American Heroes: A Stranger Things 3 Fic

The Mind Flayer

Will opens his eyes, his head pounding. In addition to the ringing in his ears, he hears footsteps echoing around him. A pair of black boots march past him. Lifting his head, he spots Billy, El slung over his shoulder, duck through the door into the mall. With a grunt, Will pulls himself to his feet and rushes after them.

He flings the door open to Scoops Ahoy, stumbling through the entrance and over to where Billy is laying El on the ground and whispering something in her ear.

"Hey!" Will shouts. "Get away from-" His voice catches in his throat. Dread falls over him. Through the gaping hole in the ceiling, the Mind Flayer appears, descending into the mall.

El sits up on her elbows. The Mind Flayer opens its mouth, a claw stretching out from inside, reaching for her. Every inch of Will's body is frozen in fear as the Mind Flayer's claw inches towards El.

A shriek escapes the Mind Flayer's mouth when a firework explodes on the side of its head. Lucas shouts something from above, and as the Mind Flayer turns its head upwards, Will takes the chance to pull himself out of his trance and runs for El. He grabs her hand to help her up, more fireworks exploding around the Mind Flayer, but he's wrenched from her grip when Billy bashes him in the face, sending him sailing across the floor. He lands on his side, coughing and spitting out blood. Beside El, Billy struggles to stand, hunching over with each hit of the fireworks.

While Billy falls to the ground, El tries to rush away, but he snatches her by the ankles and slides her across the floor back in front of the Mind Flayer. Scrambling to his feet, Will runs forward, shoving Billy and taking El's hands to help her up, but he's thrown back, soaring through the air and landing with a thud, the wind knocked out of him. He scrambles backwards, wheezing, as Billy storms forward and slams his foot in his stomach. Holding his stomach, he chokes, air unable to reach his lungs. Billy lifts his foot above Will's face. Will holds an arm up, waiting for the blow, when another set of fireworks explodes around the Mind Flayer. Billy stumbles to the side and doubles over.

Will, gasping for air and unable to get up, catches El's eye from where she's lying on the ground. "Run!" he chokes out. She hobbles to her feet, limping towards the exit. Billy, struggling to stand, rushes after her, grabs her by the waist, and throws her back on the ground in front of the Mind Flayer. He slams her down as she struggles against him.

The Mind Flayer lifts its arms, towering above them. Will's neck tingles. You, Will Byers, are not a sissy. Honestly, you've got to be one of the strongest and bravest kids I've ever met. Taking a deep breath, he hauls himself to his feet. As Billy and El struggle against each other, he rushes around them, halting in front of the Mind Flayer.

"Will!" Lucas shouts from above. "What are you doing?"

He ignores his friend's voice and focuses on the lights and machines around them. They spark with electricity. The Mind Flayer roars. Will takes a breath, clenches his fist, and concentrates. Think of something that makes you angry. As he focuses his eyes on the Mind Flayer, all he can think about are his friends, his family, everyone he cares about. They don't make him angry. No. They make him proud. Proud to have people in his life that care about him. You're a good kid, Byers... You're perfect how you are. So many people love you, Byers, even if you feel alone or different or wrong, you have to know that there are people who love you exactly how you are, and you shouldn't change just to fit some mold of what's considered normal.

Lights burst and crackle. He can feel the electricity surge around him. You're one of my best friends, Will, and you always will be. He glares at the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer, whose sole purpose, sole mission, is to hurt his friends. Kill them. Destroy everything good in Will's life. You're the kindest, most caring and thoughtful person I know... You're the one who's holding us together. His head feels like it's about to burst, but he strains harder until the electricity seems connected to him, moving with him. He takes a deep breath, the voices of his friends and family filling his head. It makes you who you are, and who you are is the best person I've ever known... There's more to you than you let on, Will. You're special.

Taking a step forward, he throws his hands up in front of him and screams, sending an explosion of blue light into the Mind Flayer. It shrieks, flailing its claws in the air. Lucas, Jonathan, Nancy, Steve, and Robin continue to launch fireworks at it. The blue light grows blinding as Will concentrates harder. You and your brother mean the world to me. You two are the best things in my life.

His throat is raw and his head aches, but seeing the Mind Flayer in front of him, its massive claws ready to attack, he continues to strain his mind with everything in him. I just felt so alone and so scared but...I saw you on the swings and you were alone, too. You were just swinging by yourself. And I just walked up to you and I asked...I asked if you wanted to be my friend. And you said yes. You said yes. It was the best thing I've ever done. From somewhere deep inside of him, an anger he didn't know he had bursts to the surface, and he screams the loudest he's ever screamed before and slams his feet hard into the ground and tenses every muscle in his entire body. An explosion more deafening than the fireworks blasts throughout the mall as a fire ignites from the legs of the Mind Flayer, spreading over its flesh. The Mind Flayer roars, its claws smashing around the food court, destroying everything in its path.

A fist strikes the side of Will's head, cutting off his screaming. He topples to the floor, electricity no longer surging through him. Before he can move, Billy grabs him by the throat, lifting him into the air, and tightening his hold until black dots appear in Will's vision. His mind grows fuzzy, his lungs about to burst. He hits Billy's arm weakly.

"Seven... feet!" El gasps, struggling to stand.

Billy's eyes narrow.

"You told her, the wave was seven feet."

As Billy turns to look at El, his hold on Will's throat loosens. Will grapples onto Billy's hand, trying to pull his fingers off his neck.

"You ran to her, on the beach." Tears run down El's cheeks, but her voice is calm. She takes a few steps forward. "There were seagulls. She wore a hat... with a blue ribbon."

Billy sniffles, and his hold loosens enough for Will to gasp in air.

"A long dress... with a blue and red flower." El is crying now, her voice strained. "Yell – yellow sandals covered in sand. She was pretty."

Nodding his head slightly, Billy releases his hand, letting Will drop to the floor, wheezing and coughing, while El continues, "She was really pretty. And you... you were happy." She rests her hand on Billy's cheek as he shuts his eyes. Everyone on the second floor shouts that they're out of fireworks.

Above them, the Mind Flayer rears its head at El and Will. A roar echoes from its throat. Billy spins around to face the Mind Flayer, standing with his head held high. El rushes to Will's side, both of them bruised and bloody, pulling him back as the Mind Flayer raises its claws. It flings a claw forward, and they brace themselves, holding their arms in front of them, but Billy steps into its path and catches the claw, holding it back.

Another claw flings forward. Will squeezes El's hand, flinching as the claw stabs into Billy's side. They watch in horror as the Mind Flayer plunges its claws into him again and again.

Billy falls to his knees, claws ripping into every inch of him. He screams, and a claw surges out of the Mind Flayer's mouth, impaling him through the chest.

"Billy!" Max screams from behind them. The Mind Flayer releases its claws, and Billy slumps to the ground.

The Mind Flayer, screeching, flings around the food court, crashing into the sides of the balcony. Mike rushes to Will and El, pulling them out of the way as the Mind Flayer falls in a heap of flesh on the ground, dead.

While Max rushes to Billy's side, Mike grasps onto both Will and El's arms. "Are you guys okay? Are you hurt?" He glances at El, brushing her cheek with his hand, before his eyes land on Will. "Will, are you okay?"

Will can barely feel Mike's hands cupping his face. All he can feel is the aching all throughout his body, his head pounding and ears ringing. The world spins, lights blinding in his eyes. "Will? Will, are you alright?" Mike's voice echoes in his ear. Hands grasp his shoulder, and he collapses forward, darkness overtaking him.