"The Demogorgon, it got me."
With the disappearance of her younger brother Will, Eleanor Byers discovers just how far she will go for her friends and family. Trading her issues with bullies and love life for battling monsters and saving her broth...
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March 21st, 1986 Lenora Hills, California Byers Residence
"How are we feeling? Ready to begin-"
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead."
It's always the same. Exactly the same; from the anxiety that coursed through my veins and made my blood run cold, to each detail and word uttered, all resulting in the same ending that would be interrupted by my mother's voice. Though the dream would come to a halt, the anxiety lingered.
A grunt of acknowledgment is usually all I'm able to muster as I run a tired hand over my face, wiping away the thin layer of sweat I had accumulated over the night before pinching the bridge of my nose. "Come on, honey... Just one more day." Mom entered my room fully, placing a hand on my legs that rested beneath the quilt before giving them a gentle shake. "I'm moving..." I mumbled out, running my fingers through my tangled hair. "Slowly but surely."
Releasing a soft sigh, Mom's eyes worriedly scanned my face. "Everything okay?" She questioned, watching as I moved to sit up. "Yeah... Yeah, just tired." I reassured, shooting her a tight-lipped smile. "Maybe you should stay home for the break? That way you can rest up. I mean, summer's just a few months away."
Resting my back on the headboard, I shook my head quickly as I pulled my knees to my chest. "No, I think this will be good for me to see how everything is back at home," I stated, brushing off the idea of skipping out on Spring Break. "You know?" I questioned.
"Nellie... Home is where your family is." She whispered, resting a gentle hand on my knee. "Well, half of my family's in Hawkins." I muttered awkwardly, avoiding her nervous gaze. "I need to get ready... And you need to get on the phone and sell some encyclopedias." I groaned, waving her out of my room with a sideways smile.
"I'm on it, boss." She nodded, standing from my bed abruptly and saluting before hurrying out of the room.
Sighing softly and moving at a sluggish pace, I swung my legs over the side of the bed before stretching to relieve the tension that lingered in my muscles. This routine had been going on for a while now and I had grown sick of it long ago. The only person to know the extent of my exhaustion was Mom and maybe Jonathan if he stopped smoking but other than that, I thought I hid it pretty well and I'd like to keep it that way.
California and I don't mix. It quite literally feels like my body is rejecting the new town. The people aren't the best, not exactly friendly and it's such a dramatic transition from Hawkins. But the weather's nice, the cold doesn't last as long and nothing strange or abnormal has happened yet. So the move was promising, even if it wasn't the preferred option.
