HIDDEN !¡ MIKE WHEELER

02. ✰

MABEL HAD BEEN walking through the dark woods for about two hours until she came to a long road. On the other side of the road, she could see cars and people through the windows. She carefully walked across the road and into the store.

As soon as she entered, people stared at her. Probably because she was a pretty girl with a buzzcut, wearing a hospital gown and was dirty from falling in the woods so many times. She walked over to the aisle with snacks and grabbed a cupcake.

She watched as everyone walked up to the counter with their items so she followed. "Can I help you?" the teenage boy behind the counter asked. "I want this," Mabel held up the cupcake. "It's $1.99," the man answered with a blank expression on his face. "What?" Mabel furrowed her eyebrows. "Do you got money, kid?" he asked. "Where do I get money?" Mabel asked, she remembered Kali talking about it once.

"See, I knew I would find you here playing your damn tricks," a woman grabbed the cupcake out of Mabel's hand and fished through her purse, pulling out green paper. "I'm sorry, darling. She's a little prankster. Let's go," Mabel was handed her cupcake back but was dragged out the store.

She was pushed into a car and she started to shake. She didn't understand what was going on. "Are you okay, sweetie?" the woman asked as she got into the other side of the car. "Who are you?" Mabel asked cautiously. "I'm Jessica Miller, what's your name?" she asked as the car began to move.

Mabel whimpered and held the door. "It's okay. Have you never been in a car before?" Mrs. Miller asked. Mabel shook her head slowly. Mrs. Miller reached over to buckle Mabel's seatbelt. "There. All safe," she smiled kindly. "Now, what's your name?"

Mabel contemplated on whether or not to tell the lady her real name or not. "I- I'm Mabel but Papa gave me the name Twelve," she told the lady. "Your father? Gave you the nickname Twelve but your name is Mabel?" Mrs. Miller tried to comprehend what the girl was saying while keeping her eyes on the road.

Mabel nodded. "Where does your papa live? I can bring you back—" Mrs. Miller began but Mabel quickly cut her off. "No!" she screamed. "You don't want to go back?" Mrs. Miller asked. Mabel shook her head. "I want my sisters to be freed. Papa is bad. He uses us," she spoke.

"Where did you live before?" Mrs. Miller asked. "The lab," Mabel answered. "Hawkins lab? What?" Mrs. Miller whispered as she pulled into the driveway of a lovely one-story suburban house. "Come on," Mrs. Miller got out of the car and Mabel trailed behind her.

They went inside the house and Mrs. Miller sat on the couch, patting next to her so Mabel did too. "Why do you live in a lab, sweetie?" she asked. "If I tell you, you won't believe me," Mabel looked at the ground. "I will. I'll believe you," Mrs. Miller grabbed the girl's hands.

"I have superpowers," Mabel muttered. A few seconds passed as Mrs. Miller stared into Mabel's eyes to see if she was lying. "Okay," Mrs. Miller smiled. "Okay?" Mabel repeated. "Okay, I believe you," Mrs. Miller nodded.

"Do you want me to show you?" Mabel asked. "Sure, honey," Mrs. Miller told her. Mabel stood up and put out her hand, narrowing her eyes. She lifted up the lamp sitting on the table and then set it back down gently.

Mrs. Miller's breath caught in her throat. "Wow, this is incredible. Am I dreaming?" she laughed. "Can you do anything else?" the older woman asked Mabel. "Yes, but I get tired. I can make illusions for people to see and trick them. I can control minds and can find people mentally," Mabel told the lady.

"How do I know you won't tell the bad men I'm here?" Mabel asked quietly. "Because I'm not that kind of person. Promise," the woman held up her pinky. Mabel furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "It's called a pinky promise," she smiled. Mabel connected her pinky to the woman's pinky and smiled, her eyes crinkling in the corners.

"Have you always had short hair like this?" Mrs. Miller asked, running her hand over Mabel's buzzcut. "No. One time when I was sick for months, Papa let me grow my hair out to my back. It grows very fast. They had to shave it twice a week once. I will have it all back soon," Mabel told Mrs. Miller.

"So, I was thinking you could stay here for a little bit. Just until my husband and I can decide where to put you where there's no danger, okay?" Mrs. Miller asked. Mabel nodded and Mrs. Miller led her into a bedroom.

Everything was pretty and pink, making Mabel smile. Her favorite color. "This used to be daughter, Lyla's, room. She passed away in a bike accident when she was thirteen," Mrs. Miller smiled sadly. "Oh. I'm sorry, Mrs. Miller," Mabel frowned. "Please, call me Jess. And call my husband Cal when you meet him tonight. We hate when people call us by our last names," she chuckled lightly when Mabel nodded.

"Let's get you washed up, okay?" Jess searched through the dresser and pulled out clean clothes. The lady led Mabel to the bathroom and ran the bath water. This was the first time where Mabel had felt loved other than by her sisters. She was happy.

~ TWO MONTHS LATER ~

MABEL, JESS AND Cal sat at the dinner table, quietly eating. "So, Mabel," Jess began, setting her fork down. Mabel looked up and hummed. "Cal and I signed you up for school. We think it would be good for you to get an education and meet kids your age," Jess smiled. "School?" Mabel asked.

"It's like lessons they performed on you in the lab. But it's nice people, good people. And normal kids will go there, kids without powers. So when you go, you mustn't tell anyone about your powers, understand?" Jess strictly spoke. "Okay," Mabel nodded. "You'll start tomorrow so you'll have to go to bed early," Jess told her.

Mabel nodded, eating her dinner quickly. Jess walked her into her room and helped her dress into her pajamas. She tucked the older girl into bed, kissing her forehead as she has been for two months. "Night," Jess said, leaving the door open three inches just like Mabel likes it.

author's note !
this chapter is literally saur boring i cant even proofread it 💀