DESOLATION [ 1 ] ↠ STRANGER THINGS

1. THE DISAPPEARANCE

DESOLATION
CHAPTER ONE

➝ THE DISAPPEARANCE

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT HAVING A BOY OVER THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING?" Chris Cartwell announced as he walked into the kitchen, to find his daughter sitting at the table with their next door neighbor. There were two bowls of cereal sitting in front of both of them, and Colleen was twirling her spoon around in her Cheerios. Chris looked over towards the young man and gave him a slight nod as he walked over to grab his keys, "Good morning, Steven."

Colleen rolled her eyes, sliding off of her seat and walking to her father, placing a kiss on his cheek. "He's still not my boyfriend, nor will he ever be. You just gotta learn how to accept it already, dad."

Chris laughed, as she walked around him to place her bowl in the sink and he turned around with folded arms, "You know, that's a good thing, sweetheart. You are too young to be dating. Even though Steven, here, would be a great candidate." He grinned widely, "He has great hair."

"Thanks Mr. Cartwell," Steve stood up from his chair and placed his empty bowl in the sink as well. He stepped closer to her father and placed his hand firmly on his shoulder, "I just hope I grow up to be as good looking as you one day."

Colleen gagged, poking her finger into her mouth and sticking out her tongue. She looked over towards her dad, "I'm not feeling very well. Could I stay home from school today? I got the sudden urge to throw up." Steve let out a light laugh, stepping forward and grabbing both of their school bags from the dining room table and walking back over to where Colleen was still standing. He handed her the school bag and she pulled it over her shoulder, nudging his arm with her elbow.

Steve and Colleen had grown up with one another, always being next door neighbors. He practically lived at her house, never wanting to be at his own. His father was a Grade A douche bag, and his mother just followed along with all of his rules, never wanting to get into an argument.

Colleen still remembered when things took a turn for the worse. About two years ago, when they were around fifteen years old, Mr. Harrington was drinking pretty heavily one night. They got into an argument and he pushed Steve out the front door and locked him outside in the dead of winter and wouldn't let him back in. If Mrs. Harrington even tried to make a move towards the door, he would scream and cuss at her to leave "their piece of shit son" out of the house that he paid for. Colleen remembered just laying in her bed and she heard knock, after knock, after knock. Until eventually, Chris Cartwell came into her bedroom and suggested letting him stay the night in their guest room. And ever since that night, he made their guest room into his own little, second bedroom. He would never tell Colleen, but he actually felt more at home at her house, rather than his own.

But she already knew that.

Chris grabbed his police badge from on top of the kitchen counter, "I'll see you when I get home later. Hop is waiting on me down at the station so I should probably get going. You two will be fine with getting to school?"