PHOTOGRAPHS▷ J. Byers [ Stranger Things ]

T H R E E

      "WILL?" ALYCIA CALLED OUT, CUPPING HER HANDS AROUND HER MOUTH. "WILL?"

       The air in Hawkins, Indiana was cool and crisp, causing Alycia's cheeks to redden as the wind whipped against her skin. After calling out Will's name numerous times, all she could hear was the echo of her voice in the large and vast forest. She got no reply.

      The minute she agreed to go on another date with Steve Harrington, Alycia knew she instantly regretted it. She only agreed to him to shut him up, but she knew Steve was going to want to do more than study. But now wasn't the time to think about her boy problems, so Alycia pushed the thought out of her head.

      After chemistry, Alycia didn't hesitate to drop everything and just ditch school. She got in her car and drove as fast as she could to the entrance of the Hawkin's forest, where Joyce and Jonathan were waiting for her. 

     They had probably spent up to two hours searching every inch of that forest, with no luck so far. They'd been calling out Will's name for so long Alycia's throat was starting to hurt. She probably would lose her voice, but it was worth it if it meant finding Will. After Jonathan called out Will's name one last time, Alycia watched as sadness crept on Joyce's face

     "I don't think he's here Ma," Jonathan began as Joyce put her face in her hands, looking back at Will's secret hideout one more time. 

     "I know, I know," Joyce said softly, repeating the words over and over in a whisper. She was beginning to run out of places to look for him. He wasn't at school, he wasn't at any of his friends houses, he wasn't in his hideout, at this point, he could be anywhere. "But where. . ."

    "What if we made signs and put them up around town?" suggested Alycia, biting her lip. "I mean, someone must've seen what happened to him. Right?" 

    Joyce nodded. "That's not a bad idea Alycia." She let out a soft sigh, beginning to walk back towards the entrance, the leaves crunching underneath her feet. "Come on, let's go home and get some rest." 

  —   

     "YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HIM? AREN'T YOU?"

     Alycia spoke softly to Jonathan as she watched him slowly write Have You Seen Me? and the words gave her the chills. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Will was actually missing, and she wasn't even related to him. She couldn't even imagine what Jonathan or Joyce was going through right now. But Alycia couldn't help but feel as though Will's disappearance was slightly her fault.

    If only she would've just given him a ride home that night.

    She could've insisted it. Not taken no for an answer. It was late at night, why would she have let him ride his bike home all alone? What was she thinking? The guilt was eating away at her and she had to keep assuring herself that it wasn't her fault. How would she have known? 

   Jonathan and her had barely spoken two words since they got home. Joyce had beelined for the phone, probably waiting for an update on what the Police could find, and Alycia and Jonathan were in the living room making signs for Will. 

   But after Alycia broke the silence between them, Jonathan looked at her and Alycia could see the grief in his eyes. "How could I not?" He said, his voice cracking, but he remained calm. "I mean, Will is out there, somewhere, all alone. He's scared a-and hopeless and I don't even know if he's. . ." Jonathan didn't finish his sentence, but Alycia knew what he was saying.

    "Hey," she began. "We are going to find Will, alive." Alycia put her hand on top of his, to comfort him. "No matter what it takes." Jonathan looked at Alycia in a way that Alycia had never seen before. Alycia smiled softly, still looking at him, telling him that it was going to be okay. 

    "Bitch!" Alycia and Jonathan snapped their head's towards Joyce as she angrily slammed the phone back into place. 

    "Mom,"

    "What?" Joyce snapped back at Jonathan, still frazzled. 

     "You have to stay calm." Jonathan told her softly and Joyce chuckled. How could she stay calm at a time like this? But she knew Jonathan was right. Getting angry would get he nowhere. It's not what Will would have wanted. Without saying anything, Joyce looked at the piece of paper in her hand and picked up the phone again.

    Jonathan looked back towards Alycia. "Thanks for doing this," He kept looking back at his Mom, who was getting more annoyed by the second.

    "You don't have to thank me." Alycia told him. "You would've done the same for me." 

    "Dammit it! Dammit it!" Joyce slammed the phone again and Alycia bit her lip.

     Jonathan was about to reply to Alycia when the bright lights of a cop car streamed through the window. He began to stand up. "Mom?" he called to her, bringing Alycia to her feet. 

    "What?" Joyce snapped again, rubbing her temple.

    "Cops." 

    Joyce ran for the door without thinking twice, Alycia and Jonathan following her. Once outside on the front porch, Alycia watched as the police officers went to the back of the car and pulled out a very familiar bike. 

     Will's bike. 

  —

yikes so this is short again and i'm so sorry it took me 3.349585557391 million years to write it. it's just been a busy month for me. school started (bleh) and i had my birthday and softball and everything!!

this chapter was sort of just a filler but hey, it had jonathan/alycia moments. please let me know what you thought of the chapter <33 i love to hear your feedback!!

word count: 973 words