Stranger Things Imagines

Old Friend

"Do you truly believe that we can be free from this place?"

"I do." I reply as I look at the blonde haired boy. "Don't you?"

"No." He shakes his head. "No, I believe that we are prisoners here as much as the children are."

"Some prisoners get let out. Not everyone has a life sentence." I reason.

"But we do. It's highly likely that we will be trapped here until the day we die."

"I try not to think about it that way. I like to have hope that there's a life for us on the outside."

"Y/N, your optimism is quickly becoming naivety." I stare at the ground as I frown before feeling his hand gently turn my face back to his. "But I will continue searching for a way out. Then we can both be free. Together."

"We have to find a way."

"Stay here. I'll come back for you once I've found the best exit - there's only one room I haven't checked."

"Hurry back. I don't want them to catch you."

He flashes a final smile before leaving me alone in this white room. I've been an orderly here for so long that I can't even remember a life outside of these walls. 'Peter' has been a shining light in this darkness. We truly care deeply for each other. He told me his name is actually Henry, though I'm not sure why the name Peter was ever mentioned.

Doing as he told me, I stay in this bland room and wait for his return. With nothing to do, I'm stuck with my thoughts. The more time goes by, the more the intrusive thoughts invade my mind. It's been like an hour. At least I think it has. Henry hasn't come back yet. What if they caught him? Did they hurt him? Is he dead?

Unable to control my paranoia, I disregard his words and leave the room to find him. Carefully, I roam the halls trying not to get caught. When I turn the corner, I'm startled by the bodies of staff on the floor surrounded by blood. What the hell? Shit, I need to find Henry.

I start running through the halls screaming his name, desperate to find him. Please don't be dead. All caution is thrown out of the window. Almost sliding, I burst through the doors of the rainbow room. I come to an instant halt when I see them. The kids... They're all dead. Murdered. I'm sick to my stomach. I stare in shock. Henry did this. No, he can't have. I don't want to believe it but it's true. Everyone is dead apart from a single girl but I can't tell who.

"Y/N..." His attention turns to me and his face softens.

"What-what have you done?" I'm frozen in my tracks with my breathing now shaky.

"I told you to wait."

The girl uses his distraction to her advantage and starts to fight back. Out of fear, I sprint away and out of the main doors since there's nobody there to guard them anymore. Constantly checking over my shoulder, I race into the woods. Eventually, I fall to the floor and lean against a tree. I think I lost him. Tears stream as I curl up into a ball - hyperventilating. That's not the Henry I know. I've just left that poor girl to fend for herself. Maybe I could've saved her if I didn't flee. What am I supposed to do now? I've escaped but at what cost?

Cut to 1986....

For the last few years I've tried to build a normal life. That proved a difficult task with nobody knowing of my existence and my lack of knowledge of how to function as a regular human in society. I found some kind souls who helped me. Over the years, I gained a small friend group who I would do anything for. I don't leave the house too much though because of the incident.

I've made a lot of progress in a normal life - though you can never shake something as horrific as the massacre. I live in constant fear that Henry will find me. Though I believed him to be dead by the end of that day, there's a sense of dread that he's still out there. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that girl. I still regret leaving her behind - I will never forgive myself.