The Protector

The Dive

After a couple of minutes of the teens' flashlights lighting up, the light completely went out.

The group walked around the entire house to try and find the light again only to come up empty handed. "Shit", Steve said irritated. "He's gone", Nancy added with a sigh.

The teens decided it was time to head home for the night after not finding Vecna. Maddie laid down on her designated couch in the Wheeler's basement while the other teens settled into their own spaces.

Maddie tried to sleep, but all she could think about was how she had a weird connection with the lights at the Creel house.

Morning quickly came along, making the kids slowly wake up. The group decided to go break the news to Eddie while giving him the groceries they bought him.

Maddie made her way to the bathroom before looking at herself in the mirror. She had major eye bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep she received the previous night. "I look like a total corpse", Maddie mumbled to herself before finishing up in the bathroom. 

The whole group piled into Nancy's car. It was a very tight squeeze but Maddie managed to sit in the back with Steve and Dustin.

"Not to be a wimp, but can I maybe sit in the car for this visit cause this is going to totally and royally suck", Robin stated.

"It'll be fine", Nancy answered. "I just can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't", Robin said sadly.

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better", Steve stated while almost hitting Maddie into the face with a six pack of beer. "That's what my mom does", Max said causing Lucas do give her a sympathetic look.

 "Why don't we give it a trial? Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah, and we found Vecna. Only the bad news is that he's in that other, darker, much scarier dimension that we told you about, and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. He's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed", Robin rambled out.

"Wait, wait, wait. Maybe we don't put it like that", Lucas stated. "I would rather hear the truth than some bullshit", Maddie spoke for the first time this whole morning.

"We're one step closer to finding Vecna. That's what we say. That's what's important", Nancy said.

"See, Robin? A positive spin can make all the difference", Steve stated. "Uh-huh", Robin answered while rolling her eyes.

"Oh shit", Nancy said while pulling up to Reefer Rick's house. The cops were at the house and there was a small crowd forming. "This way", Nancy stated leading the group towards the scene.

"Reporting a homicide out here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first at the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney. His limbs... his body, it was disfigured... There was an eyewitness on the scene... We have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward", Officer Powell told the news channel.

"Oh man. This is not good. Really not good", Steve said out loud. "You've got a lot of questions, and I'm going to answer as many as I can. Two o'clock at town hall, where anyone from the Hawkins community is welcome, But right now, I've got some work to do, and I appreciate your understanding", Officer Powell finished just as the teens heard a voice coming though their walkie.