CHAPTER FOUR
MISDIRECTED HITS

The second the front door closed behind Kimmy, the shouting stopped. And that wasn't a good thing.

In fact, the young girl would have preferred they continue screaming at each other. Because now that they had stopped upon hearing her return home, it confirmed the suspicions that the argument had been about her.

A few incoherent whispers were exchanged between the two behind the wall before the slamming of the back door could be heard.

Kimmy almost let out a sigh of relief as she headed for the stairs. Despite being a two story, the family house was small. Only the small kitchen and living room downstairs while the bathroom, Kimmy's room and her parents' room were upstairs. It was a cold, dingy house which was usually a complete tip. With the smallest of mold lining the bathroom as well as the beer cans which often coated the floor of the kitchen as well as the living room - unless Kimmy cleared them up, which was more often than not.

It was embarrassing. But neither of her parents had enough money to really fix the house up to at least make the house look semi-presentable.

Her parents' room was probably the cleanest in the house, the reason being that it was rarely used. With her mother passed out on the couch drowning in cans of alcohol, while her father spent most nights off doing god knows what, god knows where.

As horrible as it sounded, Kimmy preferred the nights like that. Ones where her mother fell asleep while the sun was still up and her father was probably miles out of the town.

At least then she wasn't faced with any ridicule or harm. Nights like those were the closest she ever felt to safe in that house.

Several moments later, her mother burst out from the kitchen, catching her just before she reached the top of the stairs.

"Where the hell have you been?" She slurred while swaying side to side in a desperate attempt to maintain her balance.

Kimmy just about scoffed - before catching and refraining herself.

Figures, she thought to herself, just after 4pm and she was absolutely plastered.

No surprises there.

Kimmy had been expecting to walk into her house and find her mother plastered on beer and wine while her father left to spend the next few days who knows where most likely high and drunk out of his mind - actually, that was the best case scenario.

That was her best case scenario.

A twelve year old girl growing up in such conditions, she really hadn't stood a chance. Quite frankly, she was born to fail. Kimberley Jenkins would never get far - and she had accepted that. She knew that.

"School." Kimmy shrugged quietly in response to her mothers question, however this response didn't seem to satisfy her mother.

"Watch your tone when you speak to your mother-"

"I didn't speak to you with any tone." Kimmy retorted firmly, turning to face away from her in hope to continue up the creaky stair case. Mumbling under her breath when she was sure she was out of earshot. "You're usually just too drunk to know the difference."

Only her mother did hear.

"I am your mother Kimberley!" The older woman had her voice raised now, though she was still slurring her words due to her alcohol induced state. Resulting in Kimmy being unable to take her seriously no matter how much she tried. "You will not speak to me that way!"

She really had no respect for her parents. Not one of them. Absolutely no respect at all.

Kimmy didn't reply, instead she just held her mothers stare for a moment, before turning away from her, this time successfully making it up to the bathroom without being stopped.

She did hear her mother muttering to herself about how she could raise such an ungrateful child. Which perhaps would have stung a bit if she wasn't already used to it.

Kimmy was just glad that they had a somewhat civil conversation for once.

Stepping into the bathroom, she headed straight for the sink, running the cold water before splashing it on her face as a sort of refresher.

She then took a moment to look back at her own reflection, her already dull mood suddenly taking a harsh hit downwards.

She hated catching glimpses of herself in mirrors, she hated looking at herself full stop. For the pathetic reason of not liking what she saw.

Kimmy was pale - extremely pale, allowing various splurges of freckles as well as random tinges of red to coat her face. Which she utterly despised.

She was thin too, but not in a way anyone desires to look. In fact, she was under weight - only slightly. But still, it resulted in a dent to her confidence. Due to the imbalance of her weight and height, it did not work out in her favour. Especially as now she was at the age were her classmates were - or in some cases already had - begun to hit puberty. Whereas Kimmy just... hadn't. Or at least not in the way most hope to.

Yes, it was safe to say she did not like the way she looked in the slightest. And she suspected many didn't either as the girls her age or older which were deemed attractive did not look like her in the slightest. Kimmy didn't even as much as resemble most of them.

Obviously this wasn't something she could control, but it didn't make her feel any better about herself.

She consistently struggled with... issues. She wasn't really sure how to explain it, but often she'd find an overwhelming sense of dread drowning her until it became too much and she was back to tracing her wrists and forearms with sharp objects in hope to put an end to the feeling.

Yes, the week before she had taken a different approach. Sick of her attempts failing her, only sending her further into her hole of bleak depression.

Kimmy tried not to think about that day. Because when she did, all she could feel was embarrassment. The fact Aaron had caught her caused an almost unbearable sense of embarrassment to engulf her.

Kimmy's eyes then trailed down from her face and to her clothing.

Everything she wore was old.

And all her clothing was bright and colourful - she did this on purpose. She always stirred away from wearing any dark colors, hoping by some foolish naivety that she could at least give off the false impression that she wasn't completely crumbling under the conflicts she had with herself.

She shook the thoughts off. Sniffling before hastily leaving the small room and heading towards her own.

...

It was four hours later when Kimmy heard the front door slam closed. Causing the young girl to physically flinch, dropping the book she had found on one of her shelves before practically jumping up from her spot on her bed and rushing over to turn her old record of If I Can Dream, off.

Her father was home.

She certainly wasn't expecting that. More times then not, he was gone for several days - not several hours.

Kimmy tried to remain calm, and she succeeded in doing so, until she came to the realisation on why he had left to begin with.

Her parents were arguing about her, and he had walked out because he was angry.

At her.

Kimmy became so stressed she felt sick, and began quickly searching for a way out. Retreating downstairs to either of the doors was completely out of the question, so, she was left with one final option.

One which many may find quite drast, but Kimmy had resorted to this many times before and knew she could make it, though she had never attempted this in the dark - she didn't really have a choice.

Quickly, she grabbed her jacket before creeping over to her window, she quietly pushed it open, before climbing up on her window edge and sticking her head out the window in order to get a good look outside. Letting out a final breath before completley and carefully stepping out and clutching onto the building in order to keep her balance.

Slowly creeping along the window ledge until she was a safe distance away from the tree which sat rooted just outside her bedroom. She reached foreword with one arm and got ahold of the branch which she climbed so often.

It didn't worry Kimmy climbing up or down the old tree - she had done it so much times before.

It didn't take long for the girl to land on her feet on the half-dead grass below. The only problem being, she wasn't entirely sure where to go where her parents wouldn't see her pass past any windows.

Because of this, she - admittedly rather stupidly looking back on it - decided against walking foreward and along the street-lit road and instead backwards, towards the woods. In hopes to at least clear her head a bit as she retreated on a walk and left her parents to calm down a bit. Both hopefully asleep or passed out by the time she returned.

Kimmy huffed, pulling her coat closet around herself in attempt to warm up a bit. Seeing as the wind was picking up and the sun had gone down - not to mention it was nearing winter.

Kimmy just then realised that she had no idea what she was actually going to do, her decision soon catching up to her as she now regretted leaving in the first place. Though, she couldn't really say that with full confidence, because she knew she'd much rather be out alone in the cold than stuck in a dingy house with the same two people who should love her most spending all their time dragging her down.

Then things went from bad to worse as the rain began pouring down on her. A tired groan ripping past her lips as she swiftly tugged her hood over her head.

Kimmy really wanted to turn back now.

She tried to walk further, but with the continuous downpour of rain pelting down on her and the harsh wind smashing into her face - she gave up.

"Fuck this," she mumbled to herself. Turning and marching back in the direction she had previously walked down. Re-tracing her indented steps in the muddy path much faster than she had been while walking in the opposite direction.

This was until she heard the snap of a twig come from behind her.

Her heart dropped and she assumed the worst.

Who knew the types of people who could have been roaming these woods after dark - especially with Will Byers missing. Perhaps whoever had gotten him and come for her.

A shudder of horror tan down her spine when yet another snap of a branch could be heard. At this point - she would have considered herself to be scared completely shitless.

"Hello?" She called out, her voice shaky. "I know someone's there - I'm not scared of you!"

She most definitely was scared of whomever was stood hidden in the dark trees ahead of her.

She was greeted with no reply.

Kimmy quickly decided it was in her best interest to stop standing like a helpless target and actually move her legs in order to get home as fast as she possibly could.

She turned once again, hoping to get home before she could really allow herself to panic.

But she heard it again - another twig snap. Only this time from in front of her.

She stopped her steps again.

Panic washing over her like cold water as she squinted her eyes in hope to see further ahead despite the rain. Though this wasn't the most successful as she could see nothing but trees.

Snapping her head around to get a look behind her just about caused her a heart attack. Because instead of nothing but rain and trees in the distance for her to pin point she was met with a pair of brown eyes staring right back at her.

Kimmy let out a scream and jolted back, her eyes shooting wide with fear as she placed a hand on her heart in a sad attempt to calm herself and her now heavy breathing.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked - or rather, shouted. Causing the smaller girl before her to take a frightened step back also.

Kimmy's brows furrowed as she took in the girls appearance. The two both wore a matching expressions of fear, the girl stood opposite Kimmy was in nothing but a large shirt - which Kimmy doubted belonged to her. Seeing as it was entirely too big.

What was most noticeable though, was the fact she had no hair. It had all been buzzed off. Kimmy may have mistaken her for a boy if she hadn't been stood so close to her - to the point she could make out her soft, childlike features. There wasn't a doubt in Kimmy's mind that the stranger was a girl.

"I'm sor- I'm sorry," Kimmy apologied abruptly. Hoping to put the small girl at ease upon seeing the terrified look which had crossed her features custody of Kimmy's raised voice moments prior. "I'm sorry. You just gave me a scare - that's all."

The girl said nothing in response.

The horror filled look still refusing to drop past her face.

"Uh- are you lost?" She tried next, still unsure of what she could possibly say or do to put the stranger at ease. "Do you need help?"

Still, no answer.

Kimmy let out a sigh of frustration. She had no idea what to do with the very nearly traumatised girl. It's not like she could have taken her back to her house - Kimmy was sure it would most likely result in the girl becoming even more shaken than she already was.

"Do you-" Kimmy was cut off as a muffled voice spoke out rather loudly behind her. Repeating the same words she had asked aloud earlier.

"Who the hell-"

Thinking on her feet, Kimmy spin around and hit whoever had called out to the pair in the face. Her hand curling into a fist on its own accord. A loud groan could be heard as well as a thud of something hitting the floor.

Though, she soon realised her mistake. However not soon enough.

A bright light was shone directly into her face, dazzling her as she was forced to squeeze her eyes shut while using both hands to shield her face.

Almost instantly after, several voices called out to her all at once.

"What are you doing here?"

"Who are you?"

"Have you seen-"

"If you want me to answer any of your stupid questions then I suggest you move that light from my eyes before I'm blinded." Kimmy retorted, trying her best to sound brave for herself and the helpless girl stood cowering behind her.

Murmers of agreement were heard as well as three seperate clicks before the brightness was gone and Kimmy could open her eyes once more.

She blinked several times in hope to recollect herself before her vision focused and she got a clear view of the four boys stood opposite her - well, three technically. Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler and Lucas Sinclair were all stood side by side with puzzled looks on their faces.

Aaron Harrington was crouched over next to them, clutching onto his nose with the only source of light being the disreguarded flashlight on the ground at the blond's feet. The flashlight obviously being the thud which had been heard moments before.

Kimmy was sure a look of utter horror crossed her face as she came to the realisation that she had just punched Aaron in the face.

"Aaron, I am so sorry," she called out, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder, unsure on how to comfort him. "I didn't know who you were and I'd just ran into-"

Kimmy trailed off, motioning to the small scared girl behind her who his three friends had begun questioning. Uninterested in what the two of them were conversing about. 

Aaron snapped his head up upon realising it had been Kimmy who had hit him in the face, standing up straight almost instantly.

"It's fine, don't worry about it, Kimmy." Aaron dismissed gently as he waved his hand acting as if it wasn't a big deal or as if he hadn't been injured. "Didn't even hurt."

Didn't even hurt.

With the blood pouring from his nose and down his chin to the way his voice shook in way it hadn't before when he spoke to the slight gloss to his eyes - Kimmy highly doubted that.

"Are you sure?" She called over the rain, watching as most of the blood appeared to wash away with the downpour.

"Yeah, promise," he mumbled with a forced smile of reassurance, doing his best to sound unbothered.

Kimmy noticed he had the same black hat on that he had on the same day she had run into him at the cliff side, only this time it was partially hidden by the hood of his coat.

"Who is that you're with anyway?" Aaron asked as he picked up his flashlight from the mud track, doing what Kimmy presumed to changing the topic.

Kimmy almost asked what he and his friends were doing out, before she remembered that he had told her before his brother had arrived that they were going out that night to look for Will.

"I'm not really sure," Kimmy answered, scrunching her nose slightly as she watched Aaron's brows knit together in confusion. "I just ran into her now, scared me shitless."

While that last part hadn't been a lie, Kimmy had added it to hopefully add some light to the situation. A small smile tugging on her lips as Aaron began to snicker - glad that he hadn't been lying to her and that he actually wasn't mad at her for what she had done to his nose.

"I see you didn't listen to what you were told," Kimmy muttered in a somewhat teasing tone, unsure of what to say.

A sheepish look as well as the smallest of smirks crossed Aaron's features.

"Well I told you we weren't going to listen to him, didn't I?" Aaron replied, obviously doing his best to make it look like he wasn't scared. The way his demeanour had switched when he had realised she was there was almost as if he wanted to impress her or something. "And anyway, I'm not scared of the woods-"

Aaron couldn't even finish his sentence because he snapped around to catch a glimpse of behind him before stepping closer to Kimmy out of fear.

"I think something's there," he whispered to her. Causing Kimmy to roll her eyes because Kimmy now knew that Aaron, was in fact, scared of the woods.

Kimmy went to tell him not to worry and that he was alright but a voice behind her stopped her from doing so.

"Seriously, guys," one of the boys spoke up from behind her. Causing both Kimmy and Aaron to look behind her.

The boy with the curly hair - Dustin - had been the one to break the silence from the two groups. A worrisome look playing on his features.

"This is freaking me out," he continued. "We should go."

Kimmy couldn't have agreed more.

...

Two updates in two days look at me omg

I don't know about anyone else but I wish I went to hogwarts so bad 😫

Anyway I don't really have anything to say lol hope everyone has a great day!!!

Comments and votes are very appreciated :))

-AJ :)