Another corpse was found by the highway.
It was the body of a young teen named Fred Benson. Julia didn't know him personally; he was younger than her. They never shared any classes together.
His body was in the middle of the road, covered with a white sheet. Reporters were already at the scene.
At the crime scene they found Nancy, who was being interrogated by the sheriff.
When she was done talking to the police, they went to the trailer park and sat on a wooden bench.
Julia was on the edge, Melody on her lap, and her small hands were on the wooden table, moving up and down, hitting it like drums.
"You're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down," Nancy asked once she was caught up with what Eddie told the group last night.
"If the shoe fits," Steve said, sitting down next to Julia.
"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse. Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know," Dustin added, sitting on the other end.
Max sat across from Dustin and said, "All we know is this is something different. Something new." She looked down at her hands on the table.
"Doesn't make sense."
"It's only a theory."
"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean, why them," Nancy asked, wanting to know why they were the target.
"Maybe they were just in the wrong place."
While the conversation was going on between the rest of the group Julia looked ahead where the uneven road continued all the way down. She used to live in the old yellow house with her father.
It was the first time she was back after her father kicked her out. It sent an unsettling feeling down her spine. She moved her legs up and down, bouncing Melody in place.
Her father was never going to meet Melody. Julia was going to protect her from him. Melody was going to have a good life without anyone hurting her. Julia kissed the back of Melody's head, sealing the promise.
Steve put his hand on Julia's thigh, leaned near her ear, and whispered, "are you alright?" His voice brought her back. The memories of what her life used to be leaving her mind.
She turned her head toward Steve, their heads almost bumping into each other. He glanced at her lips for a second, then at her eyes, waiting for her response.
"I'm good. It's just my first time back after my dad kicked me out," she said softly, looking down at Steve's hand that rested on her thigh, his thumb caressing it.
"Do you want to leave," he asked. She shook her head "no, I'm good." Her lips were in a tight smile as she looked at his brown eyes. "I promise."
Steve wasn't fully convinced, but he didn't bother her with any more questions. He focused back on the conversation.
"Fred started acting weird the second we got here," Nancy said, remembering how her classmate acted.
"Acting weird as in," Robin asked, wanting her to elaborate.
"Scared, on edge, upset."
"Max said Chrissy was upset too," Dustin said, looking at Max.
"Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school," Max responded, glancing at Dustin for a second.
"Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right? So, maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman," Robin concluded.
"Vecna," Dustin and Julia said, correcting Robin.
"Dunno about you, but if I saw some freaky wizard monster," Steve said, scratching his cheek.
He continued and said, "I would mention it to someone." Steve slightly squeezed Julia's knee. By the touch, he sent her a message she was the one he shared everything with. She put her hand on top of his.
"Maybe they did. I saw Chrissy leaving Ms. Kelley's office," Max said, remembering what she saw not too long ago.
"If you saw a monster, you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you, but you might go to your."
"Your shrink," Robin finished her sentence. Max nodded, glancing at Robin.
A new plan was in motion. They were going to drive to Ms. Kelley's house, where Max would talk to her and get more information.
At the last minute, Nancy told them she wanted to investigate something else. She didn't want to drag everyone in case it was nothing. There was something she wanted to get to the bottom of.
The Creel case Eddie's uncle mentioned had not left her mind. She needed to know if there was some kind of connection.
It wasn't safe for Nancy to go on her own Robin volunteer Nancy didn't look too happy about it.
After everyone had their seatbelt on, Steve drove off with Julia sitting in the passenger seat. They passed Eddie's house.
On their 20-minute ride, Melody was babbling nonstop. Her saliva rolled down her lip down her neck. "Gross," Dustin said, moving away from Melody.
Steve parked nearby the house, and Max got out of the car.
Max knocked on the front door. They talked for a moment then Ms. Kelley let her in.
"She's in," Steve said.
"I'm missing collarbones, not eyes," Dustin answered from the back of the car.
Julia rolled her eyes at their little discussion. "Julie, I think your kid is rotten," Dustin said from the back.
He rolled down the window. Fresh air hit his face.
The smell from Melody's diaper slowly made its way to the front of the car.
From the backpack, Julia got out a clean diaper, a change of clothes, and a red bow.
"Can you unbuckle her and pass her to me, please? I'm going to change her in the front."
Dustin gagged as he unbuckled Melody. "You're being dramatic, dude. It doesn't smell that bad," Steve said, looking at Dustin from the rearview mirror.
"When she was even smaller, her poop smelled horrible," Steve chuckled. Melody stared at her father.
Dustin looked at Steve with disgust. "Your nose is already used to the smell, not mine," Dustin fired back.
His face was pointed toward the window as he passed Melody to Julia. "I'm never having kids," Dustin said, his head sticking out of the window.
Melody began to cry, growing uncomfortable with her dirty diaper. "You made my daughter cry," Steve said, looking back.
"She doesn't understand what I said!"
While the boys continued their conversation Julia changed her daughter's diaper.
"Are you tired Mellow," Julia asked her daughter, who was playing with the clean diaper. Her tears dried, and she moved the diaper in different directions.
Julia grabbed the diaper "thank you," she told her daughter. Julia thought it was important to talk to Melody normally and not use a lot of a baby voice when having a conversation with her. Melody never responded, but she did stare at Julia as if her little brain was trying to comprehend her.
"Mma Mah," Melody mumbled.
Julia and Steve gasped. The young mother dropped the red bow on Melodys chubby stomach.
"Did she just," Steve said, flabbergasted.
"I think she did," Julia said, just as shocked.
Dustin was confused at his friend's reaction, "What's the big deal," he asked.
"What's the big deal!" Steve mocked Dustin.
"It's her first word," Julia said with glee. "Her first word was mama." Julia picked up Melody and kissed her cheek repeatedly.
"Ma mma," Melody said again. Julia sat her daughter on her lap, facing Steve. "Can you say dada," he asked, his face a few inches away from Melody.
"Maah."
"Da da," Steve repeated slowly. The young girl smiled. Julia kissed Melodys head.
Dustin rolled his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest and reclined back on the back seat, not understanding why his friends were having a party after the young child said a simple word.
He rolled his eyes even harder when Steve cheered and hit the headliner with his palm repeatedly after Melody said, "bah baa." Steve took it as a win; it was close enough to dada. He knew she wanted to say dada. Her intentions were there.
After their small celebration of their daughter's milestone Julia placed Melody back on her car seat.
She was wearing a red romper with white polka dots all over and small two strawberries next to each other.
On top of her head, she had a small ponytail Julia was able to make with the few extra hairs that covered Melody's forehead.
Dustin was on the right side of the car as Max got out of the house in a rush. "Here she comes. Here she comes," Steve said as Max approached them quickly.
She opened the door and got in the back. "What'd she say," Dustin asked, intrigued. "Nothing, just drive."
Julia and Steve looked at each other with a knowing look.
Max just wanted to leave, talking with Ms. Kelley was not helping her. "Steve, drive."
The tires screeched as Steve drove off. Five minutes into the drive, Lucas got in contact with Dustin through the walkie talkie.
"Where the hell have you been," Dustin said, annoyed.
"Just listen. Are you looking for Eddie?"
"We found him. No thanks to you," Dustin responded.
"You found him," Lucas asked, surprised.
Julia glanced at Steve as the conversation between the two friends continued.
"At the boathouse on Coal Mill Road. Don't worry. He's safe."Dustin had the walkie-talkie close to his mouth.
"You guys know he killed Chrissy, right."
Dustin defended his friend. "That's bullshit. Eddie tried to save Chrissy," Dustin said a bit louder.
"Then why do all the cops say he did it?" The young boy was unaware of all the new updates.
Max took the walkie-talkie from Dustin's hand. "Lucas, you're so behind it's ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at school. We'll explain later."
"I can't. I think some real bad shit's about to go down."
That didn't sound good. Julia looked over her shoulder toward the kids. "What are you talking about?"
They waited for Lucas to respond, but there was only static.
"Lucas," Max repeated, but there was no answer.