Downside Up [W.Byers]

032

After clearing out the shed, everyone prepares it for Will. They block out any light and take out all the things. As Ruby walks out, she runs into Dustin.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asks. "I'm fine." He replies. "You don't seem fine." She comments. "Come on, What is it?"

"I think Max likes Lucas." He states. "And... you like her, too..." she realizes. "Yeah. It's whatever. I mean, who would wanna date me." He takes a seat against the outer wall of the house. Ruby sighs and sits beside him.

"You're Awesome, Dustin. If a girl can't see that, she doesn't deserve you." She leans her head on his shoulder, causing him to smile. "Thanks, Ruby. Will's lucky to have you." Dustin smirks.

"What do you mean?" She asks, raising her head. "It's so obvious you two like each other. When all of this is over, you should ask him to the winter formal."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She chuckles. "Gosh. You are so oblivious." He states, getting up and walking away. "Dustin! Hey! You can't just leave! Hey! Wait!" She gets up, running after him.

Ruby and Dustin meet back in the shed with the others, helping block out more of the windows and walls. Johnathan carries out will, and straps him into a chair.

Ruby plugs in the light, illuminating the entire shed brightly. Dustin, Lucas, Max, Nancy, and Steve walk out, keeping watch on the house. Hopper walks forward, opening a bottle of bleach, and placing the cotton ball under Will's nose.

Will gasps as his eyes shoot open. He curiously looks around, trying to take in his surroundings. "What? What? What is this?" He asks as he struggles to get out of the chair.

"What is this? Why am I tied up?"

Joyce leans down, crouching in front of him. "Will, we just wanna talk to you. We're not gonna hurt you." She says calmingly.

"Where am I?" He shouts. "You recognize this?" Hopper bends down, showing him the drawing of the shadow monster. "Do you recognize this?" He repeats.

Will shakes his head. "Hey. We wanna help you. But to do that, we have to understand how to kill it." Joyce says.

"Why am I tied up?" He yells. "Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up?" He repeats, screaming. Ruby blocks her ears, noticing that lights are beginning to flicker.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" The more he screams, the deeper his voice gets. It's not Will anymore.

After a few moments, Will calms down. breathing heavily. "Do you know what March 22nd is?" Joyce asks. "It's your birthday. Your birthday. When you turned eight, I have you that huge box of crayons. Do you remember that?" She smiles.

"It was 120 colors. And all your friends, they got you Star Wars toys, but all you wanted to do was draw with all your new colors. And you drew this big spaceship, but it wasn't from a movie. It was your spaceship." She stammers.

"A rainbow ship is what you called it. And you must have used every color in the box. I took that with me to Melvald's and I put it up and I told everyone who came in, 'My son drew this.'. And you were so embrassed." She chuckles.

"But I was so proud. I was so, so proud." She smiles.

Johnathan sighs, then speaks up. "Do you remember the day Dad left?" Will turns to face him, a confused look on his face. Johnathan bends down. "We stayed up all night building Castle Byers...just the way you drew it. And it took so long because you were so bad at hammering." He laughs.

"You'd miss the nail every time. And then it started raining, but we stayed out there anyway. We were both sick for like a week after that. But we just had to finish it, didn't we?"

Will begins nervously tapping the chair as he continues talking. "We just had to."

"Do you remember the first day that we met?" Mike asks, a tear rolling down his cheek. "It was... it was the first day of kindergarten. I knew nobody. I had no friends and.." he sniffles. "I just felt so alone and so scared, but...I saw you on the swings and you were alone, too."

He sighs. "You were just swinging by yourself. And I just walked up to you and...I asked. I asked if you wanted to be my friend. And you said yes. You said yes." He smiles. "It was the best thing I've ever done."

Ruby hesitantly steps forward, coming into the light. "Remember when you first got to the upside down, and you called out for help. I didn't know who you were. I never even spoke to someone my age." She sniffles.

"The next day when you woke up, we went to go get food. You asked so many questions. It annoyed me so much." She chuckles sadly. "But in reality, I was glad you were there. I used to be so lonely and so lost, until you came. Of course, you would have been way better off if you never made it there. But, I just wanted to let you know, if you're still there, you're the best thing to ever happen to me." She smiles.

It goes silent for a moment as she backs away, trying to block out her tears. "Will, baby...if you're in there, just please.. please talk to us." Joyce pleads. "Please, honey, please, can you do that for me?"

"Please. I love you so much." She says shakily. Will looks to her with sad eyes, letting out a shaky breath. His face slowly returns back to neutral.

"Let me go."