There's No Place Like Hawkins//Stranger Things. SH

SIXTY ONE

The Bite

"Hey. Hey." Joyce Byers pulled on Jim Hopper's arm to grab his attention as they walked through the Fourth of July fair. "Karen." She stated, spotting Karen Wheeler and her husband Ted taking their youngest-Holly- on one of the rides. She raced across the grass and boarded the ride, Hopper right behind her. "Hey, Karen." Joyce called out as she approached the woman.

"Joyce!" Karen greeted, a large smile sporting her face. "Oh, my gosh! How funny to see you here!"

"Where are the kids?" Joyce asked, skipping straight to the point.

"I... I haven't seen them. I don't think they're here yet."

"You three, up against the wall!" The lady who was operating the ride yelled.

"No, where are they?" Hopper asked.

"Oh, my gosh, I can hardly keep track these days. Uh, they were at, uh... Dustin and Catherine's, then Lucas's, then Max's. You know how it is. Summer!" An alarm started blaring, signalling that the ride was about to begin.

"Probably getting into some kinda trouble." Ted said, oblivious to the current events their kids were involved in.

"Last warning, you two!" The operating lady yelled as the doors to the ride closed. "Up against the wall!"

"Hold the ride!" Hopper yelled back at her.

"On your life, Magnum." The lady said, pulling the lever that set the machine in motion. The machine fired up and both Joyce and Hopper were flung against the wall as the ride started spinning.

***

Some time later, once the movie had finished, Dustin pulled the bathroom door open and the group of five snuck out of the bathroom and into the crowd leaving the cinema. Dustin and Erica took the lead while the three bruised teens walked behind them. Catherine held tightly onto Steve's hand, not wanting to ever let go.

"Well, shit, that worked." Erica said to Dustin.

"Course it worked. Now, we just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes, and home sweet home, here we come."

"I cannot wait to go home." Cat said, swinging hers and Steve's connected hands. "It's been a long few days and I just wanna sleep."

"Uh, Cat, Dustin?" Steve said quietly.

"What?" The siblings asked, both looking at Steve.

"Yeah, we might not wanna go to your house."

"What the fuck?!" Catherine whisper yelled.

"Why?" Dustin asked.

"Well, I might've told them Dustin's full name." Steve admitted.

"Oh, my God..." Cat groaned. "You idiot."