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chapter four , the body
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Kennedy Theroux's life had fallen apart.
Will Byers was dead and Barbara Holland was missing. And, in a weird way, Kennedy was at the center of it all.
Kennedy was listening to her grandmother ramble on the phone. The woman was saying how she'd be home as soon as she could, but the business she was dealing with was so important that they'd be able to keep the house.
It was the next morning after Will was found.
Kennedy walked through her house grudgingly. Bags were still under her eyes and she barely had the energy to walk down the stairs. When the phone began to ring, her shoulders slouched and she groaned. She took a few steps, letting her feet pat against the wooden floor before she picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Kennedy? Hi, it's Karen Wheeler."
The Theroux girl sucked in a breath. Did something happen to Nancy? Or Mike? "Mrs. Wheeler, hi! Is everything alright?" Kennedy's finger looped in the red cord. She held her breath as she waited for Karen to answer.
"Well, as alright as they can be." Karen said with honesty in her tone. "Mike is staying home today and I'm worried to have him here by himself. I don't know if you're going to school today-"
Kennedy cut off Mrs. Wheeler. "I'm not. I can come watch him while your gone." She suggested. Kennedy needed to get out of this house. She needed a breath of fresh air, even if that was to grieve with Mike Wheeler.
Karen sighed in relief. "That's amazing, honey. I'm so glad we have you. Do you need me to come get you?"
"No, I'll have my friend drop me off," Kennedy looked toward the guest bedroom door, seeing Steve Harrington step out. He had refused to leave her alone after what happened.
Karen Wheeler hung up the phone and stepped toward the basement stairs. "Mike! I'm having Kennedy come over and watch you while I'm gone!" She called out. Mike looked over at the girl in his basement. She had a shaved head and she was wearing his clothes. It was Eleven. A little girl with powers that somehow knew Will was alive.
"Okay!" Mike shouted before turning to Eleven with wide eyes. What was he going to do? Eleven tapped the walkie-talkie Supercom. Mike frowned. Eleven started fiddling with it. Different static flooding the room before one finally played. It was Kennedy, screaming for Will. Mike looked up in confusion, sinking to the ground next to the girl he'd been hiding in his basement. "What is that?"
Eleven looked at the Supercom. "Kennedy." She said, the name rolling off her tongue in an unsure manor. Mike watched as Eleven tapped the number on his wrist. The 011 tattooed into her skin. "Me."
