The One || Steve Harrington

The Body

Georgia must have cried for hours. Less than twenty-four hours ago, Will was missing, and now he was dead. Barb was missing, and it wasn't hard to guess that she was dead too. Her father didn't come home, which made the eerie silence of the cabin even worse. 

Enhancing the fact she was alone.

Talking on the phone with Nancy for an hour might've been the only thing that kept Georgia from sobbing the entire night.

"Can you believe he asked me that?" Nancy whisper-yelled.

Georgia rolled her eyes. It was like Nancy forgot who she was dating.

"It's King Steve," Georgia joked. "He's trying to save his own ass. It doesn't surprise me either that he didn't believe you about...the thing."

She whispered the last words. It was relieving to know Nancy saw the same creature Georgia saw. The face creature.

"He would've believed you, you know," Nancy said. "If you told him. He'd believe it if it came from you."

Georgia looked at Nancy to see if she was joking, but she was dead serious.

"No, he would not," Georgia dismissed. "He would've thought I was crazy...probably how he thinks you're crazy now."

Nancy didn't buy that for a second.

The two girls were the only ones speaking in the mostly silent study hall, which was why everyone's eyes snapped to them as the door opened and a woman from the office called their names. The woman brought her to the cafeteria where Ms. Wheeler sat, already speaking to two deputies. Hopper sat at another table, running a hand over his face.

"Georgia, I want you to know I'm not mad," he sighed. "I just, I wish you told me instead of receiving a call from Mrs. Holland and the Wheelers saying you and Nancy were the last two to see Barbara."

"I, I didn't know she was missing, Dad. I, last night, I went to check her car, and it was where she parked the day before. And her stuff was in the car untouched, and then you weren't home last night, and I just found out Will had..." she trailed off. "I'm sorry. She really hasn't come home?"

Hopper slowly shook his head.

"I was told you three had an argument," Hopper said. "What was it about?"

Georgia shook her head. "It wasn't an argument, and it was more between Nancy and Barb. Barb was disappointed that Nancy wanted to spend the night at Steve's, and I just happened to be there. I wanted to go home, but Barb wanted to wait just in case Nancy changed her mind. I knew Nancy wouldn't, so I left and walked home," Georgia paused to hold up her hand. "I know, I shouldn't have, and it won't happen again."

"Never again, Georgia Willow," Hopper affirmed. "You call me, or you take your own car. That is the reason you have it."

Hopper waited for Georgia to nod that she understood before continuing.

"And that was the last time you heard from her?" he asked softly. He knew the three girls had been a trio since sixth grade. Barb had been to his house more times than he could count.

"Yeah," Georgia nodded. "But, I, on the walk home, I could've sworn a heard a scream and some animal roar."

"An animal?" Hopper asked.

"Yeah."

"How long ago was this after you left?" he continued.

"Five minutes, I think," Georgia answered.

"We checked behind Steven's house like Nancy said, and there was no sign of any animal," Hopper said. "Her car wasn't there either."

"What?" Georgia practically squeaked. "It was there last night!"