"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Nine was one of the human experiments at Hawkins N...
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Nine sat, holding her knees to her chest in the corner of the pristine, white room. She knew what was coming. Men in white coats were going to were going take her out of the room and into the chamber, where she would die. Nine already knew this as she had overheard the men talking about it. She observed the room, trying to take in each detail of her life. She traced the inky, black number that lied beneath her skin. 09, they read. Nine guessed it was her age or it was an identifier.
She knew that she had disappointed the scientists. They wanted her to do things that she could not do. Or rather, that she didn't want to do. They wanted her to listen to powerful people and find out secrets. Nine did not really understand what the scientists wanted with the information; after all, they were only scientists and had no use for government secrets. If only Nine knew that the men who she called scientists weren't who they said they were.
Nine's head shot up as the metal door slammed open. Two men walked towards her, grabbing her arms. Nine went with them willingly, waiting for the right moment. She walked with her head down, trying to conceal her give away, her eyes. The always glowed green when she used her... abilities. The men lead her down the hallway, Nine counting the men she saw and the steps along the way. Eventually, they arrived at the metal door. Nine closed her eyes as tears threatened to fall. The men began to push her towards the door, Nine fighting against them. She stuck her feet to the floor, trying all she could to delay her death. Her feet left small diverts in the floor, unnoticed by the three. Screams began to come from the girl as the men picked her up to throw her into the chamber. One of the men opened the door while the other forced Nine inside. As they began to close the door, a bright light began to emit from Nine's skin. The light grew stronger and stronger, forcing the men to close their eyes. But when they opened them again, the screaming, crying, fighting girl was gone.
~~~~~
AS Nine opened her eyes, she expected to see nothingness. But out of all the possibilities that could have popped into Nine's mind about what the afterlife was, a dark and dreary forest was the last thing she could think of. Nine stood up and looked around. The forest reeked of decay and everything that Nine touched seemed to crumble into dust. Slime and cobwebs were draped over every tree and a mixture of dust and snow fell from the sky. Nine shivered as she wrapped her arms around her, longing for the warmth of the laboratory.
Nine wondered around the forest, picking at a few overripe berries she had found. They held a sweet but tart flavour, but Nine relished in the nourishment. Eventually, Nine found a small shack. A few sticks held up blankets and a tarp that was draped over everything. The same slime covered the shack, but it seemed warmer than everything else in the forest. Nine lifted one of the blankets, seeing warm blankets and pillows covering the forest floor. Nina looked at the top of the shack, where a wooden board had been hammered to the top. Someone had painted the words "Castle Byers" on the board, clearly claiming the shack.
Nine looked around for anybody, but it seemed like she was alone in the decaying forest. Nine stepped into Castle Byers and lay down on the soft pillows. She pulled one of the blankets up to her chin, deciding that the shack would be a good place to rest for the night. When the owner of Castle Byers came to their shack, Nine would leave, but until then, any shelter was a good shelter.
~~~~~
And Castle Byers became Nine's home for the three years she spent alone in the Upside Down. She spent her days hiding from the monster that plagued her and scavenging for any food she could find. Over the years, her skin became paler, making the black 09 stick out more. Her shaved head grew out into thick, dirty, brown hair. Out of everything about being in the Upside Down, her hair was Nine's favourite thing and she combed her fingers through it every day. Eventually, Nine grew into a pattern with the Upside Down. When it was colder, she would sleep and when it was warmer, she would scavenge. Things were fine for Nine, although it was lonely. But everything changed when Nine found a boy.
