𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬‚ 𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯

seven

( season 4: episode four : dear billy )

"WHY IS IT THAT breaking into a school counselor's office at night feels like the most normal thing I've done in days," Nell asks, as she hurries down the dark hallway sandwiched between Steve and Dustin.

Nancy and Robin were supposed to be finishing at the library, while Steve, Nell, and Dustin were using the keys Max had pocketed from Ms. Kelley's house to snatch Chrissy's file.

"Anyone copy?" The walkie-talkie under Nell's arm crackles to life. She shuffles her flashlight around and pulls out the antenna.

"Yeah, I copy."

"So, Nancy's a genius," Robin starts. "Vecna's first victims date all the way back to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bulls eye."

"That's amazing, but we're a little preoccupied." Nell follows Steve around a dark corner. "Wait— what are you doing?"

"Breaking and entering a high school to retrieve extremely personal and confidential files. The usual." She runs into Dustin, whose glare she can feel in the darkness. "Jesus," she mutters.

"Just get your ass over here, stat." Dustin replies, grabbing the radio from Nell and slamming the antenna down. Nell puts her hands up in surrender. "Dude, what are you so pissed about today."

Steve nudges her shoulder. "Is it about my tooth comment?" He whispers. Nell shakes her head. "No, he's mad at me for something. He always acts like an ass when he's mad at me." Dustin sighs.

"I heard that!"

Nell groans. "Congratulations, Dus. You've got ears. Has anybody seen Max?"

"Down here!"

The three hurry down the hall towards the now-open door marked KELLEY, flashlight beams bouncing off the walls.

Nell and Max go right for the file cabinet as Steve and Dustin swing their lights around the room. "Holy shit," Max mutters. Nell leans over. "What?"

Max pulls out Chrissy's file. Nell looks through her drawer. "Double holy shit." Now everyone looks at her. "Fred was seeing Ms. Kelley too." She waves the file in the air, propping up her flashlight to get a look.

As she flips through the pages, she turns to look at the other girl, who is suddenly silent. "Uh... Max?"

Her eyes are closed, and she is completely still. Nell sets her file down and shakes her gently. "Max!" She waves a hand in front of her face, and Steve and Dustin take notice.

Steve looks at Nell. "What the hell?" Nell continues to shake her. "It's like she—she's asleep or something." Dustin joins Nell in attempting to wake her up. "Max! Hey! Wake up!"

Her eyes snap open, and she gasps. "Are you alright?" She nods, and takes a breath, while Steve walks over to Nell. "What the hell was that?" Nell gives him a worried look. "This is exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy."

Minutes later, Max is leading them to the end of the hallway, where Nell, Steve, Nancy and Robin, who have just returned from the library point their flashlights at an empty wall.

"It was here. Right here."

"The grandfather clock?" Nell asks. She nods. "It was — it was in the wall." Nancy turns off her flashlight. "In the wall?" Max turns to face the group.

"That's not even the bad part."

__

"Okay, let's look at this logically. Fred and Chrissy both came to Ms. Kelley for help, they both had headaches, nightmares, and..." Nell looks at the files side by side.