Walls [Jonathan Byers]

Chapter 5:

I sat in the car with Jonathan while waiting for Nancy so we could go to the park. The back door opened and I turned to see Nancy.

"Hey." Jonathan and I greeted at the same time.

Nancy threw her stuff in and then climbed in while greeting us back.

"Did you see your mom?" Nancy asked looking at Jonathan.

"No she was sleeping. But I left a note." Jonathan informed her.

"Lee?" Nancy asked.

"Mom's out of town." I said.

It got quiet and Nancy opened her mouth.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Nancy said looking between the two of us.

"Stop saying that." Jonathan said.

We all looked at each other and nodded. Turning to face the front, Jonathan started the car and we took off. We got to the park and navigated to a bench.The three of us sat on the bench and I looked around. Kids were everywhere with their parents.

"It's fifteen past." Nancy informed us after we had been sitting there for a while.

"Yeah. I know." Jonathan said. "Just give him time."

I continued to looked around the park at all the kids and parents, keeping an eye out for anyone that looked suspicious.

"That guy. There." Nancy said.

I turned to see where she was looking and saw a guy reading a newspaper across from us.

"What?" Jonathan asked.

"He just... Just talked to himself." Nancy said.

The man glanced after at us and I quickly looked away. Looking around, there seemed to be more people. My heart started beating faster and I felt my breathing quicken. Everything seemed to be getting louder. I heard Nancy's voice in the distance and was pulled to my feet seconds later.

"Lee?" Jonathan asked.

I snapped out of my daze and looked to see him and Nancy looking at me concerned.

"Let's go." I said, pushing past them.

The three of us started walking through the park as fast as we could. I glanced behind us to see a man following us. We reached Jonathan's car and quickly got in. Jonathan turned the key and the car wouldn't start. A knock on the window made the three of us turn.

"Trouble with your car miss? I can give you three a lift if you like." The man at the window said.

I turned to look at Jonathan and saw the man that was following us standing a couple feet from the car.

"Jonathan." Nancy said.

I looked out the front window to see another man standing there. All three of us quickly turned to the back to a woman. The knocking on the passenger side window made the three of us turn to look at the man.

"You sure you don't need that ride?" He asked smiling.

We were forced to go with him and ended up in a room somewhere at the lab. The three of us sat in a room, Jonathan on one side of the table while Nancy and I sat on the other side. Nancy stood up and I watched as she looked at something.

"Hey. Hey assholes! Let us out of here!" Nancy screamed.

The door opened, making Jonathan stand up and me turn around.

"Oh. Not very pleasant in here, is it? Sorry about that. Hospitality's not our strong suit. You know. Scientists and all." The man said.

Nancy was staring at him with rage.

"Yeah." He muttered while looking at his watch.

He looked up at the three of us. "You up for a little walk?"

The three of us shared a look and I quickly stood up.

"I'm assuming you're behind me." The man said from outside the room.

We quickly hurried out after him. After we walked down a hall and turned into another one the man in the lab coat started talking.

"Men of science have made abundant mistakes of every kind. George Sarton said that. You guys know who Geeoge Sarton is? Doesn't really matter. The point is, mistakes have been made. Yes." The man said as we walked down the hall past officials.

"Mistakes?" Nancy asked.

"Yes." The man said.

"You killed Barbara." Nancy said.

"Abundant mistakes, but the men involved with those mistakes, the ones responsible for what happened to your brother, as well as Miss Holland's and your sisters' deaths, they're gone. They're gone and for better for worse, I'm the schmucm they brought in to make things better." The man explained.

We walked past a window that had been in masks and goggles working on stuff.

"But I can't make things better without your help." The man continued.

"You mean without us shutting up?" Nancy asked.

The man laughed. "She's tough, this one. You guys been together long?"

"We're not together." Jonathan said.

"Wanna see what really killed your friend?" The man asked.

He opened a door and we stepped into a room.

"Teddy. I brought you an audience today, hope you don't mind." The man.

"The more the merrier, sir." 'Teddy' said.

The man turned to us and pointed. I turned and stopped.

"I'd call it one hell of a mistake. Wouldn't you?" The man asked.

The wall was completely covered in stuff. My mind flashed back to when I crawled through the tree trunk. The man continued to talk but I zoned him out. Memories quickly raced through my mind. The man continued to talk and I reached for the closes thing to steady myself. 

"Do you think they would even consider that a mistake?" The man asked, his voice getting louder instantly. "What if they tired to replicate that?"

I felt my hand get squeezed and I looked down to see Jonathan and I holding hands.

"The more attention we bring to ourselves, the more.. The more people like the Hollands know the truth, the more likely the scenario becomes. You see why I have to stop the truth from spreading, too. Just like those weeds there." The man explained.

A man in a suit on the other side of the window stopped and faced the wall

"By whatever means necessary." The man finished.

Fire shot out of the gun the man in the suit was holding. Things started floating into the air and I felt my breathing change.

"So. We understand each other now, don't we?" The man asked.

More fire went everywhere and I started to panic. Jonathan pulled me closer and I stood there frozen. We were eventually led out of the room and down to the front doors.

The three of us walk through door and ended up outside in a walkway. We were being followed by man. We stopped once we reached Jonathan's car and turned to the man as he handed Jonathan his keys.

"Have a nice day." The man said before turning and walking away.

The three of us got in and the first time Jonathan turned the key the engine started. We left the lab, the car ride in silence. Nancy pulled a recorder out of her purse and started playing what was recorded. I put my head back and tired to block out what the recorder was playing but the words echoed.

"You still wanna do this?" Jonathan asked.

Nancy nodded and turned to look at him then me. "Let's burn that lab to the ground."

The car sped past the 'leaving Hawkins' sign and I instantly felt sick.