The Overcomer, Stranger Things

The flayed

Doris Driscoll was just tending to her garden like every other morning when something strange happened. Ms. Driscoll was just a regular, friendly, old woman who lived in the wrong place. And that place was Hawkins, Indiana. A long time ago she had a husband and his name was Jack. The two were happily married together in Hawkins until he died from cancer in 1975, leaving her a widow. This meant that no one was there to take care of the older woman or to help her.

Doris let out a yelp, scrambling away from the soil she was digging in when out of nowhere, a rat popped out of the dirt. This wasn't just any rat though. It was odd. The rodent was incredibly wet, drippy, heavy, and gooey. And it was... convulsing. Doris watched in horror as the rat shook violently before exploding into a glob of goo. And then something even weirder happened.

The slimy ball, filled with chunks of meat and blood, slowly built up into something... more. Something more than just a pile of what looked like throw-up. It transformed into what could be called a really messed up slug or a twinkie someone dropped in snot. Ms. Driscoll looked back at her house momentarily before she followed the creature around the corner.

And then she realized the meaning of curiosity killed the cat. Doris had found the source. And the mind flayer had claimed yet another victim.

~:~

Nancy, Johnathan, and the kids huddled close, everyone looking over their shoulders, as they all fit into the tiny elevator at Hawkins Memorial hospital. Max reached over and pressed the second floor before the lights in the elevator started flickering, causing them all to share an uneasy glance. Will's face fell when he felt an overfamiliar tingle crawling up his neck, causing him to brush his fingers over the spot as he turned around. The teenager's panic skyrocketed when he saw Brenner walking toward the elevator that was closing way too slowly for his comfort.

"Johnathan," he turned to his brother and pointed at the mad scientist that was staggering toward them, "look!"

"Crap," Johnathan spit before turning to his girlfriend, "we need to close the doors."

"I'm trying," Nancy stressed as she pushed the elevator button over and over again.

"What..." El started slowly as she watched her Papa come to a sudden stop and started to shake, "what's happening to him?"

"Get behind me," Johnathan pushed his brother behind him before looking for his youngest sibling. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked around, not seeing the small blond anywhere. "Where is Gwen?"

"Gwen's not here--" Nancy started to question worriedly before her little brother cut her off.

"I think we have bigger problems than Gwen right now, guys!"

The group watched in horror as Brenner let out a scream before falling to the floor. The man started to convulse violently as his veins turned black and a gurgling noise came from his mouth. Before they could see what was happening to the older man, the doors to the elevators closed. El's eyes widened in panic when she looked down to see a blob of what looked like guts and human skin enter between the crack of the elevator doors.

"What is that?"

"Holy crap," Lucas breathed before taking Nancy's spot and banging on the open door button for the elevator. "We need to get out of here!"

"Yeah, I think we all get that, Lucas!" Will yelled as he backed up against the elevator wall, everyone else doing the same as the pile of goop started to grow.

Slowly but surely, more and more goo entered the elevator, getting bigger and bigger. And then, the lights went out. When they turned back on, the group was struck with terror when they looked up to see a giant monster towering over them. They had never seen anything like it before.

"What the heck--" Max was about to say before the elevator doors finally opened and she got cut off by a loud shriek coming from El.

Eleven stepped forward, using her powers to throw the creature out of the elevator and against the wall. She held both her hands up in the air, screaming as the monster began to levitate just centimeters above the floor. She then started to throw it around the room, wall to wall, roof to floor. Over and over until it began to turn to mush. And finally, it was thrown out the window, causing the glass to shatter.

"Go!" Eleven said, before pushing everyone out of the elevator, all of them rushing outside.

Instead of taking the elevator, this time everyone took the stairs. Once the group got to the entrance doors, El threw them open. The cool fresh air hit their faces as they all made it outside. El protectively put her arms back, keeping everyone away from the monster that lay on the ground. They watched as the monster squelched, turning into some type of ball and rolling over to the sewer, leaving a few bones and flesh behind.

This was their first encounter with the monster but it wouldn't be the last.