Ahoy? | Steve Harrington

chapter five: The Nina Project

"This is what I saw, or rather where I was, when I was Vecna'd. Or whatever we're calling it," Max explained, "I thought it would be easier to draw it out than explain it, but... not so much."

"Is that...?" It looked like people trapped in trees or something.

"It was like they were on display," Max said, "And then there was this red fog everywhere."

"Like a dream," I whispered. Was that actually a dream or was I cursed?

"Do you guys think Vecna is just trying to scare you?" Nancy asked us.

"No way, what happened with Max was real. It was exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy when she died," I shook my head, "Besides, if he was just trying to scare us wouldn't he have done the same to me yet? This is antagonizing, waiting for my death. Not scary."

"Well, that's morbid," Dustin said, sitting down with his plate of pancakes.

"It was weird though. When I made it here," Max pointed to the drawings, "It was different. He seemed surprised, almost. Like he didn't want me there."

"Maybe you infiltrated his mind," Dustin shrugged, "He invaded your mind, right? Is it that big of a leap to suggest you somehow wound up in his? Like Freddie Krueger's boiler room."

"Freddie Kruger?" Holly asked.

"He's a super burned-up dude with razors for fingers, and he kills you in your dreams," Dustin explained to the 6-year-old who has a terrified expression.

"Dustin! Seriously?" Nancy yelled.

"It's fake," I told the small girl.

"Sorry, it's a movie. It's not real," Dustin turned his attention back to Max, "What if you somehow unlocked a backdoor to Vecna's world? Like, maybe the answer we're looking for is somewhere i this incredible vague drawing."

"But is it really vague?" I questioned, "Didn't Will make these kinds of drawings from his visions, like, all the time? And they always connected to something. We really need Will."

"I tried calling, but the line is busy still," Max sighed.

Nancy looked at one of the drawings, "Is this a window?"

"Yeah," Max nodded.

"Stained glass with roses," Nancy looked at it closer.

"Yeah," Max turned to Dustin with a taunting tone, "See? I'm not so terrible after all."

"Yeah, well, it helps that I've seen it before," Nancy began putting the papers together like a puzzle.

"Told you the drawings weren't vague," This time it was me who turned to Dustin with the taunting tone as Nancy began to form the shape of a house with the papers.

"It's pieces of a house," Max stared at the paper.

"Not just any house," Nancy outlined some more things and then places the stain glass window/door on the 'house', "It's Victor Creel's house."

"Where are you going?" Dustin asked Nancy and I as we began walking back to the basement.

"Waking the others," Nancy told him.

"And I'm getting my Walkman," I followed Nancy, Dustin then got out of his seat to follow us. I ran down the stairs as Nancy woke Lucas and Steve up and got my Walkman and my Queen cassette. Just in case.

.

The tires of the car screeched as Nancy came to an abrupt stop. We all climbed out of the car and I stared up at the house. It was huge, and definitely would have been beautiful if it was in good condition. I did get an uneasy feeling, however, the closer we got to the door which caused me to clutch the Walkman in the pocket of my windbreaker. Steve noticed and gave my hand a q quick squeeze.