4th December, 1985
Metal screeched, gears turned, and the door to the interrogation room swung open.
Papa stepped inside, approaching Eleven, who sat at the table, her hands cuffed.
Papa's face twisted into a frown, and he glared at the agent standing across from her, who clutched the revolver at his waist.
"Take those off," he ordered, and the agent stepped towards her, before unlocking the cuffs, which slid off her hands.
Eleven rubbed her wrists, which were chafed, and had become sore.
"Leave us," Papa ordered, and the agent slid out of the interrogation room, sealing the metal door behind him.
Papa glanced at Eleven, whose eyes were fixed to her feet. "Care to explain what happened back there?" he asked in a harsh voice that suggested that the doctor's patience had ran out.
"Make has nothing to do with this," Eleven assured him. "I was just trying to protect him."
"And by doing so, you've jeopardized this entire operation," Papa snapped viciously. "Do you have any idea how long we've spent searching for the Shapeshifter?"
Eleven avoided Papa's gaze. He leaned over her, and asked in a gentle voice, "You are still going to help, aren't you?"
Eleven gazed up at Papa, her eyes narrowed hatefully. "Why do you think I stayed?" she asked.
Eleven faced a stainless steel table, upon which sat a large object, cloaked in a white sheet.
Across the table, there stood a short, plump scientist. Nervous, the scientist clicked his pen, a clipboard under his arm. His forehead was dripping with sweat.
At her side, stood Papa, who gazed down at Eleven, and smiled warmly, before turning to the scientist, and nodding, his smile fading.
The scientist pulled away the sheet, revealing the carcass of a dog-like animal, its corpse dripping with slime.
That was when Eleven noticed that the animal didn't have a face.
Eleven gasped, and recoiled.
"It's okay, Eleven," Papa assured her, gently grasping her shoulder. "Just… breath," he encouraged in a soft voice.
Eleven slowed her breathing, then reached out towards the Demo-Dog, placing her hand on the monster's belly.
Its skin was as cold as ice.
"Now, close your eyes," Papa instructed.
Eleven closed her eyes.
"That's it," Papa uttered softly. "Now, reach out."
Eleven breathed in, and back out. Her heartbeat slowed, and then-
Darkness.
The sound of Eleven's feet splashing in the water echoed into infinity.
Suddenly, a record scratched, and an electric guitar began to blare.
Spinning around, Eleven was greeted by a suited man, sitting in an armchair. He was a short, chubby man with curly hair and thick rimmed glasses. He smiled playfully, gazing beyond Eleven.
Looking over her shoulder, Eleven saw a tall, red-headed woman, wearing a red dress, stepping towards the man in the armchair.
The woman in the red dress passed through Eleven as though she were a ghost, and approached the man in the armchair, the music still blaring.
The man in the armchair chuckled as the woman in the red dress climbed on top of him. "So, the Mayor of Hawkins gets his own private dance," he said, smiling widely. "It's a good thing my wife's working nights."
The woman in the red dress caressed his cheek, and the Mayor of Hawkins recoiled, his smile fading.
"Your hand," he uttered. "It's freezing."
"Woah, here she comes," a distant voice sang. "Watch out boy, she'll chew you up."
The woman in the red dress gazed at the Mayor of Hawkins, her eyes widening as she licked her lips. "Chew. You. Up," she said in a hoarse voice.
The Mayor's eyes widened in fear. He gazed up at the woman in the red dress. "Brandy?" he uttered.
Tendrils began to sprout from out of Brandy's mouth, dripping with slime as they stretched out towards the Mayor, who began to shriek. The tendrils clasped the Mayor's neck, tightening around his throat, and he began to choke.
Brandy's soft skin began to contort, transforming into a coarse, slimy rind.
As the Mayor gasped for air, Eleven's heart raced. She heard a snap, and the Mayor's gasps silenced.
Eleven slipped, falling into the water with a splash.
The Monster quickly turned around, and screeched at Eleven, its mouth spreading open like a flower, revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth.
Eleven screamed.
"Eleven!" a voice yelled, calling out to her through the darkness.
Suddenly, Eleven was blinded by light.
"Eleven, it's okay!" Papa assured her, clutching her shoulders.
Eleven gazed at Papa, her eyes wide with fear.
"You're safe," he promised.
Eleven caught her breath. "Hawkins," she uttered.
"What?"
"The Shapeshifter," she said. "It's in Hawkins."
Chapter 4: The Shapeshifter
5th December, 1985
Mike sat on the grass, overlooking the highway, the headlights like beacons illuminating the dark road below.
He heard shuffling and, to his right, Nancy approached.
"You okay?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. She rubbed her hands awkwardly.
Mike was silent, and continued to watch the cars zipping along the highway.
Nancy took a seat next to him, and began watching the cars, her eyes darting from left to right as they sped past.
"Why'd she stay?" Mike asked, interrupting the silence. "Why didn't she come with us?"
Nancy sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe she thought she could help."
"Help?" Mike echoed, confused.
"Mike," Nancy began, her voice soft and gentle, and much unlike the nagging, complacent sister he was so used to. "I know how much you care about Jane, but this is so much bigger than just the two of you," she explained. She sighed, then said, "Listen, Mike… Earlier, when we were at the Hive… We found something," she revealed. "A portal."
Mike's eyes widened, and he turned to Nancy. "The Gate," he uttered. "That's where it came from."
"Where what came from?" asked Nancy.
"The Shapeshifter…"
Leftover fuel dripped out of the nozzle, and onto the concrete below, as Jonathan dragged the hose towards his Ford LTD, and slipped the nozzle into the fuel tank.
Squeezing the handle, Jonathan heard the fuel begin to chug.
Nancy approached, a troubled look across her face.
She looked tired, but Jonathan knew better than to tell her that. "How's he doing?" he asked instead.
Nancy stood with her arms crossed as she shivered in the cold, her skirt billowing in the wind. "I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head.
The fuel continued to chug, and Jonathan turned away. "Look, Nancy," he began, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry for getting us mixed up in all of this," he uttered.
"What?" said Nancy.
"I'm the one who thought it'd be a good idea to chase this story," Jonathan reminded her. "I should have known we were in over our head."
"Jonathan, this isn't your fault," Nancy assured him.
Jonathan turned to her, his eyebrows furrowed with worry. "I nearly got us all killed, Nancy," he said, before the chugging finally ceased, and he pulled the nozzle from out of the tank, before hanging it back on its hook.
Nancy stepped towards him. "If it hadn't have been for you, I might never have found my little brother," she assured him.
Jonathan sighed, and pulled Nancy into a warm and loving embrace.
Steve sat atop a dumpster, digging into a bag of Tato Skins.
Munching on the chips, Steve watched as Nancy and Jonathan shared a long embrace.
Suddenly, Steve heard a spark. Beside him, Kenny leaned against the dumpster, lighting a cigarette.
Steve watched as Kenny took a drag of his cigarette, and blew out a puff of smoke, before turning to Steve, and nodding courteously.
Steve offered the bag of Tato Skins to Kenny, who grinned, before reaching into bag, and taking a handful of chips.
Over by the fuel pumps, Jonathan still had his arms wrapped around Nancy.
"So," Kenny began, his mouth full. "How long have you been in love with the girl?" he asked, before sinking a handful a chips.
Steve turned to Kenny, his jaw hanging open.
"Wh- What?" he stuttered.
Kenny tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowed.
Steve rolled his eyes. "We used to date in high school," he admitted.
"What happened?" asked Kenny, before licking his fingers.
Steve sighed. "I messed up," he said.
"And now, what, she's caught in a love triangle between two haircuts?" asked Kenny, chuckling.
Steve shook his head, a somber look on his face. "She made her choice," he said.
Kenny's laughter faded. "Still" he said. "You could just tell her how you feel."
"It's too late for that," Steve assured him.
"Not for you," Kenny replied. "As for me, my wife died eleven years ago," he explained. "Every time I think about her, I find myself wishing that I'd have just told her how much I loved her a little more often."
Kenny dropped his cigarette, stubbing it with his boot, and said, "Don't end up like me, wishing you'd have said something when you still had the chance."
Kenny turned his back on Steve, and began to walk away.
Steve watched as Kenny disappeared into the dark.
He tipped the bag of Tato Skins into his mouth.
Kenny approached Mike, who sat on the grass, overlooking the highway.
Kenny groaned as he took a seat next to Mike, who stared blankly ahead.
Silence followed, and Kenny shuffled awkwardly.
"After my wife died, me and my son moved out into the country," Kenny explained, smiling faintly. "Malcolm hated me for it. He had to change schools, make new friends… I just wanted us to start afresh."
There was a pause, and Mike remained silent, his face void of expression.
"One day, I think he would have come to understand that, what I did, I did for us, and maybe he would have even learned to thank me for it," said Kenny, before turning to Mike, his eyes wide. "What I did to you kids… Tricking you like that… It was wrong, and I'm not asking you to forgive me… I just want you to understand why…"
Mike turned to him, his eyes filled with tears. "I understand," he said, his voice trembling.
Kenny smiled widely, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"But, that doesn't mean that I don't hate you for it," Mike continued, before turning away from Kenny.
Kenny's heart sank, and his smile faded.
He turned to the highway, watching the cars zipping along the highway, and towards an unknown destination.
Beyond the horizon, the sun began to rise.
5th December, 1985
The sun rose over Downtown Hawkins, and Hawkins Police Station was silhouetted against a pale blue sky.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears played on the radio, as Chief Jim Hopper pulled up in front of Hawkins Police Station.
Climbing out of the truck, Callahan stepped out of the station, and approached Hopper, grinning widely. "Mornin', chief," he said, clutching his belt.
Hopper swung open the passenger door, revealing Alvin, who sat in the backseat, staring blankly ahead.
"Well?" Hopper yelled, his eyebrows raised.
"Well?" Alvin echoed, his face void of expression.
"Son of a bitch," Hopper cursed, before grabbing Alvin, and dragging him out of the truck.
Alvin's skin was cold to the touch.
"So, you found the perp that broke into the Mayor's house?" Callahan asked, walking by Hopper's side as he marched Alvin towards the police station. "Hey, where are his handcuffs?"
"Nobody broke in," Hopper tried to explain. He sighed, then said, "It's a long story."
"Long story," Alvin repeated, tripping clumsily as he was dragged by Hopper.
"Any lucking finding Mrs. Henderson's boy?" Hopper asked.
"Not yet," Callahan replied.
"Well, keep looking," Hopper encouraged.
"That's not all, chief," Callahan admitted, coming to a halt outside the police station. "The boy's friends… They're all missing too."
"What?" said Hopper, a mild chuckle escaping him in disbelief.
"Powell's questioning the Wheelers as we speak," Callahan he explained. "They haven't seen their son since he left home for school yesterday morning," he continued, then smiled. "Funny," he said. "It always seems to be that same bunch of kids."
Hopper's smile had faded. "What about Will?" he asked.
"Byers?" asked Callahan. "At home with his mother." He waggled his winger, and said, "There was another boy with them, too."
Hopper paused, before releasing Alvin, and turning his back on them both.
"Hold him for questioning," he instructed, approaching his truck. "I'll be back."
"Where you goin', chief?" Callahan yelled, as Alvin stood at his side, staring blankly at his badge.
I hope you're all still enjoying stranger Things 3! We're about halfway through now, but there are still plenty of more surprises to come!
Please leave a REVIEW. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story so far.
-G