𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴

003. Memorial Hospital

The days started to go by quickly in Hawkins, and the number of witnessed deaths by the "earthquake" started to go up as well. The once peaceful and quiet town of Hawkins, Indiana was finally announced to be in a desperate, dangerous state of emergency.

People started to hoard weapons inside their homes and refuse to go out in society and participate in everyday life out of fear for what could happen to them. The late Jason Carver's friend group, the basketball jocks, decided to screw that and try to fight for themselves. You can probably imagine how that was going. It wasn't. They had no leads on anything and found themselves revolving to the same four places: the gates. 

A week after the gates in Hawkins had opened and everything had happened with Vecna, there was a required town hall meeting. People were extremely hesitant to go, but they didn't have a choice. Instead of the meeting being led by the police, it was led by the government. They didn't say much about what had happened, but they said if anything worse occurred that the town would have to be evacuated entirely. 

School wouldn't be starting back for another week because there was going to be a ceremony held in downtown Hawkins for everyone to speak on the love ones they had lost in the "earthquake" and a week of remembrance so that the community could come together as a whole and mourn for their great loss. 

After the town meeting, Lucas and Erica saw Steve, Robin, and Dustin and quickly told them that they needed to come with them to the hospital to see something. Steve spotted Nancy and Mike and went to tell them as well so that they could  hopefully all go together.  

Mrs. Wheeler was talking to one of her neighborhood friends when she saw her kids try to sneak away. "Sorry, I'll be just one minute, Janette." She quickened her pace to reach her two oldest children. "Nancy, Mike, where are you going? Your father and I are talking to people right now." Nancy and Mike quickly glanced at each other to make up a lie on the spot. 

"We just decided we wanted to volunteer at the hospital together!" Nancy exclaimed. "Yeah, we just thought it would be better than waiting around here not really doing anything," Mike agreed. Mrs. Wheeler's face lit up. "That does sound like a good idea! Let me go get Holly and your dad and we can drop them off at the house before we head over there together. I don't want you two wandering off by yourselves. It's too dangerous."

Mike sighed with exhaustion. "Mom, Nancy's a legal adult now. She can look after me just fine--" Karen Wheeler shook her head. "No, Mike. It's too dangerous right now. Everyone's been through so much heartache already, and I won't be wondering where you two are at home doing nothing to help." Nancy nodded slowly, realizing there was no way to get out of it now. "It's okay. Um, I'm just going to go talk to Steve really quickly before we leave, okay?"

Karen nodded. "Alright, you go do that while Mike and I get Holly and your dad." Nancy nodded before walking back over towards the others. "So," she said with an annoyed smile, "Mike and I told my mom we were going to volunteer at the hospital, so she's driving us now because apparently we can't be trusted on our own! I'm not sure how we're going to get out of it yet, but I was wondering if you could go get El and Joyce? They need to see what's going on too."

"Yeah, I'll go pick them up when we leave," Steve replied. "Do you want me to grab Will and Jonathan too?" Nancy shook her head. "My mom's dropping off Holly and my dad before we go, so I think we should be able to pick them up. We'll just have to tell them really quickly." Steve stared at her for a whole minute before nodding. "Right. Uh, I'll-- uh-- see you at the hospital then."

Nancy smiled and said, "Yeah, see you there." As soon as she was out of hearing range, Robin started giggling like a little child. "See, I knew you still had feelings for her! Dustin was so right about you never getting over her!" Steve gave Dustin a dirty, dirty look. "Really, Henderson? We talked about this. We're just friends. She's dating Jonathan." Robin smiled and said, "That's not what it looked like the other day in the basement."