Ahoy Ladies ➵ Steve Harrington x Reader

Chapter Ten

Y/n kneeled next to her father, who had fainted by the doorway to her bedroom. She couldn't make sense of what had happened in the past few minutes. Y/n was more than relieved to see him at home, but this wasn't what she imagined when she thought that. The lights around her flickered once more and she cursed the damn bulbs that needed replacing. They really couldn't have found a more haunted house, she thought to herself.

Her father opened his eyes, pupils darting around the room before settling on y/n next to him. He seemed terrified, like he'd woken from a bad nightmare that would haunt him for the next week. The metallic smell of blood and sweat filled the room and she instinctively leaned a little closer, noticing how badly cut his hand was - with little scratches and scrapes all along his arm like he had tried to scramble away from something or someone.

"Dad, what happened?" Y/n asked, although it was more of a statement than a question. She wanted to reach out and make sure he was okay but y/n decided to give him a little distance, still unsure what to think of the situation.

"Stay away from me" he managed to utter, shuffling back from his daughter as if he was contagious. His breathing quickened, heaving with increasing speed and it reminded y/n of the panic attacks she used to get when she was younger.

"I'll call an ambulance" y/n said, it was the only thing she could think of doing. She'd never seen her father like this and it scared her more than the shattered television or broken lamps downstairs. Y/n shuffled past her father and was about to leap down the staircase back to the living room telephone when the lights all blacked out, leaving her in the darkness. It suddenly reminded her of the blackout at Starcourt Mall a couple weeks before, although the thought quickly disappeared as the lights fluttered back on.

"No, don't call anyone," her dad said more steadily this time. "You need to stay away from me" his voice called out from the bedroom again and y/n was split between running for the phone or returning to her dad. She didn't have time to make the decision as the lights glowed painfully bright before bursting, sending small shards of glass raining to the floor from above. Y/n crouched down, hands over her head as she let out a shriek.

"Y/n, come here and join us" a low and twisted voice echoed from the walls. He repeated the same words like a ticking clock and y/n could hear scrambling from inside her room. She stumbled down the stairs, knowing that the figure wasn't her father anymore.

Y/n tripped up at the bottom and pain erupted from her angle as she collapsed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Pushing away small shards of glass from broken picture frames, y/n pulled herself upright only to fall back down as she realised her ankle was most likely sprained. Fuck, of all the times the lights had to blow up it had to be now. Leaving her blind as the only source of light came from outside. She didn't know the first thing about electricity or light bulbs but she was sure they didn't normally do that.

The sound of heavy footsteps behind her indicated that her father was descending the staircase toward where she lay on the floor. Y/n swore loudly under her breath before trying her best to heave herself across the wood but failed miserably with the effort.

"Your father is gone, now it's time to join us" he chanted, y/n cried out for help, struggling to move as the shadow of her father grasped her leg and pulled her toward himself. She kicked and flailed, using her hands to pry his bloody arms off her but his grip was too strong. Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision and y/n let out another frustrated groan.

All of a sudden, a car pulled into the driveway, its headlights blinding the both of them though the window which made her father pause to glance up at the front door. She had almost forgotten Steve Harrington was on his way over.