The Heart Of Hawkins

Hawkins, Indiana. The small town buzzed with activity, its population of 30,000 steadily increasing. This town had been through hell and back during the battle with an evil man named Henry Creel, AKA Vecna. Most people in Hawkins did not know what was happening. The only ones who were aware were a selected group of friends. But that battle has already been told. While some stories finish sweet after a long battle, this one starts off like a normal day in Hawkins. The townspeople are bustling and going about their business, their voices echoing in the streets. The students buzzed with excitement as they worked their way through the last days of the semester. Prom is being scheduled, dates are being picked. Normal day, indeed. Something is new, though. Despite being unfamiliar, the townspeople still embraced the new experience. The sound of a car engine echoed through the streets as a new family arrived. “Dad, are we almost there?” Dylon O’Shields asked, her eyes glued to the window as the trees and houses flew past. “Almost, my dear,” Richie O’Shields chuckles. Dylon and her father felt a growing anticipation with each mile closer to Hawkins, and the sun shone brightly on the recently mowed lawns. It was just her and her father against the world. Richie had grown weary of the uninviting walls of his old home, so he started anew in a new town with Dylon. With a smile on her face, Dylon exclaimed eagerly, “I can’t wait to see our new home!” Mr. O’Shields gave a chuckle, but his eyes held a sorrowful look. “It’s not a vast mansion, love… if only I could afford something like this.” Dylon’s eyes, a mix of blue and gray, sparkled with a warm smile as she looked at him. “Daddy, the size of the home doesn’t matter to me. You know that. As long as it’s just us two facing the world together, I don’t mind whatever comes our way.” “You’re too precious,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “I sincerely hope that we can find a place to call home here.” Dylon beamed. Her heart raced, and she trembled with excitement like never. Most kids her age would hate a move. But Dylon was an adventurous type of girl. Not liking to sit still even to read a book. Always on the move, it piqued her curiosity at the thought of all the activities Hawkins offered. It didn’t take long for them to get to their new home after they got to Hawkins—they could hear the birds singing in the distance. The fresh scent of the woods enveloped the trailer park, tucked away between the trees. The little dirt road was bumpy, leading up to every trailer. Dylon’s eyes grew wide as they crept in slowly, looking at the addresses to find theirs. Glancing at his daughter’s face, Mr. O’Shields smiled, crinkling the corners of his eyes. He murmured, “Told you it wasn’t much,” as he drove up to their new home. She opened the door with a gentle smile on her face and said, “It’s fine, daddy.” In front of their home was a picnic table. Dylon looked in the yards of her new neighbors and saw the same table and giggled. A small fence wrapped around the back of their trailer, with flowers and weeds scattered about. A little love and care, and she could start making this place feel more like home. Dylon hugged her dad and kissed his cheek. “I think we’re going to be okay, dad.” “Your positivity is contagious, dear. I’m keeping my fingers crossed… Sadly, I won’t be able to get you registered at school today. I have to wait for the movers then get to work at my new job, so you’ll have to take the bus home.” Dylon nodded and kissed him again. “No worries. I’m up for the adventure!” Her father grinned. “Always such the adventurous type. I can bring you to school, but I have to leave as soon as I drop you off.” Dylon raised her shoulders in a shrug, the car door closing with a thud behind her as she slid back into the car. “Let’s get going then.” Mr. O’Shields tapped away at the keys on the GPS, and the sound of the engine roared to life as they set off on their next adventure. The only thing that broke the silence of the trip to school was the low hum of the engine. As soon as the music started, Dylon danced, her dad’s laughter and wheezy breath accompanying the rhythm. *** The moment they pulled up to Hawkins High, Dylon kissed her father goodbye and sprinted to the front door, her enthusiasm radiating off her. Turning to wave before he pulled off. Dylon eagerly opened the door and marched down the hallway to the office, her footsteps echoing off the walls. The moment Dylon stepped into Hawkins High School, she felt a flutter of excitement despite being late for the finishing semester. As Dylon walked through the silent hallway, she heard the thumping of objects being stuffed into a locker. A few books tumbled, and the guy at the locker looks up, shaking his fist at the sky and bending to grab his stuff. Dylon snatches up the book that was sliding her way. She smiled warmly at the young man with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, and said, “You dropped this.” He looked up at her with his deep-brown eyes, his hair falling into his face, though he still offered her a tired smile. “Thanks…” “No problem,” she said. “I’m Dylon O’Shields. My father and I just moved here.” “A bit late to be getting to school?” He shoved the last of his items into his locker, the sound of metal clanging together echoing through the hall. Dylon shrugs. “Early enough to grab next semester’s schedule.” “I guess so.. well, welcome to hell,” he says, opening his arms with a grin and backing up to walk away. “I’m Eddie, by the way. See you around.” She smiles and wiggles her fingers in farewell as he strides off with heavy footsteps. She thought to herself, what an odd fellow! As she walked to the office to finish her task. After a long process of finding her transfer paperwork and getting her class schedule arranged, Dylon strolled through the halls, feeling the cold air of the air conditioning on her skin and hearing the clicks of shoes on the tile. One particular room had a warm, inviting feeling as she walked past it. “A music room,” she smiles to herself and enters. A grand piano, its glossy black lid gleaming in the center of the room, and other instruments tucked away in a corner. Dylon grabbed an acoustic guitar and strummed. “Out of tune… at least take care of these instruments.” Dylon plucks one string at a time, tuning it the best she can by ear. Once she got it as close as she thought it should be, she strummed. Such a sweet sound, she thought. Dylon remembered the guitar her father had bought her a couple of years ago and teaching her what he knew. Year had passed since she had plucked a guitar string. And the sounds of the chords sounded distant. She smiled, though. She felt her heart swell up with warmth when she heard the sound. “I used to be so full of music,” she sung in a whispered tone. “What has happened to me?” The sorrowful melody of her song filled the air, reverberating through the empty halls until it reached the ears of Eddie Munson, the boy she had met earlier. He followed the melodic sound of an angel as he made his way through the building. Eddie stepped into the music room and was greeted by the sound of Dylon playing the guitar, her singing carrying through the air. He smiled, the door creaking as he slid through, and felt the cool wood of the grand piano against his back. “I used to play merry songs on my 6 string,” Dylon sang a few more notes before stopping and placing the guitar back on its stand. When she saw Eddie standing there, clapping his hands together, she gasped in surprise and clutched her chest. “How long have you been standing there?” “Long enough to know you should be in a band,” he said, smiling. “You the lead singer, obviously.” She felt the heat kiss her cheeks, and in response, she quickly moved a strand of her brownish blonde hair behind her ear. She never sang in front of people, not even her own father, who she was very close to. The very thought of being in a band and performing in front of many people made her nervous. Eddie dragged his finger through the dust on the piano, leaving a faint trail before he wiped it off on his tattered black jeans. “I’m serious, O’Shields. You and me, in a band,” Eddie nodded, his bottom lip sticking out as he thought of it. “We’d be the talk of the town. Then again, this town hates me, so it would probably be best if you and I weren’t a band.” “Does your mouth usually start rambling on and on?” Dylon attempted to steer the conversation in a different direction by cracking a joke. When he nodded, her nose crinkled, and she giggled, her dimples prominent. Eddie stood motionless, his big brown eyes gazing at her. Dylon kicked at nothing on the floor, her hands behind her back. “So…” she said, breaking the silence. “What activities can you do in Hawkins?” Eddie shrugs. “Not much, really. This town is practically hell…” He looks at his wristwatch and stands up straight. “Listen, I’ve gotta get going. See you around.” Dylon nods and slowly says, “Okay…” as she watches him scurry off. Left alone, again. She snatches her bag and heads to the front door. Dylon watched as Eddie pulled away in the old, rickety van. “Maybe I should’ve asked for a ride,” she says to herself as the van disappeared. “Guess I’m walking home unless I can find a bus…” Dylon started walking towards her new home, the sound of her footsteps echoing off the pavement. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a relaxing stroll through nature. Then again, when was the last time she did anything? She fixated on her feet as she trekked on, the sound of birds singing and the faint sound of cars in the distance. Children laughing across the street as they went into an ice cream parlor made Dylon smile. Oh, to be a kid again. Not having to worry about bills, whether your hair looks good at school, or if your clothes are in style. *** The smell of car grease and oil filled the air as Eddie worked on a car with a busted-up hood in the Hawkins mechanic shop. Out of all the jobs that were available in town, working on cars seemed better than flipping burgers or selling ice cream. He had been there for a while now, ever since he left the school. Dylon O’Shields. No matter how hard he tried, her face remained in his thoughts, constantly resurfacing. There was just something about her that was… addicting. He wanted to get to know her more. Eddie hung his head, his gaze fixed to the ground, sorrow weighing heavily on his heart. But it wouldn’t be long before she heard everything negative about him from the lovely people of Hawkins. He groaned in aggravation and wiped his brow with a grease rag. He only had a few more hours to go before the shop slowed down and he could close up and go home. That shower was calling his name, along with his bed. *** Dylon smiled and took in the sight of her trailer, her breath coming out in short, excited puffs. Thankfully, it wasn’t dark yet and her dad’s car was gone. She fumbled with the key in her pocket as she walked up the steps, thinking to herself, “I guess I’ll make dinner for him.” Upon entering, Dylon noticed everything was in its place. The photo of her and her father on the side table next to the couch, pushed against the far wall, made Dylon smile. It smelled like home, the familiar scent of her father’s cigars that he claimed to have quit smoking. He had one just sitting there, untouched. Her dad would say that’s a reminder for him not to smoke it. Dylon chuckled. Such a silly way to go about quitting, she thought. If you would walk into the O’Shields’ home, you would notice one or two things; there wasn’t a woman’s touch, and there were no photos of Dylon’s mother. Dylon sighed, touching the cigar with her fingertips. She eventually pulled herself from her daydream and her gaze swept the kitchen, searching for something to cook before her dad came back. All she could think of now was how their new lives would be in this new town. How many friends she could make and how long they’d stay here.