Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 50: A Land of Both Shadow and Substance

The trio from Derry look at one another in confusion and interest. They had just admitted their darkest experiences to people who were barely their friends, but it felt so strange to be believed. Anyone else would scoff at it or call them liars, but the kids from Hawkins believed them... and that they had their own experiences. How similar they were to a shapeshifting clown that fed on fear and lived in the sewers remains to be seen.

"What do you mean we're not alone," Ben inquires. He sits down and gives them his undivided attention. His research into the town hadn't given him much, only that the government had been stationed here and some tragedies had happened including several deaths and a chemical leak. He'd hated how vague the articles had been, but if these guys had more information, he wanted to hear it.

"You guys have been through some shit," Max whispers. "But so have we."

"It's different," Eleven says. "But just as bad."

"Y-You going to t-tell us or.. or b-beat around the b-bush?" Bill manages to say.

"Bill!" Bev reprimands him. "Let them tell us when they're ready."

"The thing is, it's kind of hard to know where to start," Will says.

"According to my research, a few people have died in Hawkins due to a chemical leak and it caused bad pollution," Ben prompts.

"Yeah, like your poisoned water, it's all bullshit," Dustin replies. "Hawkins has become a place where weird stuff just seems to happen. A place with its own secrets like Derry."

The mentioning of secrets jogs Beverly's memory. "That guy at Scoop's Ahoy. He said that small towns hide lots of secrets."

"That's Steve. Both he and Robin know about what's really happening in Hawkins and they're friends of ours," Dustin adds.

"H-How many people know?" Bill asks. "T-These secrets?"

"Everyone in our Party," Dustin says. "So Max, Will, El, myself, Mike, and Lucas. Then there's Mike's sister Nancy, Will's brother Johnathan, Lucas' little sister Erica, our friends Steve and Robin. Also, Will's mom and the Chief."

"Your dad knows?" Bev asks.

Eleven nods. "And now you."

"Which you cannot tell anyone about," Max warns sharply.

"H-Hey, we kept what w-we went through and it was something we were going t-take to the grave."

"No Bill seriously," Will hisses to keep them from being overheard, fortunately the rain is still falling, providing a slight sound buffer for what they are about to share. "You can't tell anyone about this."

"Why?" Bev asks.

"Bad men," El says.

"Bad men?" Ben asks.

El does the gesture of a gun to emphasize the point.

"She means the government. This involves the government so unless you want to be silenced forever..." Will translates Eleven's vague warning.

Bill swallows, getting the message.

"So, what is it about Hawkins that's... weird?" Ben asks. "What kind of secrets are there?"

"You know that old building outside of town?" Dustin begins.

"That old office building?" Bev asks, she remembers passing by it on their way into town. It certainly stood out amongst the trees and other parts of the natural landscape.

"Yeah, that's actually a lab... or was a lab. It's been shut down for years. But it was a place where they experimented on people and tried to find ways to other dimensions."