FREAK ; steve harrington

0.5

Rose never stopped running. She ran all the way from the woods constantly pulling up her bag from her shoulder. Blood dropped from her nose as she never got to wipe it away.

She kept looking back down the sidewalk making sure nothing was following her.

She couldn't get that image out of her head. The body, the vines around her neck, the grey color to the girls skin. Who was that girl? Why was she there?

Rose kept running and bolted across the street making the mistake of only looking one way.

"WOAH!" Someone yelled out their window. The screech of tires filling the air. Rose stumbled back pressing her palm to the car. The car swung to the side and more blood fell from her nose.

"What the hell?" A guy screamed coming out of the car. Roses eyes widened when she saw Steve Harrington stare back at her.

"Rose?" He asked resting his arms on the roof of his car. Rose opened her mouth to speak but decided against it and turned and ran. Steve watched her go, his brows furrowed even further.

"What the hell?" He whispered glancing at the front of his car. A dent was on his hood, the metal caving all around it.

"Oh what the hell man!" Steve yelled slamming his hand on the car, running his hands through his hair.

Rose didn't mean to. It was an instict, a reflex. She just hoped Steve won't put two and two together.

Rose was beginning to lose her breath and couldn't push herself any further. She put her hands on her knees, her lungs begging for air. Her blue backpack slid off her shoulder tugging her one arm down.

Rose forced herself to stand straight, her house in view. Her scar stung and thumped with pain from the scream. She tasted iron from the blood shed licked from her lips.

She stumbled forward walling slowly forward and across the street. Checking both directions this time.

---

Rose fell through the door, her legs burning.

"Rose?" Jean called coming out from around the kitchen corner. She quickly rushed forward at Roses appearance. Blood coming from her nose, her cheeks rosy, and her hair frizzy.

"What happened?" Jean stepped forward wiping the blood from the teens nose.

"I-its back." She rasped out, breaking into a coughing fit. She groaned squeezing her eyes shut.

"How do you know?" Jean asked placing her hand on the girls hot shoulder.

"I saw it, I was there for a second and t-there was this-" Rose couldn't even finish her sentence coughing again. Her voice was scratchy and raspy. She words sounded like a whisper. She shouldn't have screamed, she regretted it immediately. Jean furrowed her brows pushing the girl into the open living room.

"Sit, I'll get you tea." The women ordered making sure the girl did as she said. Rose sat down brushing back her brown hair. She coughed again trying to clear her throat.

She locked her chapped lips staring at the hardwood floor.

Jean hurried back with a cup of lemon tea in a mug. She sat beside the girl handing over the mug. Rose took it thankfully taking a sip. The warm liquid warmed her throat numbing the pain for a moment. Rose sighed taking another sip.

"Someone is stuck there, I saw the body." Jean blinked back in shock.

"A body?" Jean whispered is shock. Rose nodded finally wipping her nose clean, not caring about the stain of red on her sleeve.

"I should it closed then I left but it, it must've had another opening." Rose said holding the warm mug to her chest.

"Other then the one in the lab?" Jean asked trying to process everything and keep the teen calm.

"That was the only one I knew of, but if those-those things found a way out. Then they could be anywhere. What if Will Byers didn't get lost in the woods? What if he got stuck there?" Rose looked over at Jean, her eyes filling with fear.

"Its not your fault." Jean said immediately feeling where the girl was going with it.

"It is, I watched the damn thing get opened, I couldn't stopped her. I couldn't stopped it. I didnt, and I payed the price but..." She trailed off. Jean shook her head placing a hand on the girls arm.

"This is not on you. This is Brenner, and that lab. You got out, don't blame yourself. And Will, we don't know what. He could be lost, there is nothing to prove that he isn't."

Rose nodded trying to convince herself that was true. 

---

Rose leaned beisde her window. A blanket wrapped around her waist. She watched as the streetlights came on, windows began to darken. Except one, the house down the street. Its lights never darkened.

Rose thought it was just Dustin and the party hanging out. Staying up late, playing their game most likely. Rose sat up straighter when the boy ran out of his fron door, his siluette going around the side and coming back around with a bike.

Dustin got onto his bike but looked up. He saw the girl staring at him. He sped over to her window the girl looking at him unimpressed. He tapped the window with a roll of his eyes.

Rose unlatched the window pushing it open.

"What?" She asked leaning out slightly. Goosebumps rising up her arm from the chill air. Dustin grinned.

"Ride with me to meet Mike and Lucas, I'll explain along the way." Rose scoffed shaking her head and leaning back into her room.

"No way, you and your nerd friends can run along and do whatever it is you do. I, have no part in it."

"Its about Will, we might know where he is. But you have to come with us." Dustin scooted up on his bike letting the seat be free. Rose groaned looking back into her room. Dustin smiled when she jumped off the ledge holding her converse in her hands.

She put a hand to his shoulder to steady her while she pushed on her shoes.

"This better be good Henderson."