Hidden Within the Shadows

take what i'm made of and run into the wild

He'd been running. Running and running and running. The woods were wild and dark, but Nin kept running. His backpack was slamming itself against his back, but he kept moving despite it. He needed to get as far away from Ted Wheeler as possible. He had to get to the other side of the country. Had to get the fuck away from Hawkins, and get somewhere safe and secure.

His lungs were burning, his legs hurting, muscles taut and stretched thin. He couldn't go on any longer, he'd been running for so long he'd lost track of time, the fear driving him forwards. His body was giving up, and his legs gave out from under him. Nin's hands scraped on the ground, and he was panting so hard he felt like he was going to throw up.

Everything hurt so much. He crawled over and leaned against the nearest tree. Her - his - entire body was hurting. The black eye was forming, and she - no, he - could feel the lashes and cuts and bruises starting to take effect. Everything in his body was hurting. What was he supposed to do? He was out in the middle of nowhere, lost in the woods surrounding Hawkins.

Nin slid down the tree and slumped at the bottom of it. His legs were hurting, muscles starting to spasm from the long time he'd just spent running. His chest was hurting, and he was breathing too fast. Tears were pricking at his eyes.

God. How fucked up was he?

Sniffling and feeling very small and vulnerable, he curled up on himself, pulling the hood of his jacket up to cover his head. The clouds had broken open and the heavens were pouring on Nin. It didn't matter. Maybe he'd catch his death out there, and no-one would ever find him until he was nothing more than moss-covered bones.

Why did Nancy have to tell them both? Couldn't she have kept it a damn secret? Why did she have to go and tell their dad about it? Mom had been bad enough, but dad? He'd always been so ... dull about everything. He wanted the apple pie life, to have a nice home, live in the suburbs, and have a few kids. He'd wanted normalcy, and everything about Nin screamed oddity.

Apparently having a son who consumed himself with Dungeons and Dragons, nerdy shit and weird comics was the most that he could handle. But one of his oldest being one of the freaks? A queer, one of those trannies? That was a step too far.

It was the first time that Ted Wheeler had ever turned physical against one of his kids. Nin was just glad that it hadn't been Mike or fucking sweet, hellion toddler Holly.

Nin thought about it. He'd done it while Nancy and the others were upstairs. He hadn't had to force Nin to be quiet as he belted him black and blue - the pain had been so bad that it'd taken Nin out, passing out from the pain. He'd shouted bloody murder at Nin, and threw him out of the house. Nin thought about his mother, sobbing and useless, unable to do a damn thing as Ted cursed Nin out and forced him from the house.

The rain started to drip down heavily, turning from a steady drizzle to a near enough storm.

Nin grimaced and got to his feet unsteadily, holding onto his bag straps. He set off once more, at a slow pace. His legs hurt too much to run, and his back was hurting. Everything hurt, and he could only go on for so much longer. He wanted to collapse where he stood, to bury himself in the dirt and to hibernate for an eternity.

"Hey!"

Nin jumped at the sudden voice, startled. He looked around and felt his stomach drop. It was Eddie Munson. His somewhat closest friend, who talked to him about queer shit and everything and nothing.

"What're you doing out here, Wheeler?" he asked, voice loud over the rain.

"Could ask the same about you," Nin replied. Munson was wearing his usual get-up, denim jacket with patches, ripped jeans and vest top. He had his thick boots on too. "No umbrella?"