landslide

v.

「five」

NANCY'S SHOT IN THE dark was at the public library. She explained the full story of how she spoke with Eddie's uncle - Wayne Munson - during the ten-minute drive to the library. 

He was insistent that his nephew was no murderer. Insistent. Wayne Munson had his own theory as to what happened in the trailer. He believed a murderer from almost three centuries ago had broken out of Pennhurst Asylum and was now running a rampage in Hawkins. It was a loose theory. 

Victor Creel was his name. The Creel murders of '59 were eerily similar to what happened to Chrissy. Broken limbs, no eyes. Terrible, and familiar. 

It was loose ad unsupported. But Wayne fully believed his theory, and Nancy did too. 

"Wait, so let me get this straight. Eddie's uncle Wayne thinks that Victor Creel escaped from Pennhurst Asylum and that he's the one running around Hawkins committing all these murders?" Robin asked as they walked up the concrete steps to the library.

Nancy sighed. This was the third time she had asked for clarification. "Pretty much."

Robin slowed down her pace. "But Victor committed the eyeball murders way back in the fifties?"

"'59," Eliza muttered.

They entered the building, the older wooden doors creaking every time one of the girls put a hand on it. Eliza tripped over the small ledge in the doorway. The librarian wasn't at the front desk. Nancy rang the bell, and Robin spoke over it.

"So that means these murders predate Eleven and the Upside Down by about thirty years," she concluded. Nancy nodded. "So that makes spooky Victor Creel about seventy years old."

"Yep." Nancy rang again.

"So he's a grandpa murderer who can turn invisible and throw people into the air..." Robin muttered.

Eliza smirked, glad to be standing behind the two. Nancy was clearly ready to walk out on Robin after ten minutes. Eliza didn't fancy Nancy knowing she shared Robin's same concerns about her theory.

"It doesn't make sense. I know. That's why it's a shot in the dark." Nancy rang a third time.

Robin turned to lean on her elbow against the desk. "Yeah, but I thought that you were being modest, or you had something solid hidden up your sleeve that you were gonna wow us with later," she said. Nancy rang twice more. "But this isn't only a shot in the dark. We're literally snipers who have been blindfolded and spun around three times."

Nancy repeatedly hit the bell until the librarian merged from the office with a stack of books in her arms. "Coming! Sorry for the wait!"

"Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush," Nancy explained. "Can we have the keys to the basement archives?"

"Sure. Just give me one second..." The librarian stepped away, sorting through the keys hanging around her neck.

Robin turned on Nancy again. Her arm flailed out and nearly hit Eliza. "Did I come off mean or condescending?" She asked. Nancy shook her head. "Right... but you seem annoyed with me. You don't know me very well. I don't really have a filter or a strong grasp of social cues! So if I say something that seems insensitive, just know that I know it's a flaw. Believe me, my mother reminds me daily!"

Nancy scrunched her nose. "Got it."

"It's okay. I don't either," Eliza assured Robin. The other girl smiled at her.