Home (Jim Hopper)

Chapter 10

Amelia sat in the Byers household with Joyce and Jim. She sat silently and watched Joyce who was trying to explain to them what she saw. She was talking about Will, lights and a thing in a wall. Amelia couldn't fully keep up with what she was saying as she was very tired but when Joyce said about the thing in the wall, she perked up a little. Maybe she wasn't so crazy after all. Or her and Joyce were both crazy.

"What did the thing in the wall look like?" Amelia hesitated to ask her friend. She saw Jim's face, and she was sure he thought Joyce was crazy and she didn't want to also be considered it. But she needed to know if they saw the same thing.

"What?" Joyce replied, her cigarette close to falling from her fingertips.

"You said something came out of the wall...I was just wondering what it looked like. Did it look, human?"

Joyce paused her pacing as she tried to come up with an answer, Jim watching both with curious eyes. "No, not really. It was a sort of monster..."

"Was it tall?"

"Eh, yeah, I guess. Its face, it eh," Joyce struggled to find the words but luckily Amelia had her back.

"It didn't seem to have a face?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" Both Amelia's friends stared at her as she sat back in her chair, uncomfortable by them watching. Joyce perked up and pointed to her friend at the realisation, "you've seen it too? Haven't you?"

Amelia pushed her nails into the palm of her hands. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to admit it because she wasn't sure if she even believed it herself yet. They both watched her, waiting for her to answer, but what if she didn't have one? What if she didn't want to answer? She should have kept her mouth shut.

"I-I don't know," she felt defeated. "I honestly don't know. I saw something, just I'm not sure it was a monster. It's all a bit-"

"Crazy?" Joyce finished the sentence for her. "Yeah, I know don't worry." With a final puff of her cigarette, she walked off. Jim and Amelia gave each other a sad glance. It was rough for Joyce and they weren't too sure on how to help her out. They had a quick chat before Amelia decided to stay at Joyce's for the night again. Hoping her support would ease her friends stress a little, but it seemed Joyce just dragged Amelia into her delusions.

Throughout most of the night, the two women were setting up lamps in Wills room. Joyce was convinced that he was able to speak with her through them. Amelia wasn't sure what to believe but she did not see any harm in helping her. The night slipped away as the two exchanged theories. Theories that anyone would think them crazy if they heard. But it seemed to be the only thing that kept Amelia and Joyce sane. By morning, she was sure that Will Byers disappearance was paranormal. Something was going on in Hawkins and she was sure as hell going to find out what.

Amelia sat at her desk in her classroom as she waited for her first class to arrive, her mind still wondering the events of yesterday. So much happened in 24 hours, she wasn't sure what to focus on. Was it Dustin, Mike and Lucas? Was it these new feelings she felt for Jim? Was it Will and the figure? Or Joyce and the lights? Her brain was scrambled but now, she had to focus on teaching. That had to always be her priority, that's a promise she made to herself when she decided to become a teacher.

The first two lessons dragged on and she was finding herself with a much shorter fuse than usual. Many kids finding themselves getting told off by her at things she wouldn't normally comment on. Now, she stood outside the building, in a corner away from prying eyes with a fag between her lips. The nicotine that ran through her blood instantly allowed her to relax, her once tense shoulders now slumped as she rested her back and head against the wall. With a deep exhale she released the smoke from her system. She stayed for a moment, frozen as she tried to savour the moment. She wanted this to be over. She wanted it to go back to the way it was a few weeks ago, where her life was simple.