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Chapter 61, The Upside Down (Ep. 3: The Turnbow Trap)
"Okay, transmitter?"
Jonathan handed Nancy the small gadget and plopped his elbows against the table. His gaze continuously switched between her and Gwen, who was being extremely quiet and appeared to be avoiding something or someone.
"You okay, Gwen?" he asked.
She faintly nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You're being awfully quiet," Nancy said, lifting her gaze toward her. "More so than usual."
"I could say the same thing," she replied. "And I'm quiet because I don't have anything to say."
"Me neither," Nancy agreed.
"And because you seem extremely concentrated," Gwen pointed to the scattered shotgun shells and the transmitter in her hand. "I didn't want to disrupt anything."
Nancy hummed, unconvinced, "You know I can multitask, right? There's always time to talk, especially if it's with you."
Gwen softly smiled.
"Can I ask you something?" Jonathan spoke with uncertainty, as if afraid his question would be taken the wrong way.
"Anything."
He took a deep breath, hesitating, "Are you still hearing Henry? Like, is he still telling you to do things?"
Nancy momentarily halted, seeing as she was also curious.
But not for the reasons that revolved around distrust.
It was never about distrust.
Gwen was hesitant to respond, but she couldn't contain a part of her any longer. This had been her life for months now, and secrets were heavy to bear. She thought of Henry as an obstinate virus, like a spirit rummaging through her body. His hold on her was still present, but it was less powerful. She was still marked and probably always would be as long as he breathed, but his control was something she could endure. It was a frail thread holding her restraint together, but slowly, more wires were being used to keep the string tethered.
"I can't hear him now, but I still feel him," she confided, her voice falling to a murmur. "It's not as strong as it used to be. It's dimmer, like he's fading, but I know he's waiting for me to let my guard down."
The revolver on her belt loop could be felt against her skin.
She claimed it was a weapon against monsters, but it was a weapon that would be used on her if the worst should occur.
"We'll make him pay for what he did," Nancy confidently declared, speaking with a certainty that many would consider arrogant. "He'll never hurt you again. I promise."
