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Riley sat on Dustin's bed, her knees pulled up to her chest her head resting atop of them. She'd grabbed Dustin's hat from of his desk and it was now placed over her hair. Dustin sat besides her watching her carefully, waiting for any sign that she was okay, or that she wanted to talk about what Eddie had told them.

Riley closed her eyes hiding her face in her hands, Chrissy had been floating, that was what Eddie had said, and then her bones started snapping. There was only one thing that she knew of that could do that. And she really hoped she was wrong.

She sighed turning her head towards the boy besides her, "It's back, isn't it." 

Dustin leaned back before slowly nodding, "It's the only thing that makes sense." He glanced back towards Riley noticing how her eyes suddenly filled with tears, he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his side, "It's okay, we'll make it through this, we always do."


Riley walked besides Max up towards the boat house where Eddie was staying. She wanted nothing more than to go back home and sleep, but Dustin had woken her up early so they could go see Eddie without them getting caught. 

Dustin pushed the door open, it scraped across the floor, and if the yell from Eddie was any indication, he'd not been expecting them. Robin and Steve followed him inside and finally Max and Riley were able to enter the room.

"Delivery service." Dustin smiled, ignoring Eddie's glare.

Riley sat beside's Max, her head lent on the girls shoulder as she watched Eddie stuff as much food into his mouth as fast as possible. It wasn't the nicest thing to watch. She was only half listening to Dustin as he spoke, as half her energy was going into not falling asleep on Max's shoulder.

It hadn't been the best of nights.

"So we got, uh, some good news and some bad news," Dustin paused, "How do you prefer it?"

"Bad new first, always." 

"All right." Dustin nodded, glancing towards Riley, wondering if it would have been better to leave her at his house so she could have gotten some proper rest, "bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with out Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you. Also, they're pretty convinced you killed Chrissy."

Riley wondered why they'd chosen Dustin to deliver the bad news. There must have been a nicer way to tell him that everyone thought he was a murderer. 

"Like, one hundred percent kind of convinced." Max added.

"And the good news?" Eddie asked looking towards Riley, hoping she would be able to brighten the situation a little.

She sighed, blinking at him, "Uh, your name hasn't gone public yet."

"But if we found out about you, it's only a matter of time before others do." Robin butted in from where she was stood behind Riley, "And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you."

"Hunt the freak, right?"

"Exactly." Robin nodded.

"So..." Dustin spoke up, "Before that happens, we need to find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence."

"That's all, Dustin? That's all?"

Dustin nodded, not picking up on Eddie's sarcasm, "Yeah, no. That's pretty much it."

"Listen Eddie," Robin lent forwards, "I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional, but we've actually been through this kind of thing before. I mean, they have a... a few times, and... and I have once. Mine was more human-fleshed-based, theirs was more smoke-related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel we got this."

"You see, we usually rely on this girl who has super powers." Steve explained, "But, uh, those went bye-bye, so..."

"She made good eggos," Riley nodded, smiling at the memory of the many times El had forced her round her and Hoppers cabin so they could make Eggo's and gossip, "I miss El..."

"So we're technically in more of the kinda..."

"Brainstorming phase." Max finished for Robin.

"There... There's nothing to worry about." Eddie didn't look at all convinced by Dustin's words. But there wasn't any time to explain anything else as police sirens suddenly sounded behind them.

They quickly hide Eddie under the tarp before rushing towards the window watching as a bunch of police cars sped past the building.


Steve stopped the car, parking behind another police car. Riley jumped out the car, looking around the taped of road infront of them, freezing when she found Nancy stood behind the tape talking to a police officer who was noting down everything she was saying.

Nancy held up one hand in a wave to let them know she'd seen them.


"So your saying this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?" Nancy spoke slowly making sure she'd understood everything that they'd told them.

"If the shoe fits." Steve nodded.

"Our working theory, is that he attacks with a spell, or a curse." Dustin tried his best to explain, Now whether or not he's doing the bidding of the mind flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know."

"All we know is that this is something's different." Max spoke up, "Something new."

"It doesn't make sense."

"It's only a theory." Riley sighed, "We could be entirely wrong."

"No," Nancy shook her head, "Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean, why them?"

"Maybe they were just in the wrong place." Dustin suggested, "They were both at the game."

"And near the trailer park." Riley pointed out.

Steve looked towards her furrowing his eyebrows, "We're at the trailer park." He looked around nervously, "Uh, should we maybe not be here?"

"There is something about this place," Nancy agreed, "Fred started acting weird the second we got here."

"Acting weird as in...?"

"Scared, on edge, upset."

"Max said Chrissy was upset too."

Max shook her head, "Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school."

"Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right?" Robin muttered, "So maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman-"

"Vecna." Dustin corrected.

"Dunno about you guys, but if I saw some freaky wizards monster, I would mention it to someone." Steve looked around confused.

"Maybe they did." Max muttered catching everyone's attention, "I saw Chrissy leaving Ms. Kelly's office. If you saw a monster, you... you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you. But you might go to your-"

"Your shrink." Robin looked up, understanding. Max nodded.


Someone to you - Dustin HendersonWhere stories live. Discover now