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"Juniper, I need to speak with you."
June paused halfway to her room, confused by the shaky tone in her mothers voice.
"Are we giving Dustin up for adoption!" She grinned, attempting to fix the uneasy tension in the room. The older woman didn't tut or laugh the way she usually would. Juniper took a seat on one of the plush armchairs, before noticing a vividly coloured leaflet in the centre of the unusually clear coffee table.
The colour drained from her face.
Juniper woke up with a jolt, cold sweat making her tank top cling to her skin.
She had tried everything to help with the reoccurring nightmares; drinking herbal tea, putting lavender under her pillow, staying up until her eyes were sore. None of it helped, and the tea tasted like soapy dirt.
Climbing out of her rose-print sheets, Juniper pulled on a pair of pyjama shorts and went to find whatever sugary cereal was hidden in the cupboards. Bright morning light filtered in through the windows of the Henderson home, where Dustin and their mother were sat on the couch, watching the television intently. Juniper sauntered past to fill a bowl with captain crunch, but the blaring news reporter caught her attention.
They had found a body. In Hawkins.
"My heart can't take it anymore, it just can't take it!" Sniffed their mother, clutching the cat to her chest tearfully.
The doorbell rang, causing the three to tear their eyes away from the police plastered all over the television. "I'll get it." Juniper spoke, moving towards the door. She pulled it open, revealing a familiar girl with red hair and headphones around her neck. "Oh, hey Max. Everything alright?"
The younger girl looked as rough as the older felt. June didn't give Max time to answer, yelling over her shoulder that it was for Dustin.
Once back in the comfort of her room, Juniper took a bite of her captain crunch, and was about to hit play on 'Jessie's girl' by Rick Springfield. That was until she was interrupted by the all too familiar sound of Dustin shouting through the thin walls. With an angry sigh, she slammed her spoon down, storming out to his room.
"Eddie didn't do this! No Way!"
"Well we can't rule it out!"
Juniper froze outside the door. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but what could Eddie have done that was so awful? Dustin practically worshipped him.
"He was super nice to us!"
"Well, people said the same thing about Ted Bundy-"
This was a very weird conversation, yet June found herself pressing her ear to the door in curiosity.
Dustins voice rang through again. "Why haven't you told the cops this?"
Junipers eyes widened at the sound of police, and she stood up, opening the door with a bang. "Why are you withholding serial killer information from the police, and more importantly, me?" She questioned with narrowed eyes, ignoring shrieks from the two surprised teens.
