Don't You Want Me? ✵ Steve Harrington

Chapter 62

"Of course," Nancy nodded quickly, getting more and more worried about where this was going.

Kim shook her head in dismay, trying to play along. "Such a little kiss up."

"Yeah, I know right. Little Petey McHew started sobbing right there on the spot, full-on hyperventilating. And all the other campers couldn't sleep for weeks. And I couldn't either, not cause I was scared, but because I was obsessed with the question: 'What would drive a human being to commit such unimaginable acts?' Other kids wanted to be astronauts, basketball players, rock stars. But I wanted to be you. I wanted to be you. So, forgive me if I'll now try anything in my power, including wearing this ridiculous outfit, if I might get the chance to speak to the man that ignited my passion and learn a little bit more about how his twisted, but let's face it, totally fascinating mind works. So, yes, we don't have the official paperwork, but don't you dare tell me that cry-baby Petey McHew wouldn't have gotten an audience with Victor in a matter of moments if he'd asked politely, because you and I both know that he would."

Kim pressed her lips together to keep from smiling at Robin's impressive rambling. "So... ten minutes with Victor. Please and thank you."

•••••

"These are our gardens," Dr. Hatch smiled pleasantly as he showed them around. "Beautiful, aren't they? We allow them two hours of outside time a day."

"Can't they just escape?" Kim asked, thinking that that's what she'd do.

"They could," Hatch agreed. "But the vast majority choose to be here. They like it here." He continued to lead them through the asylum, explaining things as they went. "This is one of our more popular areas. The listening room. We found that music has a particularly calming effect on the broken mind. The right song, particularly one which holds some personal meaning, can prove a salient stimulus. But there are those who are beyond a cure."

As they walked down the stairs to the criminal ward Nancy asked, "Dr. Hatch, do you think it might be possible for us to speak to Victor alone?"

"Alone?" he asked, sounding a bit suspicious.

"I-I think that we would just love the challenge of speaking with Victor without the safety net of an expert such as yourself," Kim clarified.

Robin nodded in agreement. "Then we could really rub it in Professor Bradley's face when we get back to campus."

"Professor Bradley?" Hatch asked, gray eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't believe I know a Professor Bradley."

"Brantley," Nancy said abruptly, trying not to sound panicked. "Sh-she meant to say Brantley."

"Didn't I say Brantley? What did I say? Sorry, silly me. Words, letters" Robin tried to laugh it off, but they could tell Hatch wasn't totally buying it. "Guess I'm just nervous. I mean, excited. So excited to speak with Victor, preferably, as she said, alone?"

He studied them through narrow eyes for a minute before nodding. "Yes. Why not? You've caught me in a rebellious mood."

The trio giggled, putting on their most innocent school girl act.

"And there's something rather urgent I need to check on anyway, so," he checked his watch. "Sure." He turned to the nearby security guard. "Keep a close eye on them."

The girls choruses thank yous as Dr. Hatch walked back up the stairs.

Taking deep breaths, the girl followed behind the guard into the criminal ward. The hallway was long, and dark, and damp, and smelled of something awful. At the end of the eerie hallway was Victor Creel, his back turned to them.

"Victor," the guard said in a taunting voice, clanking his batton against the metal bars of the cell. "Today's your lucky day! You got visitors, real pretty ones." He turned back to the three girls and shrugged. "He must be in one of his moods. Have fun," he chuckled before walking back to the other end of the hallway.

"Victor?" Nancy asked cautiously. "My name is Nancy, Nancy Wheeler. And these are my friends, Robin Buckley and Kim Henderson. We have some questions."

"I don't talk to reporters. Hatch knows that," Creel said angrily.

"We're not reporters," Kim reassured him. "We're here because... we believe you."

Nancy nodded even though Victor was still turned away from them. "And because we need your help."

"Whatever killed your family, we think it's back," Robin added.

Victor turned around so they could finally see his face in the light. Kim was glad he couldn't see the expressions of shock on their faces. Where his eyes should have been were scratch marks and eyelids sealed shut with scabs and puss.

Nancy recovered first and started to explain their theories about Vecna, what was going on with Max, and the gruesome deaths in Hawkins that were identical to his family's. "When he attacked, our friend described it as a trance. Like a waking nightmare. That's why we think he's coming for her next. Does any of this, anything we've told you sound like what happened to your family? Victor? I know this is hard–"

"You don't know anything!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"You're right," Kim conceded. "We don't know. That's why we're here. To learn, to understand."

"We need to know how you survived that night," Robin finally said.

He chuckled darkly. "Survived? Is that what you call this? Did I survive? No, I assure you, I am still very much in hell."

He started from the beginning; the new house, how wonderful it was to have a fresh start. His bright, joyful daughter and his odd, sensitive son. The way strange things started happening and mutilated animals started the show up. He was convinced it was the work of the devil when he saw visions of his experience from the war. He painted the horrible picture of his wife seeing hundreds of spiders and all of them having awful headaches and nightmares. His tale ended with his wife and daughter dead, his son later dying in a coma, and the only thing that brought Mr. Creel back from the same fate was, according to him, the voice of an angel.

"I tried to join them," he said, his voice growing tight as he rocked himself back and forth. "I tried! But Hatch stopped the bleeding. He wouldn't let me join them." He laid down on his cott in the fedal passion, humming to himself.

"The angel you followed, who was she?" Nancy asked, trying to put the pieces together. "Victor? Victor!"

The door at the end of the hallway slammed open, startling the three girls. "Is he everything you hoped he would be?" Dr. Hatch asked, three guards following behind him. "I just had a very interesting conversation with Professor Brantley. Perhaps we should discuss it in my office while we wait for the police."