In The Stars / Steve Harrington 3

Chapter 30

Steve and I go into the livingroom and wait beside the window for the kid's signal. I listen to my music as Steve sits across from me. After a few minutes I pick up my notepad and write 'hi' on it. I show it to Steve and smile. He picks up his notepad and writes 'hi' with a smiley face. I write 'I'm glad you're here' and show it to him. He smiles and writes 'me too!' I smile and look out the window as Steve writes something else. 'Movie Friday?' He writes and shows it to me. I smile and start to draw on my notepad. Steve trys to look and see what I'm drawing but I quickly hide my notepad from his view. I continue to draw and I show him a drawing of us at the movies. He smiles and I smile as well.

I quickly look up as I see a light flashing on the wall. Steve and I quickly get up and go to the window. Steve signals back to Max, Lucas, and Erica setting phase two into motion. Steve gives me a worried look and I offer him a reassuring smile. I go to the staircase and put on my shoes. I grab my lantern and go into the room Vecna is in. I look at Steve and he nods. I take off my headphones and pause my music.

"Hey asshole, I'm here. No more music, no more games." I say as I watch the lantern continue to glow. "Do you hear me? What are you waiting for!?" I ask Vecna. "Come on do you want me or not?" I ask angrily. The lantern finally dims back to its normal brightness and my lantern starts to glow.

I share a worried look with Steve and walk up to the attic. When we get into the attic the lantern starts to glow even brighter. Suddenly the light dims back to its normal brightness. I look over at Steve and he shrugs. "What are you waiting for asshole huh?" I ask. "I'm right here! I'M RIGHT HERE!" I yell in frustration. "I know you can hear me. I know you can read my thoughts. Even the worst ones, maybe mostly the worst ones." I say as tears fill my eyes. I sit the lantern down on a trunk in front of me. I take off my Walkman and place it on the chest beside me. I look at Steve and he nods. I sit down in front of the lantern and sigh.

"I thought about what you said. About how I wanted my brother to die. I thought that you were just trying to upset me, to anger me. But you weren't were you?" I say to Vecna. "You were just telling the truth. Whenever he would hurt Max or complain about Susan I would just lay in my bed and cry. I didn't want him to die, I loved my brother more than anything, but I wanted him to change and I knew that would never happen. The day that he died I sometimes wonder if that's the reason I didn't step in. I've tried to forgive myself. I've tried but I can't, I can't. So now-now when I lie in bed at night I pray that something will happen to me, that something terrible will happen to me. So that's why I'm here because I just want you to take me away. I want you to-to make me disappear." I say as tears stream down my face.

"Is that all true?" Steve asks me. "You wanted Billy to die?" He asks in shock. "Why are you talking?" I ask him. "Do you ever have thoughts like that about me?" Steve asks in a hurt tone. "What no, Steve, never." I say as I stand up and walk up to him. "Normal people don't fantasize about killing other people Bella." Steve says. "You realize that right?" He asks. "Steve please." I say as tears stream down my cheeks.

"I thought you were getting better but you're not are you?" He asks. "You're sick." He says and I start to back away from him. "Steve you don't mean that." I say hurt. "Maybe it's good he takes you. Maybe it's for the best. In fact I'm glad it's going to be you." Steve says as he walks towards me and I continue to back away.

"You will be the chosen one, the fourth, the final sacrifice. It's going to be you that breaks the world." Steve says as Vecna's voice combines with his. Steve's eyes turn white and blood runs down from his eyes. I gasp and continue to back away. "Bella where are you going? Don't be scared." Steve says. "Stay away from me." I say trying to sound confident. "Bella I thought you said you were waiting. WAITING TO DISAPPEAR!" Steve yells. "I SAID STAY AWAY!" I yell as I grab a candle stick and hit Steve in the head with it. He stumbles to the side and I run away.

Steve's pov

"Bells can you hear me? BELLA!" I yell as I see her go into a trance. I quickly get up and run to the window. I signal the kids outside and I see Max signal back. I quickly run back to Bella and kneel down beside her and grab her hand. "You can do this baby. Fight him, fight Bells." I say to her in hopes of giving her comfort.

Bella's pov

I run down the staircase of the Creel house and run to the front door. I open it to reveal boards blocking my escape. I try to pry the boards off but it doesn't work. "Where are you going Isabella?" Vecan asks from the top of the staircase.

I gasp and run into another room. I see the door leading into the back yard and I open it to reveal boards blocking that exit as well. I groan in frustration and run into another room. I open another door but instead of there being boards on the other side there is a sight much worse.

"BELLA LET ME OUT OF HERE!" My brother yells from behind a door angrily as I gasp and back away. I turn around but I find the entrance where I came in is now boarded up. "OPEN THE DOOR!" Billy yells. I scream as the glass window on the door breaks and my brother trys to get out. I close my eyes and try to think of my happiest memory.

I think of Coroded Coffin and all of our band practices. I think of meeting Corey, Robin, and the kids. I think of California and Billy. I think of Max and Susan. And finally I think of Steve and Scoops Ahoy. Right as my brother breaks down the door I open my eyes to find myself in Scoops Ahoy. "Holy shit." I wisper in shock.