13

1: Mad Max

Synthia sat in the back of her study hall with her notebook writing her latest story when Isabelle sat beside her.

"Oh my god, Syn."

"What is it now? Did you scare one of the jocks again with your powers?"

Ever since they fought the demogorgon Isabelle was more open about using her reality manipulation in public. First it was for emergencies then for when she was bored and needed a laugh.

"No but I did hear there were 2 new kids at our school."

"So? They're probably 2 new assholes to add to the mix."

"One of them definitely is but the other I recognize from the lab."

"Ok now I know you're joking."

"I'm serious-"

"Isabelle there can't be that many more of us out there after the lab incident."

"Well on the incident report-"

"How did you get an incident report?"

"My dad's the chief of police. Anyway on the incident report it said that they were 3 numbers unaccounted for. #13 obviously. #1 but they don't exist."

"Still call bullshit on that."

"And #10. And there were 5 survivors. Me, Brenner, 11 and 2 others. So there are at least 3 others out there not including el."

"Ok so let's say this new kid is one of the lab kids we can't just go up to them and ask them to join our squad of demon fighting teenagers, kids and a few adults to fight monsters from another dimension."

"Sure we can."

"You're impossible."

"It's better than hanging out with a bunch of middle schoolers to play a fantasy game."

"I hate you."

"Sure you do."

Just then a girl walked into the classroom. Synthia saw the #10 on her arm and turned to Isabelle and said "No fucking way."

"So now you admit I'm right."

After class they followed the girl. The girl suddenly turned around and blasted them with a ball of light but Synthia blocked it with a force field.

"You're like me?" the girl said

"Yeah we are."

"What do you want?"

"Long story but we're not here to hurt you. I'm Isabelle Hopper and this is Synthia Harrington. We saw the 10 on your arm."

"We're also from the lab. I'm 13 and She's 12."

"I'm Andrea Mayfield."

"So can we try not to kill each other now?"

Andrea nodded. Maybe they could use another person with abilities on their team.

The three girls sat at the picnic table outside after school.

"So you have light manipulation? That's actually really useful."

"After I escaped the lab I ran to California where I found my biological family, the Hargroves. Apparently my mom did some hardcore drugs and joined the experiment for a little extra cash. So after my dad remarried I changed my last name to mayfield. Same thing as my sister, Max."

"Well as someone who never found their family and was raised by Hawkins police chief, I gotta congratulate you." Isabelle joked

"What about you? What's your story?" Andrea asked Synthia

"Well after Brenner threw me into the upside down I spent 7 years there. I was about 12 or 13 when I came to Hawkins and my brother Steve found me after stealing his parents car and I was adopted by them."

"Actually a little bit cool."

"Well the thing about being adopted by one of the most popular families in Hawkins is that you don't really have one. They pretty much show you around to brag about how much of a good person they are."

"Well it's better than having an annoying cigarette smoking asshole as a brother."

Synthia's mind felt heavy like every night but this night it weighed more. She was scared to go to sleep, scared of what monsters would haunt her. Her thoughts were interrupted when Steve knocked on the door.

"Thought you'd be hanging out with Nance." Synthia said, Jokingly.

"I was then she kinda canceled on me."

"So you're hanging out with your little sister? Jeez you really are losing your street cred."

"I wanted to see if you were ok. You've been out of it lately, more than usual."

Synthia knew she had to tell someone. She knew this war wasn't over.

"Just after everything last year, I know this war isn't over and I feel it coming back to Hawkins."

"Well, what I know about you is that you can take on anything."

Steve's optimism helped Synthia have a little bit of hope. She didn't know if this would ever be over in fact she was sure it wasn't but she knew she would be stronger after it.