"We want to know what happened." Robin told Eddie.
"You won't believe me..." he replied.
"Try us." I said. He looked at me.
"You were Chrissy's friend.. I remember you." He said. I nodded. "Her body.. it just like.. lifted into the air and, uh.. she just like hung there. In the air. And her bones..." he cried a little, making his voice shake. "Her bones started to snap. Her eyes, man. It was like something inside her head pulling. I didn't know what to so, I ran. I ran away. I left her there." He paused. "You all think I'm crazy."
"No, we don't." Dustin said.
"Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds."
"We're not bullshitting you." Max told him.
"We believe you." Robin added.
"Look, what I'm about to tell you might be.. a little... difficult to take." Dustin started. "You know how people say Hawkins is.. cursed? They're not.. way off. There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours."
"Like ghosts and shit?" Eddie asked.
"There are some things worse than ghosts." I told him.
"These monsters from this other world... we thought they were gone." Dustin said. "But they've come back before. That's why we needed to find you."
"If they're back again, we need to know." Max told him.
I felt Billy's eyes on me. I turned around, and there he was.
"That night, did you see anything?" Robin asked Eddie. I kept listening, though I was watching Billy. He was approaching me.
"Dark particles, maybe?" Max added.
"It would almost look like dust. Swirling dust." Dustin said.
"No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh.. or touch." Eddie replied. Billy was almost two feet in front of me.
Billy's voice rang through my ears. "Save them." He said. "Save them all... save her."
"Billy.." my voice rang out. No one looked at me though. I must have said it in my head. Chrissy appeared from behind him.
"Please, Y/N. Don't let them die." She said.
"Chris.." I said again. But just like last time, only in my head.
They vanished.
"Vecna's curse.." I heard Dustin say.
"Who's Vecna?" Steve asked.
"An undead creature of great power." Dustin replied.
I turned around. "A spell caster." Eddie said.
"A dark wizard."
"Alright, here's what I'm thinking. We all go home, sleep, and tomorrow we can bring Eddie some food. While we're out we can also find out what's going on and stuff." Steve suggested. Everyone nodded.
"Okay. Should someone come check in? Like in the morning before we get here?" Dustin asked.
"I can do it." I said. "I'd probably be his best bet if someone came hunting him down, so."
"Sounds good." Steve said.
"Okay." Eddie said.
We walked out of the barn thing, leaving Eddie alone. Steve drove us home.
"Do you want me to drive you over tomorrow?" He asked.
"No. I'll just go over on my own." I said.
Max and I walked inside. I immediately passed out. That night's nightmare was worse than the last. They just kept getting worse.
The next morning, I changed, then grabbed Eddie something to eat, and left on Max's bike.
Once I got there, I put the bike down toward's the barn and covered it with a tarp.
I knocked on the door, then walked in.
Eddie was in a corner, holding his beer bottle.
"I brought breakfast." I said, setting 2 poptarts on the table wrapped in a towel.
Eddie ate it immediately.
We sat in silence for awhile. Then, he broke it. "What did you mean? When you said you'd be my best bet?" He asked.
"I have a few more things in my advantage than anyone else." I said. "I can fight well enough."
"Oh.." he replied.
"I'm sorry." I told him.
"For what?"
"You went through something pretty traumatizing. You're handling it pretty well."
"You should see what's happening inside my head."
"What was Chrissy doing at your trailer?"
"She, uh.. she wanted to buy some drugs."
"Really? Chrissy was always very straight. She always said she wouldn't do that stuff."
"She also seemed freaked. Like something else was wrong. Clearly there was."
"Yeah..." I stared at the wall. Chrissy was standing there.
"Y/N.." she said, reaching out for me.
I stood up and turned away.
"Are you okay?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah." I replied.
We both snapped our heads up at the sound of crunching. I got ready to put up a fight and Eddie looked out the window.
The door busted open. "Jesus!" Eddie yelled.
It was Steve, Robin, Dustin and Max. "Delivery service!" Dustin said. Steve waved.
"Maybe don't bust the door open next time?" I suggested. They walked in and closed the door, then Eddie started eating. Steve walked over to me and leaned against the wall.
"So we got some good news, and some bad news." Dustin said. "How do you prefer it?"
"Bad news first, always." Eddie said.
"All right, bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you. Also, they're pretty convinced that you killed Chrissy" Dustin said.
"Like 100% kind of convinced." Max added.
"And the good news?" Eddie asked.
"Your name hasn't gone public yet." Robin said. "But if we found out about you, it's a matter of time before others do too, and once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you."
"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie asked.
"Exactly." Robin replied.
"So before that happens, we find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence." Dustin said.
"That's all, Dustin? That's all?" Eddie asked, sarcastically.
"Yeah, no, that's pretty much it." Dustin replied.
"Listen, Eddie. I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional, but we've actually been through this before. I mean, they have.. a few times, and.. and I have once.." Robin said. "Mine was more human-flesh-based, and theirs was more smoke-related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel we got this."
"Yeah, see, we rely on Y/N and this other girl who has super powers." Steve explained. "But uh, her power's went bye bye, so.."
"Now we're relying on one person, and brainstorming." Robin said.
"Because, and don't take this the wrong way," Dustin said, looking at me. "while Y/N is strong, she's had less time to learn about it. So yes, we can use her, but also, we need to give her backup."
Eddie gave us all a look of 'what the fuck.'
That's when we heard sirens. "Shit." Steve said.
"Tarp." Robin said. "Tarp. Tarp." Eddie ran to his tarp, and the rest of us ran to the windows.
They went right passed the house. We all piled in the car to follow them. We saw Nancy when we pulled up. We all got out of the car. She looked relieved.
She waved. I lifted my hand. After she finished her statement, she walked over to us.
"Fred Benson was killed." She said, walking over.
"Broken bones? Like seriously, broken bones?" I asked. She nodded and gave a confused look.
"We'll explain. We can stop over at the trailer park." Max said. We all piled back into Steve's car and drove to the trailer park.
Once we got there, I went straight for our trailer. The others were going to explain what happened to Nancy.
Once I was in the trailer, I closed the door and went to my room. I sat down on my bed. I felt someone sit next to me.
"Please, leave me alone." I told her. I looked up to see Chrissy. "I don't know how to save them. I can't save them. I don't even know who they are!"
"Find a way. Don't let anyone else end up like us." Chrissy said. I looked over at the door. Fred Benson.
"Please." He said.
"Go away." I told them both. "You aren't real, just go away! Go away! Go away!" I yelled.
They vanished. I sat on the floor, facing my bed. Underneath was a box. I took the box and set it on my bed. I dug through it, looking for something in particular.
I pulled it out. Billy's old jean jacket. I put it on, closed the box and shoved it back under my bed. I walked out of the trailer, just as the others were walking to Steve's car.
Steve was headed towards my trailer. Once he saw me, he motioned for me to follow.
"We're off to see Ms. Kelly!" Max said. "Come on."
I ran to catch up with them. Once we reached the car, Nancy headed off in a separate direction.
"Woah, Nance. Nance!" Steve yelled. "Where are you going?" He asked.
"Oh, there's just something I want to check on first." She said.
"I'll go with you." I told her. Robin volunteered to come along as well.
We ran down to Nance's mom's car. We got in and drove to the library.
"Okay, let me get this straight. Eddie's uncle, Wayne, thinks that Victor Creel escaped from Pennhurst Asylum and that he's the one running around committing these murders?" Robin asked as we walked in the library.
"Pretty much." Nancy replied.
"But Victor committed the eyeball murders, like way back in the '50s."
"Well, '59." Nancy corrected her.
"So, that means these murders predate Eleven in the Upside Down by about 30 years?" She asked.
"Yeah." Nancy replied.
"Which makes spooky Victor Creel like 70 years old."
"Yep." Nancy said, ringing the bell on the desk.
"So he's a grandpa murderer." I said. "Who can turn invisible and lift people into the air."
"It doesn't make sense. I know." Nancy told us. "That's why I said it was a shot in the dark." She rang it again.
"I know. I just thought that by 'shot in the dark,' you were being modest or hiding something super solid up your sleeve that you were gonna wow us with later." Robin told her. "But this is really, truly a shot in the dark. Like we are snipers with blindfold who've been spun around 50 times." The bell rung rapidly.
"Coming!" A lady called out.
"Hi. Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush." Nancy told her as she walked out. "Could we get the keys to the basement archives?"
"Of course, give me one sec." The lady responded.
"Did I come off mean or condescending or something?" Robin asked.
"No." Nancy told her.
"Right." Robin replied. "Sorry. It's just, you seem annoyed. You don't know me very well. I don't really have a filter or a strong grasp of social cues. So if I say something that upsets you, just know that I know it's a flaw. Believe me, my mother reminds me daily."
"Got it." Nancy told her.
"Alright ladies, here you go. Have fun." The lady said, giving us the key.
"We'll try." Nancy said, taking the key then walked off. Robin and I shared a look. She shrugged dramatically then followed.
"Thank you!" I said, following the two of them.
"Alright, I'll go look over in this section." I told them. I wandered off to the far side of the basement.
I found nothing. I searched for a while.
Nancy and Robin found a report about it. Apparently, Victor believed there was a demon possessing his house. We decided that he was right. That the demon was Vecna.
It was dark when we got out. "Dustin, do you copy" Robin asked into our walkie talkie. "So Nancy's a genius. Vecna's first victims date back all the way to 1958. Her shot in the dark was a bull's-eye."
"Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now." He told her.
"Wait, what are you doing?" She asked.
"Breaking and entering into the school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files."
"Can you repeat that?"
"Just get your ass over here, stat! We'll explain everything."
"I thought they were just talking to Ms. Kelley." Nancy said.
"We leave them alone for two hours." I said. We all got in the car and drove to the school.
Once we got there, everyone was standing in the hallway. Steve grabbed my hand and dragged me into a classroom, while everyone else went in another one.
"What the hell? Aren't we going to go listen to the explanation?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna give you one." He said.
"Wouldn't it be easier to.. you know, go into the room where everyone else is getting this explained to them?"
"Uh, yeah, but uh," he stammered a little bit. "I just want some one on one time with you, you know? We haven't had that recently."
"So you choose to have this.. now?" I asked him.
"Yes. Can I tell you what's going on now?" He asked. I nodded. "Okay, we made the connection between the killings. The two that have died have all had headaches, nosebleeds, nightmares, things like that."
"Okay, so now we know the connection. Why couldn't this be explained in one room?"
"One on one time." He replied, grabbing my hand. "Can I just ask you something?"
"Go ahead." I told him.
"Are you.. okay? Like, you say you are, and I know I should believe you, but I don't. Y/N, things have been hard, for everyone. I promise you that if you are not okay, no one will judge you for it." He told me.
"Yeah, right. You guys totally wouldn't think I'm insane, or in need of help." I mumbled.
"We wouldn't. And you don't need to tell anyone. Not even me, I just.. want to know if you're truly okay." He responded. He put his hand on my shoulder.
"Honestly.. I'm not. Steve something is wrong with me." I told him. "Steve, I am horrified. I thought I could be okay after Billy died, but I'm not. I can't be! I'm just so scared!"
"Scared of what?" He asked.
"Steve I have lost almost everything. I don't know if I can take anything else.. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry. I'm being selfish." I told him. He had a look of pity on his face.
"Y/N, you are definitely one of the strongest people I've ever met. You can handle a lot, but everyone has a breaking point." He started. "You aren't being selfish by saying you think you found yours."
He smiled at me. "I love you, okay? And no matter what happens, I will always love you. And that's that." He said. "Now, come on."
He reached his hand out to me. "Come here." He said.
I took his hand and he hugged me. We walked out and Steve knocked on the door. We walked in.
Max looked like she was in distress.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked her. She looked at Steve. We were interrupted by a loud clang outside in the hallway.
"Stay here." Steve told us. He grabbed a tall lamp and opened the door.
Obviously, I followed him. We walked down the hallway and turned down another. The clattering continued.
We approached another turn. Someone was running.
Steve held the lamp up as the sound got closer.
Someone turned the corner, causing all of us to scream.
"It's me!" Lucas yelled.
"Lucas?" Nancy said.
"Jesus, what is wrong with you,Sinclair?" Steve yelled.
"I'm sorry!" Lucas yelled back.
"I could've taken you out with this lamp!" Steve continued.
"Sorry, guys. Sorry." Lucas said. "I was biking for Eight miles." He held a finger up and leaned against the wall. "Give me a second. Shit. We've got a code red."
"What?" Steve asked.
"Dustin," he started, walking towards him. "I've been with Jason, Patrick, and Andy, and they've gone totally off the rails. They're trying to capture Eddie, and they think you know where he is. You're in terrible danger."
"All right. Yeah, that definitely sucks, but we've got bigger problems than Jason now." Dustin replied. He looked back at Max.
"I'll explain everything in a bit." Max said.
"You four should go back to my house. I think I have a plan." Nancy said. "Y/N, Robin, come with me."
I waved as I was dragged out of the classroom.
"Where are we going?" I asked her.
"To the newspaper room. We're going to dress up and act like psychology students. That way, we can interview Victor Creel." Nancy explained. "We need to get the proper paperwork. That is where the newspaper room comes in."
We walked in and her and her news minions got to work. Nancy was Ruth, Robin was Rose, and I was Beatrice. After they were done, we went back to Nancy's house and ran down the stairs and into the basement.
"We have a plan." Nancy said once we reached the bottom of the stairs. She explained what we had done and what we were going to do. As they did that, I went upstairs to try and find something for us to wear.
I found a blue skirt with a nice blouse in Nancy's room. I went to the bathroom and put it on.
Steve, Nancy, and Robin were in the room when I walked in.
"Alright. Do I give academic scholar?" I asked.
"You look great." Nancy said. "You need shoes."
She dug through her closet and grabbed a pair of blue heels. I cringed slightly.
"Okay." I said. I putting them on. She handed me a blue cardigan. Robin took her things and changed, then Nance.
We walked down the stairs and out to her car, then drove to Pennhurst Asylum.
We walked in. Robin complaining and struggling.
"3.9 GPA's." The director said. "All three of you. Impressive."
"And this is a recommendation from Professor Brantley." Nancy said, handing him a piece of paper.
"I know Larry. Quite well, actually." He said. "You know what they say, 'Those who can't do, teach.'" He said with a chuckle.
We all awkwardly giggled.
"Uh, yes, yes, that's actually why we're here." Nancy said. "I mean, we can only learn so much in a classroom."
He nodded. "And I'm sympathetic to your struggle, truly. But there is a protocol to visiting a patient like Victor." He said. "You put in a request, then undergo a screening process, at which point the board will make a decision." He passed our papers back to us. "I can see you're disappointed. But I'm more than happy to give you a tour of our facility. Perhaps you can even speak to some patients in our low-security wing."
"And we'd... we would love that. It's just that uhm, our thesis is due next month." Nancy said.
"And you're out of time. Whose fault is that?" He said, rather aggressively.
"Ours. Absolutely. And I do apologize-" she was cut off.
"Don't apologize, Ruth. Screw that." Robin said. "The fact is, we did put in a request months ago and were denied. And then we reapplied and were denied again. And coming here was our last ditch effort to save our thesis. And I really, I can't breathe in this thing." She looked at Nancy and I.
"Uh, well Rose, maybe you'd like to go outside and get some air." Nancy told her.
"Maybe I should, Ruth." Because I'm starting to thing this whole thing is a colossal mistake. I'm breaking out in a rash. My boobs hurt. And I'll tell you the truth, Anthony. May I call you Anthony? These aren't actually my clothes. I borrowed them because I wanted you to take us seriously. Because nobody takes girls seriously in this field. They just don't. We don't look the part or whatever. But can I tell you a story? 1978, I was at summer camp. And my counselor Drew told me and everyone in Cabin C the true story of the Victor Creel Massacre. And little Petey McHew... you two know Petey, right?" Nancy and I nodded. "Yeah. Little Petey McHew started sobbing right there on the spot. Full-on hyperventilating. And all the other campers couldn't sleep for weeks. And I couldn't sleep either, but not 'cause I was scared, because I was obsessed with the question, 'what would drive a human being to commit such unimaginable acts?' Other kids wanted to be astronauts, basketball players, rock stars. But I wanted to be you! I wanted to be you. So, forgive me if I'll now try anything in my power, including wearing this ridiculous outfit, if I might get to speak to the man that ignites my passion and learn a little more about how his twisted, but let's face it, totally fascinating mind works. So, yes, we don't have the official paperwork, but don't tell me that cry-baby Petey McHew wouldn't have gotten an audience with Victor in a matter of moments if he'd ask politely because you and I both know that he would."
Anthony sat forward.
"So, ten minutes with Victor. That's all I ask." She finished. There was nothing but silence. Then, he agreed. We walked out of the room.
"Good job, Rose." I whispered to her with a small giggle. She smiled. We did a subtle low-five.
We walked through the gardens as he gave us a tour.
"We allow them two hours of outside time a day." Anthony explained.
"Can't they just escape?" Robin asked.
"They could. But the vast majority choose to be here. They like it here."
Then, we walked through the listening room. He explained how the right song could soothe the broken mind.
Then we walked down a staircase.
"Uh, Dr. Hatch, do you think it might be possible for us to speak to Victor alone?" Nancy asked.
He turned around and acted like we were insane. "Alone?" He asked.
"I think that we would just love the challenge of speaking with Victor without the safety net of an expert such as yourself." I said.
"Then we could really rub it in Professor Bradley's face-" Robin added. I nudged her subtly.
"Professor Bradley? I don't believe I know a Professor Bradley." Dr. Hatch cut her off.
"Brantley. She meant to say Brantley." I said.
"Didn't I say Brantley? What did I say?" She asked, laughing. "Sorry, silly me. Words, letters. Guess I'm just nervous. I mean, excited. So excited to speak with Victor."
"Preferably, as she said, alone?" I asked. He looked suspicious.
"Yes.." he said after a minute. "Why not? You've caught me in a rebellious mood." We giggled. "And there's something rather urgent I need to check on anyway, so... sure. Keep a close eye on them." He told the guard. Then, he walked back up the stairs.
"Thank you, Dr. Hatch." We all said.
We walked in the long hallway and down to Victor's cell. "Do not startle him." The guard said. "Do not touch him. Do not pass him anything. Stand five feet away from the bars at all times. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir." We all said, one right after the other.
He ran his baton across the bars of Victor's cell. "Victor. Today's your lucky day! You've got visitors. Real pretty ones." He said.
Victor was scratching his desk. "Must be in one of his moods." The guard said. "Have fun."
"Victor?" Nancy called to him. "My name is Nancy. Nancy Wheeler. And this is.." she looked at Robin and I.
"Robin Buckley." Robin said.
"And uh, my name is Y/N Hargrove." I said.
"We have some questions." Nancy said.
"I don't talk to reporters. Hatch knows that." Victor responded.
"We're not reporters." I said. We walked towards the bars.
"We're here because.. we believe you." Nancy said. "And because we need your help."
"Whatever killed your family, we think it's back." Robin said. Victor turned around. The man had no eyes. Or he did, but they were swollen or stitched up.
"Two people have been attacked. Bones snapped in half, eyeballs exploded." I told him.
"And we know who's next." Robin said. I looked at her confused and she grimaced slightly.
"She's been showing symptoms. They all have headaches, nightmares and nosebleeds before." Nancy said. "When he attacks, our friend described it as a trance. Like a waking nightmare. That's why we thing he's coming for her next. Does any of this, anything we've told you, sound like what happened to your family?" Nancy asked.
Victor breathed heavily. "Victor, I know this is hard-" Nancy started.
"You don't know anything!" He yelled.
"You're right." I told him. "We don't know. That is why we're here."
"To learn, to understand." Nancy said.
"We need to know how you survived that night." Robin said. He laughed.
"Survived?" He asked. "Is that what you call this? Did I survive? No, I assure you, I am still very much in hell." He then went on to explain what had happened. "I had been back from the war some 14 years. Her great uncle had died, leaving us a small fortune. Enough to buy a new home, a new life.
"It was a magnificent home. Alice said it looked like it was from a fairy tale." He said.
"Alice, was this your daughter?" Nancy asked.
"Yeah.." he said with a smile. "But Henry, my.. my boy, he was a sensitive child... and I could see he felt something was wrong. We had one month of peace in that house. And then it began. Dead animals, mutilated, tortured, began to appear near our home. Rabbits, squirrels, chickens, even dogs. The police chief blamed the attacks on a wildcat. This... was no wildcat. This was an evil. And evil neither animal nor human. This was a spawn of Satan. A demon. And it was even closer than I realized. My family began to have encounters conjured by this demon. Nightmares. Waking, living nightmares. This demon, it seemed to take pleasure in tormenting us. Even poor, innocent Alice. It wasn't long before I began to have encounters of my own. I suppose all evil must have a home. And though I had not a rational explanation for it, I could sense this demon, always close. I became convinced it was hiding, nesting, somewhere within the shadows of our home. It had cursed our town. It had cursed our home. It had cursed us. The night of the attack, everything went haywire. The radio turned on. It played music." He sat on the bed. "It took Virginia first. I tried to get the children out, to save them. But I was back to France. Back to the war. It was.. a memory. I had thought German soldiers were inside. I ordered its shelling. I was wrong." He covered his head. "This demon, it was taunting me. And I was sure it would take me, just as he'd taken my Virginia. But then, I heard... another voice. At first, I believed it was an angel. And I.. I followed her. Only to find myself.. in a nightmare far worse. While I was away, the demon took my children. Henry slipped into a coma shortly after. A week later, he died. I tried to join them. I tried." He cried. "Hatch stopped the bleeding. He wouldn't let me join them." He cried. He laid down and curled into a ball.
"The angel you followed, who was she?" Nancy asked.
He simply replied by humming 'Dream a Little Dream of Me.'
"Victor? Victor?" I asked.
"Was he everything you hoped he'd be?" Dr. Hatch said, bursting in the facility. "I just had a very interesting conversation with Professor Brantley. Perhaps we should discuss in my office while we wait for the police." He said. Guards went behind us and pushed us along.
We walked up the stairs and back through the Listening Room. "You are free to tell your sob story to the police." He said. We walked through the garden.
Robin speed walked to Nancy and I. "Victor said the night of the attack, everything went on in the house, but he made specific mentions of music. He said music was playing. And then when we asked him about the angel, he started to hum. 'Say nighty night and kiss me, hold me tight..'" she sung quietly. "Ella Fitzgerald."
"The voice of an angel." I said.
"Yeah. Hatch said that music can reach parts of the brain that words can't. So maybe that's the key. A lifeline." She went on.
"A lifeline back to reality." Nancy said.
"It's worth a shot."
"I think we can beat him." I said.
"What?" Robin asked.
"To the car." I continued.
"Okay, I'm warning you right now, I have terrible coordination." Robin said. "Like it took me six months longer to walk than all the other babies."
"Just follow my lead." I said. I bolted.
The guards chased after us as we ran through the garden. We threw our shoes off.
"Cinderella! You dropped your shoe!" A man called out.
"Go! Go!" A woman yelled, laughing. We jumped down the wall and ran straight to the car through the archway. We got in and Nancy took off.
"You really are a weird runner!" I told her.
"Robin, where the hell are you? This is a code red. I repeat, a code red!" Dustin yelled through the walkie talkie. I passed it up to her.
"Dustin, it's Robin. We copy." Robin said.
"Holy shit! Finally! Please tell me you guys have this figured out!" He yelled.
"Music! Try music!" Robin yelled. "No time to explain, just try it! Her favorite song!"
"Whose favorite song?" I yelled. "Who the hell is cursed?" I knew the answer.
"Later!" Nancy yelled at me.
"Holy shit!" I yelled. My mind was flooded by pure anger. Everyone who had kept this from me was going to meet pissed off Y/N.
YOU ARE READING
Hargrove's Secret (Steve x Y/N)
FanfictionHi, I'm Y/N Hargrove, Billy's younger sister. I'm only a year younger, but he still looks at me as if I'm my step sister Max's age. Even though Billy has always treated me poorly, I still love and care about him. (As much as I can.) I've always be...
