Me, Myself, and Her

Chapter Sixty-Two

Chapter Sixty-Two: Question...?

They were silent as they stood and stared at the glowing chandelier. It wasn't a steady glow, though. It almost had a pulse, which didn't make Annie feel very comfortable. What was worse? It was already pitch black outside.

Nancy was the one to break the silence. "It's like the Christmas lights," she whispered, not taking her eyes off the chandelier.

"The Christmas lights?" Robin asked in a whisper, voicing Annie and Max's question.

"Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down, the lights... came to life," she explained.

"Vecna's here. In this house. Just, on the other side," Lucas concluded. It made sense. He had to be standing there for the light to work. Why? Annie didn't care to know. She knew too much already.

It went quiet, and they all watched the light turn off. They were in pitch blackness. "I think he just left the room," Robin commented.

"Did he hear us?" Max asked, looking around.

"Can he see us?" Steve asked as well. He then looked over at Annie, who had removed her headphones and paused her music when the kids told them about the lights. "Headphones!"

Annie looked at him, then nodded quickly. If Vecna was here, they were in plenty of danger. No need to toy with that. She put the headphones back over her ears and clicked play on her music. Bonnie Tyler filled her ears once more.

"Wait, wait," Nancy said. "Everyone turn off your flashlights and spread out."

They all did, ignoring Steve's weak protest in the background. He followed along with the others, rather begrudgingly, and kept Annie in his eyesight at all times.

They crept around, making very slow footsteps to avoid creaking floorboards that would give them away.

"I got him!" Robin yelled. "Got him!" Annie's head snapped in the direction of the noise and she hurried off, Steve steps behind her.

When they all ran into the room, they could see Robin's flashlight lit up, but it was already dimming. When it went out, she said, "I- I had him?"

But then, Steve's lit up. "Oh- whoa." They all looked at it and then he started to walk. "He's moving! I think he's moving."

Without question he group followed Steve to see where Vecna was going. They went up the stairs, quickly walking and keeping up with Vecna.

Until they got to the last platform, where Steve's flashlight went out. "I lost him," he said, disappointed.

But Annie looked over and saw something glowing under the bottom of the door. "No, you didn't," she replied, moving toward the door. She pushed it opened to reveal a light glowing inside.

Annie went in first, Steve and Max side by side walking right behind her. The others came in after, Robin not the most pleased about it being an attic they were going in. Annie always thought basements were creepier.

"Hold up, guys, what if he's leading us into a trap?" Dustin asked from the bottom. "Guys! Guys! Shit shit shit..."

The singular light bulb in the center of the room was going nuts. It was glowing bright, but pulsing so much faster than the others had been.

"Flashlights," Dustin said. Annie looked down at hers and noticed it was on. Around the room, everyone's was glowing.

They gathered around the center, flashlights pointed up at the light bulb. "Okay, what's happening?" Steve asked, definitely freaked out.