Escape ~ S.Harrington

86} The Puppeteer

Holly restarted her Tiffany tape for what felt like the millionth time as her and Jenna anxiously awaited Henry's return.
"Still nothing?" She asked Jenna.
"Nope," Jenna shook her head, lowering the binoculars from her face, "Where the fuck is he?"
"He told me that he was gonna bring Derek here. My guess is he's struggling to get him."
"Right, I forgot about Derek. He needs to get back here soon or else this isn't gonna work. And I'm SICK of listening to Tiffany," She flicked her wrist and changed it to REO Speedwagon, "Sorry, but we've listened to your stuff for so long. I need a break."
"It's fine. I get it. Wait," Holly ran up next to Jenna and pointed out the window, "Is that him?"
"Finally," Jenna sighed, "You ready?"
Holly grabbed her plate of cookies off the table, "More than ready."

Jenna moved and hid near the back of the house.
"Hi, Henry," Holly greeted him as he walked in and hung his hat up on the hook.
"Hello Holly," He warily smiled.
"Where's Derek? I made you guys some cookies. I was hoping they'd help him be nicer to me."
"Plans changed," He brushed past her and started looking around the house rapidly, "Where's Jenna? I need to talk to her real quick."
"Last I saw she ran out into the woods. I know you said to not go there, so I stayed here."
Henry dragged his hands down his face, "I can't with that girl. Which way did she go?"
"I don't know," Holly shrugged and pointed out near the playground, "But she's definitely in those woods."
"Great," He stomped back towards the door and put his hat back on, "Stay here. I'll be back soon."
Holly nodded with a smile and watched as he stomped off into the trees.

"Coast is clear," She signaled to Jenna.
"Thank you, Hol," Jenna pulled her in for a hug, "I wish you luck getting out with Max. I'll try to help once I get out, okay?"
"I trust you, Lady Jenna," Holly pulled back and ushered her out the back door, "Now go before he realizes I lied to him. I'm guessing he'll figure out soon since this is his head and all."
"Right," Jenna stepped outside, "See you soon, Holly the Heroic," She sprinted out the back door and into the trees behind the house.
Once she made it a little ways in, she found she was in a new memory. She was back in the lab, but not the lab she knew—the lab years before she was born. She saw a testing room and a bunch of Brenner's notes on Henry. She picked up a note pad and read 'Connected to Dimension X, just like father. He'll help us find it again.'
That motherfucker...

She threw the sheet down and continued to run. Once she pushed open another set of doors, she found herself in the rainbow room, which had blood smeared all around it with dead bodies of the other children scattered about.
"Oh Jenna," Henry's voice crackled out of the sound system, "Come out, come out, wherever you are," Jenna panicked and stepped through the broken mirror, trying desperately to dig herself out of his mind, "I'll find you sooner rather than later. Just stop running. I want to talk to you."
"Never!" She yelled right before she transported herself into yet another memory.
She looked around and saw that she was in an older version of Hawkins High.
"I'd love to see you at the play," A young woman shoved a flyer into her hand, "I'm running it. I promise it'll be good."

Jenna turned the piece of paper over in her hands and read that Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, and—most importantly—Henry Creel were all in it or working on it. She also noticed Bob's sister in it. He never talked about Patty to really anyone. One day in Radio Shack, though, while Jenna was waiting for him to finish working on her Walkman, he mentioned that Jenna reminded him of Patty. They were both so kind and strong willed. That was all she ever heard about her.
Who knew Bob was tied to all of this before '84?

"Jenna," Henry's voice took over the principal's that had been droning on in the background, "You don't know what you're doing. I'm not the bad guy here."
"Bullshit!" She pushed through the crowd of kids and out another set of doors.
She looked up to see she was in his normal mind space; the place where he'd take the kids, taken Max, less than two years ago as sacrifices. The strange part was it didn't feel like his mind, but another memory. She abruptly turned around when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.
"Jenna-" She cut him off by smacking him across the face.
"I don't belong here," A tear slid down her cheek, "I'm going to get out whether you want me to or not," She snapped her fingers and Roll With the Changes started to play, "I'm not powerless in here just because I'm in your head."