MIKE POV-

---- A few minutes earlier ----

"Yeah whatever man" Mike scoffed turning on his heel as he turned around "You ruin everything!" trudging away pass the foliage into the dark of the forest. The ground around him felt familiar but he had both the map and the compass so he wouldn't get lost.

The boy slumped pass a particular funny looking rock; it was awkwardly shaped paying no mind to it wanting to rest, but as he got close he saw a bright light emitting from it. Was this a scavenger hunt item? He scanned the note, it held a clue locating the last item and the number 7 written on it; meaning it was one of the clues for his group.

Mike had a dilemma: does he take the clue to find the last item alone and therefore Will would be unable to complete the task? Or does he just leave them here for the small boy to find naturally? He pondered it for a moment, but deciding on the former; he was still petty about being unable to find any of the clues by himself.

The ravenette mumbled under his breath, repeatedly trying to figure out the clue; it was nonsensical: just a few crude drawings and the word 'ghost' pointing to a creepy figure. He hated to admit it, but the clue was hard and without Will around, it felt as though he had just been wondering in circles with his flashlight.

It was weird; the way he treated Will. It was something he didn't understand himself; he would never say it aloud but a part of him liked the brunette, as a person of course. But other times it felt as though an anger washed over him and he was forced to say words he didn't mean, ones he didn't even think about before his mouth opened. It scared him; it was unfamiliar and got him questioning things; he felt like he wasn't completely in control over the past week. He couldn't remember when exactly things felt this way, maybe around the same time Will changed to be nicer; was this the brunettes doing? Did he cast a hex?

But Mike shrugged it off; people have thought lots of different things before like being in a simulation or other such conspiracies. It's bound to happen with time and maybe the stress of high school made him overthink...

The ravenette scampered through the woods; the trees looked the same with only the sounds of the wildlife passing him until he heard some rustling from the distance. Keeping his guard up; although it could just be an elk or deer; he could never be too prepared playing Slenderman at a young age.

Although, as the boy stepped close he heard noises; it sounded like... voices? He tilted his head trying to eavesdrop; perhaps he could find out who it was but as soon as he heard childish bickering, he knew exactly who it was rolling his eyes. Mike advanced as Dustin whipped his body around protecting himself with a wooden spoon.

"Why do you have a wooden spoon?" Mike spat

"To protect myself, Duh?" The curly haired boy retorted

"Did you steal that from the salad bowl?" The ravenette scrunched his face

"Don't tell Mr Clark..." Dustin reasoned

"Wasn't going to" Mike rolled his eyes but looked at Lucas who stood atop a large rock. "What the hell is he doing?" pointing over

"He is looking for the next clue..." The curly haired boy explained

"Which is?" The tall boy led on wanting to hear how this plan would work

"Well we don't know! That's why we are looking for it!" Dustin deadpanned

"HEY MIKE!" Lucas shouted from atop the rock, scanning the area hoping for Will to be somewhere close by "WHERE'S WILL?" He cupped his mouth so his voice travelled further

"Yeah where is Will?" Dustin repeated furrowing his brows "Did you finish the hunt already?"

"He's finishing the scavenger hunt by himself" Mike scoffed

"By himself?" The curly haired boy looked worried; did Mike really leave a defenceless boy in the woods. From experience Dustin knew Will was decently strong but the woods are a dangerous place to be by yourself especially if it was unfamiliar. "Are you sure that's safe?"

"Thats what he wanted" Mike spat; his expression unchanging

"What?" Dustin questioned

"He was finding all the clues by himself so I left, he could finish the hunt by himself for all I care" The ravenette deadpanned. He knew that Will would be unable to find the last few clues as he took one but that point he wouldn't mention to Dustin.

"Ohh.. I see what this is" The curly haired boy came to a revelation stretching his words and crossing his arms in front of his chest "This is because Will is better than you at this and you can't admit it"

"Thats- that's not what this is" Mike stuttered

"Yes, it is! It was the same way you treated El when you first met her" Dustin knew this way of Mike acting was weird "Remember when she could have more spicy food then you?"

"That did not happen" The tall boy mumbled wanting to forget that experience

"You literally shit a brick" Dustin exclaimed trying to hold back a chuckle, thinking back to the third grade mishap.

"This is different!" Mike argued

"Why?" Dustin retorted

"Will's a boy a-and I don't like guys" The ravenette stuttered

"I never said you had a crush on him!" The curly haired boy smirked at Mike's obliviousness but remained serious

"All I'm saying is..." Dustin sighed "Don't judge Will so harshly for his past mistakes, it wasn't his fault... he's going through a lot as it is"

Mike thought about it for a second; he took a deep breath, his emotions did get the best of him, scrambling through his pockets to take out his phone.

"What are you doing now?" Dustin's eyes widened

"Calling Will!" Mike exclaimed

"We are in the woods dumbass, where are you going to get reception from?" The curly haired boy rolled his eyes.

"Oh right!" Mike's eyes widened; he knew that leaving someone alone was a dick move even if Will was being a little shit earlier. Calming himself down, he turned around to the direction he came from and so as fast as Mike had arrived, he left in search of the small boy.

Lucas slid down the rock like a slide before catching up to Dustin "So where is Will?" He said out of breath from all that climbing and running

"Will! Will! Will!" Dustin joked "No one ever wants to talk about me" pouting as he crossed his arms

Lucas rolled his eyes, the curly haired boy used to be in drama club and it definitely showed as his theatre kid came out at the worst times; being the most dramatic in situations. "Well, I found the next clue! It's that way" The athletic boy pointed to the left as the boys walked into that direction.

"So how's Will though?" Lucas shyly questioned

"He's fine! They just had a little lovers quarrel" Dustin remarked

"Lovers?" The athletic boy sadly questioned

"Well this is the trail of love" Dustin smiled

"Oh..." was all Lucas murmured

"I'm kidding" The curly haired boy joked, maybe it was the look in his eyes but he could tell Lucas was sad hearing that sentence "Those two are as compatible as rancid Milk"

"What does that even mean?" The athletic boy's emotion changed now just more confused by that anecdote than anything.

"Uh I don't know" Dustin shrugged, "Now lets look for that clue"

Lucas nodded, not wanting to lament further on the subject; for as long as he's known Mike the only person he had a crush on was El; he may have denied it, but actions speak louder than words in the way Mike would treat her; like the most important person in the world.

Back with Mike who calmly walked through the woods; perhaps he hadn't properly thought of what to say to Will when they meet again. Does he just follow him like before? What was the point if he didn't know if Will even wanted to see him? The thoughts spiralled in his head and only created more questions that enveloped into a never-ending cycle. The boy didn't understand why he cared so much for Will's feelings shrugging, assuming it was Dustin's weird peptalk that got him in this mood.

He cut out his thoughts after hearing a blood curdling scream followed by rustling and whistles; it wasn't clear what was going on or where the sound was coming from but the ravenette froze. The whistles filled his anxiety hoping it was just someone lost in the woods and the scream was upon encountering a scary looking tree; How he prayed for that to be true.

The voice screamed some words barely audible to the young ravenette, only hearing the last few words "...SOMEBODY HELP! PLEASE!"

Mike's eyes widened; the person was in danger, but what could he do? He didn't have all the context, where was the person? What happened? Are they being attacked or just scared? Mike didn't know what to do; his brain hurt feeling as though he wasn't made for this complex of a situation. But he breathed listening for the rustling of leaves to determine the direction.

"MIKE!" The voice screeched; belonging to a figure running pass his own eyes, it was dark and the flashlight couldn't see that far but he was sure without a shadow of a doubt it was Will. It was as though time slowed to show him the brunette; his vision pictured his terrified face. Mike's feet wouldn't move as they have for the past few minutes.

But the moment he saw another two figures run after him, he sprang into actions seeing the boy going to the right he cut him off and when he was mere meters away; the boy tumbled to the ground. Mike ran as fast as his legs could, breathing heavy from the running placing a hand on Will's shoulder feeling the boy go stiff under his touch; he paid no mind gliding the hand to his wrist and dragging him away behind a large rock

The boys could hear the voices from Troy and James; it was most definitely their voices;

"Where the hell did he go?" Troy spat

"Well he couldn't have just disappeared" James scoffed

"You were supposed to keep an eye on him" Troy scrunched his face

"Its hard to run and keep look out" James remarked

"Fine!" Troy rolled his eyes "He must be here somewhere"

The boys patrolled the perimeter, now both of them had a weapon. Mike's eyes widened; what the hell were they planning on doing to Will once they got hold of him? This was barbaric! The taller boy couldn't stand for this and seeing the look on the smaller boys face he could tell Will was scared, not only scared but petrified. Upon hearing footsteps pass Mike used his body to cover the brunette; the small boy huddled like a koala bear gripping the shirt of the ravenette to hide behind.

This was going to be bad...

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1887 Words

Stay Safe <3