𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄
JULY 3RD, 1985

The soft morning light crept through the blinds, casting long shadows across the hospital room. Scarlette was awake, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, her thoughts running in endless circles. The events of the previous day still clung to her—Billy, the sauna, the unbearable heat that had taken over her body. She knew exactly why she was here but not how everything had escalated so quickly.

Henry sat beside her, his fingers intertwined with hers. He hadn't left her side all night. His face was etched with worry, exhaustion tugging at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let go of her hand.

"How are you feeling?" Henry's voice was low, careful.

Scarlette shifted slightly, wincing at the lingering ache in her limbs. "Still hurts," she admitted, her voice hoarse. "But I'm okay. For now."

Henry's jaw clenched, his thumb gently brushing the back of her hand. "I couldn't stop thinking about what happened... how you collapsed. You scared the hell out of me, Scar." He swallowed hard, the words catching in his throat. "I should've noticed something was wrong sooner."

"You couldn't have known," she whispered, her eyes meeting his. "None of us did."

Before either could say more, the door creaked open. Henry's head snapped up as Nancy Wheeler stepped into the room, her eyes wide with surprise. She looked disheveled, like she hadn't slept at all, her clothes slightly wrinkled from spending the night at the hospital with Mrs. Driscoll- Henry and Scarlette having no idea this was why Nancy was here, not yet at least. She froze for a second, staring at them in disbelief.

"What... what are you guys doing here?" Nancy's voice was filled with confusion as she stepped further into the room. "I had no idea you were here. I've been with Mrs. Driscoll all night."

Scarlette and Henry exchanged a glance. "Mrs. Who? Uh- It's a long story," Scarlette muttered, attempting to sit up a little more. Henry immediately moved to help her, his hand resting protectively on her shoulder.

"We brought Scarlette in last night," Henry explained, glancing at Scarlette for permission before continuing. "She... collapsed after we, uh, tried something with Billy."

Nancy's brow furrowed, her expression shifting from confusion to concern. "Billy? What happened? Are you okay?"

Henry nodded, though there was a heaviness in his eyes. "She's stable now, but... we're not entirely sure what's going on." He hesitated, unsure of how much they even knew yet.

Nancy's eyes widened, her hand coming up to her mouth as she processed the gravity of what he'd just said. "You're both okay, though?" she asked, her gaze lingering on Scarlette.

Scarlette nodded weakly, her voice soft. "I don't know what's wrong, but I felt something before I passed out. I'm just... I'm scared, Nancy." There was an undeniable fear beneath her words.

Nancy lingered by the door for a moment before turning to face Henry and Scarlette, her expression tense with urgency. "You guys need to come with me. We have to get back to my house—Mike and the others are there. I think I have an idea about what's going on with you, Scarlette."

Henry immediately tensed, pulling Scarlette closer as she sat on the edge of the hospital bed. "What do you mean? What's happening to her?"

Nancy stepped further into the room, her voice steady but urgent. "I've been with Mrs. Driscoll all night. Whatever's happening to her... it's like what happened to Will."

Scarlette exchanged a look with Henry, her heart pounding at the mention of Will. She knew what Nancy was getting at. "You think it's the Mind Flayer, don't you?" Scarlette asked, her voice quiet but filled with growing dread.

Nancy nodded, her face grim. "Yeah. I do. And we need to talk to Will. He knows better than anyone what this thing can do. I've seen the same signs with Mrs. Driscoll, and now you..."

Henry's grip tightened on Scarlette's hand, his jaw clenched. "But Scar wasn't acting like Will was, not until..." He trailed off, glancing at Scarlette, who was still visibly shaken. "How sure are you, Nancy?"

"I'm not a hundred percent, but if I'm right, we can't wait too long. We need to figure this out before it gets worse." Nancy's voice softened, her gaze flickering between them. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I don't want to take any chances. We need Will's help to understand what's really going on."

Scarlette took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had heard the stories about Will's possession, the way the Mind Flayer had taken control of him, and how close they had come to losing him. The idea that something like that could be happening to her made her stomach churn, but she nodded resolutely. "Okay," she said softly, though her voice wavered. "If this is what's happening... we can't waste time."

Henry nodded in agreement, standing up and helping Scarlette to her feet. "We're with you, Nancy. Let's go. We need to figure this out."

Nancy led them to the door, her expression firm. "We'll get through this together. Let's head back, and we'll figure out the next step with Will and the others."

a/n
sorry i'm on vacation but i felt bad not releasing a chapter for a few days