Zero - A Steve Harrington X Reader

Chapter 5

There's something poetic about death. It's dark at first, then peaceful. I was dead. At least, I think I was dead. I should have been dead. Right? I mean I hadn't had water in a few days. I shouldn't have been alive. But I was. I wouldn't be able to think if I wasn't, right? Unless that's what death is.
I saw into the past. What used to be my life. I saw Papa. I saw the man who helped me. What was his name? I knew his name. He told me once before. Was it a name? Or was he like me? I don't think he was like me. Maybe he was.
That was when it clicked. He showed me one time. His name was 001. He said that I couldn't help him. He helped me escape. Why? Surely there was a big punishment waiting for him if he got caught. I wonder if he got caught. Why would he help me..? Did he know something I didn't?
Images of him ripped through my mind. It felt like I was watching a movie. The lessons I had been taught came back to me. The injuries I had been given by others. By myself.
I felt my body start to regain consciousness. My eye's struggled to open, but within a few minutes they managed to fully open. My vision was blurred, but I could see 4 silhouettes standing over me. I was still in the Upside-Down, but I was alive. Somehow.
I could hear voices. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying or who the silhouettes belonged to. I started to sit up when I felt someone grab my arms and put my head on their chest. Their arms wrapped around my torso and their head sat on mine. They were speaking to me.
I drifted in and out of consciousness. I then started to regain my sight and use of my body. I could make out what the voices were saying.
"You're okay Zero."
"I've got you."
"You're safe now."
I realized who the voices were coming from. I could hear Nancy telling me I was okay. Robin telling me I was safe, and Steve telling me he had me. I figured he was the one holding me. I gripped on to his arms.
"Steve.." I mumbled, trying to find the strength to actually do anything.
"I've got you. I promise. I won't let go until you ask me to." he replied.
When I fully regained vision, I noticed we were in Nancy's room. I was on her bed. I wondered why the ground was so soft. My grip loosened from his arms and I tried to sit further up. Steve let go and tried to help me up. I managed to get my legs off the side of the bed and stand up.
"Be careful." Steve said, letting go. I took a few steps and looked around. There was some guy I didn't know. I made a confused face at him.
"I'm Eddie." he said. He had a rocker look. His hair was dark and curly and long.
Steve grabbed my hand. "We have to get to Eddies trailer. I can explain everything on the way there okay?" He said. I nodded and we all ran outside and found 5 bikes. I followed them as they went to Eddie's.
Something felt off as we rode. Like there was something wrong with me and me alone. I didn't know why, but I felt different. I shook the feeling and continued on our way.
Steve explained that this guy they call Vecna has been killing teenagers and even tried to kill Max, but they saved her before she could die, and he said something about how Kate Bush is a miracle worker? We finally reached Eddie's and we threw our bikes to the ground.
We walked inside and shut the door. Right on time as something poked through this hole on the roof. Dustin, Erica, and Max were on the other side. Dustin waved and smiled.
He through a rope up and somehow it stayed. Dustin dragged out a mattress from Eddie's room and we all stood there, waiting for someone to go first.
"If nobody else is going I guess I will." Eddie said, climbing up. He landed on the mattress and then got out of the way. Next was Robin, then Nancy. When it came my turn I looked at Steve.
"See you on the other side." I said, smiling. He smiled back.
"On the other side." he replied. I started to climb. I made it to the hole when suddenly, I fell. But I didn't land on the mattress like the others. I just kept falling. I landed at Starcourt. Then, I heard a voice.
"Hello, Zero." The voice said. I ran into one of the stores. I didn't know where the voice was coming from, nor who it belonged to, but I did know I didn't want to find out. Once I reached the store, I wasn't in the mall anymore. I was in the lab. I heard screams.
I ran down a hallway. I still didn't know what I was running from. I saw a door and ran to it. It was boarded up but I knew I didn't have to remove too many. Just enough for me to be able to squeeze through since it was a push door.
As I was pulling them off, the voice got louder. "What are you doing, Zero? It's not time for you to leave." I worked harder. "I want you to see where I've been, where I'm going." I had gotten enough boards off to the point I could get through. I pushed the doors open and ran through them.
Then, I was in a room with Papa. " Take a seat, Zero." he said. Only it wasn't his voice. The lights flickered, and then turned off. When they turned back on, I was sitting in the chair I got my 000 tattoo in. I was tied to the chair by vines. I tried to escape but they only tightened.
The monster walked towards me until it stood completely over me. It put its face into mine. It spoke, "I want you to tell Eleven. I want you to tell her everything you see." He put his hand up to my face, and images of the end of the world raced through my head. "Tell her." I heard 4 chimes.
"No!" I screamed. Suddenly, I was back in Eddie's trailer. I opened my eyes and fell. Steve grabbed me before I hit the floor.
"Woah, you're okay! It's okay." he said, holding my head. I stared off in shock, tears filling at the brim of my eyes. "I'm right here." he said, as I looked in to his eyes. I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The images of what he had shown me ripped through my mind. The only thing I could say in my head was 'The end is coming..'