[EDITING] 𝑻𝒐 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌. - ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ

‎‧₊˚✧[𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆]✧˚₊‧

Hawkins, Indiana 

March 5th, 1979

Henderson House

"That's it! I'm so sick of your shit, Chris!" My mother yelled.

"Oh? My shit? This is it. I'm literally so done with you!" My father yelled back.

I ran into my brother's room, "Dustin?" 

"Sissy?" 

I grabbed my 7 year old brother and pulled him into a hug. I love my brother, and I don't ever want him to see the awful way our parents fight. 

"Are mommy and Daddy fighting again?" Dustin asks.

I nodded in response, followed by a small sigh. 

I held on to my little brother for what felt like forever and my parents burst in the room, "Hey guys. I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that. I'll be back in a few days. I love you guys." My mother Claudia, said. She kissed the top of my head, then Dustin's and quickly packed a bag and bolted out the door. 

I was never a big fan of my mother. Maybe it's because she never spoiled me as much as my dad did, or maybe it's because she was the one that always ran away. My dad, however, he never ran. He'd always take it like a man not a chicken, is what he would say.

Once my dad had decided to finally divorce my problematic mother, he moved to Pennsylvania, and he took me with him. He wanted to take Dustin with us too, but my mom couldn't let that happen. She didn't want to take either of him. 

When me and my father moved into our new house I was around 14 years old.  My new life in Pennsylvania moved smoothly, I had nice friends, a nice school, over all a good life, but that was all ruined. That peaceful life miles away from Hawkins was gone now.

The night my dad died was truly sickening. 

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

September 8th, 1983

Chris and Tatum's house

My father was cooking dinner for us. I was wrapped up on the couch flipping through a magazine. 

"It's getting cold tonight!" My dad exclaimed, which made me laugh.

My dad danced around the kitchen, which made me laugh harder. He twirl all the way over the small fireplace that we had. He put some wood inside the small nook and set it on fire to heat up our house. 

After we ate dinner my dad decided to wrap things up for the night, "I'm going to bed kiddo. Put the fire out before you sleep please." My dad said with a comforting soft smile.

"Sure thing. Goodnight, love you." I replied.

"Love you too." My dad walked up the little flight of stairs and followed into his room closing the door behind him.  I put my focus back on the magazine, looking at pictures and reading popular news. 

After awhile I had finished the magazine. I grabbed a cup of water and bring it into my room. I set it on my bed side table and changed my clothes. I put on some pajamas and walked out of my room and into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and brushed out my hair. I could help but think I had forgotten to do something, but simply shrugged it off. I crawled into my bed and drifted off to sleep. 

The next thing I know I was awake.

"Tatum! Get up!" My dad urged. 

"What?" I said sleepily. My father shook me out of my sleeply trance. There was a slight stench of smoke in the air. Then it hit me.

"The fireplace!" I called out. I shot up from my bed and ran down the stairs. The living room was on fire and it was spreading. My father ran over to the phone in the kitchen and called 911, I tried to put it out but it didn't really work. Once my father finished the phone call he ran over trying to get us out of the house but the cuff of his pants caught fire. 

"Tatum! Help!" He yelled.

I stood there in shock, wonder if this was all my fault and wondering what to do. He tried to put out the small fire that grew more and more up his leg  and I did as well, but I wasn't much help. The whole downstairs was about completely on fire. I screamed in fear as the fire department burst in through the door. They pulled me out of the those and my father after. My dad was put in an ambulance and rushed to the hospital. Our house was not white and grey anymore, it was black, charred, and burnt.  

2 weeks after the incident my dad was presumed dead. He had 3rd degree burns, and over all was in a terrible state. I had this overwhelming feeling of guilt and regret. It was my fault he had died.

 Once I got the news I had to move back in with my brother I was disappointed. Not because I got to see Dustin, but because I had to leave my dad. I had to restart my life in Hawkins. At least I got my old friends back, but things would never be same again.