Shadows of the Night •a Stranger Things story•

It's Okay, Harrington

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The entire time Chris was dozing off to the infomercial that Steve put on, all she could think about was the Upside Down. The idea to stay at Steve's for a while in hopes that it would help her get closer to her connection had been festering inside her since Steve pulled up her driveway hours ago. With unexpected outcomes along the way, she's finally putting her mind to the test. She will find El and Will. She will show the boys that she can Shadow Walk.

Her eyes blink close again just as a commercial for Coca-Cola comes on. Steve's warm body is pressed against hers. He's already asleep.

Chris hears a twig snap. She opens her eyes, staring up at the cloudless, sunless black sky. The sound of rustling urges her body to move, but she's not afraid yet. Rising to her feet, Chris turns to the noise. The branches of a brittle and goopy covered bush flutter restlessly. Curious, Chris pushes the leaves aside. A red butterfly flaps through the opening. Chris smiles slightly.

The butterfly clings to Chris's hand. Chris moves her hands away from the goopy branches. A large black and yellow slug-like creature springs forward, snatching the butterfly away. Chris yelps, smacking the slimy thing off of her wrist. She backs away, reminding herself that she's the red butterfly and the slug is the Demogorgon: waiting for her to let her guard down. She will not get eaten.

An aggressive shout causes Chris to hurry away from the creature and the branches. She wanders a few feet further into the forest. Reddish-brown goop drips down from trees. Rotten wood oozes with sticky black sap, waiting for someone or something to reach out and touch it. The dust that Chris hates so much floats around her, taunting her silently. She waits for the person to call out again. Chris picks up her pace, turning to avoid a rotting tree to her right. She collides with something else. While she manages to keep her footing, the person she ran into yelps.

"Hey," Chris brushes the red hair from her eyes. "It's okay."

"Hopper?"

"Harrington!" Chris's eyes widen. "What the hell are you doing here?" she gasps.

Steve stares at her, confusion shadowing his features. "What are you talking about? This is just some whacked up nightmare."

"You fell asleep," she says, peering around Steve for a moment.

Steve shakes his head. He looks away from Chris, thinking this is all in his head.

"Steve—"

"We gotta run."

Chris doesn't move, listening to the sound of the Demogorgon get closer. The creature knows she's here. It always knows. It can smell her connection to the Upside Down. Steve will not end up like Barb or Will. Chris can wake up and get Steve out of here.

"Chris, we have to go."

Chris takes Steve's hand, but doesn't move. "It's okay, Harrington." Chris closes her eyes. When she opens them, she's sitting on the couch with Steve. His hand is wrapped tightly around her own. Chris sighs in relief, watching as Steve blinks in bemusement. He notices their hands together and pulls away. Steve clears his throat.

Chris smiles triumphantly. "Thank you for the peace and quiet, Steve."

Steve scratches the back of his neck, a little dazed. He has an odd feeling that the nightmare he just had wasn't exactly a nightmare. He nods to Chris. "Yeah."

"Holy shit!" gasps Dustin. He claps Robbie on the back. "Hell yeah your car is obsolete. Did—did you see what she did to that van?" The four of them are back in the junkyard. Robbie hops off of Dustin's bike, setting it in the dying grass.