Insane in the membrane-Stranger things

Chapter 51

The next two days were absolute shit for Jess, even though it wasn't her fault, she blamed herself for Max's so called death, she never should have let her red head friend enter that Creel House. It should have been Jess, people shouldn't have to die for her, to save the world. Every year Jess is put through hell and somehow manages to come out unharmed except for maybe a couple scars, she now had a permanent red mark on her neck from where that stupid vine had enclosed on her throat. It wasn't the same for Dustin either, he barely spoke to anybody, he didn't even bother to come down for dinner when Mrs Henderson called him down, he would just lie on his bed all day and cry, Jess couldn't blame him, he did lose his best friend after all, he literally watched him die. Steve had spent most nights at Jess's place, he couldn't deal with his parents constantly asking where he's been, besides Mrs Henderson liked Steve, having him over was always a blessing for the family.

''So uh where's the little shithead? How's he holding up?'' Steve asked, taking a seat on the couch next to his girlfriend as he draped an arm around her.

''He's in his room, he hasn't left it at all, I mean I don't blame him,'' Jess replied.

''Well he's gotta come out sooner or later to say hello to me,'' Steve exclaimed.

''He doesn't have to do anything, he's been through so much and seeing one of your friends die right in front of you is enough to scar someone for life,'' Jess explained.

''Yeah true,'' Steve nodded as Mrs Henderson passed the two a plate of cookies and glasses of milkshakes. ''Thanks Mrs Henderson.''

Jess thanked her mum too and she switched on the TV, only to see the stupid news reporter going off again about some bullshit story and none of it was true one bit. ''It's been less than 48 hours since a 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the quaint town of Hawkins, 80 miles outside of Indianapolis in an event that seismologists are calling a natural disaster of near-unprecedented scale. The death toll now stands at 22 but with hundreds more filling Roane County hospitals and many more still missing, officials expect those numbers to rise,'' the news reporter explained and Jess aggressively picked up one of her cookies and threw it at the TV.

''I'm sick of these bullshit lies,'' she shouted.

''Tell me about it, if only we could tell them the truth,'' Steve exclaimed, biting into his cookie.

''This is only the latest tragedy to befall this once-safe town. Most recently, a string of high school students were killed in a series of ritualistic murders, which have been linked to a local satanic cult known as Hellfire,'' the news continued on.

''Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit,'' Jess rolled her eyes.

''Eddie Munson, the leader of this cult and prime suspect in the murders, has been missing since the earthquake and is presumed dead. But this offers little comfort to the people of Hawkins who are scared, angry, and searching for answers. Why their town? What have they done to deserve so much suffering? A growing chorus believes the two recent tragedies are linked, claiming the Munson murders opened a doorway between worlds. A doorway, they say, into hell itself.''

''Oh, that's a bunch of bull, Eddie didn't do jack shit. Fucking hell, I hate this town and all of the bullshit stories, I can't wait to leave with you and start a family,'' Jess sighed, pressing her body to Steve's side and resting her head on his chest.

''I would love to do that but I have a feeling that this isn't over, what we felt was something more than just an earthquake, Jessie bear,'' Steve said.

''Yeah I know and that's what scares me, we never get to have a normal life. Ever since 83, our lives have been fucked up.''

Jess and Steve made their way to the Wheeler household to help with some selling of old toys and clothes for those people that had been affected by the earthquake. Jess had managed to get Dustin to tag along, even though the boy was still traumatised and upset. Mrs Wheeler entered the driveway, she handed Nancy a box and she whipped her head around to see a pizza truck driving up into the driveway. ''Someone order a pizza?'' she asked.

''Pizza?'' Dustin questioned, his ears perking up due to the sound of pizza.

Jess turned around now to see El, Will, Mike, Jonathan and some person she didn't know step out of the pizza van. Jess rushed over to her friends and engulfed each of them into massive hugs. ''I've missed you all so much,'' she exclaimed.

''We missed you too Jess,'' Will replied.

The next thing Jess knew she was situated at the hospital watching as Lucas read Stephen King's 'The Talisman' to Max, who had casts on her two legs and one arm and a brace on her neck, her eyes were closed and Jess felt her eyes well up with tears, she couldn't bear to see one of her closest friends like this, she turned around to face Steve, pressing her head into his chest. Steve just wrapped one hand around her and kissed her hair before stroking her back. ''Come on, we should get going to the school, Robin needs help with some donations,'' Steve exclaimed.

Jess nodded, she walked to Max and stroked her hand before planting a small kiss to her forehead and then following her boyfriend out the hospital and down to Hawkins high school. When they entered there were so many people helping out with things and even a few people were getting their blood drawn to help those in need after the earthquake. Jess wandered up to the front desk with Robin and Steve, they each placed down their boxes. ''Hi, uh, so these are blankets and sheets and some... some clothes and... and some kids' toys,'' Robin explained to the nice young woman behind the desk.

''Wow. It's already so organised, we appreciate that. Do you want a tax receipt for it?'' the woman behind the desk asked.

''Um...no. I don't think that we need one. Thank you, though. But is there anything else that we can do to help?'' Robin replied.

The young woman smiled and she led the trio down to where they could help, Jess and Steve sorted out the child's clothes while Robin made some PB&JS. When Steve folded the clothes badly, Jess rolled her eyes and showed him how to fold them properly, he smiled and did exactly what Jess did.

''Jessie bear?'' Steve asked.

''Yeah?'' Jess replied.

Steve signalled his head towards Robin talking with Vickie, Jess exchanged a look with Steve and they both smiled, relieved and happy that their friend was finally having a real conversation with her crush. Jess's eyes danced around the gym to see her brother talking with an old man, she took a guess as this to be Eddie's uncle. ''I'm just going over to my brother, hold on,'' Jess said and Steve nodded. Jess made her way over, seeing her brother starting a conversation with the older man.

''I'm...I'm so sorry. I wish everyone had gotten to know him, really know him because they would've loved him, Mr. Munson. They would've loved him, even in the end...he never stopped being Eddie. Despite everything. I never even saw him get mad. He could've run. He could've saved himself. But he fought. He fought and died to protect this town. This town that... hated him. He isn't just innocent... Mr. Munson, he's...He's a hero,'' Dustin explained, his eyes filling with tears, even Mr Munson was crying now.

Jess smiled and walked over to her little brother, she ruffled his curly locks and he gazed up at her and hugged her. ''You've grown up so much, Dusty,'' Jess exclaimed.

''He deserved to know,'' Dustin managed to show a smile.

''That's my little brother, I love you Dusty,'' Jess said, now engulfing her brother into a warm embrace that Dustin returned.

Jess rushed back over to Steve who was glancing out the window, giant white specks that looked a little bit like snow started to fall down from the sky. Jess and Steve exchanged a look at each other, they knew exactly what was going on. Vecna's plan had finally come into fruition, the upside down was coming into Hawkins.

To be continued...until season 5.  Ta-Ta!