Day Three

Jonathan

"And get some bug spray. Maybe some citronella candles, too?" Joyce was ticking off fingers as she recited the list. She gave Hopper a playfully annoyed look. "I don't want to keep using all of Scott's supplies."

Across the table, Hopper balked. "I'm sorry. I didn't know I'd be having company."

Jonathan jotted down the list on the lined page of a notebook: bread, peanut butter, jelly, flashlights, crackers, canned soup, bug spray, citronella candles

"Oh, and we could use some more toothpaste," Joyce added as she rummaged for cash in her purse.

Hopper dropped two twenty-dollar bills on the table in front of Jonathan. "A carton of Camels, more matches and today's paper," he said. He stood up, preparing to head out and help Mr. Clarke chop firewood. At the door, he turned and added, "Go north two exits. There's a shopping center just off the highway." He pulled his hat down and walked out the door.

Jonathan's mom placed another forty dollars in his hand. "Don't be long, okay?"

Jonathan nodded. Outside the cabin, Nancy and Steve were waiting with their own brief shopping lists. "What are you going to do while we're gone?" he asked.

Joyce pressed her lips together and scanned the room. "Rake the ashes and coals out of the stove, figure out Hopper's percolator and brew some coffee, refill the lamps – oh! Can you pick up some more lamp oil?"

The news that Steve and Nancy would be leaving the camp in just a couple days didn't come as a particular shock, especially after Hopper returned from scouting Hawkins and announced that it was indefinitely uninhabitable. Jonathan expected to see most of the evacuees slowly drift out of the park and find temporary housing somewhere else. But a small part of him had believed that he and Nancy wouldn't be separated again after they escaped the monster together. He had no reason to feel that way and had no real explanation of why he did, except that the feeling existed, smoldering deep inside. And the idea that she would be traveling with Steve most of the way to Washington left him feeling unfairly hostile toward Steve. Apparently his misery was shared, as all three of them were unusually reticent, walking to Jonathan's car in silence.

He'd just opened the driver's side door when Jonathan heard hushed voices ahead. A familiar hat, surrounded by curly brown hair was bobbing around the side of the Hendersons' car. Jonathan called out to Dustin, "What are you doing?"

Dustin wasn't the only one who looked up. Suddenly Mike and Will appeared beside him, standing straight and looking nervously over the top of the car.

"I left something in my mom's car," Dustin explained. The three boys were fidgeting guiltily. Jonathan narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his brother. "What are you doing?" Dustin asked, spinning the focus on Jonathan's group.

Jonathan sighed, unwilling to fight the boys. How much trouble could they be getting into? Besides, he had to get to the store. Holding up the grocery list, he replied, "Shopping."

"Can we come?" Will asked immediately.

Jonathan gave him a hesitant look.

"We're bored," Dustin explained.

"And I need batteries," Mike added. "For my Walkie-Talkie."

Jonathan glanced in his car. Steve looked back doubtfully. Behind him, though, Nancy seemed unbothered and even moved over in her seat to make room.