Salt To The Wound (A Stranger Things Story)

Season 4-Chapter 3: Grief and Memories (Maxs POV

⚠️ TW: Rape ⚠️

Max already grieved her dad's supposed death and was good for awhile but then he wants to show back up just to die again and now she was right back where she was.

She drove herself all the way back to where her dad died maybe hoping she'd see him there, she thought he was dead before so maybe he wasn't dead this time, she thought to herself. She looked around hoping she wouldn't find his body or even better he'd be standing there looking at her.

She looked around for hours not finding his body giving her a feeling of hope. She continued to walk down the building looking around carefully and surely there her dad was, right where he died. The more she got closer the worse the smell became but she ignored it and bent down. "Dad come on wake up," she said putting one of her hands on his body. "Dad?" She said to him still thinking that somehow he would get up and hug her but he didn't. She layed her back against the wall opposite of where his body was. "So this is it hmm? Your really gone this time?" She asked the lifeless body and then she smiled as her eyes started to water. "Why couldn't you just really die the first time?" She asked and again the body didn't say anything and she was kind of expecting it to. "Bye dad," she said leaving the house.

She walked down the road listening to Running Up That Hill like she used to. She didn't like how much she changed between now and the beginning of sophomore year just to revert back to that time. She was once again listening to running up that hill at full volume her hair in a long braid like the first day with a piece sticking out from the left side. She had on her black jacket once again and her blue jeans once again. The only difference from now and then being her grandmother wasn't there and her house was different.

She walked inside and realized she needed to get ready for work as Lucas didn't live with her anymore and she needed to be able to stay here. She went to the bathroom and got ready straightening her hair and then she walked to her job as a cashier. Thanks to how much money her grandmother had she was able to live but that money wasn't infinite.

She was on her phone when someone she hasn't seen in years showed up. "Oh my god Max?" The girl said and Max was frozen. "No, I thought I wouldn't have to see you again," she said looking at the girl and the girl smiled. "Still remember me then?" She asked and Max nodded. "Yes I remember you Heather," she said and Heather smirked. "I missed you ever since that incident you left," Heather said and Max eyed her. "Incident? That's what you call sexual assault? An incident?" Max said and Heather looked at her. "You enjoyed it though," she said and Max's jaw almsot dropped to the floor. "Enjoyed!? Fuck you Heather," she said swiping her items so she could leave and then she was brought back to some painful memories. Summer camp in 2016 when she was 11.

"Okay so your brother Billy is going to be a counselor here. He's also going to keep a good eye on you," her mother said and Max nodded. Looking at Bilyl and he smiled at her. "Don't try and get with that Steve boy while your here," she said and Billy rolled his eyes. "I'll try," he said exiting the car and Max exited after him. "Billy!," Steve said hugging him and he hugged him back. "Hey," he said releasing the hug and smiling at him. "You two can't be normal for once?" Max asked and they both shrugged. "We just aren't normal," Steve said smiling and Max went to her cabin

Upon entering the cabin, there were nine other girls. "Hi I'm Heather," one of them said and Max looked at her, "my names Max," she said lying on her cabin bed. She faced the wall trying to ignore the girls. And thinking about why she agreed to come here, she hated camps in general and sure enough, she'd hate this one.

She woke up and exited the cabin seeing Billy, Steve, Nancy, and Robin laughing. She walked up to them. Billy had his arm around Steve and he was shirtless, Max rolled her eyes. She didn't know what so many people saw in him, he really didn't look that good. But I guess she could see why he was so quote on quote hot to people. He had a really good personality and was just a sweetheart. "Whats up Max?" Billy asked smiling at her. "Oh well your all my friends and your also all counselors so can you maybe just maybe get me out of the running exercise?" She asked and Billy nodded. "Don't tell anyone," Billy said and Max nodded. "Go hide in the closet in your cabin so none of the other campers see you," he said and she  raised her right eyebrow. "Pretty irnoic," she said and Billy glared at her, "shut up and go to the cabin," he said and so she went.

She read in the cabin for the entire time just chilling out. She wasn't ready for what was bound to happen next, and what she would always remember. Something that amde her terrified to be alone with too many people she didn't know around her. Haunting her to this day.

The group of nine girls walked in and eyed her surrounding her. "Hi?" Max said confusingly and all the girls looked at each other and nodded. "So your the one with a f*g for a brother," Heather asked and Max glared at her. "Watch what you say about Billy," she said standing up and that's when the other girls pinned her down and Heather slowly started to take off Max's pants. "Bet your a f*g too, it must run in the family," Heather said starting to touch Max sexually. She tried to fight against them but she couldn't do anything and she closed her eyes trying to ignore it but it was obvious and painful, she was only 11.

"I don't feel comfortable having you in this store," Max said to Heather and Heather smirked. "Get over it, that literally happened like what 6 years ago?" She said and Max glared at her. "Okay so your basically telling me to let myself get raped and forget about it? I hope you feel that same exact pain I felt. You took away my virginity Heather!," Max yelled and Heather looked at her. "Uhm bye weirdo," she said walking out the store, and in the corner of her eye she saw her get jumped by two guys, she immediately ran out.

She hit one of the guys with a rock she found on the ground and kneed the other one in the stomach. "Why'd you save me?" Heather asked and Max kicked one of the guys in the stomach. "I know what it feels like to be in a situation where you have no control and someone else does." She said crossing her arms and Heather looked at the ground. "Bye Heather," she said walking back to the store.