I Know The End ✸ Steve Harrington

vii. code red

"You won't believe me." The Byers boy insisted quickly.

"Why don't you give me a try? My office. Now."

The three teens reluctantly stood from their seats, nervously glancing at one another as they followed Hopper into his office. Josie was unsure with what they were about to share — if it was anyone else they'd surely laugh in their face or claim that they were crazy but the teenage girl was certain Joyce would believe them.

"You say blood draws this thing?" Hopper raised a brow, inspecting the picture Jonathan had given him.

"We don't know."

"It's just a theory." Nancy muttered softly.

"There's this opening in a tree in the woods." Josie blurted without thought, gaining questioning looks from the two adults. "I know how it sounds but...it was another dimension that's where its from and has been this whole time. It was feasting on a deer." Her eyes panned down onto her lap, pushing aside the memory of being pinned down by the creature.

After a moment of silence with Joyce and Hopper looking at one another, silently communicating, the woman spoke up. "Could I speak to you, Jonathan?" She had tears swelling into her eyes as the boy followed his mother outside.

Both girls got up from their spots, murmuring about getting a glass of water but Hopper quickly stopped Josie from moving any further, leaving the two alone in his office. "How'd you get those bruises, kid?"

Josie looked down at her bruised up knuckle, "Punched a guy who was being an asshole."

"Harrington?"

She snorted, "Not this time. Jonathan kind of did that already."

"Well, I guess if he was being an asshole then he deserved it."

"Just please don't tell my mom." Josie gave him a pleaded look. "I just don't want her worrying."

Hopper nodded at the girl, seeing the slight guilt and worry in her eyes. "No worries, kid. You just need to be more careful, Henderson, it's worse going to a parent to say their kid has just died or has gone missing."

Their conversation was quickly interrupted by the commotion happening just outside the room. From what Josie could gather, it was Callahan trying and failing to calm down a very fustrated woman. "Stay here." Hopper instructed, exiting the office.

But, being the nosy girl Josie was, she immediately got up peaking her head around the corner to hear the gossip. "What the hell is going on?" Hopper exclaimed, approaching the two officers.

"These men are humiliating my son." The woman stated, distressed.

"No, no, no, that's not true." Callahan denied.

"There was some kind of fight, Cheif-"

Powell was interrupted, "A psychotic child broke his arm!"

They continued to bicker back and forth, no doubt irritating Hopper, until the woman's son spoke up. "She had no hair and she was bleeding from her nose. Like a freak."

Josie's eyes practically bulged out of her eye sockets as she listened to the description being given. El. If El was seen, that meant Mike, Dustin and Lucas was there as well. It seemed to shock Hopper too as he froze at the words, "What'd you just say?"