Ethan drove down the road for hours with endless sleep making his body slowly drifting off and shook his head staying awake then looked at Valerie still asleep. He rubbed his eyes and pulled over to the side stopping his car. "Where are we?" Said Valerie sitting up. "Close to Indiana." Said Ethan. "What? Thats almost five hundred miles." Said Valerie. "Yeah no shit. Do you see how fucking red my eyes are?" Said Ethan pointing to his slightly red eyes with dark bags. "I love you too dickface. I'll drive before we crash." Said Valerie getting out. She walked around with Ethan crawling to Valerie's side reclining it flat to make himself comfy. Valerie started driving the rest of the way to Indiana to where the last place she never wanted to go back to. She looked at the radio seeing it was gone and back on the road seeing the power lines. 'You are trying my patients, thirteen. Try it again.' Said a man. Young Valerie looked at him scared before seeing the tub of water with rods at the bottom. She looked at the metal chair that the straps held her in. 'No. Please.' Said Young Valerie through her mouth guard attached to an oxygen tank. 'Lower her.' Said the man. Young Valerie cries begging for someone to help her but no one moved and saw her vision blurred with the water. She looked at the eels swarming her brushing against her shocking her body and bitting her every now and then. Over and over again. Pain was all she felt for hours. No matter how loud her screams were meant nothing. 'Bring her up.' Said the man. He walked over to her with a cart holding two mini telsa rods with no machines to power it. 'Now. One more time.' Said the man. Young Valerie closed her eyes taking nice slow breaths and opened her eyes spreading her fingers the best she could letting the energy out. The rods and the tray itself started vibrating sparking all around from the lights that flickered wildly. The power went out for a moment until the electric current from Young Valerie to the rods. She looked at the man who was smiling proudly for what she has done then slowly saw her grow weak and blacked out.
Valerie snapped out of it looking at the road then at Ethan who was still sleeping and focus her attention back on the empty road. She felt her stomach rumbling loudly from the lack of food they have to get fron the garage or people leave behind. Her wondering eyes spotted a small fast food then decided to pulled to park. Heading through the doors despite the fact that she smelled, her grey hoodie and jeans were torn and covered in a few stains, and didnt these strangers making her a bit worried. "Hi, can i help you?" Said the waitress seeing her first. "Im just here to order for me and my brother." Said Valerie walking up to the register to look at the menu. "What's her story?" Said a man talking to his friend. "I dont know a run away. She doesnt look much like she crawled out of dumpster." Said the other man. "Dave. Pat. Shut up." Said the female cook. She then looked at Valerie and saw a boy outside in similar state as her. His light blue hair was messy, black hoodie and pants were also covered in stains, and looked he wasnt getting any sleep. "Hey. What can i get you kids?" Said the woman. "Just the cheapest meal you have. We barely have enough." Said Valerie then heard Ethan coming in. "We in Hawkins?" Said Ethan stretching his sore limbs. "Yeah. But we dont have hotels." Said the same man chuckling with his friend. "Dave. Im take your ass outside. Watch it." Said the other cook holding a knife in the kitchen. "I'll have something for ya. Looks like you two been through enough." Said the woman going to the kitchen. "You alright?" Said Valerie. "Im fine just tired as fuck. Hope its worth finding your 'sister' here." Said Ethan. "I know shes out there." Said Valerie. "Im gonna take a piss." Said Ethan going to the bathrooms with Valerie following too. She went into the womens doing her business and went to wash her hands and face. Heading back to the register the woman handed her a large paper bag as Valerie pulled out the crumpled money to her. "Its on the house. My brother Benny helped someone like you and your brother before he died." Said the woman pushing the monet back to Valerie. "Thank you, Faith." Said Valerie. "You are welcome anytime. Stay safe out there. This town isnt always safe." Said Faith as Ethan sneezed loudly covering his mouth with his elbow. "Noted. Thank you." Said Valerie as they head back in the car. Valerie drove forward looking for place for them to eat then slowly looked at the building that she didnt want to see again. The building was surrounded by a chain link fence with barb wires and had few security cameras. Ethan looked at her then at the building making him realize whats going on and shook her out of it then saw the speed meter going higher. "Val. Valerie slow down. Val!" Said Ethan then slammed his fist into her stab wound. Valerie yelled swerving the car a bit and looked forward slowing down breathing in a nice slow pace.
Okay. You are getting way to paranoid to Ow!" Said Ethan after Valerie shocked his arm. "I know that. Those fuckers made my life a living hell. I never had a normal childhood or know my family." Said Valerie. "Pull over. You are walking." Said Ethan putting the car in park. Valerie got out with Ethan following getting behind the steering wheel while Valerie grabbed her backpack and long board. "We split to find a place to stay and meet back here near the power lines." Said Ethan. "Got it." Said Valerie. "Be careful." Said Ethan. "You too." Said Valerie. She placed down her long board and skated down the road with Ethan passing her. Looking around for an hour she saw a house ahead with a woman getting out her car with some groceries but one of the paper bags ripped causing some packaged food to fall near her feet. "Oh come on." Said the woman putting the bag down to pick the mess. Valerie went over putt her board near the car and help out the woman who looked to have a long day. "Thank you very . . . much. Im sorry are you lost?" Said the woman seeing Valerie. "Not really. My brother and i are looking for a place to stay while i find someone. I was just looking until i saw your predicament." Said Valerie holding the boxes of cereal, bread, and canned food in her arms. "What about your parents?" Said The woman gathering the rest in her bag before unlock her door. "Its just been me and Ethan." Said Valerie going to the kitchen. "Well i appreciate the help. Maybe you and your brother can stay until my friend Hopper gets off from duty." Said the woman putting the stuff on the table. "Hes a cop." Said Valerie. "Sheriff. Is that you have? Not trying to be mean or anything." Said The woman noticing her backpack. "Our stuff is in the car. Ethan is driving around Hawkins." Said Valerie. "Well in the meantime make yourself at home. The bathroom is down the hall and if you need anything just ask." Said the woman. Valerie smiled and head to the bathroom to clean herself up as the woman put the groceries away.