Jeopardy- Stranger Things

Chapter Ten

November 7th, 1983

Throughout the day, George couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened. He often felt like this though so knew well enough how to ignore it. He'd wake up most days with a sinking feeling in his stomach, tip-toe into his mum's bedroom and see she wasn't there. That feeling wouldn't pass when he came home from school and saw her car hadn't returned. But he always had Nick and that was all he needed. Every time he'd wake up with the horrid, almost guilty feeling when Naomi wasn't home, he'd go into the kitchen and Nick would be cooking and smiling at him and he'd smile back.

But today was different. He didn't get the churning feeling until he'd reached school and Nick wasn't going to be there, give him a slice of jam toast and make everything better again.

George hung around in their science classroom with Mike, Dustin and Lucas after the bell rang and everyone else had gone. The others had rushed up to the front desk, eager to ask Mr Clarke, their science teacher, a question. George wasn't so excited.

"Did it come?" Mike asked enthusiastically, jumping up and down on the balls of his feet. George hung back.

He vaguely remembered, at the beginning of the year, the others telling him about their AV club and how at the end of last year their teacher had wanted to order new equipment. Obviously he would have to ask permission from the head and ask for a bigger budget in order for that to happen so the chances were slim. Mr Clarke sighed. Hanging his head, he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news..." He huffed, without making eye contact. Suddenly his head snapped up to meet their gaze, his eyes were wide and crinkled when he smiled, "It came!"

The others laughed and sighed in amusement. George did his best to crack a smile. Dustin turned to George grinning and grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the classroom after the others and Mr Clarke.

The AV club was held in what looked like an old janitor's closet. But inside it was a treasure trove! If you were into electronics. There were dozens of sound systems all plugged into one another and a labyrinth of cables all running into at least three extension cables.

"Wow." Dustin breathed from beside him. His voice was barely a whisper, as if his breath had literally been taken away by the sight in front of him. Mike scrambled to sit at the desk in front of it all and picked up a headset. Lucas peered over his shoulder and excitedly pointed at various dials and buttons. It wasn't long before Dustin, unable to contain his excitement any longer, ran over too.

"The 'Heathkit ham shack'." Mr Clarke told them. George frowned at such an odd name for a communications device. Why would you name it after food?

"I bet you could talk to New York on this thing!" Dustin exclaimed. Mr Clarke smiled to himself and folded his arms.

"Think bigger." He prompted smugly.

"California?" Lucas asked and Mr Clarke shook his head slowly.

"Australia?" George asked sarcastically. Living in England most of his life, that was the furthest place he could think of. Slowly, Mr Clarke nodded.

"Woah!" The boys chorused and even George had to admit he was impressed. For a minute there, the gut-wrenching feeling disappeared.

"When Will sees this, he's totally going to blow his shit!"

And then it was back.

Before George could dwell on it for too long, there was a knock on the door. The principal appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr Clarke, but could I borrow Michael, Lucas, Dustin and George." He asked, pointing to each of them in turn and looking over his shoulder.

From where George was standing, he didn't have a good look of the door and could only just see the principal. He glanced at the others who were all sat on the desk and could see right the way out the door and into the hall. Their faces fell. George shuffled round and peered out the door. His heart sank right the way down to his gut, adding to the sinking feeling.

It was the police.