𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬‚ 𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯

eleven

( season four: episode five: the nina project )

"NELLIE! WAKE UP, I SWEAR TO GOD! SHIT!"

Dustin shakes his sister, who lays unconscious on the floor. "Shit, shit, shit!" Steve props up her head. "Stay here! I'm getting the others!" He races off and Dustin pulls his sister up against the wall.

"Wake up! Nell, wake up!"

Her eyes remain shut, her face scrunched up like she's in pain. "This isn't real," she mutters. No more than a whisper. Dustin shakes her again. "What?"

With a gasp, Nell's eyes flutter open. Dustin launches himself at her. "Jesus Christ! What the shit? I thought you were going to die!" Nell weakly wraps her arms around her brother, eyes burning with tears she refuses to cry.

"I'm alive. Promise."

She ruffles his hair through his cap. Rapid footsteps accompany the others who burst through the doorway. "You look like shit," Steve mutters. Nell scoffs, a smile creeping onto her face nonetheless.

"Thanks, Steve. It's a miracle you don't have a girlfriend." He gives her a smile back, but it doesn't cover up the fact that he's worried. Nell can see that.

Max kneels beside her. "What did you see?" Nell sits up, and Dustin moves to sit at her side. "I didn't... it wasn't a vision." Nell winces, her chest heavy.

"He put himself in my memory. He— he put himself into my memory, and he..." she looks down at her hand. The back of it, is scraped up like she had run it through a rose bush.

"Did Vecna do that?" Nancy asked incredulously, looking to inspect the cuts. Nell stood, using the counter for support. "Let's just get this done and get out of here." Nancy gives her a look. "Nell—"

"She's right."

Everyone turns to look at Lucas. "The sooner we find what we're looking for, the sooner we can save Max, and Nell." He shines his flashlight around the walls. Max and I have already covered, like, half the upstairs." Max nods in agreement.

"So if we all just get this done already, we'll be that much closer to figuring this out."

Robin nods. "He's right. Everyone go back to looking, and if Nell starts... levitating or something, just yell." Everyone disappears their separate ways, leaving Dustin and Steve with Nell.

Nell stays close to the wall, as Steve and Dustin shine their lights around the living room, a few rooms down from the kitchen.

"You good?" Dustin looks at his sister, who's practically gripping the wall. "Mhm," Nell nods. "The room is just a bit... spinny." Steve shines his light on the ceiling.

"Could you clarify on what sorts of clues we're supposed to be looking for here?"

"The world is full of obvious things," Nell quotes. "Which nobody by any chance ever observes." Steve gives her a look. "Clearly you're still feeling fine enough to be a smartass." She grins.

"I'm always feeling good enough for that."

Steve nods. "Sherlock Holmes," Dustin announces proudly. "What?"