FREAK ; steve harrington

0.8

"Sorry." Jonathan mumbled wiping his eyes. He sat down next to Hopper, one seat left between them. Rose was right across from Jonathan in the other aisle on seats.

"Are you ok?" She wasn't one to show compassion but she did it in that moment. Jonathan nodded sighing heavily.

"Hows your mom doing?" Jim asked, his hat hanging off his fingers between his legs.

"I don't know."

"How longs this stuff been going on? With the lights and, uh this faceless creature?" Jim asked husbhead turning slightly to look at Jonathan.

Rose furrowed her brows.

"Wait, what creature?" She whispered. Jim looked over at her.

"Joyce thinks she's been talking to Will - through the lights. A few nights ago she saw this faceless man, said he looked all grey and skin and bones. She thinks she saw him climb through the wall." Jim told the girl, Rose tried to hide her fear by nodding. Her lip quickly fell between her teeth. She sat back on her chair chewing on the skin of her lip.

She would never forget that creature. Its screech, the wave of fear that crawls up your spine when its face opens like a flower.

"Since the first phone call I guess." Jonathan spoke so lightly, so quiet Rose almost couldn't hear him.

"You know, she's had anxiety problems in the past." Rose glanced back up, Jonathans eyes falling from hers. "But this, I don't know." Jonathan toom a deep breath clearly struggling.

"I'm worried it could be-I don't know. She'll be ok. We'll be ok. My mom, she's tough."

"Yeah she is." Jim agreed, Rose couldn't help but smile a little. Jim always had a little crush on Mrs Byers. Rose was the only one who could see it apparently.

"Hey, she is." Jim confirmed once Jonathan casted his eyes down. Rose offered him a smile, which he didn't see but nonetheless.

Roses quickly looked over when Joyce came storming out of the office. The coroner racing after her.

"I dont know what you think that thing is in there, but that is not my son!" Joyce rose a hand stopping Jim from walking toward her, then she stormed out Jonathan quickly grabbing his things and racing after her.

Rose stood up realizing that Jim didn't know what to do next.

"I have a plan." She whispered, the man looked down at her raising a brow.

"No, you, stay out of this." He pointed a finger at her. He turned taking his hat and placing it on along with his coat. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Either you help me or I do it by myself. Your choice Hop." Jim rolled his eyes seeing the trap.

"Whats the plan?" She smirked in victory.

"Tonight, I'll meet you at the station." Jim nodded mockingly before slinging an arm over her shoulder and pulling her out of the office.

"Don't do anything stupid alright?" He said pushing her lightly toward her car. The teen smirked walking to the driver's door.

"Me? Stupid? Never." He waved her off getting into his own car.

---

Rose parked her car picking up her sunglasses and putting them up in her brown hair.

"Just walk in there. Easy. Hes definitely not picking out a casket for his not dead brother." Rose let her head fall onto the steering wheel.

"Damnit." She cursed lifting her head up and slamming her door shut. Her converse kicked the gravel under her feet as she lightly jogged up and to the door. She pursed her lips but pulled open the doors anyway.

It suddenly got very quiet. She felt as if she shouldn't speak above a whisper while in here. Hearing soft voices she walked toward them.

Jonathan looked up and excused himself from the man. Rose smiled at him and he simply crossed his arms over his chest. His head fell down again.

"Rose, what're you doing here?" Rose sighed looking up seeing the man who works here. She pulling Jonathans jean jacket further away.

"That monster your mom has seen. I've seen it." Jonathan blinked a laugh escaping from his mouth.

"I dont understand-"

"Its real, I want to help you Jonathan. You don't deserve this. Freaks gotta stick together right?" She tried to joke but Jonathan was still stuck on the monster aspect.

"What is it?" He asked his voice low as a whisper.

"Nothing from here."

"You caught it on camera." The pair turned finding Nancy Wheeler behind them. A taped photo in her hands. Rose turned holding out her hand. Nancy gave her the photo, Rose raised it to the light, her eyes looking behind Barb. There it was. Wasn't a clear picture, but thats it.

Rose handed off the picture to Jonathan who took it.

"You took this? Where?" She asked him. He shrugged squinting at the film.

"At Steve's, I-I don't know this could be a lense flair or something." He denied it. Both girls scoffed.

"A lense flair? Really? No light can make that." Rose pointed at the monster.

"We have to kill it." Nancy surprised the two.

"I wish it was thag easy Wheeler."

"How do you know what this thing is?" Nancy asked walking closer to her. Rose glanced away sighing out.

"Its been here before, and I saw it. There, happy?" Nancy rolled her eyes but looked back at Jonathan.

"I've seen it too." Nancy whispered. Rose quixkly looked over st her, seeing the look in her eyes.

"Let me guess. A man with no face, tall, grey, and skinny." She said blankly. Nancy looked at her with wide eyes confirming the theory.

"My mom, she said she's seen the same thing." Jonathan said with a small nod. Nancy smiled looking over at the girl.

"So what do we do?"

"Its a predator, they hunt. We, just have to hunt it instead."