DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

1/3

"WHERE THE HELL have you been?" Mike demanded, rising to his feet angrily. He folded his arms across his chest as Jasper trailed down his basement stairs. "I called this meeting almost an hour ago."

"Sorry," Jasper mumbled, slightly distracted. She took a seat next to Dustin on the last two steps. "I was out with Hopper."

"Hopper?" Dustin repeated, his head snapping towards her. His eyebrows pressed together in confusion. "What were you two doing together?"

"Oh, you know," she sighed, casually leaning back. "Cutting into Will's body and stuff," she announced nonchalantly, twirling the ends of her hair.

"What?" all three boys exclaimed, gawking at her. Their eyes were the size of saucers.

"You saw Will's body?" Mike breathed, fiddling with his hands. He took an uneasy seat next to El, who was laying on the couch.

"Not only did I see it but I saw what's inside of it," Jasper continued, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Ew," Mike recoiled.

"Disgusting," Lucas hissed in distaste.

"Can you guys let me finish?" Jasper muttered sharply, rolling her eyes. "Hopper and I went to the morgue to see if Will's body was a fake."

"And?" Dustin prodded.

"There was cotton inside," Jasper told them eerily. "Nothing but cotton. It's not his body."

All three boys sat straight, feeling uncomfortable and disturbed by Jasper's words.

"Are you sure?" Lucas questioned carefully.

"Well the last time I checked the human body is filled with sixty percent water," Jasper lashed out sarcastically. "Not cotton."

"That's weird," Dustin murmured, slightly afraid and bewildered. "Who would've made a stuffed body?"

"Hawkins Lab," Jasper scoffed, crossing her arms. She realized the alert eyes el was sending her, and understood the message. "Never mind, enough of that. Why was this stupid meeting called?"

"We need to talk about what happened today," Mike answered. "What was Will saying? Like home...like home...but, dark?" He wondered aloud, getting to his feet again.

"And empty..." Lucas uttered.

Dustin let out a prolonged sigh. "Empty and cold. Wait, did he say cold?" Dustin asked, unable to remember Will's exact words.

"I don't know. The stupid radio kept going in and out," Lucas said scornfully.

"He said cold," Jasper confirmed, nodding her head.

"How do you know?" Lucas challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Because," Jasper shook her lightly. "I just know. I remember."

Dustin lifted his head back, gazing at the ceiling. "It's like riddles in the dark."

"Like home. Like his house?" Mike wondered, continuing to pace the room.