𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻.

eleven.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐆

edited.
3015 words.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Have you seen them?"

"We're looking mom." Jonathan checked an old coat's pockets, y/n doing a scan of the messy kitchen counter. "Yeah w-we're looking." Will dug through a purse at the kitchen table, Joyce coming into the room.

"Aha! Found em!"

The Byers all turned to look down the hallway, Bob coming out of the bedroom. "Hiding under some jeans, sneaky little buggers." He handed the woman her car keys, Joyce kissing his cheeks. "Thank you."

She turned to Jonathan, "Can you take Will and y/n to school today? I cannot be late again." The boy raised his brows, whispering something to his mother. y/n didn't bother trying to listen, joyfully conversing with Bob.

The man however seemed to be paying attention to their conversation, perking up. "I can take them." He suggested, y/n smiling even wider. "Yes." She nodded, Joyce looking unsure. "Will you make sure they get in okay?"

"Yeah of course." Bob turned to the two kids, "What do you say guys? Wanna go for a ride in the Bobmobile?" y/n looked to Will, unsure how to decipher the man's words, the boy just looking up to his mother.

They exchanged looks.

***

"Was that you I heard milling around last night or was that a ghost?"

y/n pulled her eyes from the window, turning them onto the two males seated in front of her. Will also turned from the window, answering. "Me probably." Bob nodded, "Another nightmare?"

The girl in the backseat leaned forward slightly, she was in a deep slumber last night and hadn't noticed anything. Will averted his eyes back out the window, staying silent for a moment. "...No."

"Did I ever tell you about Mr.Baldo?"

The man glanced into the rearview, catching y/n's eyes. "You too y/n." The girl sat forward, pulling against her seatbelt. "Mr.Baldo?" Bob nodded,pursing his lips. "Yeah. I was a little younger than you, standing in line for the ferris wheel at the Roane County fair."

He turned his eyes back to the road, Will and y/n both watching him in interest. "And suddenly I feel this white fat glove tap me on the shoulder. I spin around and there he is, Mr.Baldo." He imitates the clown, wiggling his fingers. "Hey kiddo, would you like a balloon?"

Will tries to stifle his laugh, y/n scrunching up her nose in distaste. "Go ahead laugh, it's funny." Will began to laugh out loud, y/n still frowning. "It wasn't funny back then I can tell you that." Bob continued.

"I couldn't get him out of my head. Everynight he would come to me in my dreams and every night when he came to me I ran." y/n nodded, it seemed like the sensible thing to do. After all, she would run if a clown chased her, especially a bald one.

Bob sighed, "It got so bad that I made my mom stay in the room with me until I could fall asleep every night." Will turned back to the window, questioning him in disbelief. "Really?" Bob nodded, "It went on like that for months."

y/n began to grow slightly bored, moving her eyes back to the window as she waited for the story to reach its conclusion. "And then one day, the nightmares suddenly stopped." Will turned to him in amazement, "How?"

"Well I fell asleep and just like always Mr.Baldo came to me, only this time, I didn't run." y/n turned back to the man, her interest peaked. "This time, I stood my ground. I just looked at Mr.Baldo in his stupid face and I said 'go away'."