Surviving Hawkins (Stranger Things Story)

Chapter 2

A/N~ Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Just an FYI that this part is mainly going to focus on Robin and Elyse. As well as Elyse's backstory. Hope you enjoy! Wordcount~2473

As Robin grips Elyse's hand and stands up she can't help but wonder what is about to happen? Or if she's getting ahead of herself and nothing's going to happen. Elyse still has a hold on her hand as she drags her through the house to the front door. The door quietly squeaks as Elyse opens it. They both walk out the door, Robin closing it quietly behind them. Elyse let's go of Robin's hand as she takes in the dark, night air. Robin's heart drops a little when Elyse drops her hand. Although she can't help but smile at the sight of Elyse spinning around with her arms out like a little kid.

Elyse notices her staring. She blushed a little. "Isn't Hawkins just so peaceful at night?" She says with a small smile and laugh. "Yeah. Oddly enough, it is. I don't think I've ever walked around Hawkins in the middle of the night." Robin says as she catches up with Elyse who is down the driveway now. "Really? I used to walk or bike around at night all the time. Especially after I came home. Nancy and I, we always walked to the park and just sat and talked for hours. My parents some how were fine with that but the audacity I have to like girls is too much for them." Shit. Elyse realizes what she said. She looks away from Robin. "Um, forget I said that. I don't know why I said that." Robin looks at her. Elyse is looking at the ground shaking her head in disbelief. She can't believe she said that out loud. To Robin. Someone she barely knows. And now someone she can add the list of people who hate her. "It's okay. I uh, I-I like girls too." Robin says in almost a whisper. She doesn't think Elyse even heard her but she did. Elyse stops in her steps. "You do?" She asks, turning to face Robin. "Uh, yeah. I've only told one person. Or I guess two people now. But, yeah. I like girls." She says the last part with more confidence.

Elyse nods her head, not knowing what to say. She starts walking again, Robin right next to her. A little closer this time. "So, you said earlier that your parents made up excuses as to where you were for those five years. Where were you actually at? If you don't mind talking about it. I completely understand if yo-" Elyse cuts her off before she can keep rambling. "I don't mind talking about it. Did you see El's face when she walked into the house and saw me?" Robin has a puzzled look on her face. She recalls the moment, remembering how El froze when she saw Elyse. Robin nods. "There's a reason why. From August 15th 1975 to may 29th 1980, I was in the same lab El was in." Elyse pauses for a moment, letting Robin take in and process what she just said. "What? How?" Robin has a look of genuine concern and confusion on her face. How was Elyse so, okay, after being in the lab? El was traumatized. Elyse seems, normal. Elyse looks at Robin before continuing. "I was brought in as part of a new experiment Brenner was working on. He was trying to give normal people the same abilities that the kids that were born with them had. Like El. I was the first one. And last one." She pauses for a moment, contemplating showing the number tattooed on her wrist. She feels a sharp pain, remembering the day vividly. She pulls up her sleeve to show Robin.

When Robin sees the number 001 engraved on Elyse's wrist, she becomes tense. Elyse senses this and immediately explains. "I'm not like Vecna. I-I was the first person of the transfer project so obviously Brenner with his sick twisted way of numbering children, he did the same to me. Ironic right?" She says with a small laugh. She is silently fighting back tears. She hasn't said any of this out loud since she told Nancy nearly 6 years ago. Robin just stares in disbelief for a  moment. Trying to take in everything she just heard. "That's.... crazy. I can't believe that. Wait, so your parents just handed you over to Brenner to be apart of this? With no concern of if you were going to be okay, if you were ever going to come home?" Robin says, her eyebrows raised in concern and bewilderment. Elyse stays silent, debating on her answer. "I... don't know. They didn't seem like super happy when I came home. Things just stayed the way they were before I was at the lab. If anything they got worse. So I don't think they really cared." She looks at the ground, wiping tears from her eyes.