teenage tragedy (Max Mayfield)

4. nine

The seven teenagers piled out of Steve's car outside the Creel house, staring up at the faded blue wood with boards covering the windows and doors. Cammie swallowed roughly, rocking on her feet nervously.

"Yeah, that's not creepy," Steve muttered.

"I would just like you all to know I don't feel good about this," Cammie said.

"None of us do," Robin said, putting her hand on Cammie's shoulder.

Cammie sighed and stepped forward, staring at the house.

"Let's go, then," Cammie said.

"Just, uh, for reference, what's your favourite song?" Lucas asked Cammie, following her towards the house.

"Forever Young. By Alphaville. 1984," Max said. "She's got the tape in her walkman ready," she added.

"That's the song you two danced to in your bedroom that night," Steve looked at Cammie.

She nodded.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

Max stepped to Cammie's side, squeezing her hand three times. Cammie looked at her. Max smiled.

"We're okay. You and me, forever, right?" Max whispered. Cammie squeezed her hand three times.

"Me and you, forever," Cammie agreed.

They walked up the path to the house, Steve and Nancy grabbing hammers from Dustin's bag to get the nails off the board covering the door.

"What exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?" Steve asked.

"We're not sure. We just know this house is important to Vecna," Nancy said.

"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soup mind world?" Steve asked.

"Basically," Nancy nodded. "And Cammie's been seeing a house in her nightmares. Could be this house," she added.

"Great," Steve muttered.

"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels. And how to stop him before he comes back for Max, and then Cammie," Dustin said.

"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asked.

"Guess we'll find out," Max said.

"Ready?" Steve said, grabbing the wooden board.

"Mm-hmm," Nancy nodded.

They pulled the wooden board back, letting it drop to the floor. They all stepped back, Cammie coughing when the dust blew into her face.

The door was the one from Max's drawings, which didn't make Cammie feel any better.

"It's locked. Should I knock, see if anybody's home?" Steve said, trying the doorhandle.

"No need. I found a key," Robin said, holding up a brick with a grin.

"Or I can do it," Cammie said.

"Bricks are more fun," Robin said, walking to the door and throwing the brick through the glass window.

Steve sighed and reached inside, opening the door from the other side. He pulled his arm free and pushed the door open, the other six following him inside.

It was dark and dusty inside, smelling of death, dust and rotting wood. It looked similar to the house in her nightmares, more destroyed and old, but still eerily similar.

"Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill," Lucas said.

Cammie, Max, Lucas, Dustin, Nancy and Robin all turned their flashlights on, making Steve look sharply at them.