POLTERGEIST ( stranger things ).

episode o.

episode o, one fateful thanksgiving

(trigger warnings: character death, gun violence)

"GO." The man says, and that's enough for the young girl to run. The kid couldn't have been older than seven, around his youngest daughter's age, and yet, she holds more fear in her eyes than any child ever should.

He wonders if he made a mistake, but the way the girl clutched onto his arm, almost begging him to help her, will forever be engrained in the man's head, and it convinces him that he's done the right thing.

011. The ink etched into her skin is just a painful reminder of what they've done to the girl. Of what he's done to her. Just thinking about how he played a part in de-humanizing not just her, but all of those children, turning them into monsters; it made his blood boil. But no matter how hard he scrubbed his hands clean, he could never wash away those sins.

His eyes dart around, hoping no one's seen him and he makes his exit. As he passes the corridors, he's reminded of how he loved breezing past these long hallways a lifetime ago, when he was just happy to be part of something bigger than himself. But the vibrant white walls were now bleak gray, with paint peeling at the edges, a stark reminder of how things had changed. Of how he had changed.

Catching sight of the exit, he lets out a breath of relief. He's almost free.

He called his wife an hour back, her voice being the only thing that could bring him comfort. The sheer excitement in her voice when she told him the Thanksgiving meal was ready, and the relief when he promised he would come before the turkey was cold was all he needed to hear. He promised, and he'd be damned if he couldn't keep his word.

But before he can escape, two men block the door.

Shit, shit, shit. Even without turning back, he knows what awaits him.

"Brenner," he says. The name of the doctor who used to be his idol leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He turns around, and there he stands, Martin Brenner, the devil in disguise.

Timidly peeking behind the white-haired man is the teary-eyed little girl, who looks at him almost apologetically. He failed her, he realizes. He failed them all.

And he was certain he would pay for it.

"Joe Penley." The sound of his name in Brenner's mouth feels vulgar. Before he can react, cool metal presses against the back of his head, and he puts his hands up in surrender. The click of the gun makes his stomach churn; all hope was lost for him. But he knew that this was going to happen, that his regrets would finally catch up to him.

But there was only one thing on his mind, a split second before the trigger was pulled.

He didn't keep his promise. 

[WORD COUNT: 481]