I walked with the chief since I wasn't old enough to be by myself.

"We'll find her, won't we, chief?" I asked, concerned.

"We will," he said, determined. "We will, or your dad, or your mom."

"What if they run into the demigorgon?" I asked.

"Then they run like hell."

I looked around. This place was frightening. I would probably have nightmares.

"Chief, I'm scared." I said. "Can we please leave soon?"

"Once we find Sam, we can leave and go to the hospital."

"And when will that be?" The chief looked at a wall beside us.

"It will be now."

p.2

"Angie? Nick? Do you copy?" The chief called into the walky-talky.

"Yeah, I copy," Nick answered, choked up.

"What's wrong, dad?"

"Your mom won't be coming back." I sat in shock.

"We found Sam," the chief continued. "We're at the Byers' house."

"Okay. I'll try to find my way there without being maimed or killed."

"Okay. I'll see you soon." The chief put up the walky talky. "I'm so sorry," he said, looking at me.

"It's fine. We just have to focus on getting Sam to the hospital." C hief nodded.

"I'm here," my dad said, running up to us, carrying my mom's body. I looked at her. She was covered in green slime and blood. Her face was frozen in a scream.

"Mom..." I whispered, tearing up. I never got to say goodbye. I looked up at my dad, and I noticed the tear stains on his face.

"We need to find a portal, and get Sam to the nearest hospital," the chief said. My dad and I nodded.

"Let's go."