WHISTLEBLOWER | ❝It only gets stranger...❞
Hawkins has never looked back on the events of November 1983. They know the surface-level story. 'The boy who came back to life.' Will Byers is alive and well, while the futile search for Tonya McCarth...
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TUESDAY 30th OCTOBER, 1984
MELVALD'S is empty except for quiet shoppers as Cath strolls around, getting lost in aisles with occasional glances at her watch. The shop clerk must be wondering what she has been doing here for so long — a thirteen year-old hanging around a supermarket, not because their parent dragged them here? It must be a miracle.
An old woman pushes her cart gently past Cath, and they exchange a friendly smile as they cross paths. Then the woman stops, turning to point at something in the aisle.
"Excuse me dear, would you mind getting that for me?" she asks, gesturing to bags of cat food in the shelf. "I find they're quite heavy for me nowadays."
"Of course," Cath replies. With a sudden burst of pride as she takes on the responsibility, she loads two large bags of cat food into the cart.
"Thank you. Such a nice young girl," the elderly woman chirps, making Cath grow sheepish. "What are you doing here without your parents?"
"I'm waiting for a friend. We're going to meet this afternoon and hang out."
"Well, isn't that lovely?"
It is lovely, Cath thinks to herself, a fond smile teasing the corners of her lips. Apart from her concern about Will, hoping that his appointment went smoothly, she can't help but feel excitement to spend time together bubble up inside her. He was the one she always gravitated to first, before she came to know the other boys in the Party — this time alone is what she wanted all along.
During the wait, Cath can't help but wonder what exactly happens at these appointments Will has. She knows they are with Dr. Owens, who took over the Hawkins Lab last year. The man still has her stumped in terms of whether she should trust him or not. On the one hand, anything synonymous with the Hawkins Lab feels like part of an evil force to her; however Owens feels different. When he sat with her to discuss the confidentiality of the events to her twelve year-old self, there was a sincerity to him that almost made it easy to agree to. In fact, Owens's personality felt like a completely wrong fit for his job.
The shop bell gives a light tinkle as the door opens, giving way to Will and his mother entering the shop. Hands in his pockets, he seems somewhat delicate with his slightly paled face and wandering eyes; but the moment he sees Cath, this vanishes completely, an insistence to forget about whatever he just experienced washing over him.
"Alright?" Cath asks him, meaning about his appointment. Will responds with a shrug that means so-so, but still smiles.
