𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 [𝐬.𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱

Nancy and Laurie, hand in hand, run through the unknown forest calling out for Jonathan. "Jonathan! Jonathan!" Both girls scream out as their voices echo through the air. They're covered in goo, but it's the least of their worries as they try to keep away from whatever monster they saw earlier.

The girls can hear Jonathan's voice in the distance like an echo. "Jonathan, where are you?" Nancy screams while tightening her grip on Laurie's hand. Heavy breathing is the only sound besides the girls calling out for the Byers boy as they look around but do not stay in one place too long.

"Nancy, Laurie! I'm right here! Just follow my voice." His voice is very distant, but the girls follow the voice as they continue to call out his name. Laurie looks over into an opening of trees and sees a monster looking over at her. She squeals before running in the opposite direction with Nancy right by her side.

The girls hide behind a large tree. Their breathing is shallow and quiet as they wait for the monster to walk past. Laurie holds her breath when she hears it getting closer and squeezes her eyes shut, praying this is all one big nightmare. Jonathan's voice is the closest, and it's coming from the tree across them.

Before they can even think of moving, the monster growls again. Once the monster walks away a bit, they sneak over to the opening. "Go, go." Laurie whispers to Nancy, but the Wheeler girl shakes her head no, "You go. I got you in this mess." The two girls have a small stand-off before Laurie pushes Nancy's arm through the opening. "Laurie!" She screams but gets pulled through the other side, hopefully by Jonathan.

She looks over her shoulder to see that the monster has stopped. It slowly turns to her, then roars. "Nancy, Jonathan!" she screams as she tries to go through the opening, and it's tight. She feels two pairs of hands pull her through, and she lands on the forest floor, panting hard.

Nancy pulls her into a hug as some tears fall. Both girls sit there in each other's arms as they let the whole situation process. They went into some unknown world, got chased by a monster, and now are back home. "Let's go home," Laurie whispers against Nancy's hair.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Once alone in her room, the oldest Henderson sits on her bed with her knees to her chest as Def Leppard plays softly on her record player. Since she's been home, the last few minutes have been a silent cry fest. She's never been this emotional before, but it seems as if being in a life-or-death situation makes her tear up a bit.

She could have died, and her best friend could have died. That monster didn't know sympathy, pain, or any human emotion, maybe anger. Her holder of daggers is hung up next to her jacket. Her eyes don't leave them as she starts to berate herself. She should have used one or two back there! That's why she brought them, but she was too scared. She was a wimp.

Laying her forehead against her knees, she sighs softly. If you had told her three months ago that this would be her life, she would think you needed to see Eddie Munson and join his Hellfire Club. But, instead, it's something straight out of D&D or some fantasy novel her brother tried to get her to read.