the view between villages // a stranger things choose-your-own-adventure

PAGE 15: Go to the Fun Fair

You decide to drive over to the Fun Fair, hoping some fairway games and fried food will lift your spirits.

As you enter the fairgrounds, you see the Hawkins High marching band play a jaunty, patriotic song. The mayor, Mayor Kline, beams and walks to a podium on a raised platform.

"Now, doesn't that just lift your spirits?" he says, voice dripping with political machismo. "I hope you're all having a good time tonight. I want you to know that we spared no expense to provide you with the very best entertainment money can buy! But enough of my blabbering. Who wants to see some fireworks?"

He gets the crowd properly amped up and the marching band begins playing once more. Colorful explosions and sparks rock the night sky.

"Happy Fourth of July!" Kline cheers.

You roll your eyes at his enthusiasm—it seems forced—and wander along. You want to play some (rigged) carnival games and have a good night, but you're on edge. You can't help but feel like something is wrong. And not just the hospital massacre and Billy's potential involvement. It feels like something else is happening in town...

Your stomach drops like a stone. What is it that Steve and Dustin were doing earlier in the week? Hunting for 'evil Russians'? And now, you haven't seen either of them in days. Robin went with them, and you haven't seen her either.

There's no way, you think No way they actually got caught by Russians...right?

You start to wonder if the town you chose for your fresh start is actually a lot more sinister than it seems. What would your father think if he was still around to see his kiddo get sucked into all this craziness?

You see a surly man and a petite woman barrel past you. You think you recognize the man from around town—he's the police chief, Jim Hopper. He looks too stressed to be on a date, but he and the woman are walking so close, you can't help but wonder if that's what's happening here.

You shrug and continue on. You end up at the balloon darts booth. You try your best to win a prize but fail spectacularly.

A man in glasses and a button-up white shirt asks quietly with a slight accent you can't place, "May I try?"

"Sure," you say, stepping aside. "I'm having no luck tonight."

He pays the carnie and begins throwing darts. He hits one green balloon, two green balloons, three. He pops a fourth, and the group of kids gathered around the booth go wild.

"One more for the big prize!' the carnie says, handing the man one final dart.

He focuses, zeroing in on his target, and then—

Pop!

You and the surrounding crowd cheer as a bell rings, signaling his victory.

"We have a winner!" the carnie says. "Pick your prize, sir."

The man scans the toys and gestures to a large Woody Woodpecker stuffed animal. He takes it and hoists it over his head, garnering another collection of cheers.

He begins to walk away and you follow.

"Dude, you should teach lessons or something!" you say. "I'm shit at carnival games. Or, are you, like, a professional ballooner dart player?"

"No professional," he says. You think his accent is Eastern European. "I am scientist."

"A scientist...of balloon darts?"

He laughs quietly and shakes his head. He recognizes someone in the corndog line—a man in jorts—and calls over to him: "Murray!"

He then speaks Russian, and ice floods your veins. Russian. Evil Russians. But this guy can't be evil. Right? Evil people don't play balloon darts and watch Looney Tunes.