𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐑 | stranger things ✓

PROLOGUE

After the Snowball, winter break and school resumed again, Eleven and I spend most of our days at home; Hopper's little cabin in the woods. We weren't allowed to go to school which I detested Jim for - maybe a little extreme.
Going to school, having friends and being 'normal' was all I ever dreamed of since leaving the lab. Then I remind myself that I'm not a normal kid, same goes for El. I reminded myself to be grateful for what I have: a family.

Reading was something I took interest in when we weren't hanging out with the boys and Max. I liked to read all sorts of stories which improved how I spoke. I sounded less robotic and more human. As for El, her only hobby seemed to be obsessing over Mike. Which was fine until I started getting kicked out of our shared bedroom.

My visions were so rare after Eleven closed the gate back then. In fact, the last one I had was at the Snowball which never seemed to happen. This got me thinking that my visions only showed me something relating to him. To the Shadow Monster - which made me think he was really gone since I wasn't having any visions. I could still 'mind walk' as Dustin would call it. Gladly, that didn't go away. If it did, I really would be a normal kid.

Summer was approaching and seemed like we were all growing up fast - some more than others. Mike and Eleven were officially a couple by then. Same as Max and Lucas. Whereas nothing happened between Dustin and I and Will wasn't into the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing.
Gradually, less of us would actually meet up at the weekends - which at the time I thought it was just because everyone was busy with school or just life in general and we would all hang out all summer long when it arrived.

As soon as summer arrived, Dustin dropped the summer camp bomb on us all and Will and I knew we were about ditched all summer long.

The Starcourt Mall opened a few weeks before Dustin left for camp but El and I weren't allowed to go. The group went a lot without us a few times but they would bring us back free ice-cream from Steve who then worked in a parlour there.
A few days before Dustin left for Camp Know Where, we were hanging out at Castle Byers playing D&D - minus Mike and Eleven. It quickly got boring and we decided to go to the mall. I had never seen a mall before and I just thought it was one of the coolest things ever. It just seemed like an endless amount of stores and there was so much to do.

Max would just point shops out to me until we got to Scoops Ahoy were we immediately found Steve. The new uniform was not a good look for him.

There was girl at the counter who was also an employee and wore the name tag that said: Robin. "Steve, your children are here!" She called out before diverting into the back room.

A smile appeared on the newly graduate's face as we all crowded round the counter where he stood. "What can I get you nerds?"

"Just our usuals, Harrington, but a double scoop for me." Dustin replied as he scanned all of the ice-cream flavours, "And a vanilla for Mel."

"Yeah, are you supposed to be here?" Steve queried as he began to scoop up ice-cream.

The group shot each other worried looks before I could say, "I just really missed you, Steve." I shrugged with a smile as he gave me my ice-cream in a little tub.

Steve frowned then let a small laugh. "Yeah, that's not it." He said before passing me a spoon.

"Thanks Mom." I blurted out.

"Dude..." He groaned frustratedly, "What have a told you guys about calling me that?"

"You're a great mom, Steve." Max told him.

Our group sat in a booth big enough for all of us with a mall-facing view. I zoned in and out of the conversation as Dustin talked about his summer camp that I wasn't really interested in. I was too busy feeling guilty about being in the mall - one of the few places Hopper told me not to go. I knew when I got home, I'd have to lie about it too.

I briefly looked out to the mall, watching people as they passed, as continued eating my ice-cream. There was this one woman that stood out me - mainly because she was staring right at me. She had bleach blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and looked like she hadn't slept in a while.
"Guys. Who's that staring at us?" I asked, interrupting their current conversation. All five of us looked in her direction which seemed to startle her, causing her to move on.

"I have no idea." Dustin told me as he continued to watch her as she disappeared.

The entire walk home, I felt as though we were being watched but Max reassured me, "It's okay. You're just being paranoid." - Which I later had to ask Hopper for a definition for.

We said our goodbyes to Dustin then split up. I still felt as though I was being watched. I occasionally glanced back to see if I could see anyone but I never did.

That was until one day, I ran down to the nearest store on my own to get coffee for Hop and Eggos for us girls. I entered the store and bumped right into someone, "Sorry," I apologised. As I looked up, I recognised the woman's face. It was her. The same woman that was staring at me in the mall. She looked at me if she was lost, like I was the only thing she could see. I quickly grabbed and paid what I came for then ran. She was waiting outside. It was starting to freak me out.

"Wait! Please." She called out as I began to sprint away with the groceries in hand.

"No! Leave me alone."

I continued running along the road until she was no longer in sight. I was about to reach the dirt road that would take me home, then I heard a car pull up behind me and park. Shaking, I turn right round to see who it was. That woman again. She hopped out the driver's seat with her arms out, "Please let me explain!" She pleaded as she paced towards me.

"My dad is cop so if you don't-"

"I'm not going to hurt you." She reassured me with a slightly creepy smile, "I-I would never- I just want to talk." She stuttered.

"No!" I yelled taking multiple steps back.

"Please. If you let me explain myself-"

"I SAID NO!" I snapped furiously and looked at her with the same intent. Her eyes suddenly widened as she struggled to breath and began gasping for air. My eyes followed her as she fell to ground. I thought she was having a heart attack.

She then reached out her hand and told me to "stop" in a whisper, followed by more gasping. I saw this is my queue to get out of there. When I turned around, I could hear her breathing going back to normal.

Obviously, I told Hopper and Hawkins police searched for her for weeks but never found her. I hardly saw my friends during that time. We talked on the walkies but never all at once. Hopper put me on house arrest until he knew this woman was gone. I never saw her for the entire month of June either. Maybe the cops scared her off... or maybe I did...