Stranger Seven (Mike Wheeler)

04

That night, a policeman explained to grief stricken Joyce, Johnathan, and Sev that a member of their family was dead. Johnathan had his arms around his younger sister and his mother, eyes watering.

Johnathan and Seven looked around their ruined living room, with the Christmas lights and painted alphabet as Hopper explained the police department's running theory.

As their mom explained the blinking lights, Johnathan cringed awkwardly. Seven wasn't even paying attention, as her thoughts were lingering on a certain freckle-faced boy.

Johnathan cried, "Mom, come on, please! You've got to stop this!"

"No, maybe he's- it's after him! He's in danger, we have to find him!"

Ignoring this, Hopper kept on. "What exactly is this thing? It was some kind of animal, you said?"

As her mother stuttered on about the said 'monster' that she saw, seven wished she could help, and make it seem like her mother wasn't crazy, but she had seen the body. It was true.

"Uh, no, it was- it was almost human but it was- it had no face! It had the long arms, and no face!"

At this point, Johnathan walked over to Seven who was leaning on a doorframe.

"Hey, little buddy."

"Hey Johnathan."

"Holding up okay?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Heard you went over to the little Wheeler's."

He said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Eww! Gross Johnathan! It's not like that!"

She laughed, pushing him lightly. He chuckled, and walked off. Seven had just flat out lied to him about liking Mike. Seven then turned to see Hopper talking to Joyce. She walked over to the new phone and considered calling Mrs. Wheeler, and so she did.

"H-Hi. This is the Wheeler residence... Mik-Mike Wheeler speaking."

"Oh, uh, hey Mike!"

"Sev?"

"that's me!"

"Are you at home?"

"Yeah... what's up?"

"Oh, just... sitting in my basement..."

"With El?" There was a pause.

"Yeah. Any-"

"Oh. Gotta go. Bye."

"Wait! Se-"

She hung up, slamming the phone back into its hold on the wall.

She turned back to her mom and Hopper, who were still chatting. Seven went to sit by her mom.

Hopper said, "Listen, I think you should go to the morgue tomorrow and see him for yourself." Seven put her hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"It'll give you the answers that you need. But tonight-"

"Oh god..."

"I want you to try and get some sleep, if you can."

"Hopper, you have to listen-" Joyce cried. Feeling her mom's dread and resist, she knew she was exhausted so she said:"Momma, listen to Hop. I know Will isn't dead," Seven lied, and Hopper could tell. "But he doesn't understand. You need to get some rest. Okay?"

"Alright. Sev."

Hopper stood up, and motioned for the girl to come with him.

"Thanks for that, over there kid. You got into her head."