Like Real People Do -Dustin Henderson-

Dig Dug

Hopper never came home last night. I honestly felt sick to my stomach that maybe something had happened to him. I just hope to God that maybe he stayed at Joyce's or a friends.

I woke up pretty early this morning too. El was still asleep in the bedroom as I grabbed the hidden pack of eggos in the back of the fridge. I wasn't hungry at all this morning but I needed to feed El.

I explained to her last night about Hopper being my dad and how he told me my name was Edith. She more than happy for me. After finding out her mom was in a terrible state last night she had told me she was going out today to go see her.

And I wasn't going to stop her.

She needed to know her mom. Just like I know my dad. So if she feels like it is the right thing to do then I'm going to support her.

"Hey El. You gotta get up" I say as I shake her awake a little and she just smiles at my in a half tired state.

I helped her into the dining part of the house and sat her down with a plate of eggos in front of her. I watched as she ate them silently.

"You promise me you'll be ok?" I say to her looking at her directly in the eyes. This felt like it was the last time I was going to see her for a while. I just had that gut feeling.

"I promise" She says. After she had finished eating she had gotten dressed and with a quick kiss on the cheek goodbye I had locked the cabin door behind me.

For the first time in a long time I was alone.

I always either had El or Dustin or Hopper with me so this was different. And I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I walk over to the living room and plop myself on the couch and pulled out the photo album again.

There were only 3 pictures of me in the album. One on my own, one with Hopper and one with me and a little girl who must have been my sister. I flipped the photo around a little and looked at the back.

Edith and Sarah Hopper.

I noticed she had a small scarf around her head and I distinctly remember Hopper telling me that she was very sick. And that she was gone.

It hurt that I had a sister and I never got the chance to meet her. I'm sure she was amazing. As I was about to put the box away I noticed a small piece of white paper at the bottom of the page.

'Hawkins National Graveyard"

I furrowed my eyebrows at the paper. Maybe that's where Sarah is. I immediacy ran to grab my coat and slammed the door behind me.

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I walked through the large gate and looked at all the headstones around me. I've never been to a graveyard so this was a complete new experience. I just hoped I could find Sarah's grave, I needed to talk.

I held the small daisy I picked from the grass outside as I scanned the headstones. I didn't have any money for flowers so this was all I could get. I finally seen her name at the top of a dark grey headstone along with a quote.

'Gone but never forgotten'

I kneeled down in front of the grave and lay the flower on the small rocks that covered her grave. It felt weird to be in the presence of a sister you didn't even know you had.

"Hi Sarah, I'm Edith. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you properly as dad tells me you were amazing." I say grinning to myself a little. I knew she could hear me.

"It would have been cool to know you the time you were around. I guess we both went through a rough time, huh? I'm sorry for what happened to you. And I hope you feel a lot better now." I continued on for what felt like hours. I didn't even notice the nightfall that spread over Hawkins.

"And you know I miss him. I truly do. But dad says it's too dangerous to go see him but I feel like I'd give up all the stars in the sky just to see him again. And he has no teeth. Which I think is pretty cute" I ended up giggling. I felt like as she was my sister she would want to know about Dustin.

"You wouldn't mind if I stayed here right? I don't wanna be alone at home right now" I explained. I knew Hopper wouldn't be home at all and El would be still gone. It wasn't until I felt my eyes fall shut did I realise how tired I was.

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'Little girl" I heard a women's voice above me speak. I stirred a little, not fully sure where I was. "Little girl"

I opened my eyes to a tall blonde women standing above me with a look of concern. She held her hand out as I took it to stand up. I somehow managed last night to end up on top of the grave.

"I'm so sorry" I muttered as I got my bearing as began to dust my clothes off. If I acted normal with this women she would think I was normal and not call the police like last time.

"It's no problem honey. You should probably get home now you look like you'll freeze to death" She says as she hurried off somewhere. Well that conversation was cut short.

"Sorry for squishing you last night. I gotta go, thanks for letting me stay with you. Bye Sarah" I say and pat the gravestone before I head to the main gate and head home. Just as I was walking across the road, a large blue sports car sped by me which made me lose my balance for a second.

"Mouth Breather" I muttered before heading back off into the woods.

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My legs bounced up and down impatiently. I secretly knew neither El or Hopper was coming home tonight. But I don't like being alone in the cabin. Especially in the middle of nowhere. Especially because it's giving me more time to think of him.

Oh how I want to see him. I have a feeling it's going to be very soon, but I don't know how much longer I can wait. It feels that even though were miles away from one another, I can feel him when I close my eyes, because he was always meant to be there.

I don't think I could ever truly love someone as much as I love him. He made me feel human. Like I was a regular person. I know I had El and I love her with all my heart but she is a heavy reminder on what we both had been through.

I have been pushed and abused and emotionally damaged from what those doctors did to us. And as much as I try to move on from it, it will always stay with me.

They couldn't even save my sister.

And I wish I was there to save her. So maybe she would be here with me now. And I could tell her all about Dustin and she could meet him. I know she would love him. Who wouldn't love him?

And I learned, waiting is so hard, but I'll spend as much time alone as I have to, If it means I get to spend the rest of my life with him.