The Overcomer, Stranger Things

Everything is not okay

The time had come. It was time for the group to go their separate ways and hope to God that their plan would somehow work out. The Creel House was the first stop, to let Gwen, Dustin, and Eddie initiate the ploy. It was scary, all of them knowing that they were heading down a path to attempt to defeat an evil that was more powerful than all of them combined. The air was tense as the trailer stopped, everyone on high alert as their eyes landed on the Creel House. For Gwen, this was her first time seeing the haunted home of Hawkins and she hoped that it would be the last. The feeling she got from it made her skin crawl. Eddie and Dustin got out first but before the Byers girl could leave someone grabbed her arm.

"Gwen," she turned around, one foot in the trailer and the other foot in the air as she looked at Steve. His face was stern but concerned as he walked closer to her, mindlessly rubbing his thumb over her hand. "Be careful, okay? If things start to go downhill, don't try to be cute or be a hero or something-"

He was rambling now, his emotions going haywire and reminding Gwen even more of her mother. Before she could stop herself, the Byers girl launched herself into his arms, holding on for dear life as he hugged her back. Gwen's bony elbows dug into Steve, but it was a feeling so powerful, that he wished he could feel it all the time. "You stay safe too, got it?" she lectured, her voice muffled since her face was still stuffed in the older boy's shoulder. "Take care of yourself and Nancy and Robin. Don't be an idiot, I know it's hard but I think you can do it-"

"You know," Steve pulled her off of him, still holding her at arm's length as she grinned mischievously, "I was expecting a 'love you' or something sweet like that but you just ruined it."

"You do realize you haven't denied the being an idiot thing yet," Gwen wiggled her eyebrows at him as she stepped back only to get pulled into a group hug by Max and Lucas.

"Don't die again, okay?" Max mumbled as she kept a tight hold around Gwen's shoulders. "You're my favorite out of the party and I don't want to be left alone with those morons again."

"Hey!" Lucas shouted offended, making Gwen laugh.

"I will try my best," Gwen sighed, knowing that she was lying as she put a fake smile on her face. "You two, remember, you're the decoys. After two or three minutes of distraction, you flee. Don't do anything-"

"Stupid," the pair finished as they both smiled at the girl before pulling her into another hug.

As Gwen turned around, her eyes softened when she saw Nancy who was barely keeping herself together. Before she could say anything, the older girl wrapped her arms around the Byers girl in a tight embrace. It was so tight, that Gwen was slightly scared that Nancy might actually break a few bones. "Come back to us this time, okay?" Nancy asked breathlessly, her hands balling the back of Gwen's thick sweater. She cupped the back of Gwen's head. "I can't lose you again."

"I don't want to lose you either," Gwen whispered as Nancy held her closer, making her grunt slightly at the tight embrace before Robin joined the hug. "Or Robin for that matter," she added, making the said girl giggle.

Gwen pulled back from the hug, giving everyone a sad smile before taking Eddie's outstretched hand and hopping out of the trailer. The Byers girl turned around one more time, wanting to get one more fleeting look at her friends as she waved goodbye. Everyone in the trailer, plus a random neighbor walking by waved back at her before she turned around and walked up to the big double doors, her, Dustin, and Eddie entering at the same time.

~:~

Gwen walked aimlessly around the Creel House, a blue lantern in hand, as Come Josephine in My Flying Machine played faintly from her headphones. The house was completely silent, much to Eddie's dismay, and they'd taken off their shoes to avoid making any noise. Any precaution was necessary to make sure they didn't deviate away from the plan. The house was creepy, incredibly creepy, and it was even worse at night.