Shadows of the Night •a Stranger Things story•

If I Tell You, I Put You in Danger

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"Jonathan! Ronda!" shouts Nancy, running around the Upside Down in circles. Nancy spins around, listening to the sound of her voice echo. "Jonathan!"

"Nancy!" Chris grabs Nancy's shoulders, steadying her.

"Chris?" Nancy gasps, out of breath and terrified.

"How—?"

"Focus, okay. You need to stay calm." Chris inhales deeply, allowing Nancy to follow suit.

"Nancy!" Ronda shouts. "Nancy! Where are you?"

Chris stares at Nancy, knowing that if she stays calm, Nancy will stay calm. "Listen to them. Do you hear them?"

"Ronnie! Ronnie!" Nancy yells, spinning in a circle. "Jonathan! I'm right here!"

"Where are you?" Jonathan's voice is faint.

"I'm right here!" shouts Nancy, panicked.

"Jonathan! Ronda!"

"Just follow our voices!" commands Ronda.

Nancy looks over at Chris, who nods. "I'll stay with you until you find them."

Nancy takes off running in the direction of their voices. "Jonathan!"

"Follow my voice, Nancy, I'm right here!"

Nancy turns around a tree, coming across the Demogorgon's path. It growls at her. Nancy screams. Chris steps in front of Nancy. "Go!"

"Nancy!"

Nancy hides behind a tree, watching as the Demogorgon takes off after Chris, who runs deeper into the shadows. Nancy tries to catch her breath, closing her eyes. She hears Chris scream further away.

"Nancy? Nancy."

Nancy hears Ronda's voice, spotting the tree with the opening she came in through. Nancy turns back to the sounds of the Demogorgon. Chris is no longer screaming. Nancy crawls through the hole, pushing herself in as fast as she can.

"Nancy?"

"Ronda! Jonathan!" Nancy frees her hand from the tree. Jonathan and Ronda pull on her, trying to drag her out as the webs cling to her. Nancy gasps as she wedges herself through.

"Oh, my God!" Ronda falls back as Nancy lands on top of Jonathan. She sobs and Jonathan sits up, holding her tightly.

"I got you," he pants.

Ronda watches as the tree bark slides back in front of the goop, replacing it like it was never there. She reaches forward, touching it. Nothing happens.

"I just don't understand why we're coming out here," mumbles Chris, huddled in the passenger seat of Steve's car. She frowns to herself, knowing that whatever Steve may or may not see won't be good. Either Nancy is gone with Jonathan and Ronda or Nancy is home with Jonathan and Ronda. After Chris's last Shadow Walk she can only conclude that Nancy and Jonathan are together, and Steve wouldn't like knowing that.

"She doesn't want to talk to you right now, Steve."

"That's—that's not it." Steve shakes his head.

Chris rolls her eyes. "Oh, really? Because no girl would ever blow off King Steve."

Steve ignores Chris's comment. She's trying to avert his attention away from talking to his girlfriend. If they even are still together at this point, Steve isn't sure. He isn't sure if he cares either. He needs to know something though, anything. He needs some reassurance. Either he and Nancy are good or they aren't. Either he and Chris are somewhat friends or they aren't. He would like some answers. Even Chris's behavior is uncertain to him right now.