Distortion [S. Harrington]

chapter 18

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Since there wasn't a clean path to her house, having to park outside the woods was a pain in the ass. Ever since Lucy moved to the cabin last year none of her friends could come over, which was mostly because of Eleven. Eleven started living with them in the winter of last year and no one has been able to visit since then because no one can know that she's still alive.

When Lucy got back from school she took the dirt road to her house and stopped the car as soon as the tree in the road was in her vision. Parking the car, she got out and slung her bag over her shoulder, dreading the walk in front of her. It wasn't very far but Lucy was tired from the school day she had and didn't want to be walking in the woods

When she got to the house, she did the morse code knock on the front door and it was unlocked. She heard the thumping of El's small feet running on the old, wooden floorboards. Lucy walked into the house, locking the door on the way in, and placed her bag down in her room before going into Eleven's.

"Hey, El. How was your day?" Lucy asked, climbing into the bed.

"Same."

"I know it's always the same here but Hop just wanted to protect you. You know how he is. It's still dangerous if you leave the cabin, El."

Lucy gave El a look, then wordlessly, both got up and went to the kitchen for some snacks. Lucy prepared the eggos and El turned on the tv, switching it to the Halloween movie channel. They watched movies while waiting for Hopper to get home, but they both fell asleep sprawled all over each other on the couch.

Around 8 o'clock there was a knock at the door but both girls were sleeping so no one answered it. The same knock was at the door again, this time it was louder. It woke Lucy up with a startle and she shoved El off of her as she quickly ran to the door to unlock it.

"Dad, you're late. It's 8:15, El's gonna be pissed," Lucy said, swinging the door open.

"Watch your mouth."

Lucy rolled her eyes and closed the door behind him, locking it again.

"I lost track of time. No signal."

"You're late," El sassed, hanging over the back of the couch. "It's 8-1-5. You are late."

"There was no signal, and it's not 8-1-5, it's 8:15," Hopper sassed back.

Looking at the coffee table, he noticed plates of eggos with whipped cream and strawberries. It was hard to miss since Lucy left all the supplies out and there was whipped cream all over the counter.

"Hey, what did we talk about? Dinner first, then dessert. You know that's a rule," Hopper scolded, grabbing three microwave dinners and heating them up. "You know that right?"

He grabbed the hot meals and placed them at the table, sitting down to eat. The two girls followed him to the table and sat down with him.

"Yes," Eleven said. "I know."