cursed (2022)

chapter twenty-two: i'm next

Steve stays in the school parking lot for a little bit, looking around to make sure no one's here. When he gives us the clear, we all get out and dash to the doors. To my surprise, the doors are unlocked.

I start to lead them to Ms. Kelley's office when the radio makes noise again. I hoped it was Lucas until it registered that the voice was one belonging to a girl.

"Dustin, do you copy?"

"Yeah, I copy." he nods. It's Robin.

"So, Nancy's a genius. Vecna's first victims date back all the way to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bull's eye!"

"Okay," Dustin says, out of breath since we're all walking really fast. "That's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now."

"What are you doing?"

"Breaking and entering in a school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files," Dustin says it so casually- as if it's an everyday thing. As if we're always out stealing keys and breaking into offices.

"Can you repeat that?""

"Just get your ass over here, stat!" Dustin demands. "We'll explain everything."

While I was unlocking the door, I swear I heard a scream. I looked to the side before remembering the task at hand and shook it off. It's probably from exhaustion. I looked around for the filing cabinet and walked straight for it when I found it.

"It's like a mini watergate or something." Dustin smiles, even though there is absolutely nothing to smile about right now.

While Steve and Dusting keep chatting, I rummage through the cabinet desperately trying to find Chrissy's file.

"Holy shit," I say. I didn't just find Chrissy's file, I found Fred's too.

"You found it?" Steve comes over to me."

"Yeah, and not just Chrissy's files. Fred was seeing Ms. Kelley, too." I say as I pull both of them out.

"Okay, well let's get to work then. We don't know when this Vecna freak is going to strike again." Steve claps his hands.

I start with Chrissy's file and Dustin and Steve go through Fred's. As I review the list, I start to notice that Chrissy's symptoms are similar to what I've been experiencing recently-nosebleeds, headaches, constant nightmares, lack of sleep, and waking up in a sweat. Chrissy's file reads that the issue includes "past trauma".

I had a nosebleed in class once. I didn't think much of it because I have nosebleeds every once in a while. Every time I had nightmares about Billy, I woke up in a cold sweat because they feel so vivid and real, and that ties into past trauma.

My breathing is out of control now. I'm staring at the file in horror. Maybe I'm dreaming. Vecna couldn't have cursed me. Have I not been through enough?

My thoughts are interrupted by a chime of a clock in the distance. A deep voice says my name. Dustin and Steve are completely still, it's like they can't hear it. I don't ask them about it though. I slowly turn around in my seat and stand up, grabbing my flashlight in the process. I leave the room and start walking down the hall. I can hear the sound of a clock ticking in the distance. I keep walking slowly, and now I'm practically shaking. I turn the corner to see a grandfather clock at the end of the hall. It chimes again and I point my flashlight right at it, walking closer. The clock chimes again, but the voice I heard earlier doesn't say anything. My face is getting hot and I can feel my vision going blurry.

"Max."

"Max!"

I blink and I'm back in Ms. Kelley's office. I start heavily hyperventilating. Steve and Dustin are all gathered around me. Nancy and Robin run inside.