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<•>
"Can we send Ethan in there to light the shit on fire with his fingers?" Steve asks, getting the kids piled into the car. "Y'know, just get it over with?"
"Why would you even suggest that?" Ethan asks, throwing himself in the front seat as Dustin and Lucas sit in the back with Max in between them. "I told you that wouldn't work how many times?"
"We know its weakness is fire! You're literally a walking flamethrower, dude!"
Ethan sighs, "I'm only a 'walking flamethrower' when I have that strength, like El did when she closed the gate. I can feel it fading. It has been since before last summer, probably just before Will got possessed, I started feeling it. Like, I don't even know if I can do anything like that anymore." he stares down at his shoes, taking a deep breath. "I'm not strong enough to take it all down on my own."
Steve slowly nods, quickly turning the car on, communicating with Nancy and Robin on the other side of the walkie-talkie.
"We'll find a new plan then,"
<•>
The group roll on up to the abandoned Creel House, Max having her headphones on a loop of her favorite song for protection. Robin and Nancy informed the rest of the group of their findings at the mental hospital with Mr. Creel, and how music is the key to help escaping Vecna in the mind-void.
Ethan catches Dustin's attention, giving him a worried look as he glances at Lucas and Max, walking to the door just behind Robin and Steve. Dustin nods, following Nancy up the stairs.
"What exactly are we looking for in this shithole?" Steve asks, looking over at Nancy while they're peeling nails from the doorframe where a large piece of plywood was blocking their path.
"We're not sure. We just know this house is important to Vecna." Nancy answers
"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soup mind world?"
"Basically,"
"Great."
"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back, why he killed the Creels, " Dustin shrugs, trying to show some optimism. "Or how to stop him before he comes back for Max, or marks a new victim."
"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asks, feeling slightly out of place.
"Guess we'll find out." Max shrugs
The two teens let the wood fall to the floor, revealing the front door with a stained glass window of a rose.
Both Max and Ethan feel their blood grow cold as they look at it, trying to act natural as they do. They glance at one another, sharing a look of discomfort. The redhead scoots closer to the brunette, whispering as she tries talking to him.
