CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER | j. byers

iv. | will the wise

        "He just-just talked to himself," whispered Nancy. 

        Cassie swallowed hard. She threw her cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with her foot. The man looked up at them, putting his newspaper down slightly. The three looked away, observing everything else. 

        Everything seemed so normal. Nothing seemed wrong or out of place. Cassie's gut churned. She did not have a good feeling. Everyone in the park seemed to put them on edge, not knowing if they were members of the public or if they had caught on to the teens' plans. People looked at them, and it didn't help Cassie's unsettled stomach. It felt like everyone was staring at them. Everyone was watching them.

        Cassie brought her hand up to her mouth, anxiously biting on her thumbnail. Her leg bobbed quicker.

        "I think we should go," Nancy suggested. Cassie let out a shaky breath.

        "Couldn't agree more," Cassie said, standing up immediately. 

        The trio began walking back to Jonathan's car hurriedly, trying to still look casual while being hasty. Cassie looked back to see a man following them a few paces behind. Someone was onto them. Cassie squeezed Jonathan's hand in fear and he squeezed back in comfort.

        The three got in the car, the man still following them. Cassie snatched her sunglasses off her head and put them in her pocket, too freaked out to worry about looking cool. Jonathan turned the key. The engine made a weird noise but didn't start. He tried again and again. No luck. 

        Cassie's breathing picked up. Someone had tampered with the engine. 

        "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," she muttered under her breath.

        A tapping on Cassie's window made her gasp and jump back. She looked over to see the man that was reading the newspaper. The other two looked over at the window with Cassie.

        "Trouble with your car, miss?" the man asked her, his voice muffled through the glass. "I can give you three a lift if you like." Cassie looked back at Jonathan with wide eyes. She saw the man that was following them approach his window.

        "Jonathan," she said slowly, warning him of the incoming stranger. Jonathan turned around to face the man. Cassie looked out the windshield to see another man coming up to them. The three turned around to see a woman behind them. "Shit."

        The man knocked on Cassie's window again. "You sure you don't need that ride?"

        The three got out of the car and were transferred into another one. As they drove, Cassie began to panic. She knew where they were going. She knew these roads and woods well. Tears welled up in her eyes as her breathing picked up. She tried to keep it under control, too scared of what they would do if she gave any indication she knew where they were going.

        When they arrived at Hawkins Lab, Jonathan and Nancy instantly looked over at Cassie. She bit her tongue in an attempt to not let out a sob or yell curses at the officials. Men walked them in and shoved them into a white-tiled room with three chairs and a table.

        Cassie almost fell when she arrived in the room. Her mind was flooded with the memory of being tested, scientists pushing her to her absolute limit and then beating her when she wouldn't perform as much as they wanted. The door closed behind them.

        It was muscle memory. The sound of the door locking shut and Cassie instantly stalked over to the corner furthest from the door. She sat on the ground, curling her knees up and burying her face. Her arms wrapped around her legs, keeping them up to protect her face.