𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱

Ⅵ 𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔

IT FELT LIKE HER HEART WAS SLAMMING AGAINST HER RIBS. Chris raced through the hall, pushing herself off the wall she skidded into. Chris rounded a second corner and she crashed into Dustin, who was also running. "Shit, Dust are you okay?" Chris asked helping them both stand.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, but Will he's-"

"I know, I know, c'mon," Chris spoke quickly. Chris nudged him along, Chris throwing the school doors open. The others were crowded around Will, Joyce in front of him shaking his shoulders. "Oh my god..."

Chris's gaze flickered in and out. Part of her seeing the shadow surrounding Will, everyone's voices echoing into one.

"Jesus Chris," Dustin said exasperated, his voice bringing her back. "Your nose." Chris brought her hand up to her nose smearing the blood across her fingers. Chris jogged up to the others, Joyce still desperately calling for him.

"Please, wake up!" Joyce begged with no idea of what was happening to her son. "It's Mom! It's me!" Chris walked over to Will.

"Let me try," Chris spoke slowly pushing Joyce's hands away, Mike nodded and Joyce slowly stepped back. Chris let the ember light glow on her palms before pressing them against the sides of his head his eyes twitching at the heat.

Her gaze went in and out. The black smoke filled his eyes. Will, stuck unmoving the other still just as panicked. Blood spilled from her nose. Chris focused harder and Will's eyes filled with the embers, the smoke suddenly reeling itself back.

Will's eyes snapped open, staring up at Chris, the orange light fading from his eyes. "Chris," Will breathed out, his voice shallow and horse. Will, collapsed falling into her wrapping his arms around her. Chris encased her arms around him, holding him tight.

"I promised you," Chris mumbled, letting him go. Will straightened up, looking to his mother who immediately grabbed him. Chris stepped back wiping her nose again, staining her sleeve.

"We're going home, alright?" Joyce questioned, but it was really a statement. Joyce gripped his hand to walk away but he didn't move. "Will?"

"Can-Can you come with me?" Will asked looking up at Chris. Chris's eyes widened but nodded taking Will's other hand.

"Yeah of course," Chris smiled, running her thumb over his knuckles. "If mom asks just say I'm at Alex's," Chris told Dustin before she walked away with Will and Joyce.

෴

"I CAN'T REMEMBER," WILL WHIMPERED. Will spoke softly almost sounding guilty. Joyce sighs in defeat before also speaking softly.

"I need you to try." Joyce glanced at Chris who was in the kitchen, making teas.

"I... I was on the field and... and then it... it all just went blank, and I felt scared so I called out to... to Chris, I could hear her talking... I saw orange and then you were there."

"Will, I need you to tell me the truth." Joyce sighed.

Will stuttered on his words, "I am."

Chris sat back down at the table as Joyce stood up. She slid Will his water and placed the mug in front of Joyce.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Chris voiced in support running a hand through his hair. He smiles lightly before it dropped as Joyce placed a drawing on the table in front of him.

"This shape, I saw it on the videotape from Halloween night," Joyce explained. "It's the same shape as... as your drawing." Joyce sighed, "These episodes that you're having, I think Dr Owens is wrong. I think they're real." Joyce glanced at Chris for support.

"The shadow, I saw it with you, I know these are real," Chris reminded watching Will's face contort in guilt. "But we can't help you if don't talk to us. No more secrets, no more lies, just us."

"Okay," Will nodded, his hands shaking.

"You saw this on the field, do you know what it is?" Joyce asked, sliding her hand into Will's.

"I don't know," Will breathed looking at the pictures.

"Is it even a something?" Chris asked her gaze moving to Will. "When you see it, is it a spirit, a voice, a feeling?" Will stammered before he looked to the mug in front of him before back to Chris tears starting to pool in his eyes.

"A feeling. It's almost more like a feeling," Will nodded, his voice tightening with every word.

"Like the one you had that night at the arcade?" Joyce remembered.

"Yes," Will admitted.

"What does it want?" Joyce questioned her voice shaky.

"I don't know. It came for me, and..." Will stopped trying to remember what happened. "And I tried. I tried to make it go away. But it got me, Mom." Will was shaking and the grip on his mom's hand tighten.

"I thought, I thought I stopped it?" Chris asked, sliding her fingers over the drawing.

"Not completely," Will shook his head. "I felt it... everywhere. Everywhere. I... I still feel it." Tears fell from his eyes, and his lips quivered every time they moved. Chris moves her chair over to hold Will and stroke his hair as he starts to sob. "I just want this to be over." Will starts to shake and Joyce gently pulled Will out of Chris's grasp, engulfing him in her hug.

"It's okay. It's okay. Hey," Joyce pulled back holding Will's face in her hands. "Listen. Look, look at me." Will lets out a sniffle as he still shook but just not as aggressively. "I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you ever again. Whatever's going on in you, we're gonna fix it. I will fix it." Joyce promises, not letting go of her son. "

Joyce pulled Will into another hug and Chris ran her hand over his back.

෴

HER SKULL POUNDED AS CHRIS PUSHED HERSELF UP. Chris slept on the Byer's couch that night, refusing to leave Will. Chris tidy the lounge and fixed the couch cushions, trying her hardest to stay as quiet as possible. Chris waited in the kitchen, stirring the tea she was making.

"Chrisanna?" Joyce questioned making Chris jump slightly. "Did you clean?"

"I uh-" Chris stuttered, taking the tea to the table. "I wanted to help as much as I can, as a thank you for letting me stay." Chris smiled, toying with her fingers. "That's yours by the way," Chris gestured to the tea.

Joyce smiled, wrapping her arms around Chris.

"You are the sweetest ever, but don't you have school?" Joyce asked finally letting Chris go.

"Yeah, but I figured I'd stay with Will," Chris shrugged. "Also I don't have any other clothes," Chris chuckled in embarrassment. Joyce shook her head, ordering Chris to stay still. Joyce rushed to her bedroom quickly, quickly coming back with a pair of washout jeans, a long sleeve black shirt and a large cardigan.

"There from when I was younger, but they should still fit," Joyce explained, holding the clothes out for Chris. "I'll call you if anything happens, I promise."

Chris nodded and headed for the bathroom to change. Meer minutes later Chris came back out seeing Joyce at the table, sipping on her tea. "This is really good," Joyce complemented.

"Thanks," Chris smiled pulling out the chair next to Joyce. "You know you are an amazing mother right?" Chris asked making Joyce smile at her. "I better get going, thank you for letting me stay." Chris picked up her bag. "Hey, can I use your phone? To call for a ride."

෴

"THANKS FOR THIS, AGAIN," CHRIS SMILED. She stepped from Alex's car, tossed her satchel over her shoulder and slammed the car door closed.

"Oh my god, Chris it's fine," Alex groaned with a playful smile, grabbing her binder from the back seat. "Plus I would die if I had to spend homeroom alone." Alex shut the car door and the girls laughed as they made their way through the parking lot.

"Alex!" A voice called making the girls stop. Alex turned back, immediately being engulfed in a hug by another girl.

"Hey!" Alex laughed, her arms over the girl's shoulder. The girl hugging Alex pulled away, turning to Chris with a smile. "Chris this is the infamous Miya," Alex teased.

"Nice to meet you," Chris smiled, waving slightly at her other hand holding her bag.

"Hey," Miya smiled, throwing her arm over Alex's shoulder and leading them to the school building. "Did you just call me infamous?"

"She does talk about you all the time," Chris joked with a teasing smile.

"Aww, Ally," Miya laughed.

The first half of school was far too slow, and it made Chris's stomach bubble with anxiety. Chris tapped her pen against the desk, staring at the sheet of work in front of her. "Chris?" A voice broke Chris's concentration and the pen's tapping stopped. Chris looked up to see Steve standing over her in an empty classroom, his gaze creased in concern. "Are you coming?"

"Uh, yeah," Chris said gathering her stuff and pushing herself to stand following Steve. They walked until Steve whipped the two of them into the library and then led her to one of the study rooms. "Steve? What are you doing? What about class?" Steve shut the blinds to the room and then finally faced Chris who was staring at him in confusion. He slowly put his hand out grasping hers. He pulled it up to her face and small embers were flicking under her skin.

"You did it in the hall and at the very end of class, and-" Steve paused pointing to his nose "-Blood." Chris whipped under her nose, spreading it across the black shirt. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Something happened yesterday, I tried to help but I think I just messed up more," Chris thought. "I'll be fine though." Chris nodded, smiling up at Steve.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to take you home?" Steve asked watching Chris toy with her fingers.

"No, no. I'll-" A knock on the door made Chris jump and Steve sighed. They called out something about class and they need to hurry up.

"You have a free right?" Steve questioned. Chris nodded fixing the grip on her bag. "I have basketball. You should come, maybe it will distract you." Chris nodded and Steve led her out of the study room.

"Hey, how did your paper go?" Chrisanna asked walking alongside Steve.

"I don't know yet," Steve shrugged. "But Mrs Thatcher said it was well laid out, whatever that means." Chris laughed, shaking her head slightly.

෴

❝ there's a calm in my 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 ❞