Thirteen. No face and the knowing photos
Will Byers was found dead in the quarry last night. It was on the news this morning. The second the girls woke up. Jen was already on edge from yesterday afternoon and now this.
Alex went and threw up in the sink.
Jen stared at the old TV with wide watery eyes. It felt like her throat was closing up. Like she'd eaten cotton balls for breakfast, and dinner the night before.
Will Byers is dead. A little boy is gone. A mother has lost her child. A brother has lost his friend.
Jen needed to get out of the trailer. She needed to go to school and distract herself. She needed to see Nancy, and see what had happened after she dropped her off yesterday.
Jen and Alex didn't speak a word to each other that morning. (For the better.)
The halls were loud, and Jen wasn't sure what she was expecting this morningâbut it wasn't for things to be normal. No one here likes Jonathan Byers. They all thought he was weird. A freak. So why would they care about the death of his little brother? And if one's did show care, it wasn't genuine.
Jen had swallowed herself in a large knit sweater that day, it was beige and was soft against her soft red shirt with white stripes. The sweater had been her mothers. Her jeans were too large in the waist and had a hole on the left knee. She wore her white high top Converses, though, they were a dirty white. Her hair was thrown back in a mess of a braid, with her baby hairs against her forehead. She felt sick and cold.
Will Byers had barely done anything with his life. He was a kid.
Jen's eyes burned as she opened up her locker, pulling books from her crossbody bag. The material was rough against her palms, and it reminded her of Nancy's soft hands.
"I've been looking everywhere for you."
The brunette girl flinched harshly, nearly getting her fingers in her locker door. Her wide eyes landed on another set, Nancy Wheeler, who was staring at her with now wide eyes. "Are you okay, Jen?"
"I'm.. I'm okay. Sorry. You're looking for me?"
Nancy blew out a shaky breath. "Of course I have. My mom talked to Barb's parents last night. They're talking to police about her disappearance. There's a case opened up now. And Willâ"
"Will's dead. I know."
The two girls just stared at each other for a moment. Nancy sniffled a little. "I.. I need to go talk to Steve about yesterday. I was hoping you would come, and, like, back me up or something?"
Steve?
Jen let a heart string pull. "Yeah. Sure. Okay.." (Jen can't say no to people. Apparently.) Nancy nodded, with a small smile of relief. She gently took Jen's hand in her own and squeezed softly. "Thanks."
They met up with Steve behind the gym.
He was already there waiting for Nancy. He pushed off the wall once he saw her, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. He froze for a split second when his eyes met Jen's. "You're here?"
Jen's lips parted, but Nancy beat her to it. She wasn't even sure what she would've said if she did speak. (Hi? I am..?)
"Yes. We've been talking. She helped me out yesterday.." Nancy continued to explain to Steve what they had done yesterday and what they had seen. Jen could tell Steve was shocked and a little angry.
"So, wait a sec. I don't understand. You went back to my house?"
Nancy and Jen shared a look. The bell was ringing past them. "To look for Barb."
"Yeah, okay, but why didn't you just talk to me?
That's crazy." Steve looked at Jen for a second, she couldn't meet his eye.
Nancy sighed, hands tight around her bag strap. She was still balancing on a rocky edge. "I don't know, I... I was scared."
"You seriously think you saw a guy in a mask just hanging out in my yard?"
"I don't think it was a mask, Steve."
Jen could tell Steve was not buying this. She didn't expect him too. The boy had just gotten himself a kid this year, a faceless dude was the last thing he needed. "But he had no face?"
To be fair, Nancy and Jen weren't sure what they saw, but it definitely wasn't a person in a mask. "I don't know! I don't know, I just... I have a terrible feeling about this."
Steve's face suddenly seems to fall. The cogs in his mind suddenly doing overtime. "Oh, this is bad. This is really bad."
Jen's brows furrowed, her eyes glazing towards Nancy, they shared a look. "What?" They both mumbled at the same time.
Steve leaned against the opposite wall the two girls were on. "The cops.. they're gonna want to talk to all of us now. Tommy, Carol, Reed, everybody who was at the party." Nancy stepped closer to Steve, Jen didn't dare move. "So?"
"My parents are gonna murder me!"
"Are you serious right now?"
Steve gaped at the girl. "You don't understand. My dad's a grade-A asshole. I've been on thin ice for months now." I have a fucking kid.
Jen sighed, the heels of her palms pushing into her closed eyes. Nancy glared at her boyfriend, "Barb is missing! And you're worried about your dad?" Steve's gaze moved between both girls. "Okay, just... When you talk to the cops, just... don't mention the beers. It's just gonna get us both in trouble, and Barbara's got nothing to do with it, okay?"
Nancy scoffed at the boy. "I can't believe you right now." Jen let her hands fall as she looked between the couple. "I can't believe you." Nancy repeated again, in more disbelief.
The girl started to walk away. Steve's gaze following the girl, "Nancy." She didn't stop, Steve and Jen watched the girl go. "Nancy, wait!"
He didn't move to chase after her, "Nancy!" Steve cried, the girl didn't even look back as she jogged away.
Jen's eyes fell on the boy, he suddenly looked over at her. "I'm not asking for much, right? My dad's mental, he'll kill me!"
Jen had heard a thing or two about Steve's dad. He was not the greatest.
Jen frowned gently, with a shrug. "I don't know. I just.. I feel like if you actually do care about Nancy's feelings and how she's scared for her best friend right now, you would've followed her and tried to figure something out.. instead of just covering your own ass. But, I don't know, Steve. I wasn't at the party. It's not my problem. I just want to help Nancy find her friend."
I am a good person. I swear by it.
The boy stared at the girl, lips parted. Jen sighed as she suddenly followed after Nancy's taken steps. "Jen! Jen, c'mon!" Steve called out.
Jen didn't stop but she did hear his feet move against the gravel behind her. "Jen!"
She winced and looked over her shoulder at the boy, he was moving closer to her. He was moving closer? Closer to her? Was it because of what she just said or did he actually care for her feelings?
Her heart panicked. He throat went dry. "It's.. Its not that difficult, Steve. She was just asking for your help."
She turned around before he could say another word. She hurried up, but she did hear him call her name once more.
Had he'd just given her more than he did for Nancy?
When first period had ended, Jen waited at the bleachers out in the field for Nancy. Like they had promised.
Nancy had jogged over fairly quickly. "I don't have a lot of time. My mom's taking me home, I said I was going to the bathroom." Jen stood up quick, "what did the cops say?"
"Barb's car is gone."
Jen's nose scrunched up. "What? How? It was there yesterday. The keys weren't in it.. or even near it!" Nancy was silent for a minute, her gaze lingered on Jen's face. She liked the way her nose scrunched up. It was pretty.. and cute. "Nance?" The girls eyes snapped back to Jen's. "Sorry.. Yeah, her car's gone. Which isn't possible, like you said. The cops said that she might've run away. Barb would never do that. They think she was jealous.."
"Jealous of what?"
Nancy frowned. "Of Steve and I.. They think she ran away because of that. ButâBut I know Barb. She would never do that. She would've talked to me if anything. She didn't run away. Someone took her."
Jen nodded slowly, eyes looking around the field. Kids were running track and stretching, for P.E. "Jen, you have to trust me, okay? I..I know I sound crazy. I know. But, please, I know my best friend. She wouldn't do this."
I've never had a best friend, I don't know how they're supposed to act.
The girl sighed, "okay. I trust you. Just keep me updated, okay?" Jen reached for her bag, pulling out a black pen. She pushed out her left hand, palm up. Nancy reached her gaze, Jen just nodded towards her hand. Nancy sighed and placed her arm in Jen's grasp. The girl pushed up Nancy's pink sleeve, she wrote down her trailer number as gently as she could with the ink. "Call me for anything. I'll answer."
Nancy stared down at the number, she took a breath and smile. "Thank you." It was a genuine smile.
Jen nodded. "Yeah, of course. Now go, before you get in trouble."
Nancy was already in trouble, because of Steve.
As Nancy hurried away, Jen pushed her bag over her shoulder and flinched as her eyes caught Steve's honeydew gaze across the field. He had been watching the two of them.
Jen swallowed sharply, the girl quickly looking away as she hurried back towards the school.
She was late for her next class.
The day seem to drag on slower, especially with everything going on. She didn't see Alex or Jonathan. Nancy was taken home. And Jen was just trying to avoid Steve's lingering eyes all day. It was like he was trying to pry unspoken information from her.
When the last bell of the day rung she was more than pleased, but shocked to find Nancy Wheeler leaning against her beat up red car. "Nancy, what are you doing here? I thought you went home."
"I did. But I found something. We need to find Jonathan. My mom said she talked to Joyce, we know where to find him, but we need to be quick. I can't let Steve find me."
Jen felt a little lost but she agreed regardless, she needed to take her mind off Steve and his baby. "Okay. Where are we going?"
"Funeral Home."
Jen's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
Nancy sighed, with a frown. "Jonathan's there. One of the pictures he took.. one of them Barb's in it and something else is in it with her. Look." The two hurried into the car, Nancy then pulled out a taped up photo from her bag. Jen took it carefully, her eyes analyzing the picture.
The girl gasped as her eyes landed on the shadowy like figure near Barbara's figure. "What.. What is that?" Nancy nodded, gently taking back the photo. "That's what we're going to figure out. Hopefully."
They find Jonathan inside the funeral home, he's picking out a casket, without Joyce. Jonathan excuses himself to talk with the girls, they all move out in the hall. "Hey," the boy looks between both girls.
"Hey," they both say in unison. Nancy carries on. "Your mom, um... she said you'd be here. I just... Can we talk for a second?"
They take a seat at a bench and Nancy pulls out the photo. She hands it to Jonathan with soft care, he cares for it the same. His eyes blow a little wide at where Jen's finger points at the figure behind Barb? "Do you.. maybe know what that is? Remember seeing it.. or something?" Jen's voice is soft and sad. Sad for Nancy. Sad for Jonathan. Joyce. Will.
(Steve.. Sad for Steve.)
Jonathan takes a breath. "It looks like it could be some kind of perspective distortion, but I wasn't using the wide angle. I don't know. It's weird." He hands the photo back to Nancy, both girls share a sullen look. "And you're sure you didn't see anyone else out there?" Nancy tries again.
Jonathan shakes his head. "No. And she was there one second and then, um... gone. I figured she bolted."
"The cops think that she ran away. But they don't know Barb. And weâ" Nancy looks over at Jen. Jen squeezes her hand gently, with a soft smile. "âwe went back to Steve's... and we thought we... saw something. Some... weird man or... I don't know what it was."
Jonathan is silent after that.
And then it seems to hit Nancy. Her heart cracks a bit more, she swears Jen could hear it. Jonathan has lost his brother, he has more important things to worry about, sadly. "I'm sorry." Nancy rushes out, she pulls herself up and grabs at Jen's hand gently. They both are standing now. "I... I shouldn't have come here today. I'm... I'm so sorry. We're sorryâ"
Jen frowns. They really shouldn't be here. This is kind of insensitive..
(Nancy's hand is still in Jen's. It's soft. A bit clammy, nervous like. It squeezes Jen's a bit. Should she squeeze back? She wants to. She does. Nancy squeezes again. Jen can't help but smile at the floor. She's so quiet and shy, it's too much and so easy to be teased on. Nancy is nice. Nice to Jen. Jen likes that.)
Jonathan's voice frightens both girls, for different reasons. Nancy stops her apologizing, Jen's gaze snaps away from her and Nancy's hands. Still bounded.
"What'd he look like?"
"What?"
"This man you saw in the woods. What'd he look like?"
Jen and Nancy share a look. Jen doesn't talk much. "I don't know." Nancy stammers, "It was almost like he... he didn't haveâ"
"Didn't have a face?"
Nancy and Jen's hands suddenly come apart. On Jen's behalf, Jonathan's knowing words spooked her. Nancy's hand pushes up into a fist, eyes a little wide, heart a little too quick. "How did you know that?"
Jonathan tells the girls his mother had said the same thing about Will's situation. The three then drive to the high school, Nancy drives with Jonathan to talk more of the no man face. Jen doesn't mind, she's always been on her ownâshe gets to clear her head like this.
The girls miss cheer practice.
They reach the schools darkroom. It's lit red and photos hang everywhere. Jonathan gets to doing what he does best. The girls stand around the boy as he works at a machine. Nancy talks first, curious to what he's doing. "And you're...
"Brightening. Enlarging."
Nancy hums, her and Jen share a look. Jen nods with a small smile. "Did your mom say anything else? Like, um, where it might have gone to, or..."
"No, just that it came out of the wall."
The wall? The machine dins, they move the photo towards water. Jen speaks this time, she thinks it's cool how this works. She's never seen photos developed before. "How long does this part usually take?" Nancy hums in agreement.
Jonathan smiles small at Jen. "Not long."
Nancy starts up again. "Have you been... doing this a while?"
Jen takes a few steps back, observing the room and all the hanging photos. Nancy and Jonathan carry on talking. "What?"
"Photography?"
Jonathan hums. "Yeah. I guess I'd rather observe people than, you know..." Nancy smiles gently, finishes his sentence. "âTalk to them." It's silent for a moment after that, Jonathan second guesses himself. "I know. It's weird."
Nancy jumps to a quick answer, she doesn't think it's weird. "No!"
Jen stops on a certain photo. Her chest suddenly burns. It's Lowen.. Lowen and Alex. And Steve. The photo looks old, taken awhile ago. Though, it looks freshly developed. It's drying. Or dried.
Jen seems to hyper focus on the photo. Lowen's in the middle, she's leaning into Alex's sideâtheir arms are wrapped around each other. One of their hands, of both girls, rest on Lowen's stomach. The look in Lowen's eyes is intense and cut throat. Alex looks almost.. bothered? Nervous? Steve doesn't seem to realize. He sits there with a cigarette smile.
Jen stares at the photo longer.
Jonathan and Nancy continue on behind her. "No, it is. It's just, sometimes... people don't really say what they're really thinking. But you capture the right moment... it says more."
Nancy smiles. She likes this conversation. "What was I saying?" Jonathan raises a brow, confused. "What?"
"When you took my picture."
Jonathan frowns, gaze leaving the girl suddenly. The guilt eats him alive. "I shouldn't have taken that. I'm, uh... I'm sorry. It's justâ" Nancy doesn't seem to mind.
Though, her attention leaves his words. Her eyes zoom in on the developed photos. "That's it." They both look down at the photo, it's a large figure. Bigger than a man. There is no face.
"Jen, look!"
Jen looks away from the photo and back at the two teens. She can't help it, she snatches the photo of Lowen, Alex and Steve, and hurries over. "That's what we saw."
Jonathan suddenly gasps. "My mom... I thought she was crazy, 'cause she said... that's not Will's body. That he's alive."
Nancy's eyes brighten. "And if he's aliveâ"
Jen gasps at the realization. "Then Barbara."
They clean up and take a quick leave of the darkroom. Though, Jen takes a chance to catch Jonathanâalone. Nancy's a few steps ahead, she doesn't notice just yet.
Jen takes Jonathan's elbow gently, "Jonathan.." The boy comes to a slow stop, brows furrowed. "Yeah? You okay?"
Jen sighs, looks down at the stolen photo. She passes it to the boy, "do you.. do you know who developed this picture?"
Jonathan analyzes the photo, nodding. "Yeah. Your sister did. It's hers. It wasn't her film, though... It had some scratchy name in all caps on it. Something with an L?"
Jen sighs, shoulders dropping. "Lowen."
Jonathan nods, "yeah, that was the name. It seemed like a pretty old roll. How come?"
He passes her back the photo, Jen frowns gently. "She knew.. They both knew that Lowen was pregnant and didn't say anything to anyone.. to Steve."
Jonathan's brows jump, he doesn't get why this matters to Jen? But he doesn't get to ask questions, the two flinch at the call out. It's Nancy. "Guys, c'mon!"
They get going once more. Though, Jen is a step behind.
She always is... I think.