[ this is all

so damn weird?

nancy is from a town where, lately, "weird" tends to also mean "horrifying", but here everything just seems weird-weird. there's lobsters and basketweaving and free ice cream and okay, maybe all of those things are pretty normal for a summer festival, but after the letter she received at her arrival, and the fact that they gave her this watch that's overwhelming but apparently very useful, for free? she's feeling more than a little bit of whiplash. she doesn't trust any of this.

and the fact that they gave her a tattoo without her permission? NOT okay. her mother was going to murder her. twice. and there was literally no way she was going to get a job at a formidable newspaper company with a tattoo on her wrist. ugh. not that it mattered. apparently there was no way home from here.

and yes, of course she considered that this was some twisted dream world that was somehow related to the down. the thought crossed her mind. but it was all too- lively. she's been to the down more than once, and it was not like this.

but anyway, for all the talk of not trusting this place, she can't seem to pass up a free drink. she avoids the beer because no, she will not be drinking alcohol in this completely messed up town, but she will have a cup of iced tea. and at some point, a cup of cream soda.

so you have options, random passerby: you can either deal with nancy being kind of a jerk about the live music as she watches from below the roof they're settled on ] --You'd think they'd play something a little more up-to-date, huh? My dad doesn't even listen to this kind of stuff, and he has terrible taste in music.

[ or she's just casually slipping her hand in yours, and then, totally naturally, with maybe some mild heart-eyes if you're looking close enough - ] Hi.

[ okay so, this is also insane. and weird. a device that allows you to send typed messages to a giant group of people without a phone number or anything? how the hell was that even possible? but anyway, this is a lot of pressure, just sending out a message to the whole town. so... best keep it brief ]
un: nancywheeler

Hi, this is Nancy Wheeler, and I'm looking for anyone that's from a town called Hawkins, Indiana, or if you even know anyone from Hawkins that might be trapped here with us. Please write back as soon as you get this.

[ FUCKIN NAILED IT, WHEELER ]