Byler- The Unwanted Return of Everything (And How It Finally Ends)

The Grip

Notes- TW for violence, blood, and suicidal intentions (kind of?)

The wind screamed in a high, painful pitch, nearly blowing Mike over as he made his way toward the clearing in the trees. He tried to keep his feet grounded as he stepped forward, pulling his jacket further around him in an attempt to resist the cold. He hoped he wouldn't freeze solid right then and there, that wouldn't help anyone.

Once he'd reached the edge of the trees, he turned around. Lucas and Dustin stood beside him, waiting for his word of command. Why they were still taking orders from Mike in his state of hysteria, Mike wasn't sure, but he appreciated their loyalty.

"Come out!" Mike yelled into the wind. "We're here! Didn't you want us to come here? Come out!" He looked into the distorted distance, trying to make out any movement.

Dustin sighed to his right. "Maybe this isn't the right place either."

Mike shook his head. "No. This is it, I know it." He looked out again. "Well? Come out and face us! Are you scared?" There was, once again, no response. Mike's confidence began to dwindle. He wasn't sure what he'd do if this wasn't the place. He had no other option, no more time.

The rain beat in harsh sheets onto his back, but Mike barely noticed, fixated on the woods, trying to hear any sound or see the figure of his friend. He stood there for over a minute, just staring.

Just when he was about to give up and head back to the car with his head hung, there was a snap from somewhere to his right. Mike whipped his head around and saw Will– the Mind Flayer– emerging from the bushes. He was about to yell at him but noticed he was shaking from head to toe. Not a cold shake, he thought, a scared shake.

"Let's get him," Lucas muttered. He waited for no response, running forward with Dustin on his tail. They grabbed Will from both sides and wrestled him to the ground with little effort. Will yelped, not attempting to fight back. He was crying.

"Get out of our friend or you're gonna regret it," Dustin yelled, forcefully shaking the boy. "Get out!" Both of Mike's friends yelled at Will and shook him around, ignoring any attempts he made to speak.

Something was wrong. The Mind Flayer wasn't fighting back. "Stop," said Mike, stepping forward. "Guys, stop."

His friends looked back at him with sudden confusion, waiting for an explanation for his hesitance. Mike simply stepped forward, kneeling down beside Will's trembling mess of a figure.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Will?"

The boy looked up at him, nodding. "I- I don't know where He went. He just– He's not here anymore. I don't know what's going on, Mike. I don't know what's happening." Will lunged forward, but Mike didn't flinch away with any sort of defensive response. He let Will wrap his arms around his neck and bury his face into his jacket. The boy was terrified, and Mike hated seeing him this way.

"Don't worry," whispered Mike. "We're here. We're not going to let the Mind Flayer get you again."

Will sighed into his ear, almost chuckling. "You really are an idiot."

Then Mike felt two different pains right after one another. The first in his back, a sharp, burning pain that stung with the rain slashing against it. The second was not even half a second later, and it was the full weight of Dustin diving at him and Will, pushing Mike to the side and trying to pin Will down again.

Mike sat on the ground for a second, trying to comprehend everything and drowning out the sounds of his friends yelling. Will was obviously not unpossessed, Mike should have seen that one coming. Also, something hurt. Will had tried to stab him with a sharp stick. As Mike felt the wound, he decided it wasn't fatally deep, but it was bleeding. It was bleeding a lot, and that was slightly disorienting.