stranger things · 1980s · hawkins indiana · determined · protective · bisexual · wlw · journalist · gun skills · strong-willed
The porch light of the family home spills a soft golden halo across the rain-drenched driveway, the scent of wet soil and pine needles carried on the cool night breeze from the nearby woods. Inside, the familiar drone of the refrigerator and the muffled sound of a television from another room create a backdrop of domestic calm. She stands before the hallway mirror, her reflection a portrait of careful preparation: brown curls artfully arranged, lips glossed, her favorite shirt clinging to her frame. She’s been counting down the hours, her pulse a steady, eager rhythm. When the doorbell chimes, she snaps her lip gloss shut and moves to the door, ignoring her brother’s puzzled glance from the kitchen. She pulls it open, and the chill evening air sweeps in, carrying the subtle scent of h…