Chapter 9: Zombie Boy
Author Notes:
Hi everyone it's me your favourite author the Mandalorian terminator coming to you with a brand new chapter of my popular story Tales of The Wheeler Family. I hope you all had a very Happy Christmas with your family and loved ones as I did. Consider this my Christmas gift to you all. I want to again thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story your continued support means a lot to me. I know 2020 has been a difficult and hard year so I like to imagine my story has been a ray of light for people who read it. This chapter will focus on Will Byers and Mary in a way that I think your all going to find very interesting. Also please be advised this chapter WILL contain references to depression and suicidal thoughts. If this affects you in any way please reach out to talk to someone. Suicide is NEVER an option.
Please read and enjoy!
Heavy pants and footsteps echoed throughout the vast forest, reverberating against the thick trucks of ancient trees.
Why he was running, he didn't know. There had been no beginning, and the end appeared just as intangible. He had always been running, his life an endless marathon in medias res.
WillByers's feet had become nothing more than platforms of pain as random twigs, stones, and rough patches of earth slowly cut them as he ran, but he couldn't see any of this because of a thick mist.
Trees that were water-soaked and dull were seen all over. Moist witnesses to the events unfolding. As he looked closer, Will saw the details of these depressing denizens of the forest. Their barks were coarse and rough, with patches upturned and signs of decay present. The braches were also gnarled and entangled, some actually piercing the barks of their neighbours in nature.
Any light in the virtually impenetrable gloom was of a peculiarly pellucid green spilling out feebly from every tree. Everywhere there was a terrible sense of stagnancy, imbuing the whole forest with a fetid, neglected atmosphere, as though some great cathedral had been flooded by a brackish lagoon.
Moving his mud coloured eyes from the trees, Will looked down to the mud. But there was no mud. At last none that looked visible. The floor of forest was obscured by an ocean of greenish vapour. Covering a carpet of rotten leafs just beneath its murky surface.
With his knees still anchored in the puddle, in the cauldron of olive tinted decay, Will heard what had caused his alarm.
The loud, piercing growl that ripped through the darkened sky proved his fears warranted, and the following cries and wails accompanying it added further proof. Even when the growl fell silent, the unexpected sounds still rang in his eardrums like water falling in the distance and caused his heart to race faster than his feet.
As he ran, it started to rain, as though nature itself was joining in on the hunt. The sky released a torrent of tears onto the damp earth that clung to all it touched like syrupy, from his shirt to the rocks and leaves that now stuck to his feet, slowing her down as much as it sapped the strength and warmth from his body. Will could feel his efforts weakened. Suddenly it felt like he was stomping through mud up to his knees, the thick muck pulling his down and holding his back, every step was a labour, taking twice as long as before.
With his reduced pace, the shrill growls that stabbed the velvet night air grew louder. Even so, the Cleric ran and ran even as he felt like his legs would break and his feet would fall off. This continued for what felt like forever until he finally allowed her feet to rest at last.
As Will finally stopped from his long run, he felt as if his heart was going to implode inside his heaving chest as he stared at what was before her.
There were the same massive and daunting trees as elsewhere but here there was no space between them. Will was trapped in an open clearing!
Realizing he would not be able to continue this way, the Cleric turned around to go back and find another path, but the moment he did so, his head was assaulted by sound. The forest suddenly came to awful life all at once in an auditory bombardment that left him trembling on his hands and knees, cowering like a small child lost in a great storm.
The wind raced, tearing dead leaves from withered branches with nails of heated ether. The raindrops fell like heavy, fat bombs of water that violently exploded and plopped. The frogs croaked like car alarms.
The growls, accompanied by the heavy panting huffs of breathes pressed against a bloodied tongue that drew in and out grew louder and louder, overpowering the rest. It were close, rustling amid the shrubs and low-level branches telling how close.
Will panicked, unable to take the terror and that unending upheaval of endless noise. It was enough to even overwhelm the blood pounding in his ears and the jet-engine roar of his escalating heartbeat.
Then, the chorus of chaotic calls was silenced as a single mighty call sang out amid the darkness. Everything, even the falling of raindrops, were rendered mute by that lone growl.
The only sound that followed was the soft treading of padded paws over snapped off twigs and crumbly leaves. Something was shuffling out of the undergrowth into the opened clearing as it sucked in the stale air. Amid the milky ether, a shape began to materialize, draped in shadow.The shape in stark silhouette slowly strode into the realm of coloured and physical form with ancient grace, confident of victory.
The Demogorgon stood to its full height in front of Will,focused on nothing but him. He was in its sights, powerless against this foe.
And it had decided it was going to claim him.
The lucid tendrils of his fitful nightmare were pried from his heart and mind as Will fidgeted in his sleep. It was a hard fight, clawing at his core, but he managed to win and return to the waking world. His eyes shooting open, he instantly sat up on his bed, his chest heaving as his lungs filled and emptied with gasps and pants, feeling as though he were being crushed under a lead weight while sweat glistened on his skin.
Anothernightmare, he thought as he tried to catch his breath. He never should have come back to Hawkins.
The town was a reminder of everything that had happened to; the Upside Down, the Demogorgon. Even the Mind Flayer. Will shuddered just thinking at the mere thought of the creature that had once possessed him, how its tendrils had once been inside him.
It was as if Hawkins was mocking him, forcing him to remember the pain he had endured at such a young age. He was supposed to be past it now! His therapist had promised him! Promised that he would finally be able to sleep without fear of the recurring nightmares, without having to take sleeping pills. And for a brief period he had.
Working as an animator for children's shows had made him feel more like himself. Coming up with designs for characters and throwing himself into the looks and details of these characters had filled him with a level of energy and enthusiasm he hadn't had in a long time.
But now being back in this town, even for something as simple as a school reunion had brought back memories. Doubt and fear had returned to fill his head while he slept, to try and suffocate him as it had once before.
Will rose from his bed and made his way to the bathroom. The house was still and quiet. The sun was just beginning to rise again. He splashed some water onto his sweat covered face as he stared back at the reflection in the mirror, his hands clutching either side of the sink. His hair was dishevelled and his face was pale.
He gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, began to cry. Tears streamed down his pale face into the basin. What was wrong with him? Why had this all happened to him? And would he ever truly be free of this pain?
As these questions went through his mind, Will looked down and caught a glimpse of the several thin, vertical cuts across the sides of his arm, reminders of the previous nightmares he had had. His therapist had asked him point blank during their first session together if he had ever had suicidal thoughts. He hadn't. But that didn't mean the idea of it didn't linger in the back of his mind at certain points.
Being back in Hawkins didn't help either. He had told himself he could do it, that he had no reason to be afraid of going back to the town. And he had tried. He really had. But no sooner had he walked back into the gymnasium those same old feelings of doubt and fear had crept back through his mind. So he had tried to ignore them, tried to put on a happy face for everyone during the reunion. Naturally they were all happy to see him, his mom Joyce especially (although even she had been surprised he had chosen to attend the reunion.)
"What the hell is wrong with me?" He asked.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Will." A voice replied behind him.
Will looked up into the mirror and saw a tall older woman staring at him over his shoulder.
Will spun around, shocked to see a stranger in his bathroom. "Who are you? How did you get inside my house?"
The older woman smiled at him. "I'm Mary. I felt your nightmare and decided to come and help you, Will."
Mary. That name stood out to Will. "You're the one who attacked Suzie aren't you? Your El's sister." He said.
"Yes I am. I was wondering when Eleven was going tell you all about me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Will Byers. I've certainly been looking forward to it." Mary said warmly.
"You...know me?"
Mary nodded. "Of course. And I'm so sorry. Really I am. To have experienced everything that you did at such a young age, no wonder you have nightmares." She said in a concerned almost paternal voice.
"You know about that?" Will asked unsure.
"I do. But don't worry I mean you no harm. In fact I'm here to help you."
"What are you, my therapist?" Will rolled his eyes.
Mary scoffed. "Therapist? Please they charge you a fortune to get you to reveal all you're deepest, darkest secrets. Trust me I'm cheaper than a therapist." Mary said as she rolled up her sleeve and showed Will the letters "TEN" on her arm."You're not the only one who has suffered, Will. Please, let me help you." She sounded sincere.
"I don't need help."
"You have suffered so much, Will. I think it's time someone finally helps you. Tell me have you never, not once wondered why? Why the Demogorgon happened to chose you? Why you were able to survive in the Upside Down for an extended period of time? And why the Mind Flayer chose to possess you?" Mary held up several brown files bundled together. "These belong to a company called Vought. Have you heard of them?"
"Everyone knows who Vought is. They're a superhero company. Homelander and The Seven work for them." Will replied. What was she getting at?
"Vought know all about you and the Upside Down, Will. They also know about Joyce and Jonathan, even your father Lonnie."
Will's eyes widened in shock. A multimillion dollar superhero company knew about...him? Why? It had to be some sort of trick. "What do you want from me?" He asked.
"From you? Nothing. For you? Everything I never had. If you come with me Will the answers to all your questions will finally be answered," Mary said as if reading his mind. "You will never be scared again."
"I don't even know who the hell you are. You break into my house and expect me to just come with you willing? Not happening. Then leave my house now or I will call the police," Will replied sternly after a brief thought.
Mary scoffed in reply. "Police? Please. Aren't they too busy winning the War on Drugs? And besides it wasn't a request." Before Will even know it a Glock 39 was pointed straight at his chest.
Mary ushered Will out of the bathroom and out the front door where a bright red Mustang was parked outside. Mary gestured for Will to get in and as he was about to he heard a loud thud coming from inside the boot of the Mustang. "What the hell is that?" Will demanded.
Mary dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Oh don't worry. I'll show you later I promise. Now get it," She said still aiming the Glock at Will.
Will obeyed and climbed into the passenger seat while Mary entered the driver's side. Putting the gun down, she started up the car and drove away.
"Mind if I put on some music?" Mary asked, as if she and Will were going on a simple drive.
Will said nothing. He may have agreed to come with him but that didn't mean he was going to give her the satisfaction of being an obedient captive.
Ignoring Will's silence, Mary started flicking through the car's radio for a few minutes until she finally settled on a song to her liking.
"Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I", and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, Vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace Santayana, goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning, since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it"
"Oh Yes! I love this song! I have the children listen to it all the time. Billy Joel knows his stuff! Someone who actually gets it!" Mary exclaimed with delight as she started humming along with the song. "America is an idealistic nation full of dreamers desperately clinging to the hope of having something to dream about. Big cars, big platitudes from Washington politicians and big movie and television franchises advertise false escape from this spiritual rut. People think the only way to make change is from inside the system but they're wrong. The system itself has failed. We need to tear it down to make way for something new, something better."
Will didn't respond.
"Oh come on! Crack a smile! Honestly if I would have known you were this down I would have taken Dustin. At least he would laugh!" Mary said after glancing back at Will.
"Not likely. Dustin probably wouldn't shut up so you wouldn't get any peace." Will finally spoke as he glanced at the window not looking at Mary.
Mary laughed. "Yeah you're probably right. I would have ended up blowing his brains out by now." She said laughing at the thought.
"I know you probably have your own preconceived notions about me Will but put them all out of your head. Honestly I'm not a bad person. I'm just against anything that's against people! Cruelty –brutality–exploitation...these are the enemies of the people." Mary said.
"Really? So what you just put Suzie in the hospital, broke into El's and mine houses and pointed a gun at me for shits and giggles?" Will replied.
"There is a reason, Will. They aren't just random acts. Everything I do has a purpose."
"Oh I'd love to hear." Will said in a lazy tone.
"Fine. First Suzie. She was the smartest of you. Even smarter than Dustin I daresay. I knew it would only be a matter of time before she put the pieces together and discover my existence before I was ready to reveal myself to you all so...I took her off the board. It's simple. Remove the smart one first."
"As for breaking into you and Eleven's houses that was to make you all paranoid, especially Eleven. And I think that has worked quite well."
"And finally you. Like I said Will, I'm here to help you. You are filled with so much fear and self-doubt. You're like a dull knife sitting in a drawer. I can make you brave again. I can make you Will the Wise again!"
"Shut up! There is no Will the Wise. It was just a stupid name for a stupid game! It doesn't mean anything!" Will snapped. That was a different time, a different place. Before the Upside Down. Before the Mind Flayer. He wasn't that little kid anymore. (1)
Mary seemed speechless for second. "If you truly believe that then it just shows how far you have fallen." She said letting the words sink in.
"Believe it or not Will you yourself are the catalyst for everything that has happened since your adduction. If you had never been taken that night then Mike, Dustin and Lucas would never have found my sister Eleven on that stormy night, Nancy might never have developed feeling for your brother Jonathan and probably would still be together with Steve. My sister would never have meet Mike or Jim Hopper. She no doubt would have been recaptured much sooner by Papa. Hawkins Lab would never have been shut down. Hell Dustin and Steve might never have become friends. Think of how a simple disappearance in a small town has impacted the lives of so many people Will. You do matter."
She reached into the back seat of the Mustang and handed the buddle of brown files to Will. "Here. I promised you answers and I'm a woman of my word."
Will took the files and shifted through the ones on his mother and brother until he found his one. Taking a deep breath he began to read through it.
Aside from "We didn't start the fire" playing on the radio the rest of the drive was silent. Will continued to read through and the more he read the more shocked he become. It was incredulous what the file revealed to him, but that is another story for another time. Will almost didn't believe what he was reading.
"This...this can't be real." He finally said in disbelief.
"It's true. All of it. Nothing in that file is false Will. That is why the Demogorgon took you, why you were able to survive in the Upside Down, and why the Mind Flayer chose to possess you." Mary said.
"It can't be. This...this is science fiction."
"Science fiction? The boy who ended up trapped in an inter-dimensional universe, who was possessed by a creature, who has superheroes flying above the skies thinks that the words in that file are science fiction? Trust me Will the world is much larger than you think. How do you think I got that file? I happen to sit on Vought International's Board. I have had the displeasure of sitting opposite Homelander himself. Trust me he may act like a Boy Scout but he's nothing but a smug, arrogant, pompous shit. And it's not just the Seven, Will. I have sat opposite wizards as well." Mary continued.
"Wizards?"An incredulous Will scoffed.
"Yes. They call themselves Death Eaters. Their constantly going on about how "pure" their blood is, fulfilling Lord Voldemort's legacy, killing someone called Harry Potter and killing all muggles."
"Muggles?" Will asked.
"That's the name wizards and witches call non-magical people. The Death Eaters may be a bunch of fanatical cunts but Vought seems to think their useful so they are kept around. Although there have been whispers that tensions between wizards and superheroes could led to a potential war between the two. God help us if that was to happen." Mary remarked.
"You're telling me wizards and magic exist?"
"Yes Will. You will find that many of the truths and histories you have been taught are in fact false and are actually much different." Mary said.
"Such as?"
"Well for starters according to my Death Eater "friends" Dragons once roamed this earth. Wild, ancient powerful beasts whose breaths of flames could kill up to fifteen men. Maybe more. They were eventually tamed by a family called the Targaryens who used them to conquer the then known world during the beginning of the Second Age following the Fall of Morgoth. Funny thing about that family, people used to joke about how madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin and that every time a new Targaryen is born, the gods toss that coin into the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land. It started with the first Targaryen king, who was a great man but unfortunately married and had children with both of his sisters (a family tradition); from then on the line produced many able warriors, statesmen and scholars as well as tyrants and psychopaths.
"The insanity problem became prevalent enough that the councils would try to skip over the crazy or sickly Targaryens in the line of succession in favour of a more stable younger son or nephew. And in later generations, a significant number were born with moderate to severe mental defects, or "feeble-witted" as they were called back then. Even their physical heath was eventually effected, with several being intellectually and emotional normal but possessing such fragile immune systems that they suffered from numerous ailments and died young. Stillbirths and cradle deaths were very common back then. For example Queen Rhaella had no less than two stillbirths, three miscarriages, and three infant sons who were born alive but so sickly that none of them lived more than a year."
"Sounds horrific." Will noted.
Mary shrugged. "You have to remember the medieval period was a different time. Literally. The King had all the power back then. Few people could read or even write. Most people were farmers. Women were considered property. Slavery was commonplace and considered normal."
"Some Targaryens began quite noble and lost their grip on sanity as they aged, such as King Aerys II – by the end of his reign, he was known as King Aerys the Mad, and in the end his excesses sparked a revolt that toppled the dynasty." Mary smiled slightly. "It's ironic a family dynasty that tamed dragons and conquered the known world was destroyed by insanity."
Will found himself memorised by this story."What about the dragons? What happened to them?" As an avid reader of fantasy he had loved wizards and dragons growing up. Something about the sheer size and power that dragons possessed had drawn Will to them like a moth to the flame. He remembered vividly spending hours decorating Castle Byers with pictures of drawings of dragons and wizards.
"They died during the civil war called the Dance of the Dragons. Only a small handful are still alive today, scattered throughout the world. Their heartstrings can be used as the core for wands. One dragon could even talk! His name was Smaug." (2)
Smaug. That name sounded familiar to Will as he racked his brain trying to think. Where had he heard it before? "Wait a minute. Smaug is from Lord of the Rings. I use to read those books a million times when I was younger. It's just a story." He stated.
"All of history is just a story, Will. I was just as in denial as you when I was told but it's true. All of it. Lord of the Rings is your history not fiction. It is as real as the Bible. Take King Aerys II for example. During his reign elves were forced to live in ghettos. They were terrified of being captured because if caught King Aerys the Mad would make them stand in his throne room and watch as his dragon burned them alive while he laughed. Little wonder his own bodyguard ended up killing him in the end. Yet history is written by the winners. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning and the Illvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in North America all teach their students about how Robert Baratheon is loved as a glorious rebel king and that how King Aerys II was an insane tyrant. Robert Baratheon may have been an excellent military leader but he was no King. He ruled for seventeen years and halfway through his reign decided that ruling all the countries that Aegon I Targaryen had conquered was too hard so what did he do? He gave them their independence! With the snap of a finger the entire empire that Aegon the Conqueror had founded and the subsequent Targaryen dynasty had ruled over as a result was gone. The countries we now know today as England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany and Scandinavia were all given their independence by King Robert Baratheon. After that the rest of his reign was spent dealing with continued attacks by Sauron and his allies. History says the stress of dealing with these mounting attacks caused King Robert to take to drinking, eating and whoring which of course ended up killing him in the end. Perhaps the one good thing he did do during his reign was to create the Witchers – a secretive order of warrior-monks that hunted supernatural creatures. Witchers trained their entire life and possessed superhuman abilities through the use of mutagens and alchemy. Really a precursor to UNIT and Torchwood in a way." (3)
Will looked inquisitive at the mentions.
"You've never heard of UNIT or Torchwood?" Mary groaned in disbelief. "You see this is what is wrong with the world! You don't know your own history! Unbelievable!"
"So why don't I know about it then?"
"Simple because Gods and Wizards have hidden those parts of history from you."
"Oh so now Gods exist as well do they? Where are they then?"
"New York apparently. This country is lorded over by the gods of Olympus, a bunch of selfish, petty, divine jerks who packed up and left Greece/Rome to settle down in America and now regularly take out their anger on whoever they feel like. If you're a normal human then you at least have the chance of staying off their radar and the Mist will ensure that you remain blissfully ignorant of their existence. Unfortunately there's an equally good chance that you'll be the victim of a god's temper tantrum or the unsuspecting prey of a monster, neither of which you'll see coming because of the aforementioned Mist. Even if you manage to avoid either group your entire life, the afterlife apparently isn't any better. If you died without having accomplished great things in your life, you get to send the rest of eternity in the Asphodel Fields, doing nothing but standing around. And all of that is just if you're human. May God help you if you have the misfortune of being born a demigod, because the Olympians won't do much. If you're a demigod you get to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder for the many, many monsters that will hunt you simply for having been born with divine blood. The only safe place in the country apparently is Camp Half-Blood, a sort of training ground that Gods sent their children too. And the wizards aren't any better either! Practically everyone in the so-called Wizarding world look down on none-magical people. Pureblood wizards believe not only that "muggles" are beasts who should be put down, but being born from Muggles is a disgrace even if one is actually a wizard. Some extremists even go so far as to marry their own cousins to avoid "dirtying" the bloodline." (4)
"And how do you feel about them? These Gods and wizards?" Will asked.
"I despise them. They each both have so much power and yet they don't use it properly. Take a wizard's wand for example. Why not use it to end famine and starvation? Cure diseases? Stop wars? Instead they segregate themselves and hide their magic and very existence from us. They should be sharing it with us! Cowards the lot of them! What's the point of having power, real power if you're not going to use it to solve the problems that are facing this world!" Mary yelled angrily as she leaned back into the driver's seat, her eyes still focused on the road. "If I had a wizard's wand that's how I would use it. Imagine that. A global Peace on Earth forever. Wouldn't that be something to marvel at?"
Mary paused for a moment. "Listen to me going on like a history teacher. I must be boring you to death. I'm not here to give you a lecture on history I'm here to help you regain your confidence and make you brave again so you can face your nightmares."
The Mustang slowed down and Will saw that they had arrived at the Sattler Quarry.
"Recognise this place Will? This is where your fake body was discovered and where Troy threatened to cut out Dustin's teeth with a switchblade unless Mike jumped into the water. It's also where my sister broke Troy's arm." Mary explained as she and Will got out of the Mustang and walked over to the edge. She and Will glanced down at it. The entire depth of the quarry from the top to the water was approximately 200-250 feet, with the depth of the underwater being around 200 feet.
"You wouldn't want to fall from there that's for sure." Mary remarked as she backed away from the edge. Will followed her.
"I've brought you here because this is where you're going to confront your fears and self-doubts that have been plaguing you for so long. Sleeping pills aren't going to help you." Mary held up the small white little tablets in her hand. Seeing them, Will began to search his pockets but found they were empty.
"How did you –?" He began to ask.
"I picked your pockets. It's a skill I learned in Vietnam during the War. These aren't helping you, Will. They are little more than a bandaid. Do your mom and brother know you can't sleep without them?" Mary asked a hint of genuine concern in her voice.
Will looked down ashamed. "No." He whispered after a while. "They don't."
"I'm so sorry Will. Truly I am. You deserve better than this." To his horror Mary tossed the pills over the edge of the quarry. They seemed to fly into the air for a brief second before disappearing into the waters below. Will raced to the edge to look for them but it was too late.
"What the hell did you do that for?!I need those to sleep!" He shouted at her turning away from the edge to face Mary who seemed unbothered by his rising anger.
"Because as I said you don't need them. Just like you don't need to cut yourself either."
Will shifted uncomfortably at that. "I don't know what you're talking about," He said his eyes darting about as if he were a deer caught in headlights.
"It's okay Will. I'm not judging. I understand why you're doing it. I used to do it to myself whenever Papa would get angry at me back for messing up back when I was in the Lab. But it's not the solution to your nightmares." Mary said softly.
"Well what is then? Because you just throw away the only thing that has enabled me to sleep. You know what? I'm done." Will moved to leave but Mary blocked his path the Glock in her hand. To his confusion and surprise Mary instead tossed the gun towards his feet and looked at him expectedly.
"Pick up the gun Will." She said.
"What? No!" Will replied. Whatever this was he wasn't going to fell for it.
"Pick up the gun, Will." Mary repeated.
"Stop it."
"Pick...up...the...gun." Mary said this time with more insistence.
This time Will relented. His hands shaking, he felt the cold metal of the weapon in his palm.
Mary nodded approvingly. "Good. Now I want you to shoot me in the head."
Will's face turned cold. "What? Why?"
Mary took a step forward. "Because I'm the bad guy. Because I've done terrible things. Because I deserve to die. Look at what I've already done to Suzie. You can be the hero right here and now, Will. Shoot me."
"No." Will's hands were sweating as Mary took another step towards him. The Glock suddenly felt heavy in his hand.
"Will now's your chance to be brave again, to make a tough decision no one else will. To be Will the Wise once again and not Zombie Boy." Mary continued calmly.
"It's just a stupid name! It doesn't matter!"
"Yes it does. Names matter Will. My name matters. The name kids call each other matters. Do you want to be remembered as Zombie Boy for the rest of your life? If you kill me then you can stop everything that I will do. You'll be a hero! If you can face me then you can face any nightmare."
"That's enough!" Now Will was holding the gun with both hands. "I don't want to hear any of this."
"Yes, you do, Will. You read the file I gave you after all. It explains pretty clearly why this all happened to you, even if you choose not to believe it. Focus that anger and pain you have experienced and shoot me!"
"Shut up!" Will's finger tightened on the trigger.
"Will, I am unarmed. Take your shot. Pull the trigger. End my life. I have done terrible throughout my life. And I will do even more. Your friends and family won't be safe. Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Sara, James, Eleanor, Jim Hopper, even your own mother Joyce. I'm going to go after each and every one of them. You can save them. Right here and now. All you have to do is pull that trigger, Will."
Mary took a step towards him.
"Stay where you are!" The gun was less than a meter from her, aiming straight at her head. "I said I don't want to hear any of this."
"Pull the trigger, Will. Come on. You can do it." Mary's voice was more assertive now, more insistent. "Come on just pull the trigger! Come on do it! Shoot me! Shoot me!"
"I said shut up!" Will said and with that he fired.
Mary paused. It was as if she had been punched. She staggered back a bit, then looked down at her left shoulder. Blood was pouring down the side of it, as if it were paint streaking down an artist's canvas.
Will had missed. Instead of shooting at her head, he had instead aimed at and shot her left shoulder.
Feeling sick to his stomach, Will stared down at the gun in his hand, which suddenly felt like it weighted a ton. Bile rose at the back of his throat. He clenched his teeth to keep from throwing up.
"Will? Hey it's okay. You did well." Mary's voice was soft, almost pleasant. "I'm sorry I pushed you too far. Your father used to take you and Jonathan out shooting when you were younger didn't he?" She didn't need a reply. She already knew the answer.
Will nodded.
"Little wonder you don't like guns," Mary murmured. "Clearly I'll have to try an alternative approach. Luckily I have one."
Her shoulder still bleeding, Mary made her way to the Mustang. With her right arm she reached into the glove box and took out a second Glock this one a she opened the boot of the car and took out a heavy object.
Or rather person.
Mary dragged a gagged and bound adult woman towards Will. Her eyes were bruised and her hair was dark. Will swore he recognised her from somewhere but couldn't put a name to the face.
"Recognise her, Will? No? This is Jennifer Hayes. You must remember her. You and her danced at the Snowball. But you know what else she did? Jennifer attended your fake funeral and she got pretty emotional during it, even cried. Now there could be any number of reasons why she would cry. I mean it is a funeral after all. But the truth is Miss Jennifer Hayes has been hiding a secret." Mary crept close to Will and whispered: "She's got a crush on you." (5)
Will was dumbfounded. The idea of anyone at his school having crush on him, let alone a girl didn't make any sense to him. But then he remembered how kind she had been during their dance. Jennifer had smiled at him the entire time. He also recalled she had seemed somewhat nervous as if she wanted to tell him something. Will had just dismissed it as nerves about the dance. But now as he thought back he remembered that while walking the hallways to class Jennifer would always seem to catch his eyes or give him an awkward wave. Of course he had been preoccupied with his recurring nightmares of the Mind Flayer back then and hadn't paid much attention to her.
"Jennifer here has had feeling for you for quite some time, Will," Mary was saying as she stood in front of Jennifer, who lay sprawled on the dirt road. "Always wanting to tell you but alas never quite working up the courage to tell you. But I was able to beat it out of her. She hoped to finally reveal her feelings to you at the reunion but once again she got too nervous and decided not to. Such a shame. If only she had worked up the courage to tell you she liked you who knows how different things might be?"
"What are you going to do to her?" Will asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Mary smiled."I'm so glad you asked me, Will. I'm going to count to three and then I'm going to shoot her in the head. If you want to stop me and save her then you're going to have to shoot me. Either way someone's getting shot."
"But why?" Will wondered out loud. "To what purpose?"
"To help you, of course. What better way to confront your fear then saving a person's life? And not just any person. Someone who knows you and has wanted so desperately to tell you that she has feelings for you. Now's your chance to be a hero and save her, Will the Wise." Mary pointed the Glock at the back of a sobbing Jennifer's head.
"Stop calling me that!" Will shouted.
"Fine would you prefer I call Zombie Boy then? It's your choice Will. Her or me. My life doesn't matter but Jennifer's? Are you just going to let her die? Three." Mary said as she tightened her hand on the gun.
"Stop it! Leave her alone! She's done nothing to you!" Will replied.
"Think about all those people at school who mocked you, people like Troy who called you Zombie Boy and freak, who called you a fairy. Now's the time you can prove them all wrong. What are you, Will? Coward or Killer?"(6)
"I... I don't know."
"Two..."
"Please just let go her! PLEASE!" Will begged.
"One..."
"No!" Will held the gun steady and fired.
Mary reeled back again, this time dropping her own Glock. Will immediately raced towards Jennifer and quickly helped the scared woman onto her feet.
"It's okay, your okay now. I promise," Will comforted as he removed the gag from Jennifer's mouth and began to untie her bounds.
"She...she kidnapped me! After the reunion! I was on my way to my car and she appeared out of nowhere! I'm sorry!" Jennifer wailed desperately, tears rolling down her checks as she hugged Will.
"It's alright, Jennifer. Your safe now." Will repeated.
"I'm sorry I never told you my feelings for you," Jennifer continued. "I so wanted to but I was...too scared."
And then she kissed him.
In the history of kissing, people described mountains moving, the Earth shaking, oceans crashing over them. They felt the world stop and start and supernovas collide and fireworks burst and doors kick open and floods surge.
Her lips pulled at his, and her small hand wrapped around his wrist, his hand still under her face. Her fingers trailed down from his wrist to his forearm, sending chills through his veins, and he noticed her eyes were closed.
"Aww what a touching scene," A voice suddenly called out interrupting them. Will pulled away to see Mary still standing in the same spot, blood now dripping from her right shoulder where Will had fired. "Looks like you finally get the guy after all, Miss Hayes."
Mary turned her attention back to Will. "Well done, Will. I knew you could do it. How do you feel then? Brave, confident?"
"Yes." He could feel the adrenaline throughout his body. He had felt it before when he had been chased by both the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer in the Upside Down. He could feel his heart beating a million times faster. The truth was he felt fantastic! Like he could take on the world!
Mary smiled as if reading his mind. "Good. I'm glad. I am very proud of you, Will. You are a true hero." Unbeknownst to Will and Jennifer, a switchblade was concealed up Mary's sleeve.
Everything seemed to happen so fast. In a flash Mary had produced the switchblade and lunged forward, shoving Jennifer to the ground and then knocking the Glock from Will's hands.
Mary held the switchblade to Will's throat as the two stood close near the edge of the cliff.
"But even heroes...fall."
And with that Mary pushed Will off the edge.
Jennifer screamed while Mary just looked down.
Everything was a blur. There was the sky, the edge of the cliff and (unless he imagined it) Mary's staring face. Then it all tilted. The wind hammered into his face. He was falling...faster and faster.
He thought of Jonathan helping him build Castle Byers. He thought of when he first met Mike on the swings. He thought of Joyce and Hopper freeing him from the Upside Down. He remembered watching as they took their wedding vows.
There was no pain. Just a sense of tiredness and resignation.
Will Byers smiled and closed his eyes.
Up above Jennifer continued to sob into her hands as Mary looked down the edge of the cliff. She could just make out the tiny imagine of Will Byers body lying at the bottom of the cliff, a red circle around him, widening with every second that passed.
I'm sorry Will, Mary thought as she remained rooted to her spot. Forgive me
Seconds seemed to go by as Mary continued to wait and watch. And finally it happened. Will Byers took one last breath and as he did he exhaled a bright blue light from his mouth. This was what Mary had been waiting for. The bright blue light seemed to flicker in the sky before shooting upwards and zooming past Mary off into the distance like a shooting star.
So the file was right. Mary thought briefly where the blue light was heading, but that is another story for another time.
She away from the cliff edge and looked down at Jennifer who was crouched on the ground, her head still in her hands. There was silence apart from sobbing.
"You...you killed him!" Was all Jennifer said.
"No I didn't. You did. You keeping how you felt from him for so long. Because you were scared. Get over yourself,dearie. You should have told him much sooner. Instead you were selfish. All I did was making his final moments comfortable. I made him brave, I made him a hero!" Mary snapped as if trying to justify her actions.
"Now here's what's going to happen Miss Hayes. I'm going to give you back your cell phone and you can call whomever you wish. Preferable the police and an ambulance. Miss Hayes I must apologise again for kidnapping you but it served its purpose. Goodbye. Oh and while you're making that 911 call take the time to think on your sins." Mary explained as she tossed Jennifer's phone out of the Mustang's glove box and in front of her.
She took one last look at Will's body then climbed into the Mustang and drove off leaving a sobbing Jennifer Hayes far behind.
Wow! I can't believe I actually got this done. I have had this very chapter between Will and Mary in my head since before I started writing this story. I feel very proud to see this scene that I came up with mouths ago finally typed up.
So the elephant in the room. Yes Will is dead. And yes this is permanent. He won't be coming back to life like Lucas did. To the Will fans I'm sorry. I purposefully made this chapter all about Will so you would feel his death when it happened. You learn he's not coping well, suffering from nightmares, depression and suicidal thoughts. I wanted to show them all as realistically as I could. I hope I wrote all that as believable as possible and it was as sensitivity as possible.
Next Mary. She's always so fun to write. Here she was sort of Will's therapist in a way although her way of "helping" isn't quite normal. I wanted to show she does have a nicer, almost paternal kinder side to her. I hope that came across here.
I'm sure a lot of people are wondering "what does that file Mary give Will reveal" and "what was that weird blue light that came out of Will when he died?" All I can say is patience. Those questions will be answered in due time I promise.
Then we have Jennifer Hayes. She is a existing character from Stranger Things, one I decided to use. More on her in the endnotes. I also decided to leave it ambiguous if at least in my story whether or not Will was bisexual or gay.
And finally the history Mary tells Will. As you'll see from the endnotes it's a amalgam of several TV shows and movies most obviously Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, The Boys and Lord of the Rings as well as the Percy Jackson books. Combining all these together has been a lot of fun and trust me the world building will continue.
(1)This of course is the line from the Season 3 where Mike says to Will "We're not kids anymore". I thought I'd bring that back.
(2) Smaug is of course the famous taking dragon from "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" movie voiced and preformed in motion capture by Benedict Cumberbatch
(3) UNIT and Torchwood are two organisations from Doctor Who. The Witchers are from the book series, video game and a TV show on Netflix that I have watched while in isolation.
(4)That is all taken from both the Percy Jackson books and from Harry Potter
(5) Jennifer Hayes is a small character who appears briefly at Will's fake funeral in Season 1. Dustin is quite shocked to see her there and she is clearly seen crying. So I decided to bring her into my story. You may also remember during the Snowball at the end of season 2 Will does dance with some unknown unnamed girl. I decided to make this have been Jennifer Hayes and the reason she asked him to dance and cried at his funeral is because for a long time Jennifer has had a crush on Will and wanted to tell him but unfortunately never got the courage to tell Will.
(6)This great line "What are you coward or killer" is said by the Dalek Emperor to the Ninth Doctor and I've always loved it so I decided to borrow it
Please enjoying reading and don't forget to read and review! This will be my final chapter for 2020 so I wanted to make it as good as I possibly could. I will resume writing probably either in January or February of you all so much for your continued support, reviews and feedback I have received.
I will see you all in 2021! Happy Year!