"But I and so deeply lost in my own soul. How can I expect anyone else to understand me?" — Courtney Peppernell, Pillow Thoughts.

Over the last three years. I've seen a lot of shit I never wanted to see. Demagorgons, my best friends moms boyfriend being eaten alive by demagorgons. Being thrown into a world a lot like this, but it's dark and scary and probably flammable. Some random girl with superpowers.

The death of my own parents. Once again. Demagorgons. Fucking terrific.

My parents died when they first appeared. Bob was just another victim of a demagorgon attack. But while he was being killed, I was too busy screaming my heart out as the monsters attacked my parents. Shredded them like they were cheese. Now I can't eat cheese. The clothes I wore were stained in their blood. I had to throw them away.

Miss Kelly, the guidance counselor for Hawkins, has said that what I went through was traumatic. Sucks for her, she doesn't know the truth about my parents' deaths. How they were slaughtered by an unnatural being. She thinks I'm doing better, but she's said that about a lot of things recently.

I never understood why therapy was so necessary sometimes. I was fine before Eleven showed up. Before Will went missing. Before the Upside Down made an appearance. I had a good friendship with Jonathan, and I had planned on visiting him during spring break, but since I was broke as shit, it didn't really work.

Now I lived in a piss poor trailer park. Neighbors with Max Mayfield and her mom. Working at Family Video with Steve and Robin. But that doesn't matter.

What matters is that it's not over.

There is another rift leading to the Upside Down. And shit is about to get really shitty.

At least I got my friends to keep me from dying, right?

... Right?

Lie to me so I'm less scared. It would help a lot.

Thanks.