𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎
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𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚔𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍
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When science class started, the only thing Genie could focus on was Will's empty seat. It seemed to taunt her. 'Where's you're friend, huh?'
The anxiety was filling her with dread. Will never missed school—not if he could help it.
Suddenly, a wave of excited, bored, annoyed, and tired emotions ran through her. It was like her body was trying to find something other than the Will to focus on. Whatever this weird sensation was, it was only making Genie panic more.
Then it was gone. All of it, gone in the blink of an eye. She couldn't figure out what just happened. Her heart was thumping so hard she thought the whole class would be able to hear it.
"Genie?" Lucas's voice snapped her out of her thoughts—or emotions, "You good?"
The rest of the class had left and the only people in the room were the three boys and Mr Clarke.
"Huh? Um, yeah—yeah I'm fine." She said quietly, shoving her books in her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
Mr Clarke was leading the kids into the AV club room where the new Heathkit Ham Shack surely awaited them. The group had been waiting for the Heathkit for weeks so this was an exciting day for them.
Mike fiddled impatiently with Mr Clarke's keys and swung the door open.
The group ran in and crowded around the machine. It sat on a table, shining in all it's glory. There was one long microphone sprouting from the top. Below the mic was a shit ton of buttons and knobs, most of which would probably never be pressed.
"Woah." Mike breathed, lightly twisting the knobs. Genie leaned through the spaces between the boys and watched as they admired the Heathkit.
"Ain't she a beaut?" Mr Clarke smiled proudly.
"I bet you could talk to New York on this thing." Dustin said excitedly.
"Think bigger." Mr Clarke said.
"California?" Lucas turned to ask his teacher who shook his head, a smile on his face.
"Bigger."
"Antartica!" Genie exclaimed. The group looked at her oddly and she shrugged, "or not, whatever."
"Australia?" Mike asked, ignoring Genie's comment.
Mr Clarke nodded and the five kids gasped.
"No way!" Genie gushed.
"Oh man, when Will sees this he's gonna blow his shit!" Lucas enthused excitedly.
"Lucas." Mr Clarke looked at the boy with a stern expression.
"Sorry." Lucas mumbled and Genie suppressed a chuckle.
Genie took the headphones and placed them on her head while Mike turned the knobs curiously. "'Ello, this is Mike Wheeler, president of the Hawkins Middle AV Club." Mike leaned into the mic and said in a fake Australian accent.
"And Genie Harrington-" Genie added into the microphone before Dustin stole the headphones and pushed her aside.
"'Ello, this is Dustin, secretary and treasurer of Hawkins Middle AV Club. Do you eat kangaroos for breakfast?" He questioned, imitating Mike's accent.
A loud knock at the door made the children and Mr Clarke look up. In the doorway stood the principal with Chief Hopper behind him.
"Sorry to interrupt but may we borrow Michael, Lucas, Genevieve and Dustin?" The principal asked. His voice was soft but his expression was anything but. Something was wrong, just as Genie had suspected.
She got to her feet, as did the boys and followed everyone out. Her heart was beating abnormally fast and she couldn't hear anything but the pounding of blood rushing past her ears. Genie was scared, scared out of her wits, but not for herself. Why she was so fearful was beyond her.
She followed the group down the halls, inhaling and exhaling shakily. She couldn't focus on whatever they were saying, not until they reached the principals office and she was sat down on the couch in between Lucas and Mike.
Chief Hopper barely got one sentence out before the boys started talking loudly over each other, rambling on and on. Genie just sat in silence, twiddling her thumbs and trying to get a hold on herself.
"Alright, one at a time." Hopper cut in, silencing the boys, "Genevieve, you've been uncharacteristically quiet."
Genie looked up at him nervously, sighing. "He always takes Mirkwood home."
"Mirkwood?" Hopper was confused as was the principal. The adults exchanged brief glances before turning back to the children.
"Mirkwood." Genie confirmed.
Hopper turned to his assistant, confused.
"Have you heard of Mirkwood?" He asked. He sounded tired like he didn't want to deal with this right now.
"Other than just now? No. Sounds made up to me."
"No, it's from Lord of the Rings." Lucas explained.
"Well, The Hobbit." Cut in Dustin. Genie slouched back on the couch, prepared to avoid their arguing.
"It doesn't matter!"
"He asked!"
"He asked." Lucas mocked, causing Dustin to argue back and Mike to attempt at stopping the two from bickering. Genie rolled her eyes and watched with an amused look on her face. The sounds of the quarrel managed to block out the wave of random emotions emitting from all around her and the 'Frosty the Snowman' song playing on repeat in her head so she didn't mind it.
"Hey, hey, hey, what did I just say? One at a damn time." Hopper leaned his elbows on his knees and glaring at the kids. "Genie, continue."
"Mirkwood, it's a real road, it's just the name that's made up. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet." She explained, her voice more lively than a moment ago. The screaming emotions gone from her mind, she was able to feel what she chose again.
A vague metallic scent distracted Genie for a moment. She ran her thumb under her nose and pulled it away with a light, bloody stain. Her eyes widened and she wiped away the rest of the blood before the others could see. A bloody nose was the least of their worries right now.
"Yeah, I think I know that" Hopper leaned back in his seat, oblivious to Genie's distraction.
"We can show you!" Mike blurted.
Hopper glowered at Mike. "I said I know it!"
"We can help look!"
"Yeah!" Dustin smiled. Genie shook her head and leaned back again.
"No." Hopper said sternly. "After school, you are all to go home immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."
"The Hobbit." Dustin corrected quietly.
"Shut up!" Lucas turned on him, the two boys beginning to shove each other, sandwiching Mike and Genie between them. The other two looked at each other, exasperated.
"Stop!" Genie shouted, throwing an arm across Lucas and pushing him back while Mike pushed Dustin off of himself.
"Do I make myself clear?" Hopper continued, standing up casually as though nothing happened.
"Yes, sir." The four said simultaneously, feeling intimidated. Chief Hopper could be very frightening when he wanted to.
As she rode home, Genie thought to herself. She ran through every possible situation that Will could've gone through. What happened to him?
She barely noticed when Steve turned down her driveway. She saw her room lights flickering from outside, the curtains drawn wide open. Her mother must've been in there.
"Come on." Steve parked his car and placed a hand on his sister's shoulder, steering her out of the vehicle and towards the house. He knew something was weird with her but he didn't push it. It's not like she'd say anything anyway.
When Genie collapsed in her bed, she automatically closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Her mind clouded over with thoughts she didn't remember thinking and feelings she hadn't felt in years.
What was happening to her?
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This part was trash I apologize.
I was reading fanfics instead of writing more chapters so sorry abt that but also not sorry bc I have like fifteen prewritten chapters so yayyy
I don't really have much else to say so see you in part four <3