Black Beauty- Steve HarringtonxOC

Chapter 4

"Hold on, kid." Filly isn't sure which kid Hopper is talking to, not until he steps in front of her. She watches as the Nancy leads the rest inside the house.

"Yes, sir?" she says, feeling nervous at being alone with the adult. He doesn't seem displeased with her.

"Filly, right?" He waits for her nod to continue. "Well, I want to ask you something. Now, I know that other little girl is from Hawkins National Laboratory. Is that where you're from?" He lights a cigarette while he waits for her, leaning on the hood of his car.

"Yes, sir." Filly wonders where he's going with this. Does he really need to know?

He takes a drag, letting out smoke when he speaks next. "Good. When did you get out?"

"352 days ago." The adult coughs on the smoke, bending at the waist.

"Jesus. You... You've been out at the junkyard all that time?"

"No, sir. The forest also." Why are they still out here? It's cold and everyone else is inside. She doesn't like the shadows in the trees, they play on her nerves. "What is Jesus?"

"I'll tell you later." Filly doesn't think he will. He knows he won't. "You got any family? Anybody we can call?"

"Dead." Filly doesn't like this discussion. She doesn't want to talk to him anymore. She turns and goes up the steps to the porch. She hears the man call after her while she opens the door.

"Hey! Get back-" She shuts the door behind her.

The air is heated, a stark contrast to the cool night outside. The house is lovely to her, all soft armchairs and warm, earthy hues. The boys and Eleven kneel on the floor by a low table. The couch is full, three people sitting in front of them.

"Filly, come on." Dustin is waving her over, so she goes to him, kneeling by Eleven. "Guys, this is Filly. She has powers, just like El, but different. We found her at the Junkyard." She assumes "El" is Eleven.

"Yeah, she can see your bones. Like Superman," Lucas chimes in. "That's Nancy and Jonathan, and this is Will's mom." He points them out as he says each name.

"Hi," she greets, not knowing what else to say to them. Everyone is looking at her.

"Hi, honey," says the older woman, making sure her voice is gentle, not wanting to startle the tiny young teen. Filly looks like she needs a good meal to her. "You can call me Joyce, okay? Jonathan is my other son." The teen boy gives a wave at his mention.

"Yes, Joyce." Filly likes the sweet ring of the woman's tone. It reminds her of better times.

Mike has been tuned out, focusing on his scribbles, but finally he lifts the sheet from the table. "Okay, so, in this example, we're the acrobat. Will and Barbara, and that monster, they're this flea." He points to each of the figures in his drawing. Filly had not known there was a monster. There hadn't been much time to chat earlier, so she supposes it's alright that they hadn't told her. "And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."

"A gate," adds Dustin quickly.

"That we tracked to Hawkins lab," Lucas continues. He lets Dustin pick it up again, however.

"With our compasses."

Filly is at least glad that she isn't alone in sending him a befuddled stare.

"Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field and that can change the directions of a compass needle."

Filly is the only one still confused.

"Is this gate underground?" The chief had followed her in. She expected him to, but didn't see him sit in the armchair to one side.