WARNING: DO NOT ENGAGE [stranger things] [1/2]

XII - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

"She asked me to stay and I stole her room

She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mind

Now she's stupid in the street and she can't socialize

Well I love the little girl and I'll loveher till the

Day she dies"

•

"If you need me, just shout. I won't be far." Rosemary promised. She looked at the Wheeler house and chewed the inside of her cheek, wincing when she realised her teeth were sharper than usual. "Are you sure you don't want me there with you?" She added on carefully, seeing that Nancy didn't shift towards to door handle at all since they stopped.

"No, no I'll be.... I'll be fine." Nancy assured her, the offer seeming to break whatever state she was in. She sent Rosemary a shaky smile and opened the door, putting one leg out. She took a deep breath before fully exiting the car, closing the door behind her without looking back. She heard Rosemary start her car, but didn't hear her drive away until Nancy was inside.

Rosemary started down the street, one hand on the wheel while she shook the last cigarette out of her packet of Malboros - southern cuts, like she always got. She had used to smoke the reds, since when she was 15 those were the ones the older students she bummed cigarettes off of smoked, but as soon as she got her own car she got into the habit of driving to a gas station just outside of Hawkins, and making herself look older. They didn't question her buying cigarettes, but the first time she bought some they didn't have reds. So she bought the southern cuts, and hadn't gone back to reds since.

She put the cigarette between her lips, and fished her zippo out of her pocket, flipping it open and lighting the end of the cig, taking a long drag to start it off. She coughed slightly, and reached over to turn the radio up so that she could drown out her own wheezing, and made her way out of town.

Around others, especially Nancy and Susanita, she would supress her cough or pass it off as something a lot lighter than it was. She had only ever had a coughing fit around someone once - it had been Karen, while Rosemary awaited Nancy to be dressed to go out. Karen had fussed over her for ten minutes, and by the time Nancy had come down Rosemary had downed a glass of water and was glad to get away from Karens worrying stares.

Now, while she was alone with the town fading to forests, Rosemary had to pull over to the side of the road since she was coughing so much. She was an excellent driver, and her senses were off the charts even when she was ill - but she would not risk it. She held her cigarette away from her and crossed her arm over her mouth, tears coming to her eyes as she coughed. After a few minutes, she leant back in her seat, breathing heavily with - oh dear.

She had a metallic taste in her mouth, and when she looked to the sleeve of her shirt, she frowned at the slight moisture to it. Blood, of course. It rarely ever happened, and when it did it wasn't a lot - she was just glad her sleeves were black. Susanita would throw a fit in seconds if she ever found out. And Nancy would straight up murder her. She took a deep breath, her breathing now evened out, and put the cigarette back between her lips as she pulled away from the side of the road once more. She didn't cough this time, the smoke drifting from her lips and out of the window as she neared the gas station.

It was the same every time.

Fill up the car, go inside to pay, pick up gum, possibly a drink, and get her southern cuts. Sometimes, the person at the counter was an old lady. East Asian, greying hair, soft brown cardigan. She tells Rosemary she's pretty, wonders out loud how many boys must be chasing after her,

(until she learned that rosemary was not interested in them. now she asks about the pretty girl with the soft brown hair, and rosemary tells her all about her)

and bids her a good evening as  Rosemary leaves. She once gave Rosemary her things 'on the house' when she learned it was her birthday, apparently twenty-first but reaally her seventeenth,

(and when she saw a scars on rosemarys hips the very same day she told her the world was a cruel and harsh place, and rosemary can run forever if it makes her feel better (she left her husband years ago, and had ran for as long as she could remember))

and she helped her decide what shoes to get Nancy from the magazines when her birthday was creeping up.

Other times, it's the ladies son. He was not as kind or sweet. He was in his twenties, and believed Rosemary to be so too. Which is why he had no shame in flirting with her

(unless his mother is around. she will hit him round the head with a magazine and say rosemary could do better (she does not mention the childhood friend))

and Rosemary humours him, since usually he forgets to ring up anything except her gas bill and her smokes. He tells Rosemary she'll 'lose her pretty face' is she carries on smoking. She tells him she'll be beautiful no matter what. He likes confidence in a girl, and she doesn't have the heart to tell him her confidence is just a façade for her bitterness towards his flirting.

Today, it is the old lady. Her name is Sage

(when they learned one another names, rosemary made a joke about them being in a club, and dubbed them 'herb sisters')

and Rosemary thinks she is beautiful. She tells Sage so, and the woman laughs and tells her she wishes that were still true. She tells her she used to be pretty - not as pretty as Rosemary, but pretty indeed. That she had black hair to her waist and eyes bright with life

(she did not have scars left from past lovers, no fear engrained into her heart from the fear of being found again)

and that she wore the prettiest dresses. She leans close when she tells Rosemary her name is not Sage, but Lai. That she prefers Sage anyway, but Lai is the name she wishes she did not fear. Rosemary tells her that she fears the Number Nine. She does not say why

(sage from then on makes sure the total never contains a nine. she goes as far as changing an extra dollar to avoid it. neither of them mention it, but they both know)

and Sage, bless her soul, does not ask.

Sage asks after the brown-haired girl today, the one with the sweaters and the high GPA. There is a softness in her eyes as she asks, and Rosemary wonders how someone so hurt can be so full of love. She never once berated Rosemary for the way she looks at girls instead of boys, and even goes as far to encourage Rosemarys acceptance of herself. Rosemary tells her that the brown-haired girl is sad, and worried. She tells Sage that she fears the girl is becoming scared of her. She knows the girl will never feel the same, and she can live with that. She could not live with being feared by the one she cares for the most.

Sage tells her that if she scares the girl, she has to let her go

(she does not want Rosemary to become reminiscent of her own fears)

and Rosemary nods. She slides her money across the counter as she says that if she has to leave her, she will. She does not want to be feared, and she knows she is something to fear, and she never wants to hurt the brown haired girl. Sage gives her a sad smile, tells her she is pretty as she always does

("pretty girls, fearless girls, strong girls like you, you can be free. you can chase your dreams, but do not get lost on the way")

Rosemary bids her goodbye, and slips away from the gas station. Like she didn't truly exist. Neither her nor Sage. Just floating through the world with fear and love, not knowing what to ever expect.

Rosemary drives back to Hawkins, unknowing of what she is returning to.