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― season one, episode five;
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3271 words

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*.✧ 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 ✧.*

Ring, ring, ring.

I padded across my soft bedroom carpet over to the phone that sat on my dresser. I picked it up and held it to my ear.

"The last place that Barb was seen was at Steve's with me, right?"

"Hello to you too, Nancy." I scoffed.

"This is serious, Belle." Nancy's tone made my taunting smile falter.

"You were the last person to see her so if you two were at Steve's, then yes, that's where she was seen last." I said, taking a seat on my floor, starting to pull at the fluffy rug beneath me, nervously.

"Okay, so maybe there's something there. A hint or a clue of some kind!"

"Nancy, this isn't a mystery novel, this is real life. I doubt Barb would think to leave any clues while she was being kidnapped." I told her.

"I think that we owe it to Barb to at least check." Nancy's words tugged at my heart strings and I sighed.

Even if I said no, Nancy would surely still go off on her own. And if there really was some serial kidnapper on the loose, there would definitely be strength in numbers.

"I think it's a terrible idea and I don't think we'll find anything..." My voice trailed off.

"But?"

"But, they can't take both of us. When are we doing this?"

━━

I was playing with my fingers in the passenger seat as Nancy pulled off to the side of the road. I looked out the front windshield to see Barb's car parked just up the street. My heart sank as reality set in.

Barb really was gone. There's no way that she would leave her car if something bad didn't happen to her.

Nancy put the car into park and I looked over at her. She had this look of determination on her face, staring straight ahead.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked.

"Positive." Nancy turned her back to me, opening the door and climbing out of the car. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves before getting out myself.

We walked up to Barb's car, the dried leaves crunching beneath our feet. Nancy peered into the car before sighing frustratedly.

"Nothing," She breathed.

I took a shaky breath before bending down and looking into the window myself. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the car. It looked like Barb had just left it there, like she intended to come back. That's what scared me.

"This is exactly where we parked that night." Nancy told me. I stood up straight to look her in the eyes. She went on, "It hasn't been touched."

I dropped my gaze to the ground, staring at my boots. Nancy grabbed my arm, causing me to jerk my head back up at her.

"Follow me," Nancy let go of my arm and started walking, with me on her heels. She led me through the woods, at quite a fast pace. We reached the top of a hill and a large house came into view.

Nancy reached back and grabbed my hand, starting to walk down the hill, practically dragging me along with her.

Then we crept along the side of the house until we came up to a large fence with a gate. Nancy pushed on it gently and, to my surprise, it was unlocked. She held it for me and I slipped inside. I took in my surroundings as Nancy shut the gate behind us.

We were standing in a massive fenced in backyard, with a big pool right in the center. I guess this was Steve Harrington's house. Nancy pushed past me and walked to the edge of the yard. "Barb?" She yelled into the woods.

I came up behind her and stared into the trees as she called out again. Maybe if I concentrated on that bush long enough, Barb would just walk on out like nothing had happened. Like it was all a joke, a big game of hide and seek.

My entire body tensed up when the bush that I was staring at actually moved. Nancy whipped her head to where I was looking and we both watched in silence for a moment. Then she stepped off the concrete and started walking right towards the noise.

Now, I'm no expert, but I don't think that you should walk towards an ominous noise.

But since I had told Nancy that I'd stick by her and they couldn't take two of us, I found myself walking right towards the ominous noise as well.

Nancy and I entered the woods, treading lighy and listening carefully.

"Barb?" Nancy's voice was quieter this time. I swallowed hard as we hiked deeper into the forest. Suddenly an eerie silence fell over us and my ears started to ring. Nancy stopped walking abruptly and I bumped into her, stumbling back.

Then a twig snapped.

It came from behind me and I jumped to face the noise, Nancy turning as well.

"Barb? Is that you?" Nancy called out while I frantically searched the trees for any signs of what was making these noises.

That's when I saw it.

A dark, tall figure moving swiftly from behind one tree to another.

Nancy must've seen it too because we both turned and started to run away at the same time. My heart has never beat as fast in my whole life as it was in this moment.

We began to sprint back towards the pool but then Nancy tripped and fell into the dirt with a thud. I scrambled to my knees to offer her my hand to help her up but then I saw her staring over my shoulder with horror written all over her face.

I didn't even look behind me, not wanting to see whatever that thing was that was in the woods. I don't even know if I could've even moved my head in that direction if I tried, so I just grabbed Nancy's hand and yanked her to her feet with a strength that I never knew I had. "Go, Nancy, go!" My voice was panicked and trembling but it got my point across because Nancy turned and ran, with me right on her trail.

We sprinted so fast it put the Hawkins High track team to shame. Out of the woods, out of the fence, back to the road, and up to Nancy's car. We both fumbled with the door handles before finally getting them open and flinging our bodies inside, slamming the doors behind us, panting.

*.✧ 𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐘 ✧.*

I stared at myself in the mirror as I brushed my hair an unnecessary amount of times. I had so many thoughts racing through my mind all at once.

If it really was Will's body that they had found, then what was going on with the lights? If it was really his body, then why do I have a gnawing feeling that there's more to it than what we were being told.

The story that the police had fed us was; Will had crashed on his bike and then tried to walk home but got lost and ended up at the quarry. Then he slipped and fell off, into the water.

And then he drowned.

I don't know what to believe right now, this is all just so confusing. Mom, of course, is refusing to accept any of it and Jonathan thinks that everything is true.

And I'm stuck in the middle of all of it.

This morning, the three of us were going to go down to the morgue, as advised by Hopper. He told Jonathan and I that maybe if Mom saw the body, she might believe that he was gone, and she could move on in her grieving process.

I had just nodded when he said this, even though I didn't know if I even believed it. Maybe I'm just in denial, at the beginning of my own grieving process, but this feels different than that.

My grandma died when I was eight and I used to call her every day to see if she'd answer, but of course she didn't. It was almost like a habit. This didn't feel like that. This felt like I just straight up didn't believe that it was Will's body that was found. I felt like I was being lied to.

I mean, I saw the lights, and I saw that thing in the wall. Mom and I both did, and we can't both be having the same exact delusions at the same time. But, I don't even know what is realistic to think anymore.

I put my hair brush down, and wiped away some stray tears. I stood up and smoothed out my jeans before stepping out into the hallway. I entered the living room and saw that Mom was asleep on the couch.

Holding an axe?

I just stood there and stared at her, feeling some more tears welling up in my eyes. I felt so horrible for her. She can't find her son, her youngest child, and she was being called crazy by everyone around her.

Except for me.

Jonathan came out of his room and stood beside me. "Has she been out here all night?" He asked me, crossing his arms.

"I think so." My voice trembled and I swiped at my watering eyes. I bit my lip and stared at the carpet as Jonathan walked over to Mom. He put his hand on her thigh and shook her gently.

"Mom?"

Mom inhaled sharply and sat bolt upright on the couch. "What...what time is it?" Her voice was hoarse.

"It's almost eight, we have to go. Me and Ash are ready." Jonathan said, speaking gently.

"Go where?" Mom shook her head, confused.

"To see Will."

━━

The pit in my stomach was so big that I felt like I might be sick.

Mom, Jonathan and I were sitting in front of a large window, staring into a medical room where a doctor was standing over a table with a blue sheet covering something underneath it.

More specifically, a body. Will's body.

The doctor moved slowly to remove the sheet and I couldn't breathe for a moment.

It was him.

I felt Jonathan stand quickly and run out of the room. I would've done the same, except for the fact that every one of my muscles was frozen, and I couldn't move an inch.

"He has a birthmark on his right arm. Can you show that to me, please?" Mom questioned.

I stared in horror as the sheet was pulled back a bit farther and Will's birthmark came into view.

My vision blurred and I felt a rush of adrenaline pump through me. I used this to stand quickly and fast walk to the exit door and fling it open.

I stepped into the waiting area, seeing Jonathan and Hopper sitting together across the room. They both looked up at my dramatic entrance. I let the door fall closed behind me and I felt my lip start to tremble.

Jonathan moved swiftly across the room and throw his arms around me just in time to support me as my legs gave out. I felt my body go limp into his arms as I began to sob into his sweater.

I couldn't even be mad at him anymore, we were both hurting so much. I think we just needed to be there for each other instead of constantly fighting. We needed to act like a family.

I felt Jonathan start to cry as well and I squeezed my arms around him tighter. We cried together for a good five minutes, not letting go or even loosening our grip.

Then Mom came out of the doors and we pulled apart to look at her. She was being chased out by the doctor.

"Ma'am, I need you to sign!" The doctor begged.

"No! I don't know what that thing in there is but that is not my son!" Mom yelled back.

This made Hopper rise from his seat and approach her. "Joyce-"

"No!" She held up her hand at him, stopping him from getting any closer. I took a step back, feeling my tears starting to fall again.

Mom stormed over to the exit door, flinging them open and going outside.

"Mom!" Jonathan called, running out after her.

I sniffled before following them both. Mom was fast walking down the sidewalk away from Jonathan who just stopped chasing her and stood there for a moment, running his hands through his hair.

Then he whipped around to face me. "Get the car. Now!" He urged. The two of us ran back to the car and scrambled to get in. Jonathan sped out of the parking lot and down the street, pulling up next to Mom. He rolled down the window and slowed the car.

"Mom! Will you get in?" He called to her.

"I-I just need to think. You two go home, I'll be there in a minute." Mom kept walking, a hand over her heart, not even looking at us.

"Mom, please!" I begged her, my voice cracking.

Mom took a turn down a street, ignoring our pleas. Jonathan slammed on the brakes and put the car in park. He got out and ran after her.

With shaking hands I unbuckled my seat belt and opened my door. My legs were trembling but I followed Jonathan as fast as I could. I covered my mouth with my hand, embarrassed to be crying like this in public, but I couldn't stop.

"Mom!" Jonathan caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Just go home, Jonathan!" Mom cried.

"No! This is not an okay time for you to shut down. We need you to come with us, and just be with us!" Jonathan begged her.

I finished crossing the street and came up to them, staying back a few feet.

"Shut down?" Mom scoffed, looking offended.

"We have to deal with this. With the funeral!"

"For who? For that thing back there!?" Mom yelled.

I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged myself. This can't be happening right now.

Jonathan sighed. "Okay, let me get this straight. That's not Will's body because he's in the lights, right? And there's a monster in the wall? Do you even hear yourself?"

"I know it sounds crazy. I sound crazy!"

"Yeah, you do!"

"You think I don't know that? It is crazy! But I heard him Jonathan, he talked to me! And Ashley saw it all too, and we can't both be crazy! So I don't care if you, or anybody else believes me! I'm not going to stop until I bring him home!" Mom yelled before turning on her heel and stomping down the street some more.

Jonathan took a shaky breath. "Yeah, well, while you're talking to the lights, the rest of us are having a funeral for Will! I'm not letting him sit in that freezer another day!"

Mom ignored him and kept walking. Jonathan turned to face me and I saw that he had tears streaming down his face.

"Get in the car, Ashley. We're going home." He muttered, brushing past me.

I considered going with him for a moment but then my adrenaline rush got the better of me and I marched off in the opposite direction of him.

I heard him shouting after me but I didn't listen. I just let myself cry harder and kept walking until I reached the edge of a forest. I pushed past some branches and entered the treeline.

I couldn't go home, I would have to face Jonathan. And I couldn't stay out in town, because I would run into Mom. I just wanted to be alone right now.

So, I hiked deeper and deeper into the woods until I couldn't see the street or even hear the cars anymore.

Once it got quiet, reality started to set in. I began to sob and my legs gave out. I hit my knees on the forest floor and caught myself with my hands. I squeezed the leaves beneath my palms, feeling anger building in my chest. In an outburst I started to throw the handfuls of leaves, screaming as I tossed them a few feet away.

How could this happen? What did I do to deserve all this? What did Will do to deserve to die?

My crying became so violent that I couldn't throw leaves or yell at the sky anymore. I leaned forward slowly until my chest touched my knees as my body shook with sobs. I dragged myself over to a tree and then sat, leaning against it. I buried my face in my arms and just let myself cry.

I had been sobbing for around ten minutes now, and my tears were starting to slow. I lifted my heavy head and looked out to the forest with my blurry eyes. I sniffed and wiped my nose on my jacket sleeve. Suddenly, I froze.

What is that?

I saw what looked like a crumpled up blue jacket laying a few feet away. I slowly rose to my feet and crept over to it. It was a jacket, a blue one with stripes.

I carefully reached out and touched it. When I pulled my hand away, I noticed my fingers felt wet, the crisp air sticking to them.

I turned my hand over to look at what was causing the sensation.

Blood.

I examined the jacket closer and confirmed that there was, in fact, half dried blood smeared across the back. I fell onto my back in shock and just stared at the sky for a moment.

Then I heard a branch crack.

I sat bolt upright and stared off into the direction of the noise. My heart was thumping loudly in my ears.

I was just getting my feet when I heard a bush rustle. I reached down and grabbed a long stick, holding it like a baseball bat. It was creepily silent for a moment and then I heard a low growling coming from behind me.

I turned around very slowly and saw nothing was there. I swear if somebody is pranking me I will murder them with this stick, right here, right now. I've had a really shitty day, so don't push me.

I tightened my grip on the stick, preparing to swing. A talk, dark figure moved out from behind a tree. I watched as a large, slimy, humanoid figure came into view. It had really long arms, with giant hands and claws on the end. And it had no face.

I didn't stick around long enough to get a good look at it. Before I could even think twice, I was sprinting full speed out of the woods.

And I didn't stop running until I reached home.

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ೃ༄ author's note!

hii guyss! i hope you liked the chapter today, thanks for reading!!

who's jacket do you think ashley found in the woods 🤭

i sure hope she doesn't get taken next...

not both my characters seeing things in the woods! everybody just needs to stay out of those damn woods! or just move to a different city all together, that would be ideal.

also belle and nancy's iconic friendship continues on, and i couldn't be more happy about it.

anyways thanks for reading!! i would love if you would vote for this chapter and follow me to be notified when i update.

love ya,
catie ♡