Over the years nightmares have been a frequent friend in the Hopper house. Chills and a scream lodged in the back of her throat is the only way that Christine Hopper knows how to wake up. Her father tries hard to believe his daughter has a handle on...
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Barbara Holland and Christine Hopper lie side by side on hard concrete. Barbara is dirty, her face bloody and clothes torn at. Christine is clean, tan skin smooth without any traces of blood. The two girls awake at the same moment.
Barb sits up, not aware of Chris right away. She removes her glasses in perplexion. She's at the bottom of Steve's pool. The water has been drained and large black veins, like the roots of a tree, have spread across the concrete.
"Hello?" she calls.
"Barb," croaks Chris to her left. Her face shows pure terror. How did she end up here when she was just with Will at the Byers' house? Did she really end up all the way to Steve Harrington's house? She ran into the woods after the Demogorgon chased her away. She wasn't paying attention to where she was headed. She kept looking behind her in fear that the thing was still after her. Now Barbara Holland is stuck in this place with her. How?
"Chris? What the—"
"Shh! Shh!" Chris scrambles to her feet, knowing that she has to get Barbara out of here as soon as she possibly can. "We have to go! Now!"
"Ronnie?" Barb shouts. "Nancy!" She spins around in a circle, wondering how on earth to get out of the pool. "Hello?"
"Barb," Chris hisses, panic in her voice. "Please."
Barb turns to Chris, her eyes growing to the size of saucers as something behind Chris catches her attention. She points, screaming when the thing behind Chris grows to its full height. It growls. Barb falls over one of the black veins in an attempt to get away. Chris runs to her, pulling her up by her hands.
"The ladder. The ladder, Barb. Come on!" Chris drags Barb to the ladder. "Go! Up, now!"
"Someone help!" Barb cries, reaching for the ladder.
Chris dives away from Barb, clapping her hands. "Hey! Hey. Here! Here!" she yells, trying to distract the Demogorgon from Barb. Barb turns to watch Chris for a minute. Chris's eyes lock with her. "GO!"
"Nancy!" Barb screams, pushing herself up the ladder. "Ronnie! Help!"
Chris watches as the Demogorgon lunges toward her, it's long limb takes a swing at her, ready to grab her. Chris flinches, closing her eyes for the impact. Stupid, stupid planning on her part. She has no weapon. The impact never comes. Chris opens her eyes, frowning. She watches as the Demogorgon swings again. It's like she's unable to be touched.
"Ronnie!" cries Barb, almost out of the pool now.
The Demogorgon turns at the sound, finding a new target. Chris gasps. "No!"
Barb grabs onto the metal handles and pulls just as the creature latches its claws around her legs. Barb screams, holding on tighter. Chris shakes, tears splashing down her face. She picks up a rock, throwing it at the Demogorgon. The rock bounces off the monster's back, who chooses to ignore it as the smell of blood catches its attention.
"Chris! Help me!"
Chris breathes unsteadily, grabbing another rock to throw. It does no good. Barb gets yanked back harder, crying out in pain and fear. "Nancy! Ronnie!"
Chris drops to her knees in a fury to find more rocks. She sobs against the growling of the monster and Barb's last cry for help. Chris presses her hands to her ears, avoiding the sound of the tearing of flesh against teeth and the snap of bones. She knows she'll regret it when she does it: she steals a look over at the Demogorgon. Barb's gentle brown eyes have gone dark, and she stares into nothing.
