best friend."
"Of course, Val. Nance doesn't deserve a friend like you. Let her be the slut that she is, and you'll find a much better guy than Byers." And for nearly a whole week, I didn't talk to either Jonathan or Nancy. Nancy tried talking to me again but I refused to listen to her till the very end. It was just me and Barb as the dynamic duo. I abandoned both Nancy and Jonathan completely, never once looking in their direction or even speaking to them about how I found Nancy in the other world. I completely shut off from the world, and Barb was my only friend and confidante.
The sheriff and Mrs. Byers didn't come back from their research yet, so I was left to stay in Hawkins in my own misery. I didn't even try looking for ways to kill the monster anymore. Now I started to find ways to become even more powerful with my sorcery, training even harder with my nose stuck in my mother's books. My anger not only grew along with my hatred for Nancy and Jonathan, but it started affecting my character and the people I loved.
I had become more irritable, more impulsive and angry with everyone including my dad. It was a dark time in my life to be controlled by the dark side of human nature. One night, my dad and I were eating dinner at home. He obviously noticed the sudden and rapid deterioration of my personality, and he was worried. "Val, has something been bothering you lately?"
"No," I replied tersely.
"You sure? Something seems like its on your mind."
"I'm fine, dad," I said irritated already. My dad looked at me, taken aback by my sudden sour attitude. He didn't like it one bit.
"How much of Dr. Jekyll's medicine do you have left?" he asked trying to change the subject.
"...why don't you want me transforming into a wolf?" I asked my dad bluntly. That question was always in the back of my mind, but only now did it slip out my tongue. "Why do you let yourself transform but you won't let me? Is there something wrong with me?"
"It's dangerous. You know that."
"But you do it. And so does Uncle Kaet."
"Because we know how to control our emotions. You clearly don't," he replied firmly. I didn't flinch. I just stared him in the eyes and he looked me back.
"Well screw your medicine, dad!" I threw the blue bottle of Dr. Jekyll's formula onto the floor, spilling everything on the rug.
"Val!" My dad was super pissed at me, but I didn't care. I quickly ran out of the house with hundreds of thoughts racing in my head, and I ran into the forest. I ran and ran in the dark forest until I couldn't anymore. I collapsed to the ground after I was totally out of breath, and I looked up at the night sky. It wasn't even a full moon tonight. But I felt the pain surging through my bones, the same pain I felt last time I transformed.
My body distorted, and the sound of my bones cracking and rearranging themselves echoed through the trees. I screamed in pain, shouting my lungs out. Fangs and claws grew and sharpened, I fell on all 4's, and raven black fur grew on my skin. My screams turned into howls, and it pierced the silent night. I transformed into a raven-furred wolf, and I ran through the woods alone.
I had no direction, I had no sense of where I was going. All I wanted to do was to calm this blood-thirsting rage I had inside of me. I ran and ran until I came upon a grizzly bear getting ready to go to its cave to sleep. The bear groaned in confusion at my aggression, and I growled showing my sharp fangs. I wanted to kill, and the bear knew it. It growled at me, preparing for a fight.
I lunged at the bear with my jaw wide open for a big bite. The bear smacked its arm in my face and I flung to the ground. I quickly got back up and circled around the bear quickly. It followed me in circles and it got dizzy. I lunged again at the bear and took a shot at its hind leg. The bear roared angrily and smacked me away again. I shook my head trying to get the dizziness to stop. The bear ran and limped towards me roaring for a fight, and I dodged the attack. I took a bite out of the bear's arm and quickly let go, making sure to avoid its good arm.
I could taste the blood on my tongue, and it gave me such a jolt that it made me want more. I needed to taste more blood. The bear was already weak as is, so I didn't waste any time toying with it. I went in for the death blow, and I bit into the back of its neck. The bear roared in pain but it fell down on its stomach. It was still breathing, and I let go of its neck. The bear was dying slowly, and my sanity kicked in for a moment. I saw what kind of misery the bear was going through, and it got to me. I wanted to put it out of its suffering, so I killed the bear with one strong crush of my jaws on its neck. I snapped its spine and killed it immediately. I left the bear there and went on my way wandering all night.
I roamed through the forest, and it was finally the break of dawn. I only had a couple of hours left before sunrise which was when I transform back. As I was strolling along, I sniffed something interesting in the air, and I followed my nose. I came upon a familiar girl, someone the sheriff and Mrs. Byers was trying to look for.
There El was with her blonde wig in her hands. She looked dirty, as if she didn't have a proper shower in days, and she was all alone. I trotted up to El still a wolf, and she stared at me. She was afraid at first watching a raven-furred wolf trotting towards her so casually. She stood there frozen watching my every move. It was strange this feeling I had. The anger in me slowly disappeared looking at this poor, dirty girl. It was as if she brought out a light in me, something that only a loved one could do to another.
El reached her hand out and touched my wet nose, and I licked her hand. She smiled and giggled, ticklish. She petted my head, and I stood tall by her side. We walked through the forest together, and we heard boys in the distance. El led the way and I followed. When we came upon a clearing, we saw Mike with Dustin and two bullies. I didn't recognize Mike was Nancy's baby brother because of how much he grew up, but I did remember that he was the boy I saw at the lake where Will died.
Mike ran and jumped off the edge of the cliff, and El walked forward with her hand out. She telekinetically brought Mike back up to the cliff and set him down. I trotted out and stood next to El, growling at the two bullies to intimidate them. "What the hell, man?!" they shouted seeing El and me, a full grown wolf by her side ready to defend her at all costs. One of the boys pissed his pants and they both ran away from fright at the sight of me.
El fell down, faint from using her powers. Her nose was bleeding. Mike and Dustin ran to her side and I trotted away disappearing into the trees silently. The boys didn't dare go after me knowing that they should never chase down a wolf. They were thankful I left them alone, and I saw the two boys and El hug all together. The scene struck a chord in me. They were the best of friends, and it reminded me of Nancy and Jonathan.
My bones cracked, and I howled in pain as my body transformed once more. The sun was completely up. I howled and screamed in pain, and I opened my eyes to see my hands with no fur. I was human again, and I was in my clothes from last night. I slowly made my way back home, trying to think of what to say to my dad after what I did last night.
I was completely disheveled, and I knew people were looking at me on the streets but I didn't care. I made it all the way to my house. I entered and saw my dad sitting on the couch waiting for me all night. I felt terrible about what I said and did to him last night. I knew anger was eating away at me, but this was the first time I've come to realize that I needed to change. I needed to turn to God once more to bring peace back into my life.
I burst into tears and hobbled over to my dad. He stood up, and I collapsed in his embrace, crying in his chest. "I'm so sorry, daddy," I sobbed. "I'm so sorry for everything."
"Sh. It's okay, Val," my dad said comforting me in his strong embrace. "You're okay now."
"No I'm not, daddy. I'm...I'm just so angry all the time. And I don't know how to feel better. I don't want to be angry anymore."
"Pray to God, Val. That's how you'll feel better. Pray and ask for forgiveness." I looked up at my dad and knew that was the only way. It's how I was raised since birth. I nodded and my dad gave me a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be here when you're ready to talk."
"Thanks dad. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Val." I let go of my dad's embrace and locked myself in my room. I looked up at the cross above my bed and fell on my knees. I clasped my hands together and shut my eyes. I started out with my daily prayers in Latin, praying intensely after not having prayed for nearly a week, ever since the betrayal, ever since my anger started consuming my every being. I prayed and prayed for hours until I fell asleep on the floor...
I was in the other world, and there was a small tent made out of sticks in the middle of the forest. I entered the wooden tent and saw Will lying there shivering from cold. He was pale and gaunt, and I couldn't tell if he was sleeping or if he was dead. I knelt down to Will and saw him wearing my wolf ring on his left thumb. "Will," I whispered quietly. I felt so guilty. This whole time I was supposed to find Will to bring him back home, but I was so consumed by my anger that I totally forgot about him. I left him in this world to fend for himself against inconceivable monsters. "Will, it's me, Valerie. Wake up, Will."
Will opened his eyes weakly and looked up at me. "Val," he whispered weakly. "You came back."
"I'm here, Will," I answered tears forming in my eyes. He was waiting for me this whole time, and I betrayed Will. I should've been looking for him this whole time and I felt so guilty. I picked Will up in my arms and let him rest in my embrace. I held him tight like a mother would to her son, and he was breathing slowly and heavily. "I'm here."
"Please...don't leave me."
"I won't."
"You're...so warm. It reminds me...of my mom..."
"You'll get back home, Will. Don't worry about that." The monster roared in the distance, and Will was too weak to react but I knew he was terrified. "I'll protect you, Will." Will didn't answer and just lied in my arms. I heard footsteps approaching, but it didn't sound like a monster.
El popped in through the tent, and I was surprised to see her. "It's you again," El said to me. "Valerie."
"Val?" Nance asked. Nancy, Jonathan, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Hopper, and Mrs. Byers were all in the school gym with El trying to get her to contact Will. Jonathan turned tense hearing my name.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her.
"Will," she replied. She knelt down next to him and looked at his face.
"Sweetheart, can you hear me?" Mrs. Byers asked.
I could hear her voice echoing through the air. "It's me, Mrs. Byers. Valerie."
"Val, how is Will?"
"He's alive, but he's weak. We need to get him out of here soon."
"Oh god, thank god he's okay. Alright, alright uh...we'll have to get into Hawkins Lab then," Mrs. Byers said to the sheriff. He agreed, and he and Mrs. Byers went off to the lab in the middle of the forest.
"El, stay here with Will for a bit." El sat beside Will as I put him down gently back on the floor. My hands brushed over El's hands, and I saw a terrible vision. I saw Jonathan in his house fighting against the monster with a bat covered in nails. He was there with Nancy and Steve, and the monster was overpowering the 3 of them.
I gasped seeing that vision, and El looked at me having seen the same thing. "Go. I will stay with Will," she said to me.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I can take care of him. Go and help your friends." I nodded and left the wooden tent to wake up and go back to reality. I needed to save Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve from the monster. There was no way I could let them die no matter how angry I was with Jonathan and Nancy. Honestly, after having seen Will, my anger died down. My mind was partially cleared from all that darkness I had in my heart. Seeing Will made me remember that there were bigger things than a petty love quarrel, that there were supernatural forces and entities of evil I had to face for a reason I did not know just yet.