"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Nine was one of the human experiments at Hawkins N...
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Nine sat in the corner of Castle Byers, watching the boy who she rescued the night before. He was odd and wore bright clothes, unlike her ragged hospital gown. His skin was warm and almost glowed when compared to her pale skin, that had never been touched by sunlight. His hair was cut precisely and was clean, unlike her dirty, messy hair. The one thing they had in common was their hair colour. It was refreshing, for Nine, to see such a familiar colour on the stranger.
She reluctantly touched the boy's skin, checking that it was still warm. From her time in the Upside Down, Nine had learnt that things that were warm were often alive. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt the warmth of his skin. It was comforting to Nine, to see that she wasn't the only living thing in the decaying forest.
Deciding to do a second test, Nine gently lifted one of the boy's arms before realising it. The arm fell straight back to the floor, leaving Nine with the conclusion that the boy was alive, yet unconscious. She debated leaving Castle Byers to gather some nutrition for the boy when he awoke, and some healing plant matter, but decided against it. For some reason, Nine felt a strange protective nature for the boy. Maybe it was her longing for company or maybe it was because of something that the scientists had done to her.
So, Nine took her guard over the strange boy, watching over him and being a watch out for the monster. From looking at the boy, Nine could gather that he was around the same age as her. They looked about the same height, and, after poking a small stick in the boy's mouth, had similar teeth. Nine knew that teeth were an identifier for age in many species, so maybe it was the same for her and the boy.
The days blurred together in the other world, so Nine had no idea of the number of minutes, hours, or days that the boy remained unconscious. The monster had really hurt him. He had scratches all over his arms and a bruise had begun to form on his head. She constantly checked that he was alive, that he was breathing and that her last hope of company would not die on her watch.
As she waited, Nine began to prepare what she would say to the boy. How could she ever break the news to this boy that he would never see the light of day again? No, she simply couldn't. She would make sure that he made it out of her. It had been too long since she had a proper conversation. The scientists at the laboratory never said a word to her.
It was when Nine was absorbed in her thoughts that the boy awakened. His eyes flashed open and he began gasping for breath. His eyes darted around, trying to find an exit but only found a girl, who stared at him curiously. She had long, dirty brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was incredibly skinny, causing Will to wonder when she last ate. He opened his mouth to scream, but the girl put her finger to her lips. She poked her head out of the shack they were in, before gesturing him to talk.
"Who are you?" He asked, whispering. "Where are we?" The girl bit her lip, her eyes showing fear.
"I'm Will, Will Byers." Will introduced himself, holding out his hand. The girl's curious stare dropped to his hand, and she cocked her head to the side. Will blushed slightly, and let his hand drop to his side.
