Downside Up [W.Byers]

026

"It's like.. it's like I feel what the shadow monster's feeling." Will explains to the two teenagers. "See what he's seeing." He adds. "Like in the Upside Down?" Mike asks, peering at the sweaty boy.

"Some of him is there. But some of him is here, too." Will shakes. "Here, Like, in this house?" Mike questions again. "In this house and..in me." He sobs. "It's like... it's like he's reaching into Hawkins more and more. And the more he spreads, the more connected to him I feel."

"And the more you see these now-memories." The Black haired boy adds. Ruby looks to Will with sympathetic eyes. She wraps an arm around him, ignoring the sweat coming from behind his neck.

"At first I just felt it in the back of my head. I didn't even really know it was there. It's like when you have a dream and you can't remember it unless you think really hard. It was like that. But now it's like... Now I remember. I remember all the time." He begins to shake.

Ruby quickly gets up, sadly walking out the door. Will and Mike watch the stressed girl leave speedily. She can't bare to see him this way.

Mike sighs, watching as Will begins to shake more. "Maybe.. Maybe that's good." He suggests. "Good?" Will asks in disbelief.

"Just think about it, Will. You're like a spy now. A superspy. Spying on the shadow monster. If you know what he's doing and feeling.. maybe that's how we can stop him. Maybe all of this is happening for a reason."

"You really think so?" The boy asks hopefully. "Yeah. Yeah, I really do." He nods. Will glances down at the drawing of the monster. "What if he figures out we're spying on him? What if he spies back?" He asks fearfully.

"He won't." Mike reassures. "How do you know?" He trembles. "We won't let him." Mike places his hand on Will's. "I have to go home. Do you want me to bring Ruby back?" Mike asks with a slight smirk.

"Yeah.." he sniffles. "Alright. Bye, Will." He gives him a short hug, then walks out to the hallway, where the blonde sits on the floor, arms wrapped around her knees.

Mike looks down at her. "I couldn't do it, Mike. I couldn't just watch him suffer and I couldn't help." She sobs. "You're right. You're not helping at all." Mike nods.

Ruby rubs her eyes, then curiously looks up at the boy. "But there is a way that you can help. Stay with him, Ruby. I think he needs you more than he needs any of us."

He reaches out his hand to help her up. She hesitantly takes it, then sighs. "Go get your man." Mike winks. "Not the time, Mike." She sniffles. "Sorry. Bye, Ruby."

"Bye, Mike."

"Wait-" Mike turns around. Just as Ruby has her hand on the doorknob, mike walks closer to the girl. He puts out his hand once more. "I'm sorry I've been so rude to you. I promise I won't anymore. You're actually pretty cool." He smiles.

Ruby grins, then shakes his hand. "You're pretty cool, too." She replies. "Thanks." He chuckles, before waving goodbye.

The door slowly creaks open as Ruby peeks inside. "Will?" She whispers. "Yeah?" He sniffles.

She quietly walks over to him, sitting herself down on the bed. She places her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I left." She sighs.

"It's okay." He replies silently. "I wanna help, Will. But, I just can't. And it hurts me." She cries.

"You worry too much, Ruby. It's not good for you." Will chuckles. "I guess you're right." She smiles, taking his hand in hers. "Mike apologized to me." Ruby adds.

"Oh, really?" Will grins. "Yeah. What did you tell him?" She lifts her head, looking into his eyes. "Nothing.." he looks off to the side nervously. Ruby crosses her arms, raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, I may have suggested it to him a few times." He says in a high pitched voice. "Of course you did." She grabs a pillow, whacking it at him. "Hey! You should be thanking me!" He laughs as she continues to attack him.

He grabs another pillow, beginning to fight back. They hold the pillows against each other, trying to push the other one down. All of a sudden, both their pillows fall off to the side, causing them to turn to look off in the direction they fell.

Once they turn back around, they notice that their faces are very close. The pillows were the only barrier between them. Their cheeks grow red as their hearts beat faster.

Ruby stares directly at Will, then sighs. She clears her throat, backing away and sitting up straight. "Do you.. do you want me to stay here tonight?" She asks, placing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah- I mean- only if you want to.. uh.." Will replies awkwardly. "Of course I want to. I'll just go bring my stuff." She smiles, getting off the bed to grab her pillow and blanket.

Will stares off into the night sky, smiling to himself. When she comes back inside, his smile only gets wider. "Well. It's pretty late. We should get to sleep." She snuggle up into the covers.

"Yeah." Will nods, doing the same. "Goodnight, Will."

"Goodnight, Ruby."