In 1980s Indiana, Judy Hopper and her group of young friends witness supernatural forces and secret government exploits. As they search for answers, they unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries. In the midst, love and friendship are put to the u...
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American soldiers were the first to arrive at the mall, watching over the Mind Flayer and the kids who managed to kill it. No one asked questions, no one said anything. As strange as the situation was, how avoidant the military seemed, everything seemed like it was okay.
The Gate was closed, again, the Mind Flayer was gone, and Billy had given his life to stop it. That pain and suffering... it was all over.
Dozens of helicopters circled over the burning mall as firefighters and SQUAD teams came in and out through the doors, bringing the group outside to ambulances waiting on standby. El and Judy sat together in the back of one of the ambulances.
The medics determined Judy had a concussion and would struggle to eat and talk for a few weeks given the state of her neck. El was given proper bandages and antibiotics for her wounds.
Judy wrapped the two of them, together, in a blanket, keeping the slow falling rain from hitting their clothes.
Even though she hadn't let go of El the moment they came out of the mall, Judy made sure to look right at here every few seconds, not wanting her to be out of sight. Still, she kept her eyes on the crowd, scanning the area and not pausing until she saw who she needed to see.
Steve came up to them shortly after his own wounds were cleaned.
Seeing him fresh faced and bandaged, Judy couldn't help the hot and heavy tears the rolled down her face. She was still in shock.
Steve wiped the tears away, looking down at her lovingly. "We made it out. That thing is dead. We made it."
"I know," she whispered. "They just won't stop."
Steve sat down on the other side of Judy, putting an arm around her and rubbing a little on Els arm that was still around her as well.
"What's the damage?" Judy tried to alleviate the heavy feeling in her heart by talking.
"I have a concussion, a black eye and a nearly broken nose," Steve said, messing with the hem of Judy's shorts as he laid his warm palm on her thigh.
"At least they didn't get your best feature," Judy smiled, looking up to his hair, which had still managed to lay in a perfect fluffy swoop somehow.
"Yeah, that's good news," Steve smiled too, looking at Judy tenderly before moving his hand from her back to the side of her head. Bracing her gently, Steve brought his lips to her forehead, Judy leaning in instantaneously.
The two let out a sigh of relief feeling the touch of each other. As Steve let go of her head, Judy used her free hand to grab the one on her thigh. She interlaced her fingers with Steve's, resting them back on her leg.
Judy checked her watch, which had been cracked in one of the many falls she made that day, to see how long she'd been outside, waiting.
"He'll be back," Steve said, reassuringly, knowing what she was so nervous about. "We're going to have Chinese for dinner."
Judy's eyebrows etched together in confusion, but Steve was quick to move on. "So that guy... Daniel. Are you gonna call him?"
Judy laughed over the boy she'd completely forgotten about and the smug face Steve was making. "No, I don't think so."
"Good," Steve nodded, proudly smiling.
Will suddenly bolted past Judy's gaze, immediately grabbing her attention. She slid out of Steve and El's hold without even thinking. She stood still, watching Will hold his mother tight.
Once Judy realized Joyce had been crying in her son's arms, time stood still. She locked eyes with Joyce over Will's shoulder and she sobbed as she held her own child tight in her gasp.
When Joyce looked into Judy's, Hopper's eyes, she sobbed even harder, gripping onto Will's shirt.
They were supposed to be there together, Hopper and Joyce. But he wasn't anywhere to be found.
Judy walked forward, slowly, barely even lifting her feet off the ground.
"No." She shook her head just as slow as she walked, sucking a deep breath, "No... No."
"Judy..." El whispered softly from behind her. But Judy couldn't look back. She was sucked into Joyce's pitiful gaze.
Judy's face began to feel hot, her eyebrows came together tightly as she began to shake her head more forcefully, trying to shake the thoughts out of her mind. No.
"Oh, God," she choked out.
Judy looked around frantically, searching for the one person that wasn't there. Spinning in circles she finally stopped in front of El looking straight at her. Seeing her sister's face of concern and confusion made Judy's last string break. Clutching her chest and falling to her knees, Judy was washed with guilt. She thought of Sara who was only able to experience Hopper's love for a short time and the same as El. She thought of her father who fought and protected. The father who helped her with the burden of teaching a young girl the way of the world. The father who loved her more than she would ever be able to repay. The father she had only just grown to love again.
The only father she'd ever have.
"Judy, sweetie," someone soft and kind spoke to her as she held her eyes shut and ripped out sobs from her burning chest. "Judy."
The girl finally looked up, finding Joyce crouched in front of her, holding on to Judy's arms tightly. Her lips quivered as she tried to keep Judy's eyes. "He can't be..." her voice broke.
"I'm sorry," Joyce wept. "I'm so sorry."
"Come on, Joyce," Judy cried. "Goddammit!"
Joyce's soft voice became brittle as she pulled Judy into her, holding her on the ground, swaying like a mother rocking her baby to sleep. "I'm so sorry," she whispered endlessly, rocking back and forth.
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(sisters orphaned together, stay together... or do they??)
