Chapter Text
November 6, 1987 - The Upside Down
He is going to die today.
Will knows this to be true.
He feels the inevitability of it sink into his mind, his bones, his blood. That dark web that has entangled his mind since he was twelve pulses and thrums beneath his power. He strokes his power against it and feels the collective consciousness hum back.
Alongside this heartbeat in his mind, he feels every bullet tear through him. He feels every flame that scalds the demogorgons on the battlefield flay against his own skin. It distracts him for a moment, his mind going white with the eviscerating pain of hundreds of demo-creatures being scorched, torn, and ripped by his friends.
He grits his teeth against it. His vision dims and flickers between his own and the demo-creatures swarming around them. It overwhelms him, stealing his breath away. The dark web’s humming grows louder as it reverberates against his mind’s walls. It feels like it’s on the brink of finally consuming him and he considers letting it - just for a moment. The relief he might feel if he lets it.
But -
There.
Faces flash in his mind and his vision returns, hazy and blurred. The faces of all of his friends and family - now, just small specks next to the looming creature in front of them. It roars and thrashes its head into the sky. Fire erupts all around them, lighting up the dark clouds of the Upside Down. A distant part of himself feels his body and face warm from the heat of it above him.
Movement catches his eye.
A body, lying in a heap ten feet away. Dark curls plastered against a forehead, matted by sweat and blood. So much blood. There’s a pool of it below this body, inching from under it like an ink stain.
Slowly, a hand is reaching out towards what must be himself. He is only dimly aware of his own body and surroundings - views them almost separate from himself as the dark web clashes against his concentration.
“Will.”
The voice is muffled, but unmistakable.
Mike.
The body crawling towards him is Mike.
Mike was hurt - flown through the sky - by the creature across the field.
Will’s heart lurches as his mind settles back into himself a little bit more. Grounded by the familiar aching need to go to Mike.
But he can’t. This is the only way Will can help - help Mike and all of his friends.
The pulsating hum quiets as Will regains control over his own mind. He grounds himself in this abject need to protect those he loves. He plants his feet in it, digs his heels in. It squeezes his chest as he steals himself against what comes next.
His power snakes out from where it had been cowering in his mind, reaching closer to the dark web that lies deep inside of his brain.
He touches it and the thought surfaces again.
He is going to die today.
How could he ever survive this?
This black, rotting pit that has lived inside of him for so long now. The same power that each and every demo-creature breathes through. Where does he begin and the oily pit of pulsing power end?
This same power he’s about to reach into and shatter completely.
He knows he will shatter with it.