Facade-[1]-[Steve Harrington]

Flashbacks and Space Lasers

Song of the chapter: Treat You Better by Shawn Mendes

Warning: Unedited!!

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That morning, Lennon Hopper woke up with dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't had a night's sleep so restless in years. The whole morning she felt like a zombie just trudging along. After her morning coffee, she became her normal self once again. Despite her lack of sleep, she thrived in chaos. Her mind was able to focus on the chaos at hand and she could solve problems more effectively.

Lennon dropped her coffee mug into the sink full of dishes she had yet to clean. Her converse pattered on the floor as she left the kitchen and entered the living room. She grabbed her school bag, her eyes landing on her father dozing off on the couch, a cigarette in his hand. Her eyes drifted to the coffee table, a few files and documents scattered about. The sight peaked her interest and she made sure her dad was asleep. Lowering herself to her knees, she flipped open the file folders. A picture of Will Byers sat on top of the stack, and the face of the young boy sent a wave of sorrow through her. She set the picture aside, looking to the top paper. It was the main template the police would fill out in such a circumstance. The space labeled incident information was left nearly blank.

The only lines written were, Bike left in woods where Cornwallis and Kerley meet. Child fled. Possibly home before accidentally falling into quarry. Various news clippings attached outlining the events of something called MK Ultra. A small bag containing a light blue patterned fabric fell from the file. The word Evidence, was printed onto the clear bag. She continued sifting through the papers, the lack of facts and evidence made her stomach churn. She was determined to figure out what exactly was going on. With a huff of annoyance, she set the papers exactly as she had found them, standing up.

"Dad, you're gonna burn the house down." She walks forward, taking the cigarette from him. The man stirred awake at her voice and rubbed his eyes as he stretched his legs outwards.

"It's seven thirty, i'm leaving for school, and you have to go to the morgue with Joyce." Lennon explains to her dad. He nods, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes to the light. With a grunt, he stands.

"Okay, stay safe." He says, moving to kiss her forehead.

"Will do. Don't burn the house down." She smiles, opening the door while mocking a serious face as she points at her father. Jim lets out a chuckle as she walks out of their trailer and down the stairs. On her way to her car, she lifts the cigarette to her lips, taking in a deep breath before flicking it to the side, onto the dirt road. Nicotine invades her lungs before she breathes out, blowing smoke into the air above her. She throws her bag into the passenger seat and starts towards Hawkins High school.

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"So I've marked Steve's house, Benny's burgers and the intersection of Cornwallis and Kerley. All the points where it's been seen and people have gone missing or died in the last week." Lennon said, leaned over a map. Nancy stood across the table, her arms crossed as she held her hand to her cheek in deep thought. Lennon had ripped out a map of Hawkins from a town history book in the library, much to Nancy's disapproval. They had hidden away in a teacher workroom that was rarely ever used in order to think out and discuss all they witnessed the day before.

"I don't get it. What does the location have to do with anything? Shouldn't we be looking for reports of a disfigured bear or sightings of abductors who wear masks?" Nancy suggests.

"You don't know how a police investigation works do you?" Lennon sighs, looking up from the map and to her friend. Nancy looks to Lennon with a lost look on her face as she shakes her head.