the view between villages // a stranger things choose-your-own-adventure

PAGE 34: Creel House with Max and Erica

"Are you sure I can?" you say. "Won't Dustin and Eddie need help with the demobats?"

"Lucas said he'd switch places with you," Steve explains. "He trusts you to take care of Max."

The pressure of the situation makes you sweat. Steve notices the panic in your eyes and says, "Hey, it's okay. You can do whatever you want."

"I'll do it," you blurt out. "Go to the Creel House with Max."

A few hours later when Steve parks the Winnebago by the Creel House, he walks you, Erica, and Max to the house's front door.

"Be safe," he says, giving you a tight hug. "Stick to the plan. He looks to Max and says, "Listen to your song until we change phases. Okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Max says. Steve scoffs and rolls his eyes good-naturedly.

"I love you," you say. "Please be careful."

"I love you too, Waldenbooks. I will."

He kisses you goodbye, hopefully not for the last time. Your heart sinks as you watch him walk back to the RV. He glances back at you with one final smile before climbing in and driving off.

"You okay?" Max asks quietly. You realize you've just been staring at the street, and the younger teens look impatient and ready to get going.

"Yeah," you lie. "Let's do this."

***

Once you've figured out where Vecna is hiding, Max removes her headphones and begins speaking to him. She's trying to goad him into putting her in a trance so the next phase of the plan can commence: Steve, Nancy, and Robin killing him in the Upside Down.

She tells Vecna all about her brother, Billy, and how she'd pray for him to die because of his abuse. When he finally did, she felt responsible.

She stops talking, somewhat suddenly. You walk around to her front and notice her eyes wide-open and glazed over white.

You gnaw your fingernails and jump out of your skin when the door swings open.

Jason Carver stands in the doorway. Something glints in his hands—a gun.

"Are you one of those freaks?!" he snaps, entering the attic and pointing the gun at you. You raise your hands in surrender, looking between the barrel of the pistol and the contorted grimace on Jason's face. "One that killed Chrissy?!"

"Jason," you say slowly, stepping ever-so-closer. He clicks the safety off and you freeze. "You need to get out of here. Wait, what did you do to Erica?"

"She's fine," Jason says. "But you sure as hell won't be. What did you do to her?!"

He nods in the direction of the frozen Max and tries to rouse her, thinking you're a part of the "Hellfire Club," aka the D&D club at Hawkins High that he thinks is a cover for devil worship and witchcraft.

Jason points the gun at you again, stepping on and crushing Max's Walkman as he stalks toward you.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" you scream. "Dude, she's as good as dead now! Just get the fuck out of here and leave us alone, you have no idea what we're dealing with!"

"I'm not leaving until you admit that you and those freaks killed Chrissy!" Jason snarls. He rests his finger on the trigger.

Max begins to levitate, meaning Vecna really has his hooks in her now. You panic, unsure of the best thing to do in this situation. 

WHAT DO YOU DO?

A. SING TO MAX - go to page 35

B. RUSH AT JASON - go to page 36