Flipped: A Steve Harrington Enemies to Lovers

The Monster (part 1)

**Please note this is supposed to be chapter 6 but Wattpad won't swap it back around! Chapter 5 is The Flea and the Acrobat, followed by this, followed by The Monster part 2**

***

"NANCY!"

"NANCY!"

"NANCY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Both yours and Jonathan's flashlights frantically whip this way and that as you scream your missing friend's name.

Where did she go? She couldn't have just vanished? Like Will. Like Barb.

"JONATHAN! JONATHAN! Y/N!" You hear her voice, but she's still nowhere to be seen, and there's something about the way she shrieks - muffled as though behind a veil, as though she's a spirit echoing in the trees.

You hear it again.

"GUYS! I'M RIGHT HERE!"

Byers is in panic; you're no better.

You shout more, "NANCY! Where are you?!"

She replies, "I'm right here!" But, where? "Where are you?!"

"We're right here!"

"Nancy! Just follow my voice!" Jonathan advises.

She continues to call your names while Jonathan keeps yelling. Meanwhile, your attention is drawn in by a blood-orange glow flooding from a crack in a tree. That tree.

You hit Byers on the chest with the back of your hand, urging him to look and pointing your flashlight.

Shining it into the hole, you realise Nancy's cries are louder, crisper. Then, all goes suddenly quiet save for the rasping of yours and Jonathan's breaths. Moments later, a familiar, delicate hand comes shooting out the webby folds of the tree's jaws.

Grappling the arm with all your might, you and Byers begin yanking Nancy out of the tree's clenches until she comes tumbling from the bark, hurtling on top of Jonathan, where she sobs and burrows herself into his arms.

"It's okay, it's okay. Shhhh." You gently stroke her hair to quell her weeping - it's sticky with that goo, but you don't care, as long as she's safe.

Jonathan tightens his hold around the crying girl. "I got you." He reassures.

Averting your gaze from this sweet moment, you clock the scar in the tree.

It's closing.

***

Nancy and Jonathan graciously accept your offer for a ride home, none of you wishing to be alone for too long after what just happened - Jonathan suggests he stay with Nancy tonight because she hasn't pried herself from his side since he pulled her from the wood.

The three of you wedge into the front of your truck; you don't believe it was designed for more than two people, but Jonathan doesn't seem to bother as Nancy squashes onto his lap; again, his suggestion so she won't get slime on your seats.

You don't mind leaving them alone for the night because there's only one place you want to go: Robin's. You need to make sure she's safe, and the knowledge that there's a whole other world behind a tree in which monsters lurk, doesn't exactly give you comfort.

Waving them off as they climb the garage up to Nancy's window, you begin the journey to the Buckley residence. Like the other night, you take all the well-lit roads, avoiding the woods, speeding well over the limit. It isn't long, however, before you hear the ominous cough and splutter of your Chevy. So, the old girl has finally decided to give up.