#and then as I write the shape of what's between those signposts becomes clearer and clearer

[marypsue]

On a lighter note, I’ve now finished three chapters of former heroes who quit too late (the upcoming third and final part of the AU where (almost) all the main kids from Stranger Things have powers), solved (I think) a conflict between my outline and my timeline that I hadn’t realised was there until I got there in the writing, and finished outlining up to the end of chapter nine. It’s looking like it’s going to be more than eleven chapters in total, and I’m hazarding a guess it’ll be fifteen or more before I’m finished.

In celebration of another chapter finished, and also because I’m stealing @daddygrandpaandthebeaver‘s very wise idea for Sneak Peek Sundays, here is a tiny little sample from that fic!

...

They make it to the movie with barely seconds to spare, slipping through the mall’s service hallways and into the theatre once the coast is clear. Mike’s ears are still burning from the way too knowing – and way too judgmental, considering his love life – look Steve gave the three of them before he let them through Scoops Ahoy’s service entrance and into the hidden maze of hallways running all through the mall. And Dustin did not have to make such a big hairy deal about how he wasn’t going with them, when El asked. All that winking and grinning? Unnecessary.

Part of Mike’s wishing he hadn’t chickened out at the last minute and invited Will as well as El just so he wouldn’t have to admit that this was supposed to be a date. But mostly, he’s just desperately grateful Will’s here to be a buffer. Being alone, in the dark, with a girl he likes – that’s way scarier than any zombie movie could ever be.

There’s also the tiny little fact that Mike needed to invite Will over, too, for cover. And it would’ve been pretty shitty to just leave him at Mike’s house alone while Mike and El snuck out to the movie. Not to mention, then Mike’s mom would’ve asked questions, and the whole thing would’ve fallen apart.

Because El’s so not supposed to be here.

Hopper and Mrs. Byers have been giving her more leeway, since last fall, since all that shit went down and she came back with a sister who definitely can’t – and definitely won’t – be locked up in a little cabin somewhere deep in the woods her whole life. Mike’s still not totally clear on what Sara’s whole deal is, but apparently, if she doesn’t spend time around crowds pretty regularly, she’ll die. Or somebody will, anyway. Mike’s pretty sure El already tried that argument on Hopper, with no results, but whatever.

Anyway. El had managed to successfully argue that, if Sara gets to go pretty much where she wants when she wants, it should be safe enough for El to have some more freedom too. She gets to visit the guys and Max at their houses, now, if she wants, and Hopper and Mrs. Byers have even let her stay the night a couple times when Mike’s got the whole Party staying over. And El can go out to the woods or the lake with them, so long as she’s ‘careful’.

But they’re supposed to avoid anywhere where government goons could easily blend in, anywhere where somebody’s likely to recognise El. Crowds, and big events, and public places.

The special preview of Day of the Dead at the theatre in the new mall, Mike’s pretty sure, counts as all three.

But the awed look El’s turning on the enormous screen as they settle into three empty seats, her huge eyes reflecting back the glow of the FEATURE PRESENTATION screen, is totally worth whatever trouble Mike might get into for this.

“Have you ever been to a movie theatre before?” he whispers, leaning over so he can talk more directly into El’s ear. He still gets shushed by some annoyed old lady in the row behind them, though.

El doesn’t say anything, just shakes her head. She doesn’t look away from the screen, enraptured.

For a second, Mike feels a twinge of uncertainty. Maybe he should’ve picked out something tamer for her first movie on the big screen. What if the larger-than-life zombies freak her out, and she accidentally uses her powers, and the whole theatre sees, and then they get caught and taken away by the government? Or, they don’t get caught and taken away, but it’s a near miss, and then El hates him so much for putting her in danger that she never forgives him and Hopper never lets Mike speak to her again and everything is ruined –

Mike forces himself to take a deep breath, in through his nose and out through his mouth. It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s going to be fine. El knows the difference between movies and real life. Obviously. And if she gets too scared – Mike’s here to calm her down. Reassure her. With, like Lucas had said when they’d come up with this plan in the first place, a warm, strong arm to put around her to protect her. And then, one thing leads to another, and –

Mike glances down at his right arm, lying on the armrest, only inches from where El’s leaning forward with both hands clasped between her knees, still gazing in awe at the screen. He’s never really thought about how scrawny his arms are, before.

He turns to his left, to ask Will to share out the snacks they snuck in. But Will’s staring at the screen, too. For a second, Mike thinks he’s just already really interested in the movie. But there’s nothing about the featureless white room and the girl sitting in the middle of it that would explain why the frozen stare on Will’s face is slowly shading into fear. Nothing that would explain the arctic chill of dread that’s spreading out from him, like a ripple in the pool of excitement and nervousness all around them.

Whatever’s going on with him, it looks – familiar. Too familiar. And now some of that dread is Mike’s, too.

“Will?” Mike says, reaching out to put a hand over Will’s wrist.

There’s a snap, and a flash of light. Mike yanks his stinging hand back with a yelp. Will yelps, too, pulling away from Mike with wild eyes, like – like for a second, he doesn’t recognise Mike.

And the lights go out.