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chapter xl. running up that hill
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They all gathered in Mike's basement, a throw back. Isabella feels much more comfortably, weirdly, without Mike anywhere to be seen in the godforsaken place. They're looking over the news reports on Victor Creel to hopefully find out more about him, "Uh, honestly... Do you guys understand any of this?"
"No." Lucas admits.
"Pretty straightforward." Dustin nods.
"Oh, straightforward, really?" Steve scoffs, glaring at the curly haired boy.
He just sighs and frowns, "Well, what's confusing to you? So far, everyone Vecna has cursed has died, except for this old Victor Creel due Nancy found. He's the only known survivor. If anyone knows how to beat this curse, it's him."
"Yeah, that's assuming he was cursed, Henderson, which we don't even know." Belly nods, "How can Vecman have existed back in the fifties? It doesn't make sense." Steve brushes his hands through his hair, massaging his temple out of stress. Isabella is also confused on how the hell this is all happening, for as long as they've dealt with the Upside Down, it's always been things that don't have a mind, like animals, not something who is methodically calculating every attack.
"As far as we know, Eleven didn't create the Upside Down." Dustin reminds them, "She opened a gate to it. The Upside Down has probably been around for thousands of years. Millions! I wouldn't be surprised if it predated the dinosaurs."
"Dinosaurs?" Steve shook his head, way too far for him, "What are we--"
Lucas cut in, "Okay, okay. But if a gate didn't exist in the fifties, how did Vecna get through?"
"Oh, and how's he getting through now." Isabella nodded.
"And why now?"
"And why then?" Steve adds on with a shake his head, and a confused expression, "He just pops out in the fifties, kills one family, and then he's like, 'Pff, nah, I'm good.' And poof, he just disappears. Just... gone? Only to return thirty years alter and start killing random teens? No, I don't buy it." He exhales and takes the last remaining seat, "Straightforward, my ass. You know what, honestly, Henderson, a little humility every now and then, it wouldn't hurt you."
