Eleven and Twelve (Percy Jackson and Stranger Things Crossover) (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly V

The porch swing creaks as the subtle wind blows past on the landscape of a darkening sky. Inside the Byers' house, stands Joyce smoking a cigarette. Her eyes are closed as she inhales the nicotine.

Her eyes fly open as she hears Max whine while he stares at something to her left. The sounds of lights turning on are faint and Joyce ignores them, staring absent-mindedly as she continues her smoke. Max barks again, to get his owner's attention. Joyce's attention is quick as she sees the lights. She quickly puts out the cigarette and pokes her head around the doorframe, and looking inside, she sees the christmas light blinking.

They blink and turn on, all of them leading to the same spot in her living room, the one behind the cupboard. Routinely, they lead her, and she follows curiously and cautiously, craning her neck up to see the lights. She looks around multiple times, when she finally pinpoints the spot. She hastily pushes over the shelf in front of the cupboard, and she opens the doors.

The cupboard isn't a cupboard, more like a storage space embedded into the wall, she peers inside, but realizes that there are no lights blinking inside.

She grabs a bundle of lights from a cardboard box and sits inside the small space, holding the lights in her hands. She sits, knees to her chest, hands tangled in wires, and closes her eyes. She sniffles.

"Will... are you here?" She whispers into the silence.

The lights shine and brighten in response.

She breathes out in relief, "Ah... okay, okay, good, good, good." The lights dim back to a darkness.

"Are you-" She stops and rethinks her sentence. "Blink once for yes and twice for no. Can you do that for me sweetie?"

The lights blink once. "Oh. Good boy, good boy."

Tears drip down her face as she speaks, "Baby... I need to know. Are you alive?" The lights brighten once. She stares up in relief, as if thanking a higher being.

"Are you safe?" She says, softly.

The lights blink once.

Twice.

She kneads the lights in her hands worriedly. "I need to know where to find you, honey. Where- where are you? Can you... can you tell me where you are? Can you... Please baby, I need to know where to find you. Tell me what to do." Her voice shakes and cracks, "Please... just..."

The lights are dead, and there is no warmth coming from the lights.

"Will."

No light. She sniffles and tilts her head up, wondering what she did to deserve this.

-

The paint can lid clatters as it hits the ground, the paint can opener sits in her hand as she stands on her couch.

She dips a paintbrush into the black paint and paints something on the wall, under a corresponding lightbulb.

A.

B.

C.

D.

-

Karen stirs something in a bowl as her daughter walks into the house. The door slams and not looking up she asks her daughter, "Hey, you're home early. How was the game?"

She receives no response and motherly instincts kick in, understanding that something is wrong. Nancy looks at her mom before looking around the house to see if anyone was home.

"Nancy? What's the matter?"

Nancy's face is more clear as she walks towards her mom. Her voice is shaky as she sounds out,

"It's Barb. I think... something happened." Her face is wet for the most part tears and sweat on her face, and her mouth is slanted down in stress, sadness and nervousness. She sniffs, "Something... terrible."