No one is susceptible to death.

It doesn't discriminate against no one. Death could be waiting, looming, around the corner. Age is not a necessary factor when it came down to the grim reaper purging souls and taking them in to the afterlife. Melissa Byers never feared an early death, in life, she stands opposed waiting for deaths cold embrace to take her. It wasn't her first time facing danger, childhood trauma remained constant in her mind coming back home to Hawkins, Indiana.

An 'Now entering Hawkins' sign greets her, like an old friend. Below read 'welcome'. there is nothing welcoming about the town she left five years ago. Too many traumatic incidents to count which left a wistful, pained after taste in her mouth.

One reason for her reappearance is her brother, Will, disappearing. Joyce, her mom, had dialled her store clerk number sobbing and panicking. Jonathan, he is the second eldest when it came to the Byers kids, calmed his mother taking over talking to her.

Releasing her foot off the cars gas pedal, each of her wheels exhaling a pressurised hiss to the jolt of her car stopping its motion, she parks in an empty parking space besides a hawkins police department station wagon.

" I forgot how hot, it can get, Hawkins can be. I better take off this new Chanel cardigan! Don't want no darn sweat stains on it." Melissa unlaces her cashmere cardigan. The fabric is bouclé, not the preferred fashion choice in small south  town, which cost hundreds out of her hard earn money to buy.

A car drove past and out the rolled down glass window a wolf whistle echoes. " Let's see more of those legs, baby."

'Ugh. Seriously. As if.' Melissa folds her cardigan, over her arm, choosing to ignore the asshole.

Flicking over her curled hair, to make her face appear in full view, Melissa struts using confidence in her strides inside of the station where Joyce awaits. Air conditioning blasts and gushes cool air to her over heating body.

" Hello! I am hoping you would know where I can find Joyce Byers? I'm her daughter and was told, actually by mom, she would meet me here."

Peering over her oval prescription glasses, thin pursed lips crinkling with age, the woman named Flo eyes grow. " my word. I will be damned. Young Milly, you've grown into your beauty. Your mom is in Chief hoppers office, sweetheart. You best cover those bare shoulder blades now, dear. You hear? Don't want you to get no unnecessary stares." Melissa casts a quick Look down to her curve complimenting sheer laced, floral pin-strap pencil dress.

'It's covered. Though?' Brushing Flo and her words off in disregard Melissa points her nose to the air, swiftly parading her hips in poise and an effort of gaining attention from the precinct succeeding doing that earning low whistles, walking the short corridor leading to where Joyce sat. Lit cigarette in her fingers.

'Her smoking habit is back. This is bad.'

Joyce, misty eyed, whispers. " Milly, baby. Milly. Oh come here." just like that Melissa revert back to her mothers little girl, noting built up relief of being back in her moms hold made her break down those mental blockades she refused herself to feel. Joyce trembling breath made Melissa realise how strong her mother is. Even in formidable times such as these, she doesn't want to lose her composure.

" I missed you, Mommy." Milly states, needing to hunch her own shoulders to completely hug her mom. Five inch stilettos added on her short height to five foot eight. Joyce wrinkles her eyebrows, feeling her daughter's ribs.

" Hon. have you been eating and keepin' healthy. You're following those recipes, I sent you? Your ribs are basically pointing out of your side."

A mother's worry does not stop at a certain age. Joyce's words replay in Melissa's mind. It wasn't on purpose to starve herself. Stress, and hyper focusing on branching her developing fashion business, came first before her health. It's dangerous she knew that much.

" Momma, I will be fine, I'm not starving my self to death. I had a McDonald's cheese burger and small fry on the trip here." Joyce didn't approve of her choice in meal.

That was far less in nutrients than she would choose. She soothes her right hand over her sweet girls face, cigarette ash crumbles on the floor surface. " when we go back home, I'm going to make your favourite. Grilled cheese and pumpkin soup."

Jim hopper, chief of police, thought process wanting to be anywhere but work silences. His steaming coffee mug veils mist in his vision, chocolate glazed donut half bitten breaking to pieces mid bite, on awareness of a nice figured woman standing facing Joyce Byers. His eyes travel lower, tracing her nice bot.. " Hopper! There you are. After so long! Thank god. You kept me and Milly waiting."

Jim froze hearing 'Milly'. No, it could not be her. 'Little Melissa Byers' now she is faced in his direction, arms toned from daily work outs at a gymnasium covering her define padded bra covered breasts. 'She's gorgeous.' Melissa inhaled. " Hi, Jim." Hopper trousers contract at her voice. 'get your shit together, man.' He swallows conjuring up words. " M-Melissa Byers, as I live and breathe. Do you still have your mother's miss goody-two shoes attitude, princess? Or did you leave that in New York?".

'Typical. He is still the same ass five years later.' Joyce scolds. " I find it offensive you think low of me, Hopper. And my girl. I've been here over an hour, and the best you have is to insult my daughter? Right in my face? There is a pressing issues here concerning my missing son." Joyce snaps, entering her auto pilot mother mode. Not appreciating hopper and his insults. 'How can he joke in a time like now. My boy is gone.'

Melissa sat on the second office chair available. Her legs switch in position, over one knee. Jim mentally notes her nice posture, then begins creating a report, adjusting the subject to the typewriter on his desk.

" I apologise, again, Joyce. Milly. But if we are being real here. Look, boy his age, he's probably just playing Hookie. Okay?"

Will is a boy who never breaks rules. Home by the time street lights are on. There is nothing Melissa knew already from her brother and his past behaviour. this was unusual.

" No, Not my will. He's not like that. He wouldn't do.. T.." Joyce argues, knowing her son. A mother's intuition should not be put to question. Melissa nods.

" My brother prefers pizza nights, playing D&D in Mike wheelers basement. He is not a law breaker. What? Will sends letters, ever since he learned how to write in elementary school, Mom. But now that I think, it's been a couple of days since his last."

Joyce heart warms to the thought her little boy is sending letters, wanting to communicate and talk to his sister. It made his vanishing harder and furthering her own heart ache.

" How sweet that is, to hear, I mean. My mom though I was on the debate team, when really I was just screwing Chrissy carpenter in the back of my dad's Oldsmobile, so.."

Melissa didn't hide her disgust, forgetting how much of a pig ( Pun to the full intention ) Jim Hopper is. " Lose that look, sweetheart. I have no shame about my past and sex life. Don't flatter yourself there." Hopper comments, leaning his full weight on his wooden desk.

Milly scoffs, dry laughter left her, on purpose. ' he really knows how to get under my skin.'

" Look, he's not like you, Hopper. He's not like me or Mill's in a way you think he is. He's.. not like most. Yes he has a couple of friends, but, you know, the kids. They're mean. They make fun of him. Call him names. They laugh at him, his clothes."

Joyce lists off will's insecurities, reasons for his bullying. Will Byers is a shy boy but in the presence of his sister, before she left to pursue her career in fashion, he is a changed boy. Full of life. Just eight years of age he was.

" His clothes? What's wrong with his clothes?" Jim quires not certain if the choice of clothing is valid for his case. " Does that really have any matter in what is going on here, Jim? Sorry. Chief." Melissa questions, her waxed and fresh plucked eye brow shot up.

" Maybe." Jim replies, his voice dropping in tone, gruff; roughly. If there was anything Jim hopper did not appreciate is sarcasm. Specifically Melissa Byers sharp tongue. 'She is too much like her mother. It's criminal.'

Joyce ignores hoppers glare that challenges Melissa's. " Lonnie... he.. Lonnie used to say he was queer. Called him a fag." Milly's face shifts to discomfit. Typical of her own father subjecting his homophobic bigotry on will.

her best guy friends and employees are homosexual, gay. She had to personally install camera surveillance in her New York stores, to honour her and their safety. Police were called on a protester group harassing customers and guards were hired. There was no problem after.

" Is he?" Melissa glare goes back, scoffing with sarcasm. " My brother is missing is what he is. Now are we done with the one hundred and one questions, here." Jim leans in his seat, taking her irate guise in account.

'She looks like her mom. right now. That's terrifying.' He smiled, quite little but not visible enough for her to see. 'She's beautiful.'

" When was the last you heard from Lonnie?" Jim now directs the question on Joyce, knowing to not ask Milly at her reactive response to his name.

" uh, Last I heard, he was in Indianapolis. That was about a year ago when he tried contacting Milly asking for cash. Cause, why not put money before making an actual relationship with his daughter. Like the piece of crap he is. Excuse my language, here. But this and he have nothing to do with this."

Jim hums, it rumbles his chest, choosing one yellow pencil to write his phone number on a spare sticky note. Sparing glances on occasion to Melissa. She was watching him.

" why don't you give me his number?"

Joyce gets on the defensive, not wanting any thing to do with Lonnie Byers. Hand on her daughter's leg seeking comfort.

" Trust me, Hopper. He has nothing to do with this. Nothing." Melissa stuck by her mom and the sentiment.

Her dad would be ridiculous to try and take will. Why start now?

" Joyce. Ninety nine out of one hundred times, kid goes missing, the kid is with a parent or relative." Those statistics don't bring any relief. Melissa sighs, quietly, but not so loudly as to draw attention. Holding her mom's hand. Joyce could rely on her little girl to be there as a source of provided support. An anchor.

" w-what about the other time? You said Ninety nine out of one hundred. Where did the last one percent go, what about that one."

" Joyce. Milly, This is Hawkins, okay? You know the worst thing that's ever happened here in the four years I've been working here? Do you want to know the worst thing? Is when an owl attacked Eleanor Gillespie's head 'cause it thought that her hair was a nest."

Melissa wished Jim would take her brother missing as serious as it should be taken. 'I can't sit here long enough. If I stay I will snap. I don't want to be arrested for the assault on an officer.' Jim cocks a Bristled eye brow, questioning her. " And where is it exactly are you rushing off, to be, now at this time?" She 'humphs' layering her lipstick on her lips.

" I have a grand-opening happening here this week. I'm leaving because I don't wish to have an assault, and battery, charge on my record. So I am removing myself from this situation."

Joyce nibbles on her lip. 'She's not happy. I know she can defend herself. At least one thing she picked up from that good for nothing is her ability to use her hands.'

Jim is left loss for words. Not sure how he should reply to her confession. He clears those thoughts out of his head, pushing and suppressing what arousal he does feel.

'What the fuck is wrong with you.'

Melissa had driven to her newest boutique location in town. Prices to buy were incredibly low, reasonable and easy to afford. In Indiana it was not common for a woman to own a store but Milly beat those stereotypes using her designer heels. It was just another price tag to add to her growing brand.

Mannequins are bare, naked, in the windows. Melissa had not hired employees. Waiting on applicant's interest in her store. 'Hound dog' by Elvis is connected on the radio frequency, static sound out of each speaker. She thrums her fingers, to the lyrics, contenting herself in the sound of silence.

" I see you have conjectured yourself as the leading woman in entrepreneur culture, Milly." Melissa flinches, taken in surprise from Jim's sudden voice.

" Jesus Christ, Jim. You don't just sneak up on a lady, you gotta announce you're here, gosh."

He huskily laughs. His voice is grave, exhalation deep in how he talks. " Little Milly Byers. Oh, how, you have not changed at all. I am thoroughly astonish by the fact you could be a boss lady. Figured no one would want to work under you, given how bossy you are. I am certain someone has quit while under your belt." Jim had taken off his open road fedora.

Melissa didn't take her eyes off the metal racks of stock she had to un do and sort by colour. " I will have you know, Jim Hopper. I was named latest leading woman in Vogue magazine. First female boss to grace the cover. I had the greatest experience of being interviewed for my success alone. In the field of fashion." Jim had to admit, her passion for the industry of creating art through clothes wasn't a particular interest in his work but listening to her Melissa made him hush his smart ass response.

" Well. I will leave you to be the boss lady, that you are. Thought I'd give this place a good 'ol scouting, just Incase there was any trouble. You left a trail of fire going off the station, it's a shocker this place didn't catch fire. Kidding."

Milly threw a roll of scarf material. He dodge her 'attack.'

" Dick."

" Yes, I have one of those."

-

JASMINE SPEAKS;

Hello! As you can see, I did my first chapter. I worked on this for too long continuously thinking and back-spacing on things I didn't like. But I got to writing it down actually this time. The wonders of being a writer is finding the words to use in your books.

Plus too, today I got a comment ( Completely nice how they said it and weren't rude ) not necessarily a bad observation made on their part but it was about how I punctuated my paragraphs. I'm not the greatest when it comes to working on how I write, I know.

Just a little tiring being told something i know I am already struggling in. So it dampened how I was feeling about writing this chapter if I am going to be honest here with you guys. Sigh. It is fine though honestly, it was them giving me advice. But thank you for supporting encouragement on my books. Your comments are so appreciated. Really they make me smile.

On to the chapter and Milly. How do you like Milly and Jim? What would you guys think will happen and want to see in the book? Leave your vote & a comment your theories.