✓ Her Mixtape, Stranger Things

xvii. moving on at the snowball

　The girl smiled at the contents of the box. They were tapes and cameras and films and polaroids. Films when she was a messy three-year-old, living without a care in the world with her mom and dad in Portland. Tapes from dates she couldn't remember. Polaroids of herself as a baby. Pictures of her and her mom and dad, and one of her in the backyard she grew up in, a baseball hat on her head that was so big it covered her chubby face.

　"Rue," a voice pulled her away.

　The girl slowly put the polaroids back in the box, turning around to find Nancy Wheeler, who wore a beautiful black dress, and Jonathan Byers, who matched a hand-me-down black suit with his girlfriend's dress. Nancy smiled softly at her, her hands holding onto a folder. "This is for you," she said, handing the girl the folder.

　Ruth Newby took it shyly. She looked back up at the couple, who shared a grin as they nodded for Rue to take a look at what was inside.

　Rue slowly opened the folder, and a small gasp slipped from her lips. Information, files and pictures all about her mother when she was a child. Emilia Davis, as the files in her hands, stated. "How did you get this?" she asked, looking back up at them.

　Nancy had a cheeky grin on her face as Jonathan spoke. "Once Nancy and I shut down the lab, we got a hold of a bit of information. I asked if they had anything about your mom."

　"That's everything they have about her," Nancy finished.

　Tears weld at Rue's eyes, and she smiled at them. "Thank you," she gushed, engulfing them into a hug.

　Nancy chuckled, holding the girl tightly. They pulled away, and she winked, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your superpowers."

　"Thank you," Rue said again, nodding. It was Jim Hopper's idea to keep the new information about Rue and her mother's powers down low. Only him, Joyce, Nancy, Jonathan and Will knew. No one else. Just for a while to keep Rue safe, until they're sure the lab is gone forever.

　Loud creaking made the three turn around. The trio spotted Max Mayfield's bright red hair first before they saw her head peeking into the attic, her eyes wide when she saw Nancy and Jonathan there instead of just Rue. "Oh, hey," she mumbled, climbing the rest of the stairs into the small room. She also wore all black.

　Max held two sandwiches, and as she walked towards Rue, her smile grew brighter, handing her one. "Here you go, my kind lady."

　"Why, thank you very much," Rue laughed.

　"Guys! Get the last boxes before we leave!" Hopper's voice broke the two girls' small giggling fit.

　Jonathan cleared his throat, picking up one of the very view boxes left in the Newby's attic. He and Nancy sent Rue a suggestive smirk before they disappeared down the stairs.

　"Are you almost done?" Max asked, fixing her ponytail and taking a bite of her sandwich. "It's just ham and cheese," she said, pointing at the bread in Rue's hand.

　Rue hummed, spinning around, making the ends of her dress flow slightly as she faced the box. She bit into the sandwich, staring at the pictures and films once more before putting the folder Nancy gave her neatly in the box and grabbing the tape and sealing it shut. "I'm keeping this one," she mumbled, balancing the box and her food.

　"You're keeping most of them anyways," Max chuckled, grabbing the last box in the room.

　They carefully walked down the stairs, watching their steps not to trip on anything. As Rue walked down the halls of her home, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. She's never seen the walls so blank and empty before. No pictures, no medals. Nothing but the paint.