Stranger Things: Strange Encounters - The Final Fight

Chapter Fourteen: Detour

~Imogen POV~

"Okay, is everyone completely clear on the plan?" said Nancy after we all had run over it a few times. She wanted to make sure it was drilled into our heads and we all knew our exact positions.
"Yes." we all agreed.
"Okay, run it to me. Phase one." said Nancy.
"Max, Imogen and I head to the Creel house and and prepare to bait." said Lucas.
"Phase two." said Nancy.
"Eddie and I distract the Demobats." smiled Dustin.
"Phase three."
"Once Imogen has Vecna in sleep state, we move in." said Steve, looking at me concerned still.
"Phase four."
"Flambé." said Robin as she held up a bottle.
"Nobody is to move on to the next phase until we've all copied, understood?" said Nancy. We all nodded in agreement.
After that, Steve jumped behind the wheel with Nancy sitting up front with him before we set off towards our first destination. The Creel house. I sat in the back of Eddie's van looking out the back window with my headset on. I felt nervous but at the same time, I felt like maybe this could be peace? Maybe this was how I was supposed to go anyway?
"Hey, Imogen." I heard a muffled voice come beside me. I turned my head and saw Dustin so I removed my headphones.
"Hey."
"You holding up?" he asked.
"I guess." I shrugged. Dustin nodded and then looked ahead out the window. I just looked at him and smiled. "Do you remember when we first met?"
"What? Um, of course! It was the best day of my life!" Dustin smiled back.
"Oh?" I replied, surprised.
"Yeah, I was so excited to have a sister."
"I remember seeing you at the airport with your crazy curly hair and thinking 'yep, he's definitely my brother.'" I giggled.
"I remember being incredibly nervous, thinking you weren't going to like me." said Dustin.
"I didn't." I replied.
"Huh?"
"I didn't. I didn't like anyone back then. I was a different version of myself. I was filled with anger and pain and hate. I didn't like anyone. But after I got to know you, Dustin. After I got to know you, it changed. I had love and care for you. I think you're an amazing person and incredibly brave." I explained.
"Hello? Imogen? Is that you? You still in there?" joked Dustin as he knocked on my head.
"Cut it out!" I laughed as I batted his hand away.
"No, but, seriously, Imogen. You're the brave one. After everything you went through with your dad and having to start a new life with a brother you barely knew and then going through all that shit with...Billy...like, you're the strongest person I know. I mean, heck, you beat Vecna at his own game! Come on, that's badass." smirked Dustin.
"Well, kind of." I said, looking down.
"We're gonna beat him, Imogen. We won't go down without a fight." said Dustin, grabbing my hand. I looked down at it and smiled.
"Hey, Dustin, can you help re-tie this knife on the stick? This spear is loose." said Eddie, shouting over.
"Come on, dude. You've got to do more than double knot it's not a shoelace!" said Dustin as he moved on over to help Eddie.
"That looked sweet." said Beth as she came and took Dustin's spot.
"What did?" I asked.
"Brother and sister bonding. I miss that with El." said Beth, looking down.
"They'll be back soon. I know they will. Eleven is a tough girl, I saw that." I said, trying to speak comfort to Beth.
"I know she is. So are you." she said, looking up into my eyes.
"You're one to talk." I chuckled.
"What?"
"Can you not see how much you've changed since last year? You're a badass now."
"I know...well, everyone keeps telling me I am. But honestly, I'm scared. I'm scared for everyone, especially you." said Beth, worry on her face.
"I'm scared too. But...at the same time...I'm not." I started.
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe...maybe I'm ready to die? I don't know...I just have this feeling inside of me. Like, would it be so bad?" I looked away from her.
"Imogen...don't say that...don't..." said Beth. I could see her eyes becoming glossy.
"I've thought about death for years. Especially when I lived with my dad. I thought it would be better that way, for me to just go. I didn't feel like I was alive. I still feel like I'm not."
"Imogen...you're breaking my heart." said Beth with a shaky voice. I looked back over to her and saw her face on the verge of breaking down.
"There's nothing to be sad about...I've never been alive." I said, grabbing her hand.
"That's not true, Imogen! You were alive last year. I watched you come to life, we all did. You were happy and I will help you fight for that happiness back." Beth said sternly. I took my gaze away from her and over to Steve. I could just about see his eyes checking me in the rear view mirror. "You are alive, Imogen." Beth finished. I turned back over to her and looked at my hands holding hers. That's when I realised that these people around me were the reason I was still here. They made me alive. I looked back up at Beth, who looked desperate.
"I am alive." I said to her. She broke out of sadness and let a smile crack on her face before grabbing me and pulling me in for a hug. I held her back. She was my sister.
"Damn right you are. You're gonna beat this son of a bitch." said Beth.
"Beth! Look at you using bad language." I joked.
"I learnt from the best." she replied.
"Guys! We're here." Steve called back to Max, Lucas and I. Beth and I released and then I looked outside the window to see the creepy old Creel house. Beth held my shoulders and looked at me with determination and nodded her head. I nodded back before following Max and Lucas out of the the van. I placed my feet on the ground and looked up at the house and exhaled deeply. Before I could take a step forward, a voice called me.
"Imogen!" I turned back and saw it was Steve, coming out of the van towards me. "I just...I just want to say good luck and that you've got this."
"I know. Thank you." I said, giving him a small smile.
"Also...just...don't die. I mean, I know you won't but, like, I just need to tell you that I...I can't-"
"Steve. I know." I said, cutting him off. I could feel myself falling back in love with him again as we both looked each other in the eyes for a couple of seconds. Suddenly, I felt a force and weight hit my body, making me exhale loudly. It was Dustin, embracing me. I looked down at him before putting my arms around him.
"I love you, Imogen." said Dustin.
"We all do!" I heard Robin say as she stood in the doorway of the van with Nancy and Eddie.
"We do. I do." added Steve. I looked at them and smiled.
"Guys, I'm sorry to break up this moment, but we really have to go." said Nancy. I knew she was trying to say it as nice as possible.
"Nancy is right. You guys better head out." I said, pulling Dustin off me.
"See you soon." said Steve as they began to turn away.
"Definitely." I replied with a smile. Steve gave me one last look before hopping back in the van. Max, Lucas and I watched them drive off before we turned back to the house.
"Are you ready?" asked Max.
"Let's do this." I replied before taking the first steps towards the front porch.