Thunderstruck | Steve Harrington

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: DO YOU COPY?

Chapter Thirty-Two: Do You Copy?

(The Bathtub, Pt. 2)

***

The Wheeler home was crawling with government agents.

Rowan sat in the passenger seat of her aunt's car, biting her nails, as she watched the agents stand like sentries around the Wheeler house and take things from the basement, her heart rate spiking with the thought of the Man being there, of somehow seeing her, of somehow seeing Alistair and recognising him, taking him, hurting him. Aunt Aco looked at her, noticed her panic, and gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Hey, the fact they're obviously looking for Alistair, his friends and that girl means they haven't found them yet," her aunt assured.

"I know, but I can't stop thinking if they did," Rowan said as she put her hand down, giving her nails a respite from her nervous assault on them. "It's our nightmare come to life, Aunt Aco. All that needs to be added is the Man and the Place somehow being here like it teleported or something."

Her aunt snorted. "At least your humour is intact."

"I joke to cope. I got that from you."

They gave each other small smiles, but they faded away like early morning mist in the sun, Rowan watching the agents like a hawk as her aunt gripped the steering wheel tight, obviously just as panicked and worried that her nephew had been found, that he was being experimented on right now, like Rowan was.

That panic spiked when a loud noise came and they saw a helicopter in the sky. Rowan gaped, staring at it in wide-eyed horror.

Oh God.

There were several tense seconds, until they heard the screech of wheels and Rowan saw Hopper's car peel away. She looked at her aunt, who had a look of hope in her eyes.

They'd found a way to find Alistair, Mike, Lucas, Dustin and El.

Her aunt put the car into drive and drove after Hopper, tyres squealing. Rowan looked out the window, worrying her lip, watching the helicopter.

Please be okay, she pleaded. God, Al, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, El please be safe. We're coming to find you.

We're coming to find you.

***

When they stopped driving, Rowan saw they were at the Byers' house. Aunt Aco parked the car and they got out, following Hopper, Mrs. Byers, Jonathan and Nancy inside—only Rowan had to stop and gape at seeing the living room.

Black wires were slung around the house, the bulb holders telling Rowan they were Christmas lights. Above the couch, was the alphabet in thick, capitalised black letters with more Christmas light-less wire hovering over each letter. And on the ground, like glass shells, were the Christmas lights, discarded and rolling on the carpeted floor. Rowan heard a breeze and looked with gawking eyes at an admittedly large, boarded-up hole in the wall. What the hell...