Stay or Go

Chapter 64

After the events of the graveyard, we all crashed at Nancy's place, too tired to do much of anything but sleep. Nancy wakes us up telling us that she, Max and Dustin have made a discovery and we need to leave immediately. She then drives us to an old, unsettling house. We walk up the front steps, Steve right beside me as always as he says "Yeah, that's not creepy." Before we try to break in. 

"What exactly are we trying to look for in this shithole?" I muse watching as Steve and Nancy attempt to take apart the boards covering the front door. "We're not sure." Nancy admits "We just know this house is important to Vecna." I roll my eyes and stroll up to them "move." I command before ripping the boards off with my strength. Steve just snorts but Nancy looks at me in awe "I forget how strong you are." She and I wink at her before moving into the house. "Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels. And how to stop him before he comes after Max."

I let out a breath and look around the spooky house for a moment "Only a small list of requests then." I jest but no one else seems to share my humour. "We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asks and we all pause for a moment, I don't think any of us know what we are expecting to find in here. Lucas tries to turn on the lamp but it doesn't work "Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill." He says, I hand him a torch and Steve looks at me in confusion "Where'd we get those?" and I raise my eyebrows "Do you need to be told everything?" I ask "You're not a child."Steve rolls his eyes and I just hand him mine. 

We start by examining the rooms, first with the living room. "They just left everything." Nancy says looking at the room full of furniture that is covered in dust and cobwebs "I guess a triple homicide isn't good for resale value." I jest, however before anymore can be said, Max catches our attention. "Hey, guys." She says and we all look over at her "You all see that right?" Her torch is pointing at a grandfather clock and we all confirm we see it. "Is this what you saw?" Nancy asks as we join the others "In your visions?" Max doesn't take her eyes off of it but nods her head. 

"I mean, it's just a clock. Right?" Robin points out, she walks up to it and wipes the dust off of the glass and turns back to us "Like a normal old clock." Steve runs a hand through his hair "Why is this wizard obsessed with clocked?" he asks "Maybe he's like a clockmaker or something?" I giggle slightly and Dustin looks at his friend like he is stupid. "I think you cracked the case, Steve." He says sarcastically, Nancy brings the conversation back "All I know is the answers are here. Somewhere. Okay, everyone stay in groups. Robin, upstairs." Nancy and Robin take the upstairs, Max and Lucas go to the right and so that leave me and my boys. 

Steve sighs and heads for the stairs "Was that a sigh?" Dustin asks and Steve rolls his eyes "No, I didn't sigh." He argues but Dustin doesn't believe him "Why did you sigh?" Steve stops on the stairs "I didn't sigh. Just come on, dude."  Dustin and I share a look as I fake whisper "He definitely sighed." Steve, from the top of the stairs shouts back "I heard that." 

We are looking around upstairs when Steve opens a grate, he pulls out a jar of some kind and shines his torch on it with disgust. I shrug and follow my brother into the next room. "How are you okay with Nancy and Steve?" He asks breaking the silence and I look over at him "What do you mean?" I ask and he moves closer to me. "Nancy obviously wants Steve back now that she and Jonathan aren't together anymore and Steve clearly still isn't over Nance." Dustin explains, I sigh and move my torch around the room "It's not as simple as being okay with it Dust." I answer "Feelings are complicated, we can never truly feel only one thing at a time." 

Dustin doesn't reply to that and I turn the corner to see what looks like Steve and Nancy having an intimate moment. I clear my throat and storm past them "We looking through this house or what?" I snap. So much for being okay with it. 

-

We are all gathered in the main hall now, watching the lights in the chandelier above us flicker. "It's like the christmas lights." I point out, referencing our first encounter with the Upside Down years ago now. "The christmas lights?" Robin asks and I nod "Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down, the lights came to life." Nancy explains and Lucas confirms "Vecna's here. In this house. Just on the other side." The lights flicker one more time before turning off completely.

"I think he just left the room." Robin says, Max looks around panicking slightly "Did he hear us?" She asks and Steve adds to that question "Can we see us?" We hear noises and Lucas commands "headphones." To which Max puts them on, playing Kate Bush on repeat. "Wait, wait." Nancy says, having an idea "Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out." We start to move yet Steve stays still and questions "We're not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flashlights." But then he follows us when he realises he won't receive an answer. 

We all walk around in the dark until Robin shouts "I got him!" and we all race for where she is. Once there we see she is pointing her flashlight upwards before the light dims. Then it moves to Steve "I think he's moving." he says following the path of the flashlight. Honestly this was a genius move from Nancy Wheeler. We follow Vecna back upstairs until it completely shuts off. 

"Crap I lost him." Steve says but Max points towards somewhere else "No, you didn't." She says and we all look at where she is pointing. She opens the door and leans inside, we follow her to the attic and Dustin says "Hold up guys, what if he's leading us into a trap?"But we just keep going. We move further inside the room, to the pulsing naked light in the centre, all our flashlights seem to be going crazy as well. "What's happening?" I ask as we all stand in a circle watching the lights flicker curiously. Have we just found where Vecna is living?