𝟬𝟭
𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋, her thoughts wandering as the crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks. The streets of Hawkins were quiet, the kind of quiet that felt almost eerie after the bustling chaos of school. Leaves crunched beneath her sneakers, and the sky above was beginning to turn a dusky orange as the day slipped into evening.

    Steve Harrington was already home when she arrived, his car parked haphazardly in the driveway. The house was as it always was—an empty silence that swallowed sound, punctuated by the occasional creak of the old wooden floors. Elise tossed her backpack onto the couch, the weight of the school day lifting slightly from her shoulders. She heard the familiar clatter of Steve rummaging through the kitchen, probably looking for something to eat.

    "Steve?" she called out, kicking off her shoes by the door. She didn't expect an answer, not really. Their interactions had been reduced to monosyllabic grunts and the occasional snide comment, each of them too stubborn to bridge the growing distance between them.

    "Yeah?" Steve's voice echoed from the kitchen, followed by the sound of the refrigerator door slamming shut.

    Elise rolled her eyes and wandered into the kitchen. Steve was leaning against the counter, a bottle of Coke in one hand and a sandwich in the other. He glanced up at her, his expression as nonchalant as ever.

    "Busy day?" she asked, more out of habit than genuine curiosity.

    "Same as always," Steve replied, taking a swig from the bottle. "How about you? Avoiding your homework again?"

    Elise narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll get to it. Besides, it's not like you're the poster child for academic excellence."

    "Hey, I'm doing just fine," Steve retorted, whatever face expression he had, falling. "You, on the other hand, might want to reconsider that attitude before it gets you into trouble."

    She folded her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "What trouble? It's Hawkins, Steve. The most exciting thing that happens here is when the power goes out for a couple of hours."

    Steve shrugged, unconcerned. "You never know. This town has its secrets."

    Elise rolled her eyes again, but there was a part of her that wondered if Steve was right. Lately, there had been a strange feeling in the air, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She pushed the thought aside, chalking it up to her overactive imagination. After their brief exchange, Steve returned to his sandwich, and Elise, feeling a mix of boredom and restlessness, wandered into the living room. The house, with its dim lighting and outdated furniture, always felt a bit too big for just the two of them. Their parents were often absent, caught up in their own lives, leaving Elise and Steve to fend for themselves. It wasn't that Elise minded the independence—it's just that the silence of the house often pressed down on her, like a heavy blanket.

    Elise plopped down on the couch, staring at the TV without really seeing it. The usual sitcoms played in the background, the canned laughter grating on her nerves. She reached for the remote, flipping through channels until she landed on a news report.

    "—another unexplained incident near Mirkwood," the anchor was saying, his tone grim. "Authorities are still investigating the cause of the strange occurrences reported by several residents in the area. No injuries have been reported, but officials are urging caution and advising against unnecessary travel after dark."

    Elise leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. She knew Mirkwood well—everyone in Hawkins did. It was the stretch of forest just outside of town, the place where kids dared each other to venture after school, only to run back out, laughing nervously. But this—this was something different. There had been more and more reports lately, of strange lights in the sky, odd noises in the night, and now this.

    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Steve had finished his sandwich and was grabbing his jacket from the hook by the door.

    "Where are you going?" Elise asked, sitting up straighter.

    "Out," Steve replied casually, not offering more information than that.

    "Out where? The closet?" Elise pressed, her curiosity growing.

    Steve paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Just out, Ellie. Don't wait up."

    And with that, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him. Elise sat there for a moment, the silence of the house pressing in once more. There was a part of her that wanted to follow him, to see where he went and what he was up to. But another part of her—the part that was tired from the long school day—told her to stay put. She could always ask him about it later, though she knew from experience that he'd likely dodge the question.

    Still, something about Steve's behavior felt off. He was hiding something, and whatever it was, it was enough to make him act even more aloof than usual. Elise stared at the door for a few more seconds before grabbing her jacket. Maybe a walk would clear her head, or at the very least, keep her from dwelling on things she couldn't control.

    Outside, the evening had settled into a deep blue, the last traces of daylight fading into night. Elise stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets, setting off down the sidewalk. Hawkins was quiet at this hour, the kind of quiet that made you feel like you were the only person left in the world. She walked aimlessly, her thoughts circling back to the strange news report.

    As she reached the edge of the neighborhood, Elise hesitated. The path ahead led towards Mirkwood, the very place the news anchor had mentioned. Normally, she wouldn't think twice about heading that way, but tonight, something gave her pause. The darkness seemed thicker, more oppressive, and the usual sounds of the night were oddly muted.

    She shook her head, chastising herself for being paranoid. "It's just a stupid forest," she muttered, more to reassure herself than anything. But as she took a step forward, something in the shadows moved—a flicker, a shape darting between the trees. Elise froze, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she thought about turning back, about heading home and pretending she hadn't seen anything. But that wasn't who she was. With a steadying breath, Elise squared her shoulders and continued forward, her pace quickening as she made her way towards Mirkwood.

    The closer she got to the edge of the woods, the more her heartbeat quickened, thumping in her chest like a drum. The streetlights grew sparse, their dim glow barely penetrating the thickening shadows. She paused just at the entrance to Mirkwood, staring into the darkness that seemed to swallow the path ahead. The wind whispered through the trees, a haunting melody that made her skin prickle.

    Elise took another step forward, the crunch of leaves beneath her feet the only sound in the stillness. She strained her ears, trying to catch any hint of movement, but all she heard was the rhythmic rustle of leaves. She scanned the area, searching for any sign of the strange figure she'd seen, but the shadows revealed nothing.

    Determined, Elise ventured deeper into the woods, her breath puffing out in visible clouds in the chilly night air. The trees loomed overhead, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. She kept her gaze focused, every nerve on edge, but the further she went, the more doubt began to creep in.

    Had she imagined it? Was her mind playing tricks on her?

    After what felt like hours, though it had only been minutes, Elise came to a stop. The path ahead was completely engulfed in darkness, and there was no sign of anything unusual—no strange lights, no noises, no mysterious figure lurking in the shadows. Just the usual sounds of the forest at night: the rustling of leaves, the distant hoot of an owl, and the gentle breeze that made the trees sway.

    Frustration bubbled up inside her, mingling with a sense of embarrassment. Here she was, creeping through the woods like some wannabe detective, all because she'd thought she saw something. She shook her head, letting out a sigh of resignation. It was probably just an animal, a deer or a raccoon, startled by her presence.

    Elise turned around, ready to head back home. As she retraced her steps, the tension slowly eased from her shoulders. Maybe Steve was right—maybe she did need to be more careful. Getting caught up in rumors and ghost stories wasn't going to do her any good, and it certainly wasn't going to solve the mysteries of Hawkins.

    By the time she emerged from the woods, the night had fully settled in, the stars twinkling in the clear sky above. Hawkins was as quiet as ever, the houses lining the streets darkened, with only a few porch lights glowing faintly. Elise stuffed her hands back into her pockets and began the walk home, feeling both disappointed and relieved. There had been no grand discovery, no thrilling encounter—just her overactive imagination running wild.

    When she finally reached her house, the lights were still off, and Steve was nowhere to be seen. Elise stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click. The house was just as she'd left it—silent, empty, and still. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing in Hawkins, something beyond the ordinary, but for tonight, it seemed like those secrets would remain hidden.

    Elise sank onto the couch, the faint hum of the refrigerator the only sound in the quiet house. She glanced at the TV, still playing the same old sitcoms, and for a moment, she considered turning it off and heading to bed. But instead, she grabbed the remote and changed the channel, settling back into the cushions. Whatever was happening in Hawkins, it could wait until morning.

    After a while, she sighed and flipped off the TV, letting the silence engulf her once more. The ticking of the wall clock was the only sound in the room, each second dragging on like an eternity. Steve still wasn't home, and the unease she'd felt earlier hadn't fully dissipated. The longer she sat there, the more it gnawed at her. Her eyes drifted to the window, the curtains slightly parted to reveal the darkened street outside. Hawkins was too quiet tonight, the kind of quiet that made her skin crawl. Something wasn't right—maldita sea, why couldn't she shake this feeling?

    Elise stood up, feeling a sudden need to move, to shake off the lingering tension. She wandered into the kitchen, opening the fridge out of habit, but nothing inside appealed to her. She shut it again, her eyes catching the clock on the microwave—10:34 PM. It wasn't that late, but the heaviness of the day and the strangeness of the evening had worn her out. She leaned against the counter, her mind still buzzing with the unanswered questions from her earlier walk. What had she expected to find out there? And why did she feel like she was on the edge of discovering something important, only to have it slip through her fingers?

.ೃ࿐ IRIS SPEAKS !

"two steps ahead, i am always two steps ahead" HUHHH?? I WAKE UP AND SOMEONE LIKES LITTLE CHILDREN OR SOMEONE HAS THE GREATEST ARC OF THEIR LIFE. 2024!!

anyways im rlly proud of nik!!! 

scoliosis is tmr im literally crying. i dont want to see my teachers

anyways what do we think of this?????