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10/02/2023 04:05 AM  Sundown Town Intro Sundown Town   Wicket /1706817 There was something to be said about a curfew and none of it was good. Dustin Henderson was on his bicycle trying to make it home before dark. The backpack he carried also had his walkie talkie hanging on the outside of it. It was hard to carry that bag and to pedal on his bike too. He had his share of health problems which led to his mom letting him overindulge on sweets. One too many Snicker bars may have been super tasty, but in the end it made him look like Chunk on the Goonies. Dustin was going to have to find the willpower to say no somehow. He was riding his bike near the Kwik-E Mart when he stopped for just a minute to adjust his backpack. It would be super easy to go inside and pick up another Snicker bar, but he wasn't going to impress Max if he kept up with all these snacks. Sure it was easy enough to crack a joke and make everyone laugh, but was it going to get a girl to notice him if he was the funny fat guy? Probably not. Lucas had him beat there in being the handsome jock. Dustin shrugged it off and started to get back on his bicycle. There was a noise that came from behind the Kwik-E Mart. "What the-?" Dustin muttered. He lowered his bike to the ground and began to walk around the rear of the store where the dumpster was. He stopped at the edge of the building and peered around the corner. There wasn't anyone back there that he could see, Dustin waited. Something was scratching around back there. In the midst of the trash, a mouse was trying to scamper away with a tiny morsel in its mouth. The mouse was suddenly snapped up in the jaws of a tiny creature that was no bigger than a German Shepherd puppy and swallowed whole. The creature was odd looking because it looked like a pup, but it had no eyes or nose to speak of, but it certainly had a mouth. Dustin had not seen the creature eat the mouse. He saw it standing there chewing something. He honestly thought it was a moldy hotdog by the looks of it. Despite his better judgment, Dustin started to walk toward the animal that looked like a dog to him. "Hey there little guy! You look lost. Do you need some help?" He spoke in soft tones and headed toward the animal with his right hand out and lowered. He allowed the animal to do what he thought was to sniff the palm of his hand to show that he was a friend. The animal slowly approached him and sniffed his palm. Dustin was thrilled that the dog turned to him and barked with a high pitched yip like a puppy. The dog even wagged his tail signifying he really liked Dustin. He approached Dustin and allowed the boy to pick him up. He yipped again out of sheer joy and how happy he truly was. Dustin wrapped his jacket around the dog and started to walk him to his bike. "Let's go home buddy! You can be my dog or whatever you are. We'll figure it out eventually. " Dustin couldn't help but laugh for joy. When he was all situated with his new dog, Dustin heard Mike on the walkie. "I'm sure everything is okay Mike. I'll see you tomorrow at school alright? OVER." Dustin put aside his walkie and started off toward his house. "What are we going to call you anyway? D'Artagnan. Yeah. I like that. Dart for short." The dog yipped at the sound of his new name as the boy took him away from this stinky place. A real bond was forming that would have consequences later, but for now, Dart had a home with a little boy that smelled like peanuts. This was the greatest day ever!   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

09/16/2023 06:25 AM  September Drabble Danger Zone   Wicket /1706817 He couldn’t believe it. The summer from hell was over. After Vecna and all the chaos in Hawkins, his mom had sent him to stay with family in Cincinnati. Hawkins was rebuilding and his mom wanted him to have the chance to go back to school. She was overprotective of him, sure, but this was not going to be any fun. When he had is first day of school at Hawkins High, at least he had Mike, Lucas and Max around. Matt was there too, Max's boyfriend, but he was used to being in school there. Now, at this place, Dustin had a cousin there but the rest of the school was a no man's land. Dustin had actually had a chance to talk on the shortwave radio to Mike before he left the house. His mom promised that come spring break they would see if he could come home. Everything was so different. It was so much bigger. He was a small fish in a small pond back in Hawkins High. He wasn't exactly sure what he was in this new school. He was determined not to get too attached because he wasn't going to be here long after all. Dustin had his raw materials all stuffed in his backpack as he came into this place. He had a schedule that his aunt picked up for him. That schedule had a locker number and a combination that he found with relative ease. His classes were all totally different from his cousin's so he was going to have to find his way around all on his own. He wondered how many times he was going to have to explain what Cleidocranial Dysplasia was. He closed the locker and headed for his first class with a certain amount of apprehension. This was going to be a massive headache. He knew it. The first class was English Lit. The teacher listed on his schedule was Lisa Jackson. He didn't think twice about it as he headed inside the room to take a seat. The room looked pretty cool enough. Posters of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe were on the walls. Dustin was familiar with both books. He'd also seen The Hobbit cartoon plenty of times in his life. This was working out nicely thus far. Miss Jackson was standing by the chalkboard. She looked to Dustin like she was possibly just a little younger than his mom. She was actually really pretty which made him swallow hard when she looked his way. She had long brown hair that swayed when she moved her head and blue eyes that sparkled when she looked at you. Dustin felt his heart beating faster when she came closer. "You must be Dustin Henderson!" Miss Jackson extended her hand to him. "I've heard so much about you from my Uncle Scott!" Dustin was confused for a brief moment. "Yeah, I'm Dustin. Who is Scott?" He was lost for a moment with all the new surroundings. "Clarke. Mr. Clarke, your middle school science teacher is my uncle." She was beaming. She'd heard so much about Dustin over the summer when his transfer was complete. "Mr. Clarke is your uncle? That is so awesome. " He shook her hand a little too long. He blushed when he did it. She was super nice and just smiled when he realized what he'd done. He excused himself and tried to hide under a book. He watched as Miss Jackson made her way through the class speaking to all the students. Dustin felt his anxiety begin to lessen. With Miss Jackson and her connection to Mr. Clarke, Dustin entertained the idea that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

07/26/2023 09:09 AM  Independence Day Independence Day   Wicket /1706817 This year was different. Dustin was going to remember the summer of 1986 for all the wrong reasons. Claudia Henderson was driving with her son to the family Fourth of July picnic as she did every year. Most of the family lived near Cincinnati. This one day of the year was when Dustin saw cousins from his Dad's side of the family as well as Aunts and Uncles who knew his father far better than he did. He often would hear how much he looked like his Dad from family members who had a wistful look in their eyes. It usually creeped him out but this year, he wasn't phased by it. Dustin was going to spend some if not all of his sophomore year with his Dad's sister and her family. Hawkins was still in a rebuilding mode after the Earthquake. That meant school was going to be next to impossible come the fall. Claudia spoke to her sister-in-law who agreed to let Dustin stay with them for the sophomore year. Fortunately he had a female cousin that wasn't all girly and prissy. She was a gamer and she read comic books. He was optimistic that this wasn't going to be too terrible. He just hated that he was going to be away from his buddies for a whole school year. When they left Hawkins, Dustin was told to pack stuff that he wanted to make his stay more tolerable. Near the top of that list was his shortwave radio. He could not only keep in touch with Suzie while he was gone but his best friends back in Hawkins. The transfer was going to take place at this infamous picnic his family had every year. Normally he'd be all up for just having a great time with his cousins. It wasn't going to happen this time. Dustin felt like he was waiting to be walked down the green mile. Oh sure! He knew his Dad's sister wasn't going to kill him or anything. He was just going to be about 100 miles from where he wanted to be. His friends were going to miss him and he was going to miss them. Keeping in touch via radio was going to be hard. He would find a way to make it easier somehow. Vecna was still out there. He didn't want to abandon his friends when they needed him the most. It also bothered him that his Mom was going to be alone in that house. If they made it through this year of rebuilding, Dustin was never going to let her stay alone when she could get hurt no matter what. His cousin's name was Lisa. She was just a little bit taller than he was. She had hair the same color as Dustin's but long and straight. She wore a pair of light colored glasses to correct her nearsightedness. She sat down beside him on the bench that he'd gravitated toward when they arrived at the picnic. "I'm sorry they are making you do this Dustin." She mentioned it casually. "It won't be too bad, or at least I'll do what I can to help." Dustin grinned crookedly. "I know you will, Lise. They think they're doing what's best for me, but it's not really. If I told them what was really going on, they wouldn't believe me." He lowered his shoulders in resignation. She shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you could tell me. I'd be willing to listen." They were the same age which helped in being able to bond. They also liked a lot of the same things. Dustin did a double take before looking at his cousin. "Are you serious?" He needed someone to vent to especially if he was going to do something to help his friends back in Hawkins. "Serious as a heart attack. " She replied. She was fully devoted to helping her cousin while was forced into a Sanctuary of sorts. "Lay it on me." Lisa told him. Dustin's whole countenance lifted. "It all started about two years ago when my friend Will Byers went missing. " The light of excitement actually put a sparkle in his eye. Maybe this Fourth of July wouldn't be so bad after all.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

06/13/2023 11:21 PM  Happy Father's Day Happy Father's Day.   Wicket /1706817 "Master Richard! Please wake up! You'll be late for school." Dustin Henderson was a mess of curls and repetitive yawns. Last night had been a rough one. It was still summer vacation. He was supposed to move to Cincinnati in a couple of weeks so he could go to school there for his sophomore year of high school thanks to the Earthquake. "Master Richard please?!" "Hunh?" He was half asleep when he heard someone talking to him. With the second gentle nudge, he opened his eyes. Standing over his bed was the lanky man who played Alfred on the Batman show that his mom let him watch. "Richard?" He mumbled. Looking down at his bed he realized that he wasn't in Hawkins. He was somewhere else. He sat up in bed. "I'm gonna be late?" He asked. "You are dangerously close to being late! Please hurry! I'll bring the car around." He started toward the door to give Richard time to become more alert. Dustin realized that somehow he was D*ck Grayson in the classic Batman world. He couldn’t believe it! He didn't know how it happened but it did. "Alfred?" He decided to ask a question. "What happened last night?" The Brit stopped for a moment expressing concern for the boy. "You experienced quite a thrashing from the Joker. Perhaps I should inform Master Bruce you are unwell." Dustin shook his head. "I'll go talk to him myself. Where is he?" He was getting more curious now. He had Alan Napier's Alfred right here. Was Adam West's Bruce Wayne downstairs? He had to see for himself. He left the bed but not before sliding on some of the most comfortable slippers that he had ever worn in his life. Leaving the room was easy. He'd watched so many episodes of the show he knew exactly where to find Bruce. He scooted along the back stairs heading toward Bruce's study. Dustin knew that there was a bust of Shakespeare in there that opened to reveal a secret way to the Batcave. He tried not to giggle because he was so giddy about being here and essentially being Robin the Boy Wonder. He reached the door to the study. Dustin inhaled. He let it out as his nerves were starting to flutter. He had no explanation for how he got here or where he was. He was just going with it hoping that in the end it would be resolved one way or another. He knocked on the door before he just walked in anyway. "Bruce, I'm sorry. I just don't feel…" Dustin stopped when he realized that it wasn't Adam West's Bruce Wayne in there. It was Dustin's own father that had passed away when he wasn't even a year old. "Hello Dustin." Tears fell down his cheeks like a damn had burst. "DAD? It…it can't be." The boy ran into his father's arms and clung tightly for all he was worth. "Oh Dad…" He was sobbing like a baby. "Shh… there there. I know. I wish I could be there but we have only this one chance, so listen to me. Go to spend the year with my sister and her family. It's not safe for you in Hawkins." He nodded in his father's arms trying to focus through the tears. "Alright Dad. I promise." He remembered what Sunday was. Perhaps whatever powers that be had decided to be kind for once and not inherently cruel. "Happy Father's Day, Dad." "Thank you Dustin. Always remember that I loved you before you were born and I will love you till the end of time." The Visage of his father started to vanish as this world disappeared. ◇◇◇◇◇ Dustin's eyes opened in the silent darkness of his bedroom. His father was gone and so was the illusion of Wayne Manor. It had all felt so real. In the darkness alone, Dustin Henderson wept bitterly.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

05/24/2023 01:05 AM  Where the Streets Have No Name The Streets Have No Name   Wicket /1706817 Life was turned upside down. Ever since they came back from the Upside Down, Dustin wasn't sure whether he was coming or going. They were supposed to be upperclassmen come the fall but no one bothered to even consider school yet. That could be a blessing or a curse depending on how you looked at it. The rumor was that the kids of Hawkins were going to be bussed to Indianapolis or even Cincinnati depending on who filled up first and how things could be divided. For the first real time since Will had moved, the crew faced actual separation on a more permanent basis. This was going to be a total disaster. Nancy, Jonathan, Chrissy, Eddie, Steve and Robin didn't have to worry about being separated. They graduated already. Dustin and the D&D crew were in the class of 1989. They still had a ways to go yet. This was going to stink worse than Bantha fodder on the streets of Tatooine. Dustin was at the Community Center helping his mother when the news came out about school. His mood was definitely shot. Dustin's mom walked up to him sitting there. His insistence on wearing those silly hats always hid those curls that she loved so much. "Dustin, You are really no help, you know that?" His mother knew he was thinking about school. All the parents were talking about it too. Dustin didn't need to know that his mother was one of the advocates for sending the kids to different schools come the fall. It was going to take time to rebuild the schools in Hawkins. In the meantime, the kids had to do something. His mother stood there for a moment just looking at him. Dustin's chin raised toward the sound of his mother's voice. Her words weren't reaching him. He was supposed to be sweeping the floor but stopped. "Sorry Mom. I'm trying." The Earthquake as everyone called it had been some time back. Hawkins was demoralized. Some aspects were trying to come back to life, but Dustin was one of the few who knew the whole story. No one would believe him even if he told them. He stood up from where he'd been sitting and held the broom in his hand. Claudia Henderson felt terrible seeing her normally happy go lucky son with that light gone from his eyes. "Dustin, you remember Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Thomas? They both said you could stay with them and go to school with your cousins for a year. It would just be until everything is rebuilt here." Dustin remembered his dad's sister well. She was always so good to him. Her husband, Thomas, was always a great guy too. His cousin Lisa was cool. She was a gamer girl and a Star Wars nerd too. She was a year older than Dustin. Maybe this wouldn't be too terrible . "You talked to Aunt Marilyn already didn't you?" Dustin surmised. "They are going to be here next Wednesday. I was supposed to try and encourage you more to go." She was speaking softly to him. She really wanted him to be safe. She needed him to be safe. He was everything to her. "You're not going are you?" He instantly replied. He could read his mom like a book. This page he didn't like all that much. "No sweetheart. But we'll talk every day I promise. This also gives you a week to tell your friends." He was uncharacteristically silent. "Please Dusty. Do this for me?" Dustin's jaw clenched. His body tensed. This was an awkward position to be put in for him. "I suppose a school year in Cincinnati won't hurt. I will come back as soon as Hawkins High reopens, right?" His mother nodded in response to his question. "Of course Dusty. I wouldn't want you to stay away any longer than needed." "Alright Mom. Just until Hawkins High is reopened." He insisted. He was fine with his extended family in Cincinnati but he knew his leaving even for a little while was not going to set well with his friends. They would figure something out somehow.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

03/16/2023 08:57 PM  An Eternal Promise An Eternal Promise   Wicket /1706817 spring 1972 The diagnosis was grave. Edward Henderson had just returned from another cancer treatment. He had his favorite chair sitting on the porch of their home in Hawkins, Indiana. The former head of R&D at the Fernald Uranium Processing plant was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was not long for this world and he knew it. Claudia, his beloved wife, had given birth to their son Dustin back in the summer. Their precious little boy was born with Cleidocranial Dysplasia. They were assured after his birth that he could live a long and happy life. This would involve a lot of trips to the Children's Hospital in Cincinnati but that was no matter. Dustin was going to be given the whole world. What pained Edward was that he knew he couldn’t be there to see it. Claudia always blinked away tears when Edward wanted to see Dustin. The tiny baby boy had no clue what was going on around him, but Claudia would make sure that later in life. She lay Dustin swaddled tightly in his father's arms. "There you go Daddy…" She whispered to her husband. Baby Dustin had been asleep but soon woke because of the movement. When tiny eyes focused on his father, the sweetest little grin formed. Some would have called it gas, but Edward knew. He knew because he and his son had a bond. It had been raining earlier, so the smell of the rain lingered in the air. There was something else working its way through the clouds and would soon appear. Edward used his fingertips to gently tickle the baby's chin. Dustin was only 7 months old but his father could see the most adorable dimples ever. "Now listen Son. I'm not going to be here much longer. I don't wanna go, but it looks like the Good Lord has other plans." He smiled gently at the baby boy. "I want you to be the best boy and take care of your momma okay? I know there are things that are gonna happen that I won't see with my own two eyes, but you know what? I'll still be watching over you from heaven. You know how to be sure I'm there?" Edward turned his baby toward the sky and pointed out something beautiful to behold. Over their house in Hawkins was not just one rainbow but two. A double rainbow was arched perfectly over the Henderson house. "Every time you see a double rainbow overhead, that will be my promise that I'm still watching over you." He turned the baby back toward him. Tiny little digits reached for his father's face imprinting on his brain the love of a father for his son. "Never forget Dustin and know that your Daddy always loves you." ♡♡♡♡♡ spring 1987 The sound of the film projector coming to the end of the strip intruded on the bittersweet memory. Dustin had been sitting on the living room sofa watching this filmstrip that Claudia had made on that day back in 1972. Dustin felt his eyes glistening. Despite it all, he could still feel the love from a father he didn't even remember pour through that screen. He considered himself a man of science not prone to believe in the supernatural. Given all he'd encountered since the Upside Down and Will's disappearance, it was certain that evil existed. The image of his father ravaged by cancer yet still loving his infant son instilled a bit of hope for something good out there after all. Dustin rose from the sofa and approached his mother. He knelt before his mother, wrapping her in his arms in a warm embrace. Neither one had to say anything. They both were entangled in memories of things that were and things that could have been. Overhead in the sky, a double rainbow arched over their house.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

02/17/2023 01:52 PM  Return of Evil post 4 Return of Evil   Wicket /1706817 Dustin was gloating a bit more at Billy's misfortune when he noticed some action out of the corner of his eye. There were multiple cars that passed this way coming from both directions. The young man with still curly hair like he had in his childhood days, turned toward the direction in which Mike's car had gone. Visible excitement made him smile again. Mike had seen him after all. Mike had made a U Turn to come back to where Dustin had been waiting for Max. Dustin watched as Mike pulled in behind him. He met Mike half-way and embraced his old friend in a bro-hug. It was so good to see Mike again. It was as though the years had never seen the friends spend any time apart. "Has anybody told you anything yet?" Mike was straight to the point, just like when they were kids and all this garbage happened around them and to them. Dustin knew Mike never left Hawkins. On his frequent phone calls to his mom from his home in Cincinnati, Dustin was kept abreast of most of the news. It was always good to hear about Mike. His mom knew how close the boys had been. He always enjoyed shooting the breeze with his mom and hearing about how life was back home. "Not everything. When Mom told me enough, I put her on the first bus to Cincinnati. She's out of the way this time." Dustin had a visibly nauseated look on his face. He was relieved that his mom was safe from what was happening, whatever this was. To say that Dustin was overwhelmed with dread was an understatement. The look on Mike's face told him volumes. He didn't want to entertain the possibility that Vecna was still out there. There was always the slight chance Vecna was still alive. Evil never really stopped existing. Why couldn't it just leave them alone? He drank in a slow breath with flared nostrils. "You'd better tell me what's happening for sure." He didn't want to hear it, but he knew he needed to hear it. The group of them were inseparable as kids. It was how they made it through the horror of The Upside Down. He'd thought they had closed that door years ago. The knot in his stomach along with Mike's expression told him that was dead wrong. Dustin almost didn't want to hear it. He just wanted all this to be all just a bad dream or maybe a copycat. He wondered who else of their friends might be around to help stop whatever it was from destroying the town and everyone in it. It was possible that the perpetrator was trying to bring them all together again. In that case, maybe none of them were going to get out of this alive. Dustin mentally shook himself. Billy had helped them defeat the Mind Flayer years ago. Now here they were coming together after facing Vecna. The party was coming together. Maybe it was time for one final campaign. They were going to need all the members of their entourage and a few extra players. Billy was their ace in the hole against the Mind Flayer. Wouldn't that be a pisser if he was again? After listening to Mike catch him up on what was happening, Dustin's eyes twinkled. "I haven't played D&D since college, but it sounds like we're about to go on one last campaign. Ready to run one more campaign, Mike?" He motioned with his head toward Billy and Max. "All the members of our caravan are coming back together. It sure feels like the DM is about to reveal the dungeon." Dustin took a moment to pause and ponder a few things. "Maybe he already has.."   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

02/10/2023 07:41 PM  Valentine's Day Drabble Happy Valentine's Day   Wicket /1706817 It arrived three days ago. Dustin sat staring at a package that had arrived from Suzie all the way in Utah. He promised her that he wouldn't open the box until Valentine's Day. He was sitting at his desk in front of his shortwave radio just bouncing his right leg and drumming his right fingers on his desk. He'd been staring at the thing for so long he was running out of patience. Yet he'd given his word to his Suzie Poo that she'd wait to open their packages at the same time. His mother thought it was very romantic. She'd even teased Dustin about it. "Are you the same kid who swore that Valentine's Day was , and I quote a commercial racket for the greeting card industry?" He pursed his lips into a thin line and muttered something unintelligible to her. Claudia Henderson just laughed and left him to wait for his date. Dustin was staring at his calculator watch that he wore on his left wrist. They had promised to meet up at 2 pm his time which would be 12 noon her time over the radio. This waiting was getting tedious. It was ticking over to the appointed time and there was no sign of her. This was starting to worry about her. "Come on….. Come on…." He mumbled. He'd sent Suzie some tools she needed to maintain her radio which was her solace from the madness of her family. And thanks to some advice from Max, he'd gotten some of the candy here from the store that Will's Mom used to work. He didn't want to be too coldly logical but show a little bit of the season. He wasn't a dyed in the wool romantic, but he was trying. Suzie was worth it. "Dusty Bun are you out there?" Her voice came through the speakers of his radio. He jumped. He nearly knocked his microphone off the desk trying to pull it over correctly. He was so smitten by this beautiful and highly intelligent girl that he felt all goofy inside when she was around. "I'm here Suzie Poo!" He finally managed to get the mic straight. "How are you? Is everything okay?" He was always concerned when she had any delays. He was fully aware of her strict father. Maybe one day he'd take her away from all this. Suzie's voice was all soothing over the other end of the speaker. "I'm fine Dusty Bun. I just had to put out a few minor fires. Not literally but you know what I mean." Dustin's eyes darted to the box with the Utah postmark. "Well, I'm glad everything is okay. Did ya get my package?" He was not trying to be too overtly obvious but failed miserably. He already had the package in his hands cradling it by this point like a child. Suzie's laughter was the most beautiful sound in the world to him. "Yes I did. Ready to open them?" Dustin already started opening when she finished her question. He was sure he mumbled something as he started ripping. Finally the secrets were revealed. With her squeal on the other end, he could tell how happy she was. That made him happy too. He finally broke into the core of the box that had been sitting there for so long. He was speechless for a brief moment. It was then that he realized something profound. He was going to marry this girl someday…. Inside the box was the biggest count by far of Legos he'd ever seen to make a detailed model of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. Suzie knew how much he loved Han Solo and Star Wars. There was something else inside that made him start laughing. It was a stuffed bunny that had a note pinned to him. Happy Valentine's Day Dusty Bun. With all my love, Suzie. Yeah, his mom was right. He had been a part of the anti Valentine's Day brigade at one time. Now, he was certainly all for it. He finished his conversation with Suzie and found his mother in the living room holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. His Mom was beaming. Dustin knew why. Eddie's Uncle and his Mom were inseparable. It was cute. Valentine's Day was pretty good after all.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

01/27/2023 01:33 PM  Return of Evil post 3 Return of Evil   Wicket /1706817 Dustin was so happy to see Suzie after all this time. They spent a bit catching up when she showed signs of being tired. Dustin insisted that she stay here. He gave her the spare keys to the house and left her be for a bit. He reluctantly said his goodbyes for now, but decided to go check out the lay of the land in Hawkins. He'd not been home in over ten years, so he had to see what sort of structural changes had been made to the place he grew up. So many things were different as far as he could tell. Even the smallest detail had not gone unnoticed by the young man who had been a young boy on these streets. Dustin had various memories assault his conscious mind as he made his way through Hawkins. He could nearly imagine himself a chubby kid again with his favorite hat smashed down over his curls pedaling his bicycle as fast as he could. He sat at a light taking in the nostalgia. His radio started playing Boot Scootin' Boogie as he waited for the light to change. He was singing along with a bit of a hum at first. After the light changed he started singing louder and tapping on the steering wheel just obsessing over the country music rise of the 1990s. The tune was a catchy one. Dustin was getting into it a little too much for his own good. He made the hand over hand turn that took him on the road that many used to come back into town. He recalled that the Sheriff's Office was close by. That would be a great place to start to find his old friends, many of whom he'd not seen in 10 years. Oh, heel toe dosey doe come on baby let's go boot scootin'. Yeah, Cadillac, Black Jack baby meet me outback we're gonna boogie Dustin was singing along rather loudly now being a bit too careless with his driving. He slammed on his brakes a bit rapidly making his wheels squeal. As he plopped back down, coming back to his senses, he turned the music down. He saw a Camaro being pulled over by a police officer. Getting closer he realizes that it was Max who had pulled over Billy. It was the ultimate irony. Another car was coming that passed Max and Billy by as she pulled him over. Dustin caught a glimpse of who it was. His face went blank. "MIKE!" He shouted in the car. Even though he shouted he knew Mike couldn't hear him. Instead of continuing his trip, Dustin parked his car on the other side of the road. He stepped out slowly making sure the car was off and the doors were shut. He didn't want to impede Max from doing her job of course. He stood on the road itself leaning against his car. His arms were crossed over one another. Max and Billy would acknowledge him soon enough. Maybe Mike would have realized that Dustin was back and possibly come back. He had not heard any details about the cheerleader's murder. He was waiting so that Max or someone would tell him what was happening in town. There had to be a reason why he felt this way being back home. As he waited, he had to smile at the poetic justice of Billy getting pulled over for speeding. The mental images from the past of him dodging Billy nearly running over him came back to his memory. Dustin couldn't help but gloat just a tad bit. Karma was certainly a bitch.   "Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me." credit: james kriet 0 Comments

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