THE TOWER ━ stranger things

30.

chapter thirty – let's exchange the experience

March 24th, 1986

Steve paced the space in front of his friends staring at the newspaper copy in his hands, "Okay, be honest. Uh...You guys understand any of this?" He questioned quietly, looking at Irene who was sitting on the floor, back pressed into the bottom half of the couch. Her pen scribbled furiously against her yellow notepad, but she shook her head to signal she didn't really understand either.

He could tell she wasn't all there. She was here by herself and was noticeably dreading it; according to Dustin, Eddie didn't want to draw any attention in the daylight so he hung back at her house. He also mentioned that Irene was worried everything was starting to slowly get to him and that's the real reason he didn't come, nevertheless the metalhead had played it off as him being a 'man on the run' and didn't want to cause any more trouble than he already had.

Steve would like to lie and say he didn't get it – didn't understand how deeply Irene cared for Eddie, a guy he'd never pictured her with – but in his heart of hearts it made perfect sense. She loves him and he loves her. It's strange, he thinks, how different the two are from him and Nancy – how their relationship is built on a foundation of sheer trust and an adoration so abundant it makes his chest physically ache.

It's a funny feeling, a terrible one too, because he knows there's this shadow looming over Eddie and Irene–two fates doomed by the narrative–and no matter how hard he clasps his palms together and prays at the foot of his bed for them to make it out, he just doesn't know and that's terrifying. 

Thankfully, before he could descend down a hole of heartache and grief, Lucas' voice dragged him out of his thoughts, "Not really."

"It's pretty straightforward." Dustin shrugged, earning a glare from the older teen sitting near his legs.

"Oh, really?" Steve deadpanned, looking at him incredulously. This fucking kid, he thought to himself as the freshman stared back with a smug look.

"Well what's confusing to you?" He questioned. "So far, everyone Vecna has cursed has died, except for this old Victor Creel dude Nancy found. He's the only known survivor. If anyone knows how to beat this curse, it's him."

"Yeah, that's assuming that he was cursed, which we don't know."

"That is true. Didn't Nancy say Wayne was dead set on Victor being suspect number one?" Irene mumbled, continuing to flip through her notes. Steve pointed to her and Lucas was the only one who noticed the way his stare lingered.

"I mean, how can Vecna have existed in the '50's? It doesn't make sense." Steve rubbed his forehead before glancing back down at the paper.

Dustin shrugged, "As far as we know, Eleven didn't create the Upside Down. She opened a gate to it. The upside down has probably been around for thousands of years. Millions. I wouldn't be surprised if it predated the dinosaurs."

Irene finally sat up, looking at the three boys, "What if the Upside Down is just a parallel universe? I mean think about it, the first time the gate was opened it was probably accidental...like a tear in the space time continuum. El's powers defy several laws of physics and she can bend time and space with her mind; from infiltrating peoples memories to inserting herself anywhere with the help of some static and a blindfold and even going as far to move and manipulate things with her mind. Is it out of reach to say Vecna might have these powers too? I'm assuming El wasn't the only one in that lab."

"That theory does put Vecna in the center of it all and gives some kind of explanation to how he got through." Lucas agreed and the two exchanged small smiles.