Children going all out for the Halloween spirit, dressed in their best costumes chosen months before this faithful night of spooks and horror, roam the pavements of Piney Wood lane. Each of those single kids each had stories to tell of it. It was a night, of the year, who one wouldn't judge if they chose to be in a clown attire or an absurd and obscure get up.

Melissa Byers had memories, of her previous younger days trick-or-treating in the local neighbourhoods. Eating chocolate bars, which could be the size of her own head, to sugar-overload on Oreos.

Joyce's face each time she'd come home, sneaking a few of her candy bars to Jonathan and will with no fail spoiling their dinner, always brought out the loudest of her laughs.

" Trick or treat!"

Dustin, Lucas, Will, Mike all said in unison to an older lady that answers the door.

Her round-set face wrinkled as her aging eyes began turning to the three older girls.

" Aw. Well, aren't you guys cute? An adorable cat, the prettiest devil I've seen, and a bunny rabbit I see? You girls reminds me to a time where I was much younger. I'm so happy today's girls in youth get to enjoy the freedom of trick or treating. Being kids again. Here you go, ladies."

She reminisces on her girlhood and admired how times had changed for women.

" look at you cuties! The little exterminators. Oh. You four are just cute as a button. I take it these four are your little ones, ladies? You're a little young to be mothers?"

Melissa, Kat and Mandy simultaneously said.

" Brothers. We are their sisters."

Clearing her confusion about the matter and to stop her further assumptions. It made her feel ashamed, there is an awkward beat, where the boys all looked to their sisters.

" Common misconstrue. It happens, it won't be the last time I'm mistaken to be my brother's mom. Don't worry, Ma'am."

Milly said, sharing a little smile to her in hopes of not making the hilariously obvious mistake less likely to be an issue of embarrassment.

" Have a good night."

She waved and made her leave, hands on Will's shoulder guiding him down the slight sloped hill her house sat on. He would object, usually, if it was Jonathan but Melissa is an exception. Katherine had her hand out, waiting for Dustin to realise she wanted a piece of a chocolate bar she liked 'three musketeers'. Nougat.

" If I get another three musketeers, I'm gonna actually kill myself."

Lucas vented his annoyance about the choice limitations of candy tonight.

" What is wrong with them? They're good."

Declared Kat, ready to argue with his distaste for those childhood sugary sweet treats she loves. " No one likes three musketeers." Mike retorts. Kat, going to defend her first love of her life, stops at Amanda puts her hand up.

" I don't think you should argue with him on that. You won't win, girl. Trust me I've seen just how easy Luc and Mike can get into a fight. So not worth it." Mandy, her cat nose smudged, states. Recounting the first time she had seen Lucas and Mike fight. It was because of Lucas bad-mouthing eleven last year.

" it's.. it's pure garbage. If you want real chocolate, I suggest Reece's peanut butter cups! That's one of the best. Nancy loves it. Speaking of Nance! She wants to see you, again, Milly!"

Mike says, his Halloween sack of assorted sweets ruffled.

" She can't stop talking 'bout you, it's honestly pretty irritating. But I can't blame her there."

All of a sudden a girl jumped out of the street. Her Michael Meyers white rubber mask, and decoy knife, swung in a swish motion yelling a 'Boo'.

Lucas did the most girlish scream Milly had heard. Amanda woofed a cackle at Luca's fright. Max Mayfield laughed revealing it was her underneath. " Holy shit! You should have seen the look on your faces."

She giggled and is impressed by how the collected unfazed face's of Katherine, Mandy and Milly stare back. " it's nice to see you enjoying the spirt of tonight. I didn't think cool girls, like yourselves, would be out strolling the streets with these losers."

Max said, all sarcastic, curiosity strewn in how she spoke. " And you? Who screams like that? You sounded like a little girl." She directed her next words to Lucas, eyes shining playful. She prances on the broad walk pavement, heading to her next potential victim to scare.

" Hey. Are you guys, and gals, coming or not? Oh, I heard we should hit up loch Nora. If you girls want a change of scenery, from these idiots, there is a party going on at this real rich kids part of the town. That looks like your scene. You know? A cool, popular, girl hang-out. Or you can come!"

Milly laughed out loud. " You think we were the popular girls? Far from it, Actually." Said Melissa, to the knife holding girl. Keeping it all honest. " Trust me, Hon. we are Not those girls who're not afraid to have fun. Much like Cyndi lauper quotes in her song." Max grinned. She was starting to feel herself respecting Melissa.

" Oh, Girls. It's time. For .. you know.. we gotta go." Milly, remembering her promise to eleven about making her own tradition and time for a family movie night, told the girls.

" Oh! Right. Right. But we can't leave them here alone. You go, girl. We'll be alright. Go." Amanda ushered Melissa out on the street curb. " Have fun. You deserve it."

She added, winking Anna way it's suggested that she wanted Milly to get action.

Will, knowing this could be the time he could finally enjoy freedom of being a kid is confused at his sister's secretive way of acting, faced her.

" You're leaving?" He made a confused noise.

" Sorry, Willy-Wonka. I know I said I would be here once you're all done, for the night. I just.. I made a plan to have dinner with Hop. I promise I ain't ditching you."

This was her basically telling half-the-truth.

Understanding her, will nodded. Face lightening up. " Okay! I'll see you when you get back, Mill. Tell chief that I say hi!"

Mikes face twists still finding it gross, and difficult, how Milly could get in a relationship with an old man such as the chief.

" I will relay that for you."

Melissa kissed will on his bowl cut styled hair.

╭━━━━━∙⋆⋅⋆∙━━━━━╮

Eleven, reading a diagram Hopper taught her how to decode and use to communicate, spells out 'Late'. He was late for the evening. There's a good three seconds, staring in space. The door to hoppers cabin opens, which startles eleven into casting out her left sided hand and is quick to release the hold on Melissa.

" Mom. Sorry. Mom! Sorry! Okay?"

El, worried she had hurt her mother, rushed to hug her.

" No. no. I should say sorry. I should've did our code. I'm silly and forgot."

Milly wiggled her fingers, in a little brief fashion of dismissal, winded from it.

" I bought the Candy. I know. I did say I would make it where we made our own tradition, of all nights. I just had to go out for a little, with will. You know? My brother. You helped save. I didn't want to draw suspicion to me or you. We want to keep you safe, here. You hear?"

Milly's eyes are glued on eleven's down-casted, saddened face which subsequently became an echo of delight seeing a satchel of sweetened goods and food. Melissa passed the sheet to her. When eleven takes the made-shift sack, Milly is brought in to a Vision. Drawn back in to that Place, again.

" Mo..Momma. Mom. Momma!"

El, dread and fear seeping in her face, witness Him hypnotising her mother. Eyes clouding. It terrified eleven, catching her mom's fall, to see Milly shivering in terror. Tears cascading her face. " Leave her alone! You leave mom, now!".

You'll be joining us, Milly. You'll be with us, no matter who or what will be sacrificed. Then I will have you, permanently. Like it should've from the beginning. No more obstructions.

Henry's voice beguiled, and enticed, Melissa's mind with a promise. No one could stop him from bringing her back to the upside down. Even if he had to Kill everyone in that dreaded place he called a town. Starting with her lover.

If he can't have her. No one could.

Gasping Melissa is freed from his hold. Hysterical cries left out her mouth, grasping tight at eleven's arms and El stayed huddled on the wood planked-floors.

" When will he leave me alone? I cannot.. I can't do this. I can't take it, anymore."

Melissa sobbed, in result of her courage breaking and crumbling. 'It's not fair on eleven. She needs a strong mom.' El shoved her head in her Mom's shoulder.

" Don't cry, Mommy. Crying makes... makes me sad." Her own tears welled up as she felt an empathetic response to her mother. Mel continued to tightly embrace eleven, needing a moment of calmness she found in Her Girl.

'It's Getting worse. Next time he is.. is going to actually kill me. that scares the shit out of me.'

╭━━━━━∙⋆⋅⋆∙━━━━━╮

Knocks come from outside. Hopper had been driving, spotting Melissa's convertible parked in its usual place on the tree borders, thankful eleven had her there. Milly, coiled on eleven's bed with the soft hooting of owls comforting her, heard those three thuds.

" Hey, Kid. Open up, all right? Look. I know I'm late. If your mother is the person I do know, I know she has gotten to the candy before me. I brought more, though. The good stuff."

Jim announces, jiggling a Jack-o-lantern Halloween bowl for El.

" Please. Will you open the door? I'm going to freeze to death out here." He made a point at slapping the door threshold outside. Melissa assured eleven to let hopper in.

Despite being previously unwilling to let him inside, as in her mind she needed to protect Milly.

El unlatched all Locks and deadbolts on the door, listening to footsteps making a bee-line to the bedroom. It didn't take long for Jim's grave voice to talk.

" Kid? Open up, Would you? Your mom there? With you? I got, I got uh.. stuck somewhere. I kinda lost track of time." Hopper told El.

" Are you in there, Mills. Baby? Usually I'd hear your voice by now."

No reply. That worried hopper. He decided it wasn't worth pushing her to tell him, much as it pained him she wasn't talking.

'Was it something I said?' Jim thought placing his self on the red sofa. " Don't worry. I will be out here, eating all of this candy. Getting fat. It is unhealthy, and not ethical, to leave me here. All alone. Who will stop me from eating these."

Jims head, and neck, cracked when the door is opened. Milly, eyes despondent and sorrowed with un shed tears, wandered into Jim's  awaiting arms. Finding home in his embrace.

" What's wrong, baby. Did you have another.. Episode? Like Will has?" Jim, soothing Milly, held her head in his hands. Rocking her body. " Talk to me, Mills. Please. You're scaring me."

" it's getting worse. It's getting.. way worser. I felt suffocated, Hop." Milly exclaims, placing a hand on her nose quivering at the thought.

" I.. I had El 'round to help me. But Jim. These are bad. Real bad. It's.. progressing and I don't like it."

Hopper made her face him. Calloused hand on her jaw. " You need to see Owens, baby. He will help you, and your brother, overcome this. I just know it. I don't want you living this way."

Milly had refused in the past months to see a 'psychiatrist', a scientist working for Hawkins laboratory. She didn't trust him. Not when he's an associate of Doctor Brenner, her grandpa. It would put eleven on the radar.

" I can't. Hop."

Jim sighed, predicting it to be her answer.

" I'd rather those assholes help you, well I have not a single fucking clue how they'd help, than see you in distress. My love. Please consider it."

Melissa breathed out. 'I suppose if Doctor Owens can be trusted by will. I can trust him. I just hope I won't regret this.' The weight on his chest lessens at Milly's words. " Fine. I will go."

Hopper places a sweet, gentle, kiss on Milly's lips. She moved her fingers to caress his beard. " What was that for?" Melissa chuckles, resting her head on the place of his heart. " I love you."

" I love you as well. Hopper."

JASMINE SPEAKS;

I love sweet hopper. He has my whole heart. I enjoy writing him being all sweet, and loving, to Milly. She brings out a whole different side of him.

How do we like her little Halloween adventure with Amanda and Kat? Max meeting the girls?

I'm happy I finally got to include max. She's a character I highly sympathise with and love. I know what it's like to deal with an abusive and manipulative family member. It was my father.

It's only getting worse for Milly. And it'll get all other level of bad as the seasons continue on.

®️ Written by Jasmine. 2024