002 - Stranger Things

Chapter fifteen: The Familiar Face

Everything fell silent. The world for once seemed still until all of a sudden, Nellie fell to the dark, red surface. She groaned and lay on the ground, her vision blurred as she tried to make sense of where she was. Everything was spinning and all she could remember last was the others being unable to hear her and a voice telling her to go to them.

"Nellie Brown." A deep voice spoke from behind her, followed by a raspy chuckle. "I've been waiting for this moment."

Lightening struck, causing Nellie to jump and stand to her feet quickly, "Where are you!? Who are you!?" She shouted as she looked around, her voice trembling slightly.

"This isn't like you Nellie, scared? You never used to fear anything. Did this place change your perspective?" The unknown voice spoke again and although she couldn't hear them, Nellie could feel them circling her.

Nellie closed her eyes, "This is all a dream all of it, this isn't even real." she whispered to herself as some form of comfort but even she couldn't believe it.

"You wish it was a dream but this is the new reality. A reality where you join me to end Hawkins, A reality where we will hold power and take over the world."

She shook her head reluctantly, "Why would I join you to destroy the place where my friends live? I don't even know you."

"You would join me because I know your secret. I've always had a feeling that you're just like me, Nellie Brown, and deep down you know it's true. You have evil in you and together we will be unstoppable."

Her eyes widened at the realisation as her mind took her back to many years ago when she'd met a young boy who happened to be her neighbour. The same exact words had been said in the past, 'Though I have a feeling that you're just like me. That you already know what I am'

It was Henry. Henry Creel.

"Henry?" She questioned, her mouth falling open from the shock. "It can't be."

He appeared in front of her but this wasn't the old Henry Creel, this was the new one, he looked different and was no longer human like darkness had consumed him entirely. He was now a humanoid monster with a strange-looking face.
The only thing that resembled the old him was his eyes apart from the fact that they were sunken into his face, almost like the last part of him was hanging on by a thread.

He stepped closer to her and stared into her soul, keeping a close eye on her to make sure she didn't try to run.

"Correct but it's Vecna now." He said and stopped in front of her. "So, Nellie what will it be? Will you join an old friend or stick with your new ones and betray me..."

She stared at him, hating the fact that she was now in fear of him but he'd changed and she couldn't understand it. Sure, the Henry she'd known was strange but he'd had some good qualities and he cared or at least that's what she'd believed. Her Henry had been up for some risks but he'd never hurt a soul unless necessary, in fact, he'd protected her many times against all sorts of things back in the lab and that's why she'd repaid him when trying to destroy the demogorgan but now it proved to be pointless, she'd been stuck in the upside down all those years for nothing. He'd become something worse, something darker, something evil.

"I can't. You aren't the Henry I knew and trusted." She trembled as he backed her into the door that had a rose on it, the same door she'd once walked through when meeting him.

She shook her head and let out a shuddered breath, "you were different, like me and he hurt you."

"He made you into this. He is the monster Henry not you. Not you! and you don't have to do this to Hawkins..." she spoke, trying to stop the tears that flowed down her face but she couldn't help it. Seeing him like this broke her. What had became of him?