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

The Closing

Notes- TW for violence

Lucas brought out the lighter fluid. Mike made a mental note to write a thank you letter to the lighter fluid company, they'd been helping out quite a lot recently. Mike never expected to be using so much lighter fluid in his life.

"We should gather wood and stuff to burn," said Dustin. He looked around. "Luckily, we're in the woods , so it shouldn't be too hard."

Mike nodded and had a sudden realization, listening to the irritating sounds of the Mind Flayer. "Someone's gotta stay with Will. Can I? I am wounded." He turned around, reminding his friends that he'd been stabbed recently. In reality, his back did hurt a lot, especially after he'd been pinned to the ground, so it would be nice if he could just sit in one spot.

Lucas nodded, slightly smirking. "Yeah, that's fine. We'll try to be quick." He waved and headed off with Dustin to collect wood. Luckily, it wasn't raining in the Upside Down, so starting a fire wouldn't be all that hard.

Mike sat down by Will, trying to find a comfortable position. Eventually, he ended up putting his legs straight out and his hands on the ground behind his back. He sighed and looked at his possessed friend. the Mind Flayer was still struggling against the ropes unsuccessfully.

"Mike," Will said. "Mike please."

Mike turned away. "I'm not listening to you," he said plainly. "You're not Will." He wouldn't let this thing trick him again.

"Mike," he said again. "Mike, it hurts . You have to let me out, I'm dying. Please. Please." Will was starting to tear up now. Mike continued to try and drown him out, looking away the best he could. He had this strange urge to stare.

"Stop," said Mike, louder. "You're not tricking me, give it up. I'm not going to let you out no matter what you do."

Will rolled around in the ropes, starting to cry. "Mike, please! You're just gonna ignore me? I thought you liked me. I thought you loved me, Mike I-"

"Shut up."

"You're selfish. You're so selfish all the time. You just sit there and wait for everything to go your way."

Mike dug his fingers into his sides, aggravated. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop. I'm not selfish, you're just messing with me." He didn't want to talk to the Mind Flayer anymore, why couldn't Lucas and Dustin hurry up?

Will laughed like a maniac. "Mike, you know you're selfish, don't say I'm making it up. We both know it's the truth." Mike wasn't selfish, he couldn't be. "You wouldn't have even been suspicious of Brad if it hadn't been for the fact that you were selfish enough to look for something to bring him down. He'd probably be alive right now, maybe I wouldn't have possessed Will. I guess we'll never know because you were just too selfish to leave it alone."

Mike scoffed. "And I helped Will get out of a bad relationship. That's not selfish."

"You had selfish intentions." The Mind Flayer paused, looking up at the sky. Even laying there, helplessly tied with rope, it was still somehow intimidating. It gave Mike the shivers. He wanted to stop talking to this thing, it was probably just trying to mess with him one last time. "And this 'bad relationship' as you called it," it continued. "Maybe it only turned bad when you showed up. Will wasn't even concerned about it before you."

"Stop talking."

"You wouldn't have helped Will if you didn't get something out of it." The Mind Flayer rolled onto its side, looking at Mike with a gleam in its eyes. "You just wanted Will. You're selfish."

"Shut up." Nothing the creature said was true. Mike's breathing was starting to get quicker, his face hot.

The Mind Flayer could tell it was getting to him. "That's the thing, Mike. You don't do anything unless it gives you personal gain. You don't care about anyone unless it benefits you."