𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻]

𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐯. 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥

𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 - dearly departed

━━━━━━━

 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 that day.

 Hawkin's had been thundering. Low grumbles consistently had both Scarlet Hopper and Will Byers flinching with every horrific flash, trembling with every low growl flitting through the dull sky.

 Everybody had gathered, and that wasn't an exaggeration. For while Police Chief Jim Hopper had been known to avert people's eyes, to growl beneath his breath if somebody bothered him before three bitter cups of black coffee... every single resident knew that he did his best.

 The day Will Byers disappeared was the day the town had seen a change within him. Those unfortunate enough to know about his departed child would have understood why... but those who knew nothing more than their unapproachable Police Chief saw the man change like the flip of a switch.

 He'd done the impossible. He'd brought Will home when nobody thought he'd ever be saved.

 It wasn't something that really shocked Scarlet, to see so many known and unknown faces all crowding around the empty grave that now belonged to her father. But it was infuriating.

 None of them would ever know his true sacrifice. Everybody around her, bar the few faces that had joined her through hell, believed that their grizzly chief died within the billowing flames of a fire.

 The fire had devoured Starcourt Mall, and the residents of bleary little Hawkins were made to believe that Jim Hopper had managed to save almost every single person that had been inside... except Billy. That was the lie that had been spun, and like flies, the town members got caught up within the web.

 They all thought him a hero... but they'd never know how much of a hero he really was.

 There were curious glances thrown Scarlet's way; nobody had ever questioned Hopper's sudden adoption of a child that looked nothing like him, after all, they'd seen him change right before their eyes. But it was Eleven under the guise of curious eyes.

 It would have been far less suspicious had the sisters been able to keep away from one another, they'd have all chalked Eleven as just some kid they'd never seen before. But there she was, clinging to Scarlet as though her legs would buckle and break, all the while tears mingled with the raindrops on her cheeks.

 Scarlet hadn't been able to say a word. There was no farewell, no blubbering speech that would draw pitiful stares... She only stood tall with lips thinned to slivers. She had to keep it together... because she was the strong one, and if she couldn't be strong, how could anyone else?

 Steve's hand was around her own, providing warmth within the downpour while his other hand held up a black umbrella over their heads. Still, droplets managed to squirm towards their flesh, dousing their skin in stone-cold dew drops.