Illusion ~Stranger Things~ [COMPLETED & UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 14

||Two empty caskets||

-The Flea and the acrobat part IV-

Joyce Byers had torn up her house trying to find her son. Christmas lights hung from every wall, an alphabet painted in her living room, and a large hole, created by an axe, sat in the wall, welcoming the outside into the home. Most people thought she was crazy. Today was the day of Will's funeral after all. However, Will would not be the only one being buried today.

The day after the Byers boy was found dead at the quarry, the news sent out a shocking story.

"Earlier today, 12-year-old Pine Knight-Johnson was found dead at the quarry. Cause of death is not yet specified. Police think the young girl was so upset by Byers death that she jumped from the cliff and into the water. Her body was found earlier this morning by a local man by the shore." The lady on the news said.

Thorn didn't believe it. He didn't want to. He couldn't believe it. Pine wasn't dead exactly the way Will wasn't dead. But, all the same, he want to the quarry as fast as he could. So fast in fact, that they hadn't pulled her from the gloomy waters yet. When he got there a small girl was being taken out of the murky liquid on a stretcher. She was wearing a brown jacket with a fur collar, similar to the ones Lucas wore, and jeans. The outfit reminded Thorn of Nancy but, when did something not remind him of Nancy? Pine has always worn jeans and some sort of jacket in the equivalent of the few days he'd known her. She didn't seem like a skirt wearing kind of girl. Pine looked a lot like Nancy, Thorn realized. Her long brown hair was down, marred by the water. Her fragile figure was pale as snow. Her blue eyes were closed, a blank expression on her face. However, no matter how much this thing looked like Pine, Thorn refused to believe it to be her. He was going to bring Will and his 'little sister' home.

Now Thorn stood listening to all the words being said. Everyone seemed to love Will, everyone seemed to have a story about him. But, Pine. Barely anyone knew anything about her. Her adoptive mother Ruth said a few words but, it was clear she didn't mean them. Even though Thorn new Pine was alive, if saddened him that she had such a lonely funeral. Of course, if Will was here, it wouldn't be as lonely. Thorn saw how he looked at her. A small voice in the back of his head told him he looked at Nancy the same way.

Something in the back of his mind told him that both caskets were empty. For some reason, someone had decided to burry Pines and Will close to each other. Joyce has told Thorn that when he came home the day he met Pine, he hadn't stopped talking about her.

•••

Thorn left the Wheeler's house with thousands of questions. The demogorgon?The upsidedown? Eleven the girl with telepathic powers? Perhaps the most terrifying part was that no one knew. But, maybe that was a good thing. Trillions of thoughts danced around in his head but, he had things to do.

After his short (yet embarrassing) encounter with Nancy he went to his car and hung up the last of his missing posters. He was worried. Even though he hadn't known Pine for very long, he cared about her. She was so similar to him that it was hard for him not to. Even if he didn't love all of his quirks, he still felt inclined to keep her safe. She had turned into a little sister to him although he'd never admit it. She was a small shy kid. But now she was missing. Unfortunate things tended to happen all around Thorn. It was almost like they followed him, like they were his shadow. Bad things happen to good people. That's what they say.

The people of Hawkins had become quite nervous. Three kids had disappeared in one week. Worst part was that week wasn't over.