𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇 || stranger things

the body.

The night had been a rollercoaster of emotions for Maggie. After her quiet bonding moment with Hopper, she had retreated to her room, feeling overwhelmed by the harsh reality of everything that was happening. The disappearance of Will and the strange occurrences in their town were too much to bear. Tears streamed down her face as she lay in bed, her mind racing with unanswered questions.

The next morning arrived all too soon. Hopper gently woke Maggie, his expression serious as he had to go back on duty and tell Joyce about Will. They ate breakfast in silence, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air. Maggie picked at her Eggo waffles, her appetite diminished by the worry that gnawed at her.

Hopper soon left for work, leaving Maggie alone in the quiet house. She knew she had to get ready for school, but her thoughts were in disarray. As she made her way to the kitchen to clean up her breakfast, the phone rang, jolting her out of her sombreness. Startled, she rushed to answer it.

"Hello?" she said, her voice trembling with apprehension.

It was Mike on the other end of the line. He had already contacted Lucas and Dustin, and the urgency in his voice was palpable. "Maggie, you need to come over right now. It's important. We're meeting at my place."

Maggie's heart raced as she tried to process Mike's words. "What's going on, Mike?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice.

Mike's response was quick and unwavering, "I can't explain over the phone. Just come over, okay? Hurry."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see it, and replied, "I'll be there as soon as I can." With that, she hung up the phone and knew she had no time to lose. Maggie rushed to finish getting ready for school, her mind racing with a mix of dread and determination.

As Jean Carlton made her way through the bustling halls of Hawkins High School, all she could hear were hushed whispers and murmurs from other students. The topic of conversation was the mysterious disappearance of her mutual friend, Barb, on the night of Steve's party. Concern gnawed at her, and she couldn't help but feel that something was terribly wrong.

Her heart heavy with worry, Jean began her search for Barb's best friend, Nancy Wheeler, who had also been present that fateful night. Jean's caramel-like eyes darted through the crowded hallways, scanning the faces of her fellow students, until she spotted Nancy in the girl's bathroom, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Nancy was sitting in a bathroom stall, sobbing quietly, her anguish palpable. Jean approached her gently, her voice filled with sympathy. "Nancy, are you okay?"

Nancy looked up, her red-rimmed eyes meeting Jean's concerned gaze. She shook her head, unable to form words.

Without hesitation, Jean offered, "Let me call your mom, Nancy. She'll come to pick you up." She knew that in times like these, Nancy needed the support of her mother.

Nancy nodded weakly, and Jean quickly dialled Karen Wheeler's number, explaining the situation and requesting her to come to the school. Karen's reassurance on the other end of the line provided some comfort to both girls.

Once she had arranged for Nancy's mother to come, Jean left the bathroom and made her way to find her group of friends, Tommy, Carol, and her crush, Steve Harrington. She felt a duty to share the news about Barb's disappearance.

When Jean finally located her friends, she relayed the unsettling information about Barb, her voice filled with concern. However, their reactions were far from what she had expected. They all regarded Nancy's emotional response as pathetic, their indifference cutting deeply.

Frustration and disappointment welled up within Jean as she turned and stormed off, heading away from her friends, her steps echoing in the hallway. Steve quickly realized his insensitivity, and he chased after her, trying to catch up.