009 | mike wheeler | S4 SPOILERS!

ONE

Hawkins, Indiana- November 1983

It's been just over four years since Dawn Byers was found by Joyce Byers. She was standing near their house in the middle of the day, wearing a bloody hospital gown. Dawn still couldn't recall much from that day, since she didn't remember much before it, and her vision was still cloudy back then. Joyce took her in without asking any questions, and she never even thought of reporting her to the police. 

She gave her food, clothes, love, and a new home. Dawn had been grateful ever since. After a couple of months, Dawn's vision was back to normal, and Joyce taught her how to read and write. She wasn't very good back then, but now Joyce called her a prodigy. She even enrolled her at Hawkins Elementary after two years. She made up a cover story that Dawn was her niece, and her parents decided that she should stay with her while they did whatever people do in Chicago.

Dawn still doesn't remember what happened before Joyce found her. The only evidence of it was a small scar on her forehead, which drew into her hairline, and a tattoo of the number nine on her wrist.

Dawn woke to the sound of Joyce knocking lightly on her door. No matter how silent the sound was, it still startled her, though she never told Mrs. Byers. Joyce slowly walked into Dawn's clean room to make sure she was up. "Good morning. Jonathan is making eggs, and I have to leave for work soon. Jonathan is going to drive you and Will to school." Joyce says in her calm and loving manner. Dawn nods and gets out of bed. Joyce leaves closes her door on the way out and heads to Will's room to tell him the same. Dawn goes to the closet and starts reaching for her hangers. She takes a blue flannel- one of Jonathan's- and baggy blue jeans, which are one of her favorite clothes from Nancy, even though they don't quite fit her yet. She combs her long hair into a low ponytail, leaving out her bangs.

As she leaves her room, she hears Joyce and Jonathan talking about Will. "Dawn, honey, did you see Will come home last night?" She asked softly. Dawn was asleep quite early that night. "No, I don't think so" She spoke flatly. It had been four years, and Dawn still didn't speak much. "Only speak if you're spoken to," was a rule that always ran through her head, but she doesn't remember where. Joyce nodded at her and dialed the Wheeler's on the phone. Dawn walked past Joyce, who seemed worried now, and into the kitchen, where Jonathan set a plate down in front of her. Sunny side-up eggs (with the yolk broken) sat in front of her. Dawn took the fork immediately and started eating.

Jonathan flipped the sizzling frying pan and looked back at her, already taking the last bites. "Good?" He asked. Dawn didn't finish chewing to answer. "Mhm. Very good." Jonathan smiled and scraped a second egg onto her plate.

Dawn smiled back and immediately started eating. Joyce hung up the phone and sighed. She started whispering into Jonathan's ear so that Dawn couldn't hear. "No keeping secrets" Was another rule that ran through her head. Mrs. Byers walked to where Dawn was sitting and requested, "Can you make sure Will is at school today?" Dawn nodded, not understanding why Will wasn't at home.

Jonathan dropped Dawn off at Hawkins Middle, which was only a couple of feet away from Hawkins High. Dawn walked over to Will's friends, who were setting their bikes on the bike rack. "Yeah, he's always paranoid Gursky's gonna give him another pop quiz" One of Will's friends, Dustin, joked.

As Dawn approached them, she was cut off by two of the bullies. "Step right up, ladies and gentlemen." He said, gesturing to the four. "Get your tickets to the freak show." The boys stood as still as statues, staring at him. Dawn started fidgeting with her hands, as she had only encountered them a couple of times before this. "Now, who would make the most money in a freak show?" He continued. He walked towards Lucas first. "Midnight, frog face, the quiet freak, or toothless?" He said, punching each person as he went through the list.