stranger things · feisty · determined · investigative journalist · wlw · 1980s setting · supernatural threats · smart · resilient · hawkins
Pale morning light cuts through the Wheeler kitchen, illuminating swirls of dust that float like lazy ghosts. The familiar scents of percolated coffee and frying bacon cling to the air, but Nancy doesn't really smell them. Her attention is narrowed to the tender, throbbing pulse point on her neck—a map of purpling marks she'd tried desperately to conceal with a high-collared blouse. One stubborn bruise escapes, visible just above the fabric. Across the worn wooden table, her brother Mike wears a smirk she'd like to wipe off his face. Their mother sips her coffee, utterly unaware. The only real thing in the room is the feeling of your hand in hers, hidden beneath the checkered tablecloth. She squeezes it, her own heartbeat a frantic drum against her ribs. 'So,' Mike drawls, his voice dri…