Sights

FAMILY VIDEO-HAWKINS

"Can I please go home!" Dylan begged as he leaned against the Family Video counter opening and closing the register.

Steve put away stacks of movies on their designated shelf his expression plain and his tone firm "You know the answer to that."

Dylan rolled his eyes, feeling trapped in his brother's store on a Saturday. The only source of entertainment was Steve and Robin talking about their romantic lives, with women. Which was always hopeless, sad, or bland.

Dylan thought back to the two unfinished letters sitting on his desk, he could be writing more, especially with his free time during spring break. That was the only communication he had with Will and Eleven along with a couple of calls.

He had lied to them when he was asked to come to California, Dylan said he had schoolwork he needed to complete and a few clubs. But in reality, he just didn't want them to see his current state, and he felt like staying in Hawkins was best for him. He should never go anywhere else.

"I'm sorry, can you explain to me exactly what happened again?" Robin questioned

"Steve walked into my room last night and I passed out. no big deal." Dylan replied, his comment had caused Steve to whip his head around towards the two-- visibly upset. "No big Deal!? You were on the floor, unconscious! And your nose was leaking blood like a faucet."

Dylan had looked down sighing, not being able to defend himself. He still remembered the look of fear on Steve's face, the man's hands tightly grasped around his shoulders as he shook him awake. Dylan had convinced him he didn't need to go to the hospital, but Steve still made it "bring your brother to work day".

"I'm not overreacting. Sit down on your stool and drink your water." Steve instructed pointing to the green stool in front of the computer and the water bottle that had only two sips taken from it. Dylan opened his mouth to argue before being cut off by Steve who snapped his finger and pointed at the stool.

Dylan obliged sitting down on the stool grumpily like a kid in time out as he took a small sip of water. Robin leaned over the counter looking at him "Don't you, literally, have powers?" She joked. "Yeah, can I trade them in for some free will?" Dylan responded as Robin simply smirked and shrugged.

"Oh! That gave me an idea for our morning movie, with a guest!" She exclaimed excitedly speeding toward a shelf, "Doctor Zhivago!"

Steve waved his hands with a disgusted face "Ugh, you know I don't do double VHS."

"But it's about doomed love and choice." Robin presented "Well that's relatable." Steve sighed pushing the VHS cart around the corner of the counter as Robin followed "Also, Julie Christie is b-b-bonkers hot in this." Entering through the small door passing by a--sat Dylan as she faced the TV. Grabbing the remote. "Like, seriously, the most beautiful creature."

Dylan had put his attention towards the small TV in the corner of the ceiling, he had watched [Doctor Zhivago] when he was younger, he didn't remember much of the plot, but he did recall knowing that a comb mustache on Omar Sharif was a guilty pleasure.

The TV immediately turned on to the local Hawkins news as a news reporter in a light blue suit with a white necklace and a yellow microphone with the number 9 presented on it in bold lettering stood with a look of seriousness. Behind her stood citizens from teens to adults. "We're in Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning."

Robin, Steve, and Dylan all seemed to forget about the morning movie as they all nervously stared at the screen.

"Police have not released a name--" The reporter continued in her distinguished voice

"Holy shit." Steve mumbled

"Although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family--"

Dylan felt chills down his back, a high school student could mean anyone. It could have been one of the basketball players yelling down the hallways, one of the band kids knocking people in the shoulders with their instrument by accident. Or a cheerleader....... regular accidents always made Dylan feel worse than one of the many freakish ones he's been exposed to, it just reminded him that no one was truly safe.

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HENDERSON RESIDENCE

Max Mayfield sat on Dustin's bed, his sheets still not made, yet the floor was clean. His room was full of posters filled with physics and biology and a couple of pictures of Suzie that stood out against his tan walls. "Nothing that weird or anything. I mean..." Max said her headphones wrapped around her neck as she twirled with the wire in her hand. "Eddie always drives like a maniac, and the power goes off at my place all the time. It's a piece of shit. But...."

Dustin looked away from Max his mind racing with possible scenarios all in which defending Eddie was his main priority.

"This morning, I started to think back, and.... I don't know the look on his face, he was scared Dustin, really scared. I mean he was scared because he just killed someone or maybe...be.... because." Max hesitated, not wanting to be right.

Dustin looked back at the redhead, his eyes slightly slanted in concern and possibly fear. "Something else killed her." Dustin finished; Max simply nodded in response as the room grew tense. "But that's impossible. Right?" Max questioned

"I don't know. It should be." Dustin shrugged attempting to convince himself. The words that danced around the teenagers tongues yet refused to exit were the Mind Flayer, and the Upside Down. From the split second of Chrissy's mutilated body that can never leave Max's mind, she didn't even know if the Mind Flayer was capable of it.

"But there's only one person who knows what really happened...." Dustin said, "And one person that can help us." Max continued. Dustin furrowed his brows not catching on to what the girl was trying to say.

"Dylan." Max said. "I mean if this is really what we believe it is, he's the one to go to first, then we find Eddie."

Max was surprised when Dustin slightly pursed his lips as he seemed to not be so keen on the idea. "what's wrong?" Max asked

"Look, you haven't been around Dylan....he's different. Like not just physically but mentally. I've never seen him so..so..." Dustin sighed "I can't explain it but, it started when his girlfriend died, remember Cindy?" Dustin asked

"Yeah...I do." Max responded her mind going back to the night of the mall thinking about another death.

"He's never really spoken about it but, it messed him up. Like he's always been at the edge of the cliff and right now he's fallen, and I don't even know if he's hanging on." Dustin looked down at his feet "What I'm getting at with this is.... I don't want to burden him with more of this shit." Dustin said his face morphed with sympathy and care.

Max paused, thinking of her next words wisely "What choice do we have?"

_________________________________

Dylan's eyes stayed glued to the illuminating screen, as he stood up from his seat, crossing his arms as he listened to the words of the reporter. Robin and Steve were a few feet away the two leaning against the counter, their ears perked as well.

None of them uttered a word as the room shifted. Hawkins was such a small town, when someone died everyone knew of it, and their death greatly impacted the people. But Dylan knew it also depended on how the victims were viewed before they died, if this student was popular and well-liked. Their memories will always be present, but if it was a nerd who didn't have many friends. Well, this will all die down in a few weeks.

The bell on the top of the store's door rang abruptly, Dylan hadn't looked at the customers--his hard gaze set straight until he heard a familiar voice.

It was Dustin, with Max trailing behind him, both seemingly in a rush as their breathing was fast. "Dylan! there you are." Dustin said as he placed his hands on the counter facing Steve. "How many phones do you have?" He asked

"Do you guys see this?" Steve ignored Dustin pointing to the TV.

"Steve-"

"Someone was murdered!" Steve started his eyes wide as Robin nodded next to him her mouth slightly open. "Steve! How many phones do you have?" Dustin repeated

"Two, why?" Steve asked, "Technically three if you count Keith's." Robin spoke up.

Max and Dustin looked at one another both feverishly nodding "Three works." Max said. Dustin then slung his backpack off his shoulder, against Steve and Robin's complaints he slid his bag over the counter and on to the floor, Steve backing away. "My pile!" Robin yelled

"No, no, no! My tapes! Dude." Steve yelled, as Dustin unnecessarily jumped and swung his legs over the counter as he sat on the green stool in front of the store computer, Max simply just going around and entering though the swung door.

Stopping to secretly observe Dylan who had a look of surprise on his face seeing them. Dustin was right, he did look different. Older, skinnier, and taller. She knew they had all grown up, but Dylan seemed to look troubled just like Dustin said, maybe even worse. Though she woke up every day knowing how it felt to lose someone, so she supplied him with no pity, he didn't need it, she knew this.

"What are you doing man!" Steve yelled his voice raspier with his hands raised. "Setting up base of operation here." Dustin replied typing into the computer at a fast pace. "Base of operation?" Robin questioned as she picked up all the tapes off the floor that Dustin had knocked down.

Dustin and Steve argued as they always did, Dustin, logging into the customer's database. Dylan stayed silent through this, hearing about death before his two friends came running in. He didn't want to think they were connected.

"Looking up Eddie's phone number." Dustin frustratedly explained, as Steve rolled his eyes "Oh Eddie, yeah your new best friend that you think is cooler because he plays your nerdy game." Steve said his jealously not hidden, as Dylan supplied with a judgmental look, his theories going to waste as he heard Eddie's name, Dylan assumed he had come as per Eddie's request, but it didn't explain why Max was there as well.

"Seriously, you guys, maybe on Monday you can play around like toddlers, but it's Saturday." Robins firmly hissed. "It's our busiest day." The store itself didn't seem to back the girl up as no customers were walking around, Dylan assumed it was because Hawkin's citizens chose to stay home or were forced to stay home, he knew word got around quickly about tragedies.

"Robin, I totally empathize, but this cannot wait." Dustin stated as he began writing information down. "Why because calling all of Eddie's friends is an emergency?!" Robin spat

"Correct!" Dustin yelled as he went back to frustratedly scribbling numbers and names.

"Guys, what's going on?" Dylan questioned; his tone cautious. Dustin seemed to stop writing as he glanced at Dylan, nodding before looking at Max. "Can you fill them in while I do this?" Dustin asked cautiously.

"Fill us in on what?" Robin queried. Max turned around facing the three, folding her arms as she didn't meet eye to eye with any of them.

Listening to the girl speak, and explain what had happened the night before, Eddie walking with Chrissy Cunningham in his trailer, lights flickering as Eddie then screamed. Running and driving away in fear. Dylan then started to piece together what he had seen the night before, the flickering blurred lights, cracking, snapping, a scream.

Dylan saw Chrissy die.

__________________________________

Dylan sat at the computer, searching for more of Eddie's friends phone numbers as he wrote them all down on a whiteboard. Dustin, Max, and Robin calling each number and crossing them off one by one with no answers leading them any closer to Eddie Munson.

Dylan felt a bit distracted, the sounds of typing in new numbers, ringing, mumbled speech and then frustration seemed to fade into the background. He wondered if he should tell his friends about what he saw. On one hand, it could help them and help himself by getting it off his chest. But on the other hand, he didn't even know for sure if it was Chrissy, he didn't necessarily see the girl or Eddie for that matter. He didn't want to spook them anymore.

There were also components he still didn't understand even after Max explained what she witnessed. The grandfather clocks. After thinking over it, Dylan was sure it was one of those old-timey eerie clocks. It just proved to him more that it was most likely all in his head, like Cindy and his mother. Things his brain has tricked him with.

Steve attended to the customers, flirting with every girl in hopes that she would find him cute, and she would be the one for him. Unfortunately for him, they only left with a movie and not his number.

Time passed as almost every name was scratched off the whiteboard, their patience running low. Max hung up the phone turning around to face the three. "Hey, guys? I think I found a lead." she smiled. "Seriously?" Dustin cheered.

"Yeah, apparently Eddie gets drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there." Max explained, and Robin raised her eyebrows "That sounds promising. W-where does this Reefer Rick live?" She stuttered.

"See. that's the thing. No one knows. He's more of a... a legend than someone that people actually know." Max sighed. The excitement and hope faltered as Dustin shook his head walking back and forth between the ledges of the counter.

"What about a last name?" Dustin asked

"I don't know that either." Max replied.

"Bet the cops know the last name." Steve spoke up as the man leaned outside the counter next to the register. The group turned to him. "What?" Max asked

"The cops... I mean listen if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. Means he's in the system" Steve lowered his voice.

"Have you forgotten that we're trying to stay away from the cops right now? As they're looking for Eddie." Dylan asked his tone thick. Steve simply shrugged as Dustin quickly pointed at him. "You don't think Eddie's innocent!"

Dylan never liked Eddie. The thought of this guy being a murderer made him dislike the man more. But Eddie had answers they needed to know. So for now Dylan was on the side of protecting him.

Steve raised his hands in defense. " Whoa. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit." Dylan and Robin shared a look of judgment towards Steve, as much as they loved the guy, he could sometimes be a bit dense.

"I just.... you know? I don't think we can rule it out." Steve said. Dustin gave him a look, squinting his eyes as Max spoke up "That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve."

Dustin hummed in agreement. "And maybe! We'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend, and more time trying to find Eddie!"

"Oh well somebody has to attend to the customers." Steve stated extending his hand towards the door. "Especially if they're babes, right?" Robin winked.

The door opened as a boy walked in, his blond hair pointed upwards as he had a grungier style. His eyelids painted with a black liner. Dylan couldn't help but be reminded of Cindy.

"Hey." Steve pointed at Robin "Not fair. Okay? I attend to all customers equally, babes—" Steve looked at Dylan with a glance of support "and non-babes alike."

Dylan made a face. "Don't look at me." He hissed. As Steve looked away clearing his throat. Max glanced at Dylan as she tightened her gaze before shrugging

"We've got a very big selection in here. It can be super overwhelming for people." Steve stated before Robin straightened her back her eyes wide. "Yeah....it can be."

Robin rushed over to the computer. Typing in a few words. "What are you doing?" Max asked.

"Maybe we don't need a last name." Robin stated.

The other four came to Robin's side peering over her shoulder at the screen, hearing the keyboard clicking fast under her fingers. She opened the file for "Ricks" who have made an account at Family Video. Dylan peered at all of them, it was genius. Yet he didn't recognize a single one.

"Twelve Ricks have accounts here." Robin stated "Lots of Rick's." Max agreed

Dylan turned around as the four began looking through each file. Setting his water bottle down on the counter. He looked up to see the customer looking through the shelves, his nose slightly scrunched up as he seemed confused.

Dylan glanced behind him to see Steve and Robin occupied. Usually, he wouldn't care, but...he wanted to talk to this guy, something pulled him to it.

"Hey? Do you need some help?" Dylan asked as he walked towards him. The man looked at him with a polite smile.

"Yeah actually, do you know any good horror films that aren't too bloody?" He asked, the man carrying a little country accent.

Dylan nodded, that familiar accent caused his breath to falter. "Um, R-rosemary baby is a pretty good psychological horror, there's no blood and stuff. It should be......" Dylan looked around the horror shelf, "here." He handed the man the VHS

"Rosemary baby...." The man muttered "Yeah this is good. Thank you......I just didn't want to see anything bloody after my boyfriend killed me."

Dylan looked at him with surprise, not knowing if he was more shocked by a man having a boyfriend or because he said he was killed. "Sorry?"

"You know." He chuckled, a chuckle that sent a shiver down Dylan's spine "It was you silly, you killed me."

Dylan saw the man's face morphed his pupils turning a white that contrasted his eyeshadow. As he had a smile on his face, every single one of his teeth shown"I-I....... This is only in my head, you're not real." Dylan found himself repeating that same phrase for comfort not knowing what else to do.

"Oh, Dylan I am more than real." The man his voice grew deeper as he stared into Dylan. The background of the store growing blurry.

Dylan felt his breath quicken, as his head started to pound. He felt his hand shake, before the man grabbed it. "No!" Dylan screamed before his world cleared up again.

The man with his regular green eyes stood in front of him holding the VHS with shock. Looking at Dylan with confusion "Are you okay, man?"

"Huh? What?" Dylan asked

"I only asked if you were sure, it didn't have gore. My girlfriend doesn't like that kind of stuff." He stated.

Dylan blinked a few times swallowing the sickness he felt as he nodded "No...no yeah, I'm sure."

The guy nodded back as he walked away from him. Dylan stood in the same aisle. Gripping at his hands, trying to make sense of what he saw. He tasted his cigarettes at the tip of his tongue. He needed one. Bad.

Then he glanced at his friends and Steve. Knowing even if he did it outside it would stick to his clothes and his breath. He had to wait. He had to endure the sights for a little bit longer.

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LENORA HILLS--ROLLAR RINK

"I want you to say sorry to me." Eleven demanded her voice in whimpers, as cold tears stained her face, and her dress covered in a sweet chocolate milkshake. She faced Angela and her gang all of whom had looks of no remorse towards her. "I want you to tell my boyfriend that it was just a joke, and that we are really friends." Eleven begged.

"Or what?" Angela bit back, tilting her head mockingly as she extended her arm "You gonna hurt us with your mean stare?" Eleven bit back another sob as the memories of humiliation flooded her mind, she felt weak not being able to fight back.

Angela and her friends giggled and laughed at the poor girl's face, not hiding the pleasure they received making Jane feel horrible. "Sorry, you can't cry to teacher today. You'll just have to cry to your daddy instead......oh wait. You can't do that either."

Eleven felt her stomach drop as Angela's words poked every inch of her skin. She heard her bullies scoff and laugh cruelly as they walked away from her, praising Angela for her harsh comments. Words made Eleven hurt more, made her remember Hawkins, the people she missed, the people she lost. She felt anger course through her body.  Then she thought of Dylan, her brother. one of her biggest supporters, what he said before she left.

"You'll fit in perfectly at your new school, don't let anyone tell you differently and if they do.... never lose your will to fight."

She felt adrenaline she'd never felt before, his words sticking to her mind as it perked her feet up. Eleven began walking with passion down the colorful rug of the roller rink, the bright neon lights shining around her.

She walked past a man attempting to put his skates on as she reached and grasped it into her hands, seeing the hair tie that was gifted to her by Dylan and the blue bracelet Hopper gave her---it only made her move faster. Holding the roller skate in her dominant hand. She paced towards Angela and her friends.

Her gaze set on the platinum blond girl's hair, hearing her obnoxious laugh only fueled her anger more. "Angela!" Eleven yelled. The girl turned to face Jane, not being met with a sad or pathetic face but one filled with anger and resentment. Before she could say anything, the girl pulled back her hand revealing a skate rested on her palm and gripped tightly between her fingers that landed smack on her forehead harsher than her own words.

Eleven heard Angela scream as she fell on her back, the other kids rushing to her aid as they sat the girl up, Angela looked dazed her vision blurry before she felt the stinging pain, and the warm feeling of liquid running down her face as it stained her expensive clothes. Angela's confusion turned to terror as she began crying and screaming.

Eleven looked down at the skate in her hands as the world finally came back to her. She looked at the rubber wheel that had blood stained on it. She then looked around her the bystanders all had a look of confusion, shock, and some even with fear. They looked at her like a monster. She only listened to her brother; she fought back. Angela hurt her first. They had hurt her many times and once she hurt them back.... In Hawkins and now in California, she was the monster.