𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎/𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚜

apocalypse

"Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers wrapped in your arms
You've been hiding them in hollowed out pianos left in the dark
Got the music in you, baby, tell me why"

mileven

december 3rd, 2021

El Hopper didn't know much about living life to the fullest. She was so prone to the same routine, working at a Movie Store and visiting her dad, in the hospital.

It was always the same old thing. The same routine of working 8 to 4 days and then going right back to the hospital to visit her dad, then home to her small house that the both of them shared.

El didn't know how she did it. Her bosses and managers understood that she couldn't always work sometimes because of her dads medical condition, sometimes the doctors would call her and tell her it was urgent that she come down right away.

How El kept herself from going insane from the same old thing everyday was remembering what life was like before. When her mom was still around, when her dad wasn't sick and when it was just her and her friend Max against the world. Hanging out, eating ice cream, going to the record store, and having sleepovers. She couldn't even remember the last time she had even had time to see Max.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when the receptionist at the front desk called her name, "El Hopper." She jumped out of the sticky, uncomfortable waiting room chair that was in the east wing of Hawkins General Hospital.

"That's me." The long haired brunette followed as the receptionist got up and lead her back, holding her badge up to the wing doors and leading her into the ICU. "How are you doing dear?" The older woman asked.

El blew out a breath of air, "Could be better. How about you Flo?" She waved her hand, as if brushing off what El had just asked. "Nothing new. Howard's still a pain in the ass and my dog, Hank, he's still as cute as ever." El smiled at this, she could take all the crumbs of good news she could get these days.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it. You should bring Hank to the park sometime. I'm sure Pickles wouldn't mind meeting Hank." Flo smiled at that as they got closer to Jim Hoppers room.

Pickles, Els dog that her dad had gotten her as a gift five years earlier before he got sick. The dog was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that was very affectionate and was a member of the family. She loved him just as much as she loved her father and that was saying a lot.

Flo had led El to her destination, "He's actually doing very good today." El smiled at this, a surge of hope rushed through her. Good days are what made her have hope, that maybe, just maybe, he could get better and come home one day. The bills were piling up from the hospital and her Part-Time job only paid so much and only covered so much.

"Thank you Flo. As usual, I'll let you know if we need anything." El said kindly, it was almost routine at this point. "The nurses should be by soon to check in." El nodded and watched the older woman walk off down to the double doors that they had only entered moments before. El looked back from the doors and put her hand on the knob in front of her.

She turned it and pushed it open, to reveal a sickly looking Jim Hopper. IV tubes in his arms and a heart monitors on his chest, her heart ached for a second at the sight of her father. His own breathing tube up his nose, a factor from him not being able to breathe on his own.