We can be Heroes - Stranger Things

Chapter 9: The Hive Mind

Clouds spoiled the sky: plagued with shadows. Angry, powerful and bloody; their roars shook the small town of Hawkins. But, no matter how many times they yelled, not a single teardrop fell.

In it's rage, threatening bolts of electricity scorched the land below. Like arrows from a bow, they flew.

Hitting it's target; the corpse of a great oak fell with a harsh thud against the ground. Sizzling, smoking, dying; the tree caught aflame. Although, this was not a usual fire. It was pale green and ghastly. Upon first glance, a person would believe there to be a mournful ghost sat upon the fallen log.

Dustin placed his hat on his head as he turned away from the window. His hands shaking and chest heaving.

The cabin groaned and creaked during the overpowering storm. Hopper had done his best in stabilising the building, but there was nothing more to be done.

Blankets and refreshments had been passed around while everyone sat together in the living room. The familar sound of silence overcame them as they shivered inside the fragile house.

Nancy and Robin were cradling their heads from the aftermath of their visions: the pair had a constant migraine. The clock chimes were louder for the second event and they were unconscious for a few minutes longer.

Vickie and Jonathan seemed to be in an increasing state of panic with every second their partner's eyes remained closed. As soon as the pair woke, however, they embraced them tightly.

Vickie rested her head against Robin's shoulder as Jonathan placed his arm around a miserable Nancy. Flashes of her conversation with "Barb" poisoned her thoughts. Everything she had said were now burned into Nancy's memory. The hatred that seeped through her painful words. The image of her best friend's zombified corpse.

It was all too much.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" She whispered, lifting her head towards her boyfriend.

"Sure."

They made their way towards the empty kitchen and sat upon the counter. Nancy held onto the blanket that Jonathan had gently wrapped around her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

"Vecna showed me Barb... I saw... I saw Barb."

Jonathan blinked. "What?"

"He wanted to distract me. So he showed me an illusion... of Barb. She was dead; yet, she moved and talked like she was living. I- She was so... so angry with me. She was right. It- it was... it was my fault. I should've been there. I could've stopped it. I could-"

"No, stop it. Stop it, please," Jonathan begged, staring into her devastated eyes. He placed his hands onto her cold face and spoke softly. "Stop torturing yourself. Thinking of what you could have done doesn't help anyone." He paused as water rolled down her cheek. "You couldn't have known, Nance. It isn't your fault. You couldn't have known."

She pulled him into an embrace; staining his green shirt in tears. He hugged her back; kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you," she said after a moment; pulling away from the hug.

"Me too. I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Jonathan stared at the ground guiltily. "The reason why I was... lying. I got my acceptance letter back... from Emerson."

"Oh..." Nancy raised her eyebrows.

"I got accepted... but," he sighed, "I know it doesn't matter now, but I also got accepted to Community College. I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want to upset you or change your amazing plans. I didn't want to go to Emerson."