Chapter 39: An Incredibly Cheap Mansion

In 1978, before a dilapidated mansion, a strangely featured little girl stood in the yard, gazing up at the house.

Two boys wielding baseball bats walked in through the gate. Upon seeing the girl, one of them sneered, "Hey, freak!"

Just as the boys were about to go inside, the girl called out to them, her face twisted with a peculiar expression. "You’ll die in there!"

"Shut up, or you’ll regret it," one boy threatened. The other raised his bat and said, "We’ve got baseball bats."

They entered and began wrecking havoc, smashing furniture and lamps wildly, eventually making their way to the basement.

There, they discovered all sorts of bizarre things—human hands and brains soaked in jars, among others.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed by. The two boys shrieked, collapsed to the ground, and died.

...

"Jonathan, how are Michael and Lucas doing?" Joey asked Lin Shaw in the car. Lin Shaw, who was driving, turned his head and replied, "They’re all right. They’ve woken up, and the doctor said they’re in good spirits and unharmed."

He avoided telling the truth, mainly not to worry Joey. She already had enough on her mind; he didn’t want to add more.

"By the way, Mom, last time we drove off the Mind Flayer and saved the lab from heavy losses. They gave us a bonus—eighteen thousand dollars."

Lin Shaw took a thick envelope from the glove compartment and handed it to Joey in the back seat. She opened it, pulled out the crisp bills, and gasped with excitement.

"Jonathan!"

Tears of joy welled in Joey’s eyes. She saw nothing suspicious about the bonus; Jonathan had fought fiercely, saving the lab and even the entire town. What was a bonus compared to that?

Admittedly, it was a substantial sum.

"Mom, I’d like to buy us a big house—as compensation for the one I burned down. There are four of us now, and the old place is too small," Lin Shaw explained.

Joey quickly stopped him. "No, absolutely not. You earned this money with your life. Save it for college. I’ll figure out Will’s tuition and the house myself."

Lin Shaw felt a warmth in his heart, experiencing for the first time the comfort of home. That was why he strove to grow stronger, vowing to protect them.

"No need. I’ve said it before—I don’t want to go to college. With my abilities, it’d be a waste. I want to be a freelance photographer, and drive out those monsters from the Upside Down."

Joey hesitated. As a mother, she didn’t want Jonathan continuing such dangerous work. But the greater the power, the greater the responsibility. Without him to resist the monsters from the Upside Down, the world itself could be destroyed.

"Don’t worry. With my teacher and Number Eleven helping me, those creatures are easy to handle. I won’t let them hurt Will again," Lin Shaw added as he parked outside the town’s real estate agency.

The four of them got out. Joey remained uncertain, but Lin Shaw took her hand and led her inside. The agency was filled with desks and agents, busy on phones or with paperwork.

When they entered, several people glanced over, but seeing their attire, most lost interest and returned to their tasks, showing no intention of offering help.

A young woman, looking like a recent college graduate, came forward. "Hello, everyone. I’m Louise from Melina Realty. How can I help you today?"

Lin Shaw nudged Joey, who was a bit nervous. "We’re here to buy a house," she managed.

Joey had never bought a house herself. The previous home had been purchased by Jonathan’s father. After their divorce, the court awarded the house to them.

"Please, have a seat. What kind of house are you looking for, ma’am?" the agent led them to the lounge, brought two cups of coffee, and placed them on the table.

"I’d like a larger house, preferably a two-story home. You know, I have quite a few kids," Joey joked, glancing at Will and the others. Her mood gradually relaxed and her tone became more natural.

"Of course, ma’am. I have several listings that fit your requirements. Please take a look and see if any interest you," Louise handed over some photos and began describing the properties.

Meanwhile, inside an office at the agency, a pair of hateful eyes peered through the curtains, fixed on Joey and her group. It was the wealthy woman who had recently clashed with them.

In the office, a boy sat in a chair, holding a rag doll. He jabbed it with a needle repeatedly, a sinister smile on his face.

"Miller, come to my office," the woman said, putting down her phone and patting the boy’s cheek with a vicious expression. "Honey, I told you—I want their whole family dead, and it’ll happen very soon."

The boy grinned, stabbed the doll’s forehead, and a thin trickle of red seeped from the doll, accompanied by faint cries of pain.

...

In the main hall, Joey was viewing houses when a middle-aged woman approached, waved Louise away, sat down, and said, "I’m the manager here. Helen is new and doesn’t know the company’s listings well. Let me give you a thorough introduction."

Joey didn’t object. Louise was indeed inexperienced, unclear about the details, clearly a recent intern.

Lin Shaw glanced around, feeling an odd sense of being watched since they’d arrived. He scanned the hall but saw nothing unusual. Perhaps he was just being paranoid, given everything lately.

After some introductions, the manager recommended a house—a two-story home with classic decor, situated by Campus Lake, backed by a hillside in the town’s famous villa district.

The best part was the price: only a third of neighboring villas, just thirty thousand dollars.

Joey was tempted. Because of Number Eleven, she didn’t want to live downtown. The location was far from Hawkins Lab, beneficial for Will as well.

"We’d like to see the house, if that’s possible," Joey asked.

"Of course. Would you like to go now?" the manager replied readily.

"If possible, yes. The whole family is here, so everyone can weigh in," Joey said.

The manager agreed, led them outside, got in her car, and had them follow.

After a drive of over twenty minutes, they reached the northwest of Hawkins, by a picturesque lake. This was the town’s wealthy district, home to executives and the affluent.

Lin Shaw gazed at the residential area, backed by hills and bordered by vast forests—the very same Darkwood.

Joey’s previous house was east of Darkwood; this villa zone was northwest, separated by half the forest and several hills, nestled between mountain and water—a truly beautiful setting.

But Lin Shaw felt uneasy. The werewolf leader Lucien, who escaped last time, might still lurk deep in Darkwood. If he slipped into their home, Will and Joey could be in danger.

"Hurry up, Jonathan," Joey urged, brimming with excitement as she followed the manager. It was true—shopping was irresistible for women.

"If trouble comes, we’ll deal with it. If he attacks us, it doesn’t matter where we live, unless we leave Hawkins altogether. But if he dares come, he won’t escape—I’ll make sure he pays, and he’ll boost my source energy," Lin Shaw thought, quickening his pace to catch up.