Hawkins, Indiana 1984. Since the disappearance of Will Byers, the small town had grown suspicious of his return. When Katherine Dense moves to town she curiously finds that everyone has a secret, and must keep her own hidden.
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Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - "I Love Rock n Roll" (1981)
"I knew he must have been about seventeen The beat was going strong Playing my favorite song And I could tell it wouldn't be long till he was with me, yeah me"
Kat Dense 10:30 am
Moving wasn't such of a big deal to me as it was maybe for someone else. Change didn't bother me as much as it terrified society. I hated California. It brought a lot of bad memories throughout this past year and yes the only reason we were moving was because of me, but I didn't regret anything. As we reached our new house in Indiana I studied my surroundings. I pulled out my sketch book and began to open a page. My mother pulled it away "not now" I rolled my eyes and sighed. She wasn't even my real mother nor was my "dad". I was adopted by a family that was way too strict and I'm 90% positive they hated me for not being the perfect child. Of course we had our ups and downs like every other family, but I wasn't like either of them. Luckily my father could transfer careers along with my mother because there was always a demand for real estate agents. I considered getting a job would make this town better than the last. Hell if I knew. Moving trucks arrived shortly after we arrived and I asked my dad if I could borrow the jeep to go job hunting. He agreed and handed me the keys, as my mother instructed the moving guys on where our furniture went. I drove around the small town and found a movie theatre. They would have plenty of jobs to hand out there. Movie theaters were always busy in California anyway. As I walked inside I could almost hear crickets. The air was dull and the only sound to be heard was popcorn heating up. I nervously walked up to the guy behind the concessions stand. He had brown hair and was buried in a newspaper. I cleared my throat and he looked up. His name tag read Jonathan in small writing. He had strong eyebrows and light brown eyes. He was cute, but I was afraid to get involved with another guy ever again. I asked him if they were hiring so he gave me an application. I did my best to sound professional with every answer I gave. I didn't want to let my parents down again, I needed this. Once I turned in the yellow paper I walked outside and applied at a few other places close by. A diner, a movie store, and a record shop. I noticed that the town was too quiet. In California, it was the complete opposite. I wasn't quite sure if I liked Hawkins or not yet, and only time could tell that. I started the engine to my dad's green jeep and played the radio. I love rock n roll by Joan Jett was playing so I turned up the volume and sang along bumping my head to the beat. I decided to drive around for a bit, dreading upon my return home. I knew my parents were just waiting to give me the 'talk' for this town. I reached tall trees that made up a small forest and thought it was a good place to stop. I parked and sat on the hood of the roofs car drawing the scenery. I loved moments like this. Piece and quiet with just me and my pencil and notepad. As I perfected the tall branches and small bushes I heard a ruffling noise. At first I ignored it and thought it was just a small rabbit, but I grew curious so I jumped down from the hood and slowly inched myself deeper into the woods. It did it again and my eyes followed the noise. A police officer stood and I jumped letting out a gasp of air. He was tall and wore a classic police hat, along with the uniform. Oh great I was already getting myself into trouble and I don't think it had even been an hour since we arrived.
"I'm gonna have to ask you to leave"
He held onto his belt and took a few steps closer to me, I could strongly smell alcohol and cigarette smoke. This guy was a cop?
"Why?" I asked playing with the pencil in my sweaty hand.
"These woods are dangerous kid, believe me"
Kid? Really?
"dangerous? how?"
"No more questions, come on" He nudged his head towards the road and I followed him. Looking around I never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Of course it was creepy, all forests were, but dangerous?
"Are you new to town?" He asked looking behind him.
"Just got here today" Once we reached the edge of the trees back to the road we stood between his cop car and my jeep parked by each other.
"Names Hopper, look you're not in trouble, just stay out of these woods and we will get along just fine" In my head, I made the connection that I first thought the noise in the woods was a rabbit, and that this police officers name was indeed Hopper. How ironic. I watched him through the rear view mirror light a cigarette once he got in his car and exhale the deadly smoke. I was right, this town was weird.
