Irreplaceable: A Stranger Things Fanfic

1: The Thing In The Woods

Jonathan Byers was always in the corner of Nancy Wheeler's eye. Almost constantly, for 4 years, he's been there. In the back of her science class, on a table alone just across from where her, Steve and his trash friends sat. Even when she was alone, crying in the bathroom in 8th grade because Jeannie DeSanto had called her "a fat piggy" and followed her around school with her band of bitches oinking at her, she felt Jonathan's presence. And now, surrounded by trees and the invisible threat getting ever closer to her, she was desperately searching for that presence. Now, more than ever, she needed him. It was probably the first time she's actually admitted that she needed Jonathan. He made her feel wierdly safe, and in a town like Hawkins, it was a luxury to feel safe. She crept around the nearest tree, the heavy breath of whatever was stalking her following closely. Maybe she wasn't safe. Maybe everything she's felt this whole time was a cruel joke to play on her mind as she suffered, the same way Will, Jonathan's brother, or her best friend Barb had. Maybe she was as alone as them.
The thing was getting closer n ow, it's long, grotesque talons scratching along the surface of the forest floor. She tried to move again, but was frozen this time.
"SHITSHITSHIT." Her thoughts echoed. She was trapped, trapped and at the mercy of the beast that murdered Barb.
She had no choice. She screamed for Jonathan, her voice penetrating the eerie silence of the forest like a knife. The sounds of the thing behind her grew from a sadistic saunter into a run, and her screams grew louder.
"Jonathan! Jonathan, help me!" She screamed. She was scared, legitimately scared she was facing the end. She had never been able to tell Mike how cool he really was, never able to tell mom how sorry she was for ruining her best cream high heels on her first date with Steve, never able to hold Jonathan's hand, or wake up next to him. It hurt.
The creature had discovered her. She stared at it for a second, staring straight into the darkness and could only utter the words "fuck you, death." before she closed her eyes and fell back, the creature taking victory over her.

"Nancy? Nancy? Is it happening again?" Steve's voice pierced the edges of her dream. She awoke with a start.