chapter thirty.
ms. kelly
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disclaimer: I hope everything in Spanish is accurate!! I used Spanishdict like someone told me too !! Hopefully it's correct :)) but thank you to that person (I forgot their username, my bad)
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STRANGER THINGS 4
episode three

THE PLAN WAS MAX AND JOSIE WERE TALK TO MS. KELLY while Steve and Dustin quickly picked Victoria up from a book store. She had been spending the whole day there. Max and Josie positioned themselves in front of Ms. Kelly's door, with Max leaning over Josie to give the doorbell a firm press. Almost instantly, the door swung open, unveiling Ms. Kelly, her face adorned with a warm smile. "Max, Josie! Hi," she greeted, her brow slightly furrowed.

Josie cleared her throat, her voice filled with nervousness. "Hey, sorry to interrupt your break, but can we talk for a minute?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Ms. Kelly, who seemed hesitant. "Yeah, sure. Come on in," Ms. Kelly responded, stepping aside to let them enter. As they walked inside, the sound of a car rolling up caught Josie's attention, causing her to glance back and spot Steve with Victoria in the back seat.

They sat down in Ms. Kelly's home office. "So, what's going on that you two needed to talk? I'm shocked to see you guys together... I haven't seen you guys talk since the beginning of the school year." She remarked, folding her hands together.

Max let out a heavy sigh. "You know, with all the murders going on, it's just making everything even more difficult," she confessed to Josie and Ms. Kelly, who looked at her with confusion. What could Max be hiding?

Ms. Kelly leaned in, her voice serious. "You've experienced trauma, Max, same goes for you Josie," she said, gesturing towards them. Max's confusion mirrored Josie's. Were they both dealing with similar challenges?

Ms. Kelly went on, her tone serious. "And when you keep your feelings, maybe even one another, bottled up the way you do, it doesn't take much to trigger them again." she hinted, implying that she knows about Max and Josie's past relationship. Josie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her mouth dropping open. Did she accidentally reveal their dating history to Ms. Kelly?

Max avoided eye contact with Josie. She looked down at her lap before looking up at Ms. Kelly's, not daring to look at Josie. She knew that Josie put two and two together. Max nodded, "That's not why we are here..." she murmured. Once Max said that, it confirmed Josie's suspicions, letting out a light scoff.

With a self-conscious gesture of pushing her hair behind her ears, Josie looked at Ms. Kelly, who nodded understandingly. "Alright then... if that's not why we're here, do you think we're ready to discuss what happened that night? I know you both witnessed it. You both lost someone important," Ms. Kelly acknowledged, her tone compassionate.

Josie didn't wanna remember back to that night, but she remembered. She remembered walking outside and there was no Charlotte to be seen.

As Josie's sobs subsided, she became aware of another presence in the room. She turned her head, her eyes locking onto Max, who was huddled in El's arms. The sight that met her gaze sent a shiver down her spine. There, lifeless on the ground, lay Billy's body, a tragic reminder of the horrors they had endured. Max's cries punctuated the air, a heartbreaking expression of grief and loss.

In that moment, the weight of the situation settled upon them all, intertwining their fates and forging a bond that could never be broken.

As Josie's tear-filled eyes scanned the chaotic room, her gaze shifted upwards towards the balcony. There, she saw Will, Lucas, Steve, and Robin, their expressions a mix of relief and concern as they surveyed the aftermath of the ordeal. However, one face was noticeably absent. Josie's heart sank as she realized Charlotte was nowhere to be seen.

Turning to El, her voice quivering, Josie asked, "Where's Charlotte?" El's response was simple yet devastating. "Gone," she whispered softly. The weight of those words crashed down upon Josie, overwhelming her with a fresh wave of grief. The floodgates of her emotions burst open once again, tears streaming down her face as she mourned the loss of her dear friend. The room was filled with a heavy silence, each person grappling with their own emotions and the harsh reality of their situation.

Josie snapped back to reality, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt a gentle touch, and when she looked down, she saw Max holding her hand. A wave of butterflies fluttered in Josie's stomach, making her heart race with excitement.

Josie's head throbbed instantly, causing her to tightly shut her eyes. She had been dealing with these headaches for weeks now, and despite feeling fine earlier, the pain had returned once again.

Ignoring Ms. Kelly's words, Max acknowledged the shared trauma of that night. "I actually live right next door to where it happened," Max blurted out, unable to contain the information any longer.

Ms. Kelly tilted her head to the side, "I'm sorry?"

Max hesitated for a moment before backtracking. "I mean, the place where Chrissy was murdered. The police questioned me a lot," Max leaned forward, her voice filled with curiosity. "Did they talk to you too?"

"She means, we know you were seeing Chrissy." Josie added.

Ms. Kelly leaned back in her chair, her expression filled with concern. "I understand your curiosity, Max and Josie, but as a teacher, I have a responsibility to protect the privacy of my students. I can't discuss Chrissy or any other student with you," she explained. Josie shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Yeah, but just imagine if there was a chilling serial killer on the loose, lurking in the shadows of Max's neighborhood."

Max pressed for answers, hoping to get some information from Ms. Kelly about Chrissy. "Did Chrissy mention anything? Anything about who might have done this?" Max inquired, eager for any leads.

Ms. Kelly shook her head once more, her expression apologetic. "Max, I'm — I'm sorry, I really can't discuss this. You wouldn't want me talking to any other students about you, right?" she gently reminded.

Max nodded, her determination evident. "If I were dead and it would help catch killer, then yeah, I most definitely would." she declared firmly. Ms. Kelly forced a smile and replied, "Well, let's leave that up to the police, shall we? I mean, Josie's mom a cop, I bet she's been busy on cases this week."

Josie scoffed lightly. Her mom could careless. Their relationship has been rocky for the past eight months. They've had their good moments, but she's just... different. Estefina has been very closed off and was never home. Josie knew she was still sad over Hoppers death. They had something and they were supposed to have a date that friday before he passed. She's tried to get her mom to open up, but either way, she would yell at her in spanish.

Max nodded in agreement, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Yeah, you're absolutely right," she paused, earning a smile and nod from Ms. Kelly. "The police definitely have everything completely under control. Josie's mom must be incredibly swamped with all the cases," she added, emphasizing the sarcasm.

Josie's heart raced as the world around her seemed to slow down. Time itself seemed to stretch, allowing her to take in every detail with heightened perception. Max's mouth hung open about to speak, but Josie eyebrows raised when the realization dawning on her that her superspeed had unexpectedly kicked in once again. It was a power she hadn't quite mastered yet, but its sporadic appearances always left her with a tantalizing clue to unravel.

In this suspended moment, Josie's eyes roamed the room, surveying every nook and cranny. And then, like a bolt of lightning, her gaze landed on the keys resting innocently on the countertop. An idea sparked in her mischievous mind, a devilish smirk curling upon her lips. She knew that this was her chance to put her newfound ability to use, to embark on an adventure that would lead her closer to the answers she sought. With a surge of excitement, she eagerly set her plan into motion, ready to uncover the secrets that awaited her.

The world returned to its normal pace for Josie. "Can I—" Max started, but Josie cut her off. "I think we should go. We'll catch up with you in a few days, Ms. Kelly," she said, forcing a smile. Taking hold of Max's hand, they ascended the stairs. Josie placed her hands on Max's shoulders, closing her eyes in an attempt to tap into her superspeed. As the world slowed down around her, she opened her eyes to find Max looking puzzled. "What the heck is happening?" Max exclaimed, eyebrows furrowed.

Blood trickled from Josie's nose. "Remember my superspeed?" she reminded Max, who nodded with a puzzled expression. "Yeah? What's up?" Max asked, confused. Josie sighed, "I've got a plan." She picked up Ms. Kelly's keys from the counter and held them up next to her face. "We're gonna break into Ms. Kelly's office, dig into Chrissy's files, and uncover the truth." Josie smirked mischievously.

Josie and Max sprinted outside, their hands tightly clasped together, and rushed towards Steve's car. Josie swiftly circled around the vehicle, using a tilt of her head to effortlessly swing the door open. Victoria glanced at the two girls with a perplexed expression. "What did she say?" she inquired. Max and Josie exchanged a knowing glance and simply replied, "Nothing, just drive."

"What—"

Josie couldn't help but let out an exasperated groan, the urgency in her voice escalating. "Steve, we need to get out of here, now!" she yelled, her words filled with a sense of urgency and desperation. In response to her plea, Steve wasted no time. He pushed down on the gas pedal with determination, causing the car to lurch forward and speed away, leaving their troubles behind in a cloud of dust.

A STATIC NOISE CAME FROM DUSTIN'S RADIO that hurt Victoria's ears. Victoria instinctively covered her ears, unable to bear the sound of Lucas' voice coming through the distorted transmission on Dustin's supercomm. "It's Lucas. Do you copy, Dustin?" Lucas' voice carried a sense of urgency that couldn't be ignored. Dustin quickly grabbed his supercomm, his tone filled with a mix of relief and frustration. "Lucas? Where the hell have you been?" he questioned him, eager to get some answers.

Victoria let go of her ears, her gaze shifting towards Josie in search of answers. "What the heck is that thing?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Josie paused for a moment, slightly perplexed that Victoria didn't recognize it. "Well, it's actually a supercomm," Josie explained, trying to keep her response as simple as possible. "It's like a fancy radio."

Lucas's breaths came out in heavy gasps as he spoke through the channel. "Just listen... are you still looking for Eddie?" he asked, his voice filled with urgency. Dustin's bitterness seeped into his reply. "Yeah, we found him, but not with your help," he shot back. Lucas's voice trembled as he inquired, "You found him?" In a reassuring tone, Dustin informed him, "He's at a boathouse on Coal Mill Road. Don't worry, he's safe."

"You guys know he killed Chrissy, right?"

"That's bullshit. Eddie tried to save Chrissy." he replied with a bitter tone.

"Then why do all the cops say he did it?"

Dustin's finger hovered over the button, ready to fire back a response. But before he could, Max unbuckled her seatbelt and snatched the radio from his grasp. "Lucas, you're so behind it's ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at school. We'll explain later."" Max conveyed, her tone reflecting a mix of impatience and urgency.

"I... I can't. I think some real bad shit is about to go down." Lucas explained, causing Josie's expression to shift into one of concern. Anxiously biting her lip, she leaned forward and took the radio from Max. "Lucas, what's going on? What do you mean by 'bad shit'? Are you alright?" Josie's voice trembled with worry as she sought answers from Lucas.

Silence echoed through the radio, causing Josie's heart to race with anxiety. "Lucas? Lucas?" she called out, her voice filled with worry. With still no response, her face fell as she handed the radio back to Dustin. Victoria questioned her, "Can't you use your powers to find him? Make sure he's okay?" Josie shook her head, her voice trembling, "No... I haven't tapped into my void in a while. It's been a really long time. I... I just can't." Her lips quivered with a mix of fear and uncertainty.

DUSTIN, VICTORIA, STEVE, JOSIE AND MAX walked through the school with their flashlights on. "Hey, Dustin, do you copy?" Robin's voice crackled through Dustin's radio as they strolled through the halls. He quickly grabbed his radio and replied, "Yeah, I copy." Robin continued, sharing their breakthrough discovery about Nancy being a genius. Meanwhile, Josie walked ahead, approaching Ms. Kelly's office door.

As she approached Ms. Kelly's office door, she couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The door loomed in front of her, its dark wood contrasting with the pale walls. Josie hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorknob. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay beyond, and turned the knob, slowly pushing the door open. The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. Josie stepped inside, her heart pounding in her chest, ready to uncover the secrets that awaited her within the mysterious office.

She felt a surge of determination coursing through her. Clenching her fist, she opened her palm, revealing a glowing orb that illuminated the space around her. A trickle of blood dripped from her nose, a sign of the immense power she was tapping into. Her friends entered the room, their eyes fixed on her, but she remained completely focused, oblivious to their presence. With the energy orb guiding her, she delved into the files, uncovering secrets about Chrissy, Fred, and Max. Placing the files on the desk, she knew she had stumbled upon something significant.

Max's heart raced as she noticed her file on the desk. Anxiousness filled her, urging her to intervene, but Josie's intense focus held her back. Max watched as Josie sifted through the files, and a sinking feeling washed over her. The symptoms listed were all too familiar: nosebleeds, sweat, nightmares, headaches. They were happening in quick succession, just like Josie's experiences over the past few weeks. The Cortez girl's mind raced, trying to piece together the connection between them all.

It didn't make any sense... if Chrissy and Fred died fives day exactly since there's started... it meant Max was next... but why wasn't anything happening to Josie? She just had constant headaches that would come and go?

As Max's file lay on the desk, a wave of dread washed over Josie. "No, no!" she gasped, her voice filled with panic. Her friends looked at her with concern, Victoria questioning what was wrong. Just then, a chime echoed through the room, causing Josie to turn her head. The space around her seemed to close in, suffocating her. She instinctively grabbed the energy ball from the desk and hurriedly left the office. Outside, she saw a clock on the wall, its chimes growing louder. "It will be all over for you soon, Josefina Cortez..." a haunting voice echoed in her ears, sending shivers down her spine.

A shakey sigh left Josie's mouth.

—

ash speaks!

oh!

i have a cold or smthin. i feel like shit. so enjoy this chapter :)