Invisible String ☾ Nancy Wheeler

Eight

Emily's POV:

Nancy and I didn't speak after...the run-in with that thing. I couldn't even tell you what it was. Not only did I not get a good look at it, but I couldn't compare any similarities it might've shared with an animal.

After I dropped her off at her house, I went straight to the safety and comfort of my home.

I'll explain to Heather tomorrow why I didn't bring the car...again.

While the odds were extremely low, I didn't want to be alone in fear that thing would come back and I ended up staying in the living room with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

Definitely didn't help that Hopper wasn't here.

I thought what I had seen--well, with what Nancy and I had seen in the woods was the worst possible thing I had dealt with today,

"Byers's body was found in the water of this quarry by state police earlier this evening. It was discovered by state trooper David O'Bannon, just after dark." The news reporter spoke, gesturing to the body of water behind him. "The state police are mounting an investigation to determine Byers' cause of death, but an initial inquiry..."

It looks like I wasn't the only one.

The phone rings from beside me and I reach over, putting the device against my ear. "Hello?"

"Hi sweetie, you watching the news?" Mrs. Henderson's voice chimed on the phone.

"Yeah...how's Dustin?" I worriedly ask.

"He came home a while ago but he went straight to his room." She sighed. "I tried to check in on him but he didn't want to talk. I know it's late, but you think you can come over and see if he'll talk to you?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, I immediately slid my shoes on, snatched my coat from the couch, and sprinted outside to get inside the car.

It only took me ten minutes to get to the Henderson household and since Mrs. Henderson already expected me to be there, I didn't bother to knock on the door.

I push open the door and glance around, seeing Mrs. Henderson sitting on the couch as she comforts the orange cat in her grasp. "Shh, shh. Mews, it's okay." She whispered, stroking his back to ease him. "Thank you so much for coming, Emily."

"Is he still in his room?" I ask and she nods.

I walk past the living room and approach his closed door to knock a few times. "Mom, I said I'm not hungry." Dustin rasped.

"Not your mom." I speak up. "Can I come in?"

"Em, please. I just..." I hear faint sniffles. "I don't want to talk."

I twist open the knob and the door opens with ease. I expected him to be in his bed but instead, he sat on the floor with his back against the side of his bed.

Fresh tears still flowed down his cheeks and my heart ached at the sight.

I move Dustin's wrinkled hat and his backpack away and sit down beside him. "We don't have to talk." I reassure and wrap an arm around his shoulder.

He looks down as he shakes his head. "I saw him...I saw Will. H-He--I-"

He doesn't hesitate and clings his face to my chest, letting out a sob as he wraps his arms around me.

While Dustin didn't know it, I needed the hug too.

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