The other Mayfield (Will Byers X Reader)

008. Grandfather clock

~Y/n POV~

It was here, right here," Max said, lifting her flashlight and pointing it at the wall. Her voice was shaky as the beam landed on nothing but paint.

"A grandfather clock?" Nancy asked, clearly confused.

Max hesitated, her grip tightening on the flashlight. "It was so real," she said quietly. A single tear slipped down her face before she could stop it.
"And then when I got closer, suddenly I just..."

"...Woke up?" I asked.

She glanced at me and nodded.

"It's just like the trance thing," Dustin said, his voice lower than usual. "You know, exactly like what Eddie said happened to Chrissy."

At that, Max suddenly turned around to face all of us, shaking her head fast.
"That's not even the bad part," she said, fear creeping into her voice.

We were back in Ms. Kelly's office.

"Fred and Chrissy, they both went to Mrs. Kelley for help," Max said. "They were having headaches. Bad ones that wouldn't go away. Then the nightmares. They couldn't sleep, kept waking up in a cold sweat. And after that... they started seeing things. Bad things. From their past."

She took a shaky breath.

"In those visions, it just kept getting worse and worse... until eventually everything ended."

My mind immediately went to the day we found Chrissy in Eddie Munson's trailer. The image still made my stomach twist.

Robin looked up slowly. "Vecna's curse."

"Chrissy's headaches started a week ago. Fred's six days ago. Mine started five days ago," Max said quietly.

"Mine also four days ago," I added.

Max looked over at me and nodded.

"They both died less than twenty-four hours after their first vision," Max said. I sucked in a breath, nodding along with her.

"And I just saw that goddamn clock," she said, panic finally breaking through her voice. "...So I guess that means I die tomorrow."

My thoughts started racing. Clock. Twenty-four hours. Dead.
My breathing grew heavy as I looked around at everyone.

"What—"

A loud noise suddenly echoed somewhere in the distance, cutting me off.

"Stay here," Steve said, grabbing a lamp and holding it up like a weapon.

Despite his warning, we followed close behind him anyway, the sound growing louder with every step. My heartbeat picked up, pounding in my chest.

We then heard the sound of footsteps approaching fast. My heartbeat picked up, thudding in my ears.

Then suddenly, Lucas came running in, and we all screamed.

"It's me!" Lucas yelled. I breathed a sigh of relief, my heart still pounding. What an idiot.

"Lucas?" Nancy exclaimed.

"Jesus, what is wrong with you, Sinclair?" Steve said, throwing his hand in the air.

"I'm sorry," Lucas repeated.

"I could've taken you out with this lamp!" Steve yelled, gesturing to the lamp in his hand.

"Sorry, guys. Sorry. I was... I was biking for eight miles," Lucas grunted, panting.

"Give me a second. Shit," he said while catching his breath. "We've got a code red."