Breaking Gates

Chapter 1

Ally remembered when she first moved to Hawkins. It was early spring, 1979. Everything was plain and muddy, some small patches of snow still lingering around in the deeper parts of the ditches. She was only six at the time, her mother had just passed away and to keep her out of the public eye her father moved her away from New York, in desperate hope that she would make some real friends her own age and lead a normal life. It failed miserably.

Ally had always been intellectually advanced, easily learning new languages, excelling in math, sciences, and literature. So, when she arrived in the small Indiana town, the small girl learnt incredibly fast what happens to those who are smart, by those who are not. Her bully ended up with a sprained wrist when he tried to punch her, making her an outcast on the first day and a social leper. She didn't really care though, she still had her uncle Asher, her personal guard and guardian. He was her best friend and teacher, showing her how to fight and defend, fencing, boxing, and exercise.

While he had obviously worried about her, he also seemed to understand that her mind didn't work the same way as other children and would encourage her to pursue whatever caught her fancy. By the time she was eleven she had started a small babysitter business. Asher would observe in case she needed help with something, but for the most part she did just fine on her own. She took care of the smaller kids, namely Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair and Will Byers. The boys seemed to adore her and so she in turn came to adore them.

She shared her various passions with them, fantasy lore, Dungeons and Dragons, and a love of knowledge. The boys easily became obsessed with D&D and she was more than happy to teach them, often helping the current DM build their campaign, pointing out where the players may get confused or offering suggestions that would allow the story to flow smoother. By the time she was fourteen the boys were well versed and she simply helped by getting the books and miniatures. Then the gate opened.

Will went missing, and Ally got caught in the upside down shortly after. She had gone searching for her missing chick, an inside joke between her and the boys, only to end up chased by a monster and fighting for her life. The Demogorgon did a fair amount of damage to her shoulder and side, leaving faint scars to dance across her golden skin. Ally had never had to fight for her life before, and while she was grateful she had the skills to keep herself alive, a part of her was lost. When she fought in the upside down, she felt an anger unlike anything she'd ever known, and it was both freeing and terrifying.

After El disappeared, things changed. Will was withdrawn, Mike was angry and she was constantly on edge. Still, she tried to have confidence in herself. She tried to dress nicely for her first day of high school, in an effort to put the past year behind her, however, Jason Carver had other plans. The mean-spirited boy made it his goal to point out her scars, exclaiming how no one would want to date someone so ugly. It broke her heart. After that she kept her head down and wore lose fitting clothes, making sure her scars were covered. She took on extra credit projects for the school so she could avoid anything that would give the popular kids ammunition against her already unstable social standing.

Ally knew it was stupid to care, but she didn't have good people skills and other than her chicks, Nancy, Jonathan and Steve, she didn't really have a place where she belonged. So, she started making the costumes for the drama club, uniforms for band and cheerleading, becoming a shadow who helped keep the school looking good to the outside eyes. The teachers adored her because she easily passed every assignment, never talked back and frankly made their life easier. By the time summer vacation rolled around she was unknown, and happy.

Then the Mind Flayer showed up, her nightmares becoming a reality as she watched her home once again become filled with monsters. And just like before in the upside down, her rage went on full display. She killed the demo-dogs without hesitation, fought with a ferocity she had forgotten she processed. The boys and girls watched in awe as she protected them like a woman possessed. They were her family, her chicks, and to be honest Steve was not a great fighter, despite his heroic attempt.