[ 𝚂𝚞𝚗 & 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 ] ~ 𝙹𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙱𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

IV - Almost Nearly Fired

"I can't believe we came back." Justin muttered, watching Mrs. Driscoll scream about 'needing to go back' and that the paramedics needed to 'let her go'. The rain pounded outside, thunder cracking and lightning illuminating the house. It made everything feel even worse than it already was.

"Doris, we need you to stay calm for us, okay?" The paramedic asked as her partner strapped Mrs. Driscoll to the gurney. "Stay calm."

"I have to go back!" The old woman screamed, fertilizer covering her face. "I have to go back! I have to go back!" She looked Justin straight in the eyes, "I have to go back!" 

Justin flinched a step back, her shoulder colliding with Jonathan's bicep. "Shit-" She looked up at him as if to say sorry but he just shook his head, looking just as disturbed as Justin felt. 

Justin, Nancy and Jonathan all followed the EMTs out as they took Mrs. Driscoll toward the van, Officer Callahan just on their heel. "Okay, so," his voice held hesitance and slight fear, "you three want to explain to me what in the name of Jesus just happened here?" Officer Callahan's voice cracked. 

"Well-" Justin started only to get cut off by a glare from Nancy and a head shake from Jonathan. She glared back, rolling her eyes. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to tell the officer about the freaky supernatural psycho shit that was going on in Hawkins Indiana. "There were these rats, they had rabies or something and Mrs. Driscoll found some in her basement. We were actually here earlier to get photos and ask her questions about it, but. . .it seems she was bitten since we left this morning."

Jonathan looked mildly impressed by the speed of Justin's lie along with the fact Officer Callahan seemed to believe it. Nancy, on the other hand, just looked annoyed by the mere fact that Justin was existing in the same space as her.

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"I'm not getting fired for you." Justin seethed, poking her finger against Jonathan's chest. 

"You're not going to get fired-" 

"I know I'm not, I'll ensure it. I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep this job." The accent on 'whatever' caught Jonathan's attention, but he didn't bother to question it. "And you aren't getting fired either, got that?" 

"How am I supposed to-"

"You're just gonna sit there and look pretty. And. . .don't try to defend Nancy when she inevitably gets fired." 

"She's not-" 

"Yes, Jonathan, she is. And we are too if you don't listen to me. This is it for me, this is the job I'm probably going to settle with because I get to do what I love. And you, I know you love photography too." She saw him open his mouth to argue and she shook her head sharply. "We ran the stupid photography club together back at Hawkins Middle, Jonathan. We were literally the only kids in that club, J. Do you remember that? We got that creepy old English teacher to let us do it. . .damn, what was her name-"

"Mrs. Holland." Jonathan whispered with a small, nostalgic smile. 

"Yeah! Mrs. Holland! She was such a grump-"

He nodded. "Yeah, she was." Jonathan paused for a moment before nodding. "Do you really think he'll fire us?"

"Obviously. Your stupid ass girlfri-"

"Don't call her that."

"Call her what?" 

"Stupid."