WARNING: DO NOT ENGAGE [stranger things] [1/2]

XXIV - Hellfire

"Hellfire, hellfire

Take my soul

I've waited, waited

And I'm ready to go"

•  

"Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your god. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Pastor Charles read out. Rosemary felt odd, staring at the coffin she knew contained no body. As horrific as it sounded, she could smell the lack of it, which just solidified what was going on even more. So she knew she shouldn't be upset, but it was watching Joyce Byers mourn for a boy who wasn't even dead that struck her uncomfortably.

She looked down to the boys in front of her when Dustin nudged Lucas and Mike, pointing to a young blonde girl. "Just wait 'till we tell Will that Jennifer Hayes was crying at his funeral." Karen gently shushed them (thankfully not hearing what was said), and Rosemary let out an inaudible sigh. Susanita beside her was gently wiping away tears, and there were people who barely even knew the Byers in general crying. It was a wonder what tragedy could do, she supposed.

"Don't cry, Dear. You are only becoming stronger." The man soothed the young girl.

"I hurt him!" She cried out, hands buried in her hair as she cried over the animal before her. It had claw marks all over, lying lifelessly on the ground. The room and her hospital gown were stained red with her horrors.

"It's what you're meant to do, Nine."

It's what you're meant to do.

She didn't want to talk to Joyce or Lonny, as selfish as it may seem. She didn't want to feed into their grievances as everyone passed them with their offers of support. So instead, she wandered over to where Nancy and Jonathan had hidden away to no doubt talk about the 'monster'.

"And that's the woods where they found Wills bike... and that's my house..."

"It's all so close." Neither of them had noticed Rosemary leaning on the fence nearby.

"Yeah. Exactly." Jonathan nodded, and she peered over their shoulders to see the map they were looking at, and the three red crosses marked out. They weren't honestly thinking about going out there, were they? "I mean, it's all within a mile or something." Of course they were. "Whatever this thing is... it's not travelling far."

"You want to go out there?" Rosemary interrupted. They both whipped around to look at her, and Nancy fixed her with an icy stare.

"How- how long were you there?" Jonathan asked as she moved to sit on his other side.

"Long enough." She shrugged. She took the map from him and looked it over. "You might not find anything, but... you also might."

"I found something." Nancy nodded in agreement, still giving Rosemary a weary look. "And if we do see it... then what?" She looked between Jonathan and Rosemary. Jonathan sighed, and looked from Nancy to Rosemary and then back to Nancy. "We kill it." He said decidedly. Nancy nodded, looking past himt o Rosemary, who shrugged in agreement and handed the map back.

"For once, I agree." She nodded.