CHAPTER FOUR

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Emily led the way as the group searched for Will. They had split up once again, so only Mike and Lucas came with her. They went outside while Dustin and Max searched inside the building. The first three found Will fairly quickly out in the field, where he was standing stock-still with his eyes rolling back in head, not responding to Mike saying his name. Emily found herself in so much fear that that she couldn't move or speak or even look at anyone or anything other than Will. This was worse than any panic attack she had ever had before this point.

"We just found him like this!" Mike called to whoever was approaching them. "I think he's having another episode!"

Emily saw Joyce grab Will by his shoulders and begin to plead with him to wake up. She wanted to help, to be able to speak and get Will to snap out of it because she knew something really bad was happening, but for whatever reason, she just couldn't. She could feel herself becoming light-headed and she knew if this didn't end soon, she was going to pass out.

Finally, Will awoke with a gasp, allowing Emily to regain her composure and begin to breathe normally again. This time, though, she didn't feel that sense of relief that she usually did. Somehow, she knew something terrible had happened in Will's episode, but neither twin had time to say anything, for Joyce was rushing to get them away from the school and back home.

"I can't remember," Will told Joyce in the kitchen of the Byers house after she asked him what had happened in his episode.

"I need you to try," Joyce said.

"I- I was on the field and... and then it... it all just went blank, and... and then you were there."

"Will, I need you to tell me the truth."

"I am."

Joyce got up from the table and went into the living room. When she came back, she set a piece of paper down in front of Will. On the paper was a drawing in scribbled blue crayon of what looked like a huge monster, sort of resembling a spider, as it had many long legs. Will stiffened up when he saw it.

"This shape, I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night," Joyce told him. "It's the same shape as- as your drawing."

Emily's eyebrows furrowed slightly out of confusion; she didn't know what drawing Joyce was talking about.

"These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong," Joyce continued. "I think they're real. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So, you have to talk to me. Please. No more secrets, okay?"

Will nodded, letting Joyce know that he would tell her the truth.

"Okay," Joyce said. "D-Did you see this thing again on the field?"

Will nodded again. "Yes," he said.

"What... what is it?"

Will's eyes began to well with tears. "I don't know. It's almost more like a- a feeling."

"Like the one you had that night at the arcade?"

Once again, Will nodded. "Yes."

"Wh-What does it want?"

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