Book 1: Stranger things 1985 - the deadly realm

Chapter 6- Fear And Trauma

We finished the movie and found Charley sitting outside,he protested shoplifting l though we didn't believe him, and we all took our separate ways. Jonathan and Nancy came home with me, Mom and Corey and we all talked about stuff that happened at the mall and how cool it was. Then Nancy told us about how she saw Whoever Jason and Chrissy where,but it seemed interesting. Apparently while we were gone Mom was with Hopper. We all kinda have a feeling she likes him. When we got home mom made us dinner. It was a nice omelet, stuffed with cheese and bacon.

I picked at my food. I wasn't really hungry, honestly it was hard to wanna eat. It's not that I didn't like the food,I did. Mrs.Byers made some amazing food. I just couldn't. I guess fear of my parents still hung over me. To be fair I just got out 2 days ago but honestly I'm terrified of them. I looked up to see Joyce and Will looking at me.
"Is the food not good? I can make something else '' Joyce offered.
"No,no worries,it's amazing. just lost in thought" I said, shaking my head. Will raised an eyebrow.
"I'm gonna take a shower,i'll be back". I nodded and watched WWill leave.

I walked into the shower and sighed looking into the mirror,like every time I did,all I could see was the upside down. Something was still connected to me. Yeah it freaked me out but it happened so often now I Barely even realize it. I took my clothes off and stood in the shower. As I was gonna turn the warm water on , something flashed in my mind.

Bob smiled at me

"I didn't run, instead I told him to go away '' Suddenly I found myself at school being consumed by darkness,then I was in The Upside Down, running for dear life.

Then everything was quiet.

I gasped for air as my surroundings faded in around me. Instead of the warm shower I tried to take everytime,I turned the shower on as cold as possible.I didn't flinch when I walked in.
"What is wrong with me,it's been 2 years since I was upside down,and a year since…. him" I muttered as I got soap and started rubbing it on myself. I closed my eyes and a hot tear ran down my face. I knew this wasn't going to go away easily but it's like it's still happening. I got out of the shower after I was finished and dried off. I made my way to my room and got into some pajamas before going to Corey. I sat beside him and took his hand,to which he flinched
"your ice cold Will".
" I took an ice cold shower, that's why" . I looked at Corey.
"Why?" He asked. I sighed
"just…. something I have to do" I said. Corey looked at me.
"I'm not buying it,come on, spit it out". I sighed, before telling Corey my trauma from the past two years. Corey quietly listened and comforted me.

It was earlier in the day, before the mall opened and I was in the shop. Hopper walked in with a smile and walked to the counter while I greeted him.
“Hey what can I do for you Hop?”.
“Just checking around and all so what are you doing tonight?” He asked.
“Me and Karen are giving lifts to the mall opening for the kids and then nothing much really” I answered while getting up to go clean the store abit and hop followed.
“You know I’m gonna be with you at the mall opening too gotta make sure everything’s safe so maybe we could go do something after you take the kids there?” He said.
“But you’ll need to be there for the whole night so I can't distract you” I was flattered but didn’t want to make him lose his job.
”No no uh, I’ll make time I can ask the others to patrol and maybe we could go on like … a date?” He said kinda hesitant. Suddenly when he proposed that I weirdly felt a little pain in the chest .It's not that I didn’t like him but his words made me think of Bob. I missed Bob. He was an amazing guy. I just really felt guilt.
“I- I can't.” I answered quickly.
“You can’t ?” He responded.
“I’m sorry but I just can’t do this. I’m sorry, Hopper, it's not you” I said.
“I don’t understand. Joyce ?” He answered with a sad tone that also sounded mad. “Bob…” I muttered. We then went silent for a couple of seconds.
''Look I understand maybe we could just go do something as friends tonight then?” He said calmly. I nodded my head and hugged him as I did as a customer walked and I greeted them while hop left the store.
"Look Bob,if I don't show up, know in advance it's not you,I'm just…"
"Not ready, I get it" he said and smiled. "it was a hard thing to go through, and I'm here to help you with it in the best way I can". I smiled and watched Hop leave before I went back to work.

After me and Karen dropped the kids off she took Holly to look around and went to find Hop. He smiled as he saw me,and gave me a bokay of flowers. I blushed
"Hop,their tulips,my favorite-”
“of course,anything for you”. Hop caressed my face,and my eyes watered, Bob's death flashed in my mind. Hop sighed and pulled away.
"you should go home,get some rest, you're not looking the best".
"But-"
"Joyce, you said it yourself. You're not ready for this, please just go home ''
''alright- ''I sighed and walked to my car and drove home and sat on the couch before hugging my legs and started crying.

I layed on my bed listening to music, blocking out my surroundings per-usual. I had just come back an hour ago from the opening and I was listening to the music Lucas gave me. It wasn't the best cover ever but they were indeed good. As I was relaxing I heard a furious knock on my door before my step brother Billy walked in.
"Maxine, get ready we're going out".
"My name is Max,asshole." I snapped looking at him "and get out of my room you creep".
"I said get ready we're going out!" Billy yelled.
"To where?".
" Mrs. Wheeler and I are gonna have some 'private swimming lessons' at a motel ,but since I need to babysit you,you're coming with me and getting your own room".
"Yeah I think i'll pass on your sex date" I said narrowing my eyes. Billy grabbed me by the neck.
"you're coming with me, whether you like it or not. And if you dare fuck this up for me, so help me you'll regret it Maxine". I went quiet. Last time he threatened me, my arm almost broke and Lucas got hurt,so I decided to just go with him.

We were in his car and he was blasting music and singing loudly. I tried to tone it out with no luck. Eventually we were halfway there all of a sudden.
"BILLY LOOK OUT!" I yelled as a swerving truck entered our lane. Billy didn't listen.
"You're crazy I can just drive around this bastard" and he swerved,I unbuckled my seatbelt and jumped out of the car and shut my eyes as I heard a defining crash. "BILLY!?" I ran to the car,and looked inside,he looked at me.
"im….im ok-" he said before looking at me.
"Call for a tow truck" Billy said and he walked out of the car. I agreed and walked away. As I walked I heard something in the bushes.
"probably just a squirrel" I said and shrugged it off. I kept walking another twenty minutes and then I heard a Explosion coming from the car crash. I knew I needed to go to Hop so I walked there as fast as i could

After 3 hours of walking I got to hop's place and I told him what happened.
"Alright,you can stay here tonight, I'll head out to find Billy". I smiled tiredly and walked into El's room,she smiled and hugged me.
"Let's get changed and get some rest."

It was a few hours after I got home from work, about 10 at night and Holly and Dad were sleeping on the couch together, I think they had started a movie and both fell asleep on it. Mike was at Lucas' house probably with Dustin and Will. And my mom was getting ready. I could see her across the bathroom getting ready . She looked like she was going on a date or something formal. She then walked out and saw me and Holly and dad in the living room.
“Hey mom, where are you going?” I whispered trying not to wake up the others. She then looked at us for a couple of seconds without saying any words. She looked sad and a bit ashamed. I didn’t understand.
“Mom, are you ok?” I whispered.
“I, um yeah, I’m fine, hun” she whispered and went back to the bathroom instead of heading for the door leading to the outside where I originally thought she was gonna go. Suddenly a weird feeling ran through my body. My mom dressed up so fancy she was probably going on a date like I thought. I ran to my room with thoughts in my head. I felt bad for my mom. I'm pretty sure she never liked my dad. They were just young and he had money and she had looks but I always wondered if they ever felt love. The only two people I used to vent about this stuff to were Jonathan and…Barb. I could still remember the day where we were at Steve's and I told her to go back home then I had never seen her again. I knew it was my fault if only I had kept my eyes off that asshole and went back with Barb. She would’ve been safe or at least we would’ve gone down together. I kept thinking it would’ve been better if he had taken me not her. Suddenly I felt my eyes water a bit. I was crying, it was weird. I got sad a lot but lately I didn’t cry at all so it was nice to release it all. At that moment my mom walked in. She still looked as fancy as earlier but she had taken off a bit of makeup. She went to the bed with both of us staying silent and she hugged me. I continued to let the tears flow while she just hugged me tight. After a while I got better.
“W-werent you gonna go somewhere?” I asked .
“No, I wanna stay home with you.” She said looking at me with a smile. We then hugged back for a good moment. It felt reassuring to have her by my side.