Starting Over

Chapter 4 (Known To Someone Else)

As I walked down the hill with my friend Max, my mind was filled with various thoughts. I knew I would soon meet more people, including Steve, who had my music. This piece of me had been with him ever since I ran away. The moment of truth was approaching, and I was both anxious and excited. We hurried to catch up with the rest of the group and eventually stopped in front of an abandoned building. It had a sign that read "HAWKINS NATIONAL LABORATORY" and a wired gate blocked off the entrance. Two people were already there and seemed to know the rest of the group. Before Max went any further, I quietly told her I wouldn't interfere until the coast was clear and would make my presence known to the group later.

As I waited for the right moment to join them, I kept an eye out for a signal from Max. In the background, I could hear Nancy and Jonathan discussing something. It seemed like they were also investigating the area. Suddenly, the building's occupants came rushing out with flashing lights inside. They seemed to be trying to access the power buttons to open the gate from the other side. I felt tense as I watched them from behind. Just then, I heard the sound of creatures in the distance. I was stuck in anticipation when the gate began to open.

My heart was racing with anticipation for the chance to be a part of something significant. There was a lot of commotion around me, but I couldn't identify anything unusual. I wondered where Max was and whether she would call out for me. Suddenly, I heard my name being mentioned in a conversation, and as I approached the group, I realized that someone was missing. Before I could see who it was, I heard rustling behind me, and I assumed it was Max coming to get me. But as I turned around, I saw that it was Steve standing in front of me.

As I stood before Steve, I could sense the deep emotion in his eyes, and it reminded me that he had my Walkman. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spoke. "Max mentioned she ran into someone in the woods. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He also seemed to be aware of the creatures from the junkyard. "They are called Demogorgons if you want their proper name. Sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Steve, by the way." Something inside me ignited as he said his name, and everything else faded away. I quietly told him my name was Linda.

POV

Steve had an odd feeling in his stomach like he had seen the girl before. He remembered the Walkman he was carrying in his backpack and wondered if this was the same girl he had found on the tracks but lost. Despite feeling comfortable in her presence, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. He couldn't get her name out of his head when she introduced herself as Linda. As they walked together, he observed her closely. Upon reaching the rest of their group, Max introduced Linda to Lucas while Steve pulled Dustin aside. He explained that the girl might be the person he was looking for, the one behind the Walkman.

Max was introducing me to Lucas, a charming boy who seemed to have Max's full attention. I couldn't help but wonder if Lucas saw the same thing I did. Meanwhile, Steve and Dustin were conversing, and Steve kept glancing in my direction. Each time I looked back, he quickly averted his gaze and continued talking to Dustin. As we stood outside the lab, we noticed two cars speeding towards us, and we quickly moved out of the way. The second car stopped, and the driver asked us to get in. We hesitated at first but decided to take the risk. As we drove from the lab, I realized I was about to embark on another adventure.

As we drove in silence, my mind was racing with so many thoughts that it was hard to keep track of everything that had already happened. Being in someone's company felt like entering uncharted territory, and I wondered if they would discover something about me that I hadn't yet revealed. We pulled up to an unfamiliar house, and as I stepped out of the car, a single thought hit me: My life was slowly falling apart around me, and at any moment, I might have to move away. But I also felt like bigger things were happening that I was about to learn.

As we entered the house, I felt it was essential to keep my thoughts to myself and be cautious. The room was small but crowded with various items, and as I walked around, the scene before me became more complicated. Jonathan and Nancy appeared to be tending to a sleeping boy on the couch while Steve stood off to the side. I wondered if something was wrong with the child. Meanwhile, a man who had given us a ride to the house was on the phone, identifying himself as a police officer. This piqued my interest. As he hung up and approached the group, I noticed another boy who seemed to be part of their group. He looked familiar to Nancy, perhaps a sibling. I needed to know what was happening and be a part of this group to find out because I sensed things were about to change for me, and I couldn't stop it.