002 | Steve Harrington

Prologue

September 1984

"Cheif this has been the 15th robbery in the last 2 months. And it is the 83rd since November of last year!" said Callahan

"Let me guess where it was, Bradley's Big Buy Grocery Store, the gas station, Mr. Johnson's house, or is it somewhere new this time?" said Powell

"Where do you think? It was Bradley's again! Use your head, Powell!"

"You'd think by now they would be putting up cameras everywhere, and just having security."

Callahan chuckled, " They did remember back in January when it happened for the 12th time. But the cameras were smashed."

"And security?"

Callahan chuckled again this time in disbelief, " They all fell asleep right before the robberies happened."

Jim Hopper sighed. Rubbing his hands over this face, Bradley's Big Buy Grocery Store has been getting robbed since Will went missing. He used to think it was a freak incident. Then thought it was a kid lashing out, rebelling, wanting attention. And now he has no clue. To Jim the robberies are annoying, and to be honest he would rather be dealing with other important topics like Eleven and making sure she is safe.

"Let's head out there and see if we can find anything," Jim grunted while standing up. He lights a cigarette, shrugs on his coat, and mumbles "even though I know we won't find anything."

"Come on Chief you know how this is going to go. We arrive Bradley is going to curse us out for not finding the little bastard and then we write everything down on what the person took and leave. It's a waste of time!" Callahan complained

"Get in the car now."

Arriving at Bradley's Big Buy Grocery Store it was eerily quiet, nothing looked broken nor disturbed. Sighing Jim got out of his car and walked inside. Again nothing looked disturbed. Everything looked normal. Jim nodded his head for Callahan and Powell to talk to Bradley, who was seated behind the cash register with a defeated look on his face. Jim continued his walk around the whole store, knowing Bradley and how he likes his store to look. This means after closing Bradley and a few others stay to reorganize all the products to be facing the front and labels showing. Jim notices right away that there are a few items missing from the organized shelves: a can of green beans, a can of corn, a package of cookies, a box of Eggos, and a pair of women's sneakers. Smiling Jim thinks of Eleven and how she only wants to eat Eggos. Hearing yelling Jim walked back up to the front. Seeing Bradley now is chest to chest with Callahan and is pointing a finger in his face.

"Bradley let's just calm down okay?" Jim says with his hands up.

"Screw you Jim! Why haven't you been able to catch this little son of a bitch?" Bradley screamed, turning to face Jim while his face turned red.

"Bradley you know I'm trying here, we all are trying." pointing towards the other two cops. "Now just walk through what happened?"

Sighing Bradley looks at all the cops standing in front of him "Sorry I'm just tired of this. I told my staff just to go home because today wasn't a busy day and I could handle the cleaning. Everything was normal! I made sure all my cameras were working before I started cleaning. Anyway, I start putting away some frozen food when I remembered I forgot a box in the back. Chief I swear I was only gone for 3 minutes max! The only reason I know for sure it was 3 minutes was because of my stopwatch, I've been carrying a stopwatch everywhere now so anytime in not watching the store I only have 5 minutes."

"Okay move on, you told us the last time you got a stopwatch," Callahan said

Flustered Bradley said, " I know this, I just had to make sure you did asshole! Okay, I come back to the frozen when I felt it. Do you know that feeling when something is wrong, that feeling where you are sick to your stomach? Well, I felt that! I started to search my whole store and that's when I saw the missing items."

Looking at his watch Jim realized the time. He is going to be late again.

"Look Bradley how about you give all the information and statements to Callahan while Powell and I go look around the back, and outside. Then you just go home for the night? How does that sound?" Jim said looking for the fastest way he can leave and go home.

Flopping back into his seat Bradley releases a small "okay Chief"

"Powell! Let's go look around." Jim said walking outside. Jim could hear Powell running after him.

"Chief you know we aren't going to find anything, so why are we looking?"

"Listen, there will be a day where I'm not Chief anymore and we all know it's going to be you who will become the new Chief, so the main purpose as Chief is giving reassurance to those around you. I know I'm not going to find anything, and deep down Bradley knows I'm not going to find anything but the fact I'm looking out here right now helps Bradley go home with a little less of a worry. So always know that you help by doing something as exhausting as checking the outside 83 times."

"I'm not going to be Chief anytime soon am I? Cause we both know I'm still not ready and I know you're not ready to leave that position just yet."

"Oh shut up! You take the left and I'll take the right." Jim said while pushing Powell off to the left.

Jim got out his flashlight and started his search off to the right of the building. One of the main reasons why no one has been caught for the robberies is that there are woods that border Bradley's Big Buy Grocery Store. Jim has been through those woods so many times since November 6th, that he has lost count. As Jim gets close to the back door that leads you inside the break room he notices it has been cracked open, as he goes to close it, he looks down. And there it is. The first clue. A print. Over 83 robberies and they finally have a clue!

Turning towards the woods with now an excitement, Jim flashes his light while saying "I know you're out there! Listen just turn yourself in!"

Silence.

Stepping forwards he hears it again another snap.

"Come on kid. It's okay."

Silence.

Jim moves his flashlight side to side checking out every tree, and still nothing. Glancing at his watch, his stomach drops. He is really late.

Turning back to the door where the print is, he walked back. He leaned against the wall and was about to radio Powell to come to check this out. When he saw it. Looking right at him. Jim frozen staring right at the tree line. Once the two made eye contact the other ran. As the other person ran but Jim saw enough. He saw a girl.

"CHIEF YOU READY!" Powell yelled from the front of the store.

Jim jumped, almost unfreezing. Looking down at the print, he took his foot and dragged it across, ruining the print. "Uh yeah! I'm coming."

On the way back to the car Jim thought about what he saw. He saw a girl looking at him in terror. Then he thought about the print. It was a footprint. Getting into the car and glancing back to the woods knowing that this is not some kid looking for attention. This is a kid looking to survive.

------------------

OKAY!!! The Prologue is done!! it was 1,294 words!!!! I hope you all enjoy this story.