𝙏𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 - Robin Buckley

Chapter Twenty Three

A few hours later, it's darker outside and everyone is gathering around the dining room table, staring at the chandelier which keeps turning on and off. "It's like the Christmas lights" Nancy whispers. "The Christmas lights?"

"Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down, the lights... Came to life"

"Vecna's here. In this house. Just on the other side" Lucas states. The lights were completely turned off. "I think Vecna just left the room"

"Did he hear us?" Max whispers. "Can he see us?"

"Wait, everyone turns off your flashlights and spread out," Nancy says and everyone splits up. "We're not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flashlights" Steve yells only to get interrupted by everyone.

Even though Nancy said to split up Anna stayed close to Robin since she was scared she would encounter Vecna again.

Robin's flashlight turned on and Anna held her arm tightly. "I got him!" she yells and everyone runs towards her. The flashlight slowly turns off. "Well, I had him"

Steve turns on. "Oh, whoa. I think he's moving"

Everyone follows him around the house until his flashlight turns off. "Shit. I lost him"

"No, you didn't" Max mumbles as she opens the door towards the attic where the light is shining. "It's an attic. Of course, it's an attic"

"Hold up guys, what if he's leading us into a trap?" Dustin asks, after being ignored he's forced to go upstairs just like everyone else. Everyone's flashlights turn on as they head to the middle of the room.

All of a sudden everyone's flashlights 'exploded' and the glass flew into their faces. Meaning Vecna has taken his third victim.

☆ ゜・ 。。・ ゜゜・ 。。・ ゜★

"Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this visit? Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck"

"It will be fine" Nancy replies. "I can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't"

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better" Steve mocked as he held out the six-pack of beers Eddie requested. "That's what my mom does" Max mumbles.

"Why don't we give it a trial run. 'Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh, yeah and we found Vecna only the bad news is that he's much scarier in that other, much darker, much scarier dimension that we told you about. And the gates closed, so we have no way of getting to him like he's entirely shut off to us so basically, you're screwed. And no, I know you were already screwed but now you're doubly, triply screwed!"

"Wait. Maybe we don't put it like that"

"We're one step forward to finding Vecna. That's what we say, that's what's important"

"See Robin, positive spin can make the difference," Steve says before handing Anna some pringles. "Uh-hu"

"Oh, shit" Nancy mumbles as she notices the cops are all around the lake. Everyone hops out of the car to find out what happened.

"Officer Callaham here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lovers Lake, about ten yards from the house you see behind me. It was there where we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins high, Patrick Mckinney"

"We've also identified the person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward"

"This is not good. This is really not good" Steve mumbles and everyone starts freaking out. Dustin's walkie-talkie starts going off. "Dustin? Can you hear me? Wheeler?"

"Eddie holy shit, are you okay?"

"Nah, man. Pretty goddam far from okay"

"Where is he?" Robin asks.

"Where are you?"

"Skull rock, you know it?" Eddie asks. "Oh yeah, that's near Cornwallis and-"

"Garrett, yeah I know" Steve interrupts. "Hold tight were coming, we're coming"

☆ ゜・ 。。・ ゜゜・ 。。・ ゜★

"Dude I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way," Steve says as he follows Dustin. "It's north. I'm positive I checked the map"

"You do realize that skull rock is like a super popular makeout spot"

"Yeah? So?"

"Yeah well, it wasn't popular until I made it popular. All right? I practically invented skull rock. We're heading in the wrong direction" Steve says before heading off the trail.

"Steve. Where are you going?"

"Stop whining about it. Let's go! Trust me!"

"Steve!"

Anna let out a small laugh after watching Dustin and Steve argue again. "They're the most chaotic duo I've ever seen"

"Do they still have their handshake?" Robin asks with a small laugh. "Handshake?" Nancy asks. "Yeah they have this cute handshake they made a year ago and every time they saw each other they would do their handshake"

Nancy giggles as Robin turns behind her to see if Lucas and Max are ok. "Speaking of cute, I just want to squeeze'em, you know," she said as she pointed to the couple behind them.

"If I'm permitted to see a silver lining in this end-of-the-world doom and gloom, it would be rekindling of old flames that never should've been snuffed out. I didn't mean that as a hint or something"

"Right"

"But if I did mean it as a hint, would that be so terrible? To wish happiness to my friends"

"You think I'm not happy?" Nancy snaps. "I'm sure you are. You just seem off. Like when I mentioned Jonathan you kinda flinched or winced"

"I didn't flinch or wince. Jonathan and I are good"

"Okay"

"It's just... He was supposed to be here for the break, and then he backed out at the last minute for some vague reason, mumbly Jonathan reason. And to be honest, I'm not surprised because I've been feeling him pull away and I don't know if it's because we're 2,000 miles away or if he met someone new or what. And now I can't find out why because apparently he's blown up his family's house phone or something. So yeah, if the mention of his name causes a slight muscle spasm on my face, that's why"

"Sounds like a perfectly good reason to flinch, or wince" Anna adds. "You said the happiness of your friends. So does that makes friends?"

"Yeah, I mean right?"

"Oh boom! Badda bing badda boom!There she is Henderson. Skull rock, in your face. In your stupid cocky little face," Steve yells once they finally made it to Skull Rock. "Doesn't make sense"

"Yeah, yeah. Even with it staring at you right in the face, you just can't admit it. Just can't admit that you're wrong, you little butthead"

Eddie leaped down from the rock. "I concur, you Dustin Henderson are a total butthead"

"Jesus we thought you were a goner" Dustin mumbled before hugging the older boy. "Yeah, me too man. Me too"