The Spy (Will Byers x Reader)

Chapter 23

I have been getting worse and worse over the weeks. I'm coughing up blood and can barely walk. I haven't slept in days. My body has hot and cold flashes. Yet, I'm still going to school and am caring for 012 and wondering why all I can think about is Will.

So, here I am, in math class, doodling in my notebook while fighting a headache. Vision turning foggy, I rub my eyes until I can clearly see the paper in front of me.

The bell rings. I grab my bag off the floor and make my way out of the class with Jane by my side. Suddenly my legs give way and I end up sprawled out on the floor. I can hear a slight squeak from Jane's mouth.

"Are you okay?" She grabs my hands and helps me to my feet. Holding onto her shoulders I steady myself. I can hear footsteps approaching us from behind.

"What happened?" Dustin asks followed by similar questions from Lucas and Mike. Will stays silent.

"Nothing," I say as I let go of Jane and walk down the hallway. But I stumble after only a few steps. I brace for the fall that never comes. Will's scrawny arms hook under my arms.

"That's the opposite of nothing," Dustin mutters as the group surrounds me once again. I stare at the wall behind them, trying my best not to make eye contact.

"Somethings wrong with you. I know it. So just tell us," Jane pries. Her face suddenly fills my vision.

The others start talking but I can't understand any of it. I just stand there with Will at my back, his hands on my shoulders. The others start to blur in my vision. Their words pounding against my skull. I can't breath. Why can't I breath? No longer am I surrounded by friends, Papa stands above me with a frown. He raises his hand and it starts to come down at me. I stand frozen, until I feel his hands on my shoulders, grounding me to the real world. I turn into him and lay my head on his chest.

"Please don't hurt me," I whisper. Papa's hand never comes down.

The hall is quite. So quite I feel like I may be all alone.

"(Y/N), we would never hurt you. You know that, right?" Jane whispers. I can feel her hand rubbing my back.

"I know. I wasn't talking to you."

"Then who were you talking to? Mike?"

"No."

"Then who?" Her voice raises, but she quickly gets a hold of her temper. "Who, (Y/N)?"

"Papa."

I don't hear anything for awhile. So I decide to unlatch myself from Will. His front is stained with my tears. I turn. No doubt they all see the hallow look in my eyes.

"I'm sick."

"What?" Jane responds to my simple statement in slight shock.

"I'm sick."

"Can you please elaborate!" Yet again her voice raises. This time I don't let it get to me.

"I haven't used my powers in months, Jane. I am sick. It's one of my biggest flaws. You don't have flaws. That's why Papa likes you most."

"Well, then use your powers. Read someone's mind or something." She sounds angry, but I can see the caring look in her brown eyes.

"That's not how it works. Reading minds is just a sliver of what I'm capable of. I would have to destroy every last memory in someone's head to get my health at least a fourth of the way back. And I can't do that to someone. Not again," I turn from her, running down the hall to the best of my abilities.

——

The man looks at her from across the street. He watches her every movement. She's running, running from a group of young boys and girls. He recognizes one: 011. Keeping a close eye on the two experiments he writes down what he observes.