· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰  𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙸𝙻𝙻𝙴𝚁  ❱ ˖⋆࿐໋ ⋆ ✰
CHAPTER SIX ━━
haunted house

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      JIM HOPPER WAS TOTALLY, UTTERLY, COMPLETELY done with the day but life didn't ever give him a well deserved break. So here he was, driving inside his cruiser and towards Hawkins Middle School probably for nothing more than a stupid prank of a couple kids. His Sheriff's hat was already carelessly dropped in the passenger seat, his dark blonde hair tousled from the strong and cold wind outside.

      With a heavy sigh, the man rubbed his temple with one hand, the other never leaving the steering wheel as the school building came into view. Only some lights on the parkinglot illuminated the otherwhise dark place as Jim parked his car and hopped outside. Leaning back in the car, he reached for his hat and quickly placed it back on his head before slamming the car door shut.

      With the cold October air nipping at his face, the man swiftly grabbed his flashlight and approached the school building. The sound of boots slamming against the pavement were just barely heard above the howling wind that raged over Hawkins that night.

     Upon coming closer to the glass door, Jim furrowed his eyebrows when he spotted the metal doorknob on the ground, cometely ripped from the door. The man crouched down and snatched it from the pavement to put it away in his pocket.

      Pointing the flashlight in front of him, he shone the light through the door but there was nothing to see except the empty hallway. Slowly he reached out for the door and pushed it open.

      Hopper cringed at the creaking sound that followed and opted for quickly opening the door then as he stepped through. He let the door fall close behind him before he focused on the hallway ahead. "I swear if  this is a meaningless prank again I will-" Jim paused suddenly as the sound of soft footsteps echoed down the hallway.

      "Hey! Who's there!" Jim called out, quickly pointing the flashlight in the direction of the noise. "You better come out now, it's the chief police!"

      No noise followed after that and Jim scowled in annoyance as he walked further down the dark hallway, the flashlight illuminating a path. "I won't ask again! Come out now!"

      Again no sound broke through the quiet atmosphere and Jim glanced at the two hallways that both led to different parts of the school. With a heavy sigh, he turned to the left, his own footsteps echoing throughout the corridor.

      Suddenly a door slammed shut behind him, and Jim turned on his heel, his flashlight pointed towards the direction, his heartbeat speeding up. His eyes darted across the abandoned hallway, "I'm warning you! You better come out now." His hand inched closer to his gun strapped to his side as he approached the other corridor.

      Slowly Jim stalked closer to the direction of the disturbance, his eyes wide and he exhaled softly, trying to calm his nerves when he reached the first door.

      Placing a hand on the wooden door, his quickly pushed it open, his back against the cold surface of the door as he pointed his flashlight inside the classroom. He briskly scanned the empty room. He lowered the flashlight and stepped back outside, listening for any sign as to where the intruder was.

      Jim went for the next door, quietly placing his hand on the door before repeating the same actions. His eyes surveyed the room, only to come up with nothing again. He grumbled under his breath as he let the door fall close behind him again.

      Walking further down to hall to the next door, Jim groaned as his flashlight started to falter until it turned out completely. "Goddammit!" He cursed under his breath, slamming the object against his palm to make it work again.

      He groaned as he placed the flashlight away, his eyes darting towards the last door in the hallway as he stealthly approached it. He took a deep breath before slamming it open. He squinted his eyes as he remembered the classroom he stood inside.

      The same one where everyone thought they lost Eleven to the demogorgon and he felt a rush of guilt overwhelm him for a moment before he focused on the task at hand.

      He narrowed his eyes as he tried to look through the darkness when he suddenly heard movement to his right and he snapped his head up. It was hard to see, and Jim again cursed his luck for the flashlight that had given up on him when he actually needed it.

      "Hey! Who's there?" He called out, his hand landing on the gun his holester as he stepped closer. He jumped back slightly as a figure jumped out from behind a desk and dashed towards the windows.

      "Don't move!" Jim called out as he tried to manouver trough the desk as the unknown figure opened one of the windows.

      Jim couldn't make out the shape of whomever tried to get away and suddenly through the dark clouds, the moon peeked through just as the boy jumped outside while Jim reached for him, the rough material of the intruder's shirt slipping through his fingers.

      Jim leaned out the window in disbelief as he watched the kid run away, some blonde whisps of hair wildly moving against the wind. Jim grumbled as the teenager ran across the football field.

      Suddenly the kid glanced over his shoulder, his face hidden by the darkness as he made eye contact with the sherrif before he turned back to focus ahead of him and dissapeared in the treeline.

      "Dammit!" Jim cursed slamming his hand against the wall.

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      ZERO HEAVED LOUDLY, HIS CHEST RISING AND FALLING in a quick pace as he placed his hands on his knees to take a breath. His legs ached and his lungs were burning after he fleeded so fast. Despite the fact he didn't see the unknown man follow him there was still a streak of fear left inside of him. He couldn't be found by anyone, they'll sent him away, or worse back to where he came from.

      And he needed to find Will first, the young boy had already been through much and Zero couldn't bare to see him having to endure more of the Upside Down.

      The blonde knew afterall what the omnious dimension could do to people, he watched people come and never return to their true home. He watched people get slaughtered by the demogorgan while he idly watched from the sidelines, forbidden to intervere as Brenner told him to.

      The boy wasn't sure what changed when he helped Will Byers, it was like some sort of magnetic pull, like he was a link to something inportant.

      His feet ached as he stumbled through the forest, the leaves under his feet crunching until a road came into sight. Carefully the blonde approached the pavement and he glanced around, his eyes darting across the road where simple, and slightly worn out houses stood.

      His feet carried him across the road, and onto a small grass patch in front of one of the houses. He tried to take small steps, making as little noise as possible as he spotted a small shed behind the house.

      His eyes darted towards the house, the lights were off, giving him somewhat the chance of going unseen.

      But as Zero reached the back of the house, he froze when lights turned on in one of the windows. He quickly dashed to the wall beneath the window, sliding down against it in the hopes of not being noticed.

      He held his breath as the window creaked open and a head peeked out and Zero glanced up, his heart hammering against his ribcage and the blonde felt like everyone in Hawkins could hear it in that moment.

     Suddenly the kid above him looked down, her eyes widening in shock as she opened her mouth to probably warn her parents.

      "Please." He pleaded softly, scrambling to his feet to get a better look at the redhead.

      "What are you doing?" The girl whispered harshly leaning further out of the window and making Zero take a step back.

      "Hide." Zero replied with wide eyes.

      The redhead furrowed her eyebrows and pushed her legs through the window so she could sit down. "What?"

     Zero racked his brain for a good respond before he pointed to himself. "Me. Hide."

      Confused the redhead tilted her head. "You need to hide?" She wondered and the blonde nodded furiously.

      "Please."

      The girl bit her lip unsure glancing over her shoulder and into her room a thoughtful expression etched on her face. "Okay." She stated before she disappeared into her room leaving Zero alone.

      The blonde knitted his eyebrows as he waited for the girl to return, or if she was even returning at all. For all he knew she could be getting her parents.

      He nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt when the redhead suddenly popped back out only this time with a blanket in her hands.

     Zero watched curiously as the girl threw the blanket on the ground and pushed herself out of the window walking passed him without another word.

      The blonde quickly followed after her as they approached the shed. "No one ever comes in here." The girl stated as she opened the door and motioned for him to get inside.

      Zero stepped inside as the redhead held a blanket out to him, a small smile on her face. "It's cold outside, and I don't think only a shirt will keep you warm." She explained when she noticed the confusion on his face.

      Zero carefully reached for the material in her hands, not used to such kindness. He pulled the soft material to his chest, a hint of a smile on his face as he looked at the little redhead. "Thank you."

      "What's your name?" She asked after a moment of silence.

      "Zero."

      The redhead furrowed her eyebrows. "That's a curious name." She breathed out before giving him a small smile. "I'm Max."

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