"Do you think pasta sauce goes bad?" Her mother's voice murmured, pulling Ash out of her thoughts.
"Hmm?" She blinked, seeing by the familiar scenery outside that they were almost back to their house.
"The pasta sauce. Should I put it in the fridge or in the cupboard when we get back?"
The question was so drastically different from her thoughts that Ash couldn't help but laugh, the feeling loosening the knot even more. She didn't laugh enough, she realized. Not since that.
"W-what?" Helen laughed in confusion as they pulled into their one car driveway. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She gave her a grateful smile. "I think we can leave it in the cupboard until we open it." Ash got out of the car, feeling the soothingly cool wind air brush across her face. She'd learned to enjoy fresh air too. Everyone else seemed to take it for granted.
"I really don't get what's so funny about that," Helen murmured, popping the trunk and pulling out a brown grocery bag, "but come help me with this."
Ash was about to go around to the back as well, but an echo off the buildings around them made her freeze in her tracks.
That was it. She'd heard that sound before. In that place. No, no. There was no way that was possible!
"M-mom? Do you hear that?" She asked, her words trembling in every breath.
"Hear what, sweetie?" The top of Helen's head peaked over the top of the car.
"The..." I can't. "...nothing. Never mind."
The brunette head nodded, her head ducking down again. Ashley thought she heard her whisper "that's right."
Krkrkrkrrr
The sound repeated again, loud enough that there was no way Ash could be imagining it. A shiver ran down the back of her neck and she shook her head, trying to dislodge the feeling. This wasn't a problem she could deal with here. She had to be normal and fine for her mother, especially today.
But no matter how hard she tried to keep that in mind, the noise continued throughout the night, keeping her wide awake. There was no denying it.
Something from that place was here.
YOU ARE READING
Ashes Falling Upwards (stranger things, Will x OC/reader)
FanfictieAshley Park has never been the same since the four days she spent trapped in the Upside Down the year before. After she starts having dreams about a shadow monster she sees Will going into the lab for a check up right after her and puts the pieces t...