Eleven listened as Hopper talked to the two rangers who were running the camp, learning just what Hopper's reasons for coming here were.
"Sheriff Mitchell huh? I didn't know that he cared about these parts up here," the lady ranger said. "Yeah we been hearing some reports about some bears in the area. Since I was up here I figured I could stop by. Maybe check it out in the morning?" Hopper suggested.
The two rangers exchanged a look at the man said, "Yeah. Sure that would be fine. We can find a place for you and your girl to stay."
"Thanks Matt," Hopper said as he and the lady walked out to where his adoptive daughter was waiting. "I think we have a free bunk for the little lady, I can take her over to the girl's cabin," Peters remarked. Hopper hugged her and said, "Go on then."
Back in Hawkins, Nancy had spent most of the day pouting and trying to not think about the mess she was in. Her dad called her down and she had a quiet dinner with them as she kept staring off and thinking of Steve and Jonathan.
"Dear eat your food," her mom said as her dad continued to read the paper and then she muttered, "Can I Be excused to my room?"
"Hey since your boyfriend is out maybe you can help me around the house," her dad said as he put the newspaper down. She paused as something in the paper caught her attention and she muttered, "Yeah sounds great... hey are you done with that paper?"
He shrugged and past it to her as she grabbed her plate and her mom asked, "Nancy! Where are you going?"
"Night Mom," she shouted as she slammed the door and looked down at the article.
As she continued to read it her expression went more and more grim and then completely pale.
As the night darkened, Eleven found herself amid a group of girls that she hardly recognized and tried to be friendly and feel like this was what she wanted. She didn't want to give Hopper the impression that she didn't want to be here. The only one she did know was Max, the redhead she still wasn't on good terms with.
As everyone got into bed and giggled about her strange behavior, she closed her eyes and tried again to tell herself that this was exactly what she had wanted. The storm grew louder and Max jumped and said from the top bunk, "I hope it doesn't do this the whole time we are here."
Jane ignored her and listened to the noise, finding comfort in it as she heard something rustling and sat up, wondering what it could be.
Across the camp, all lights had gone out except for a few exterior ones as the rain pelted the quaint camp. Will Byers shivered as he heard the storms , trying not to be frightened by the noise and yet staying awake as he heard each and every noise that made him jump nervously. I can do this, he thought as he imagined some strange monster moving thru the forest.
Oddly Dustin was also having the same type of nightmare, his memories of D'art flashing in his mind as he wondered where the Demodog had gone and each strange sound made him think the creature he had befriended had come back from the dead.
And Eleven was listening as well, imagining something else amid the forest coming out and standing there in the dark cabin and waiting to see what might come from the shadows. The other girls were all asleep and so didn't notice as she walked toward the noise near the back window, a looming figure moving toward them. She clenched her fists and waited to see what might happen even as the window seemed to open by itself.
The shadow crept into the cabin, and in the dim light she could see a strange face standing there staring back at her. Eleven looked at her in disbelief, the storm outside quieting the new coming girl as she entered the room and the two shared a knowing glance at each other.
Finally she stepped toward the strange girl and said the word she dared not to ask, "Sister...?"
END OF CHAPTER ONE