𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 ― s. harrington ² ✓

| nine

"You know, those things that I said yesterday, I . . . I didn't mean them," Nancy told him, and Serenity's eyebrows raised.

"I know," Jonathan responded.

"I don't think you're like those assholes. At all. I never have. I . . . I was just—"

"Angry? Which I still don't get. I mean, I was just completely, utterly, mortifyingly . . . wrong." He looked at Nancy. "Don't let that go to your head."

"I won't," Nancy said. "I just look forward to you never doubting me again."

Serenity slightly grinned at them. She really loved Nancy and Jonathan together.

And God, she missed Steve.

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Serenity followed after them, considering that that knew where they were going. However, this floor seemed eerily . . . quiet. There was even scattered papers on the floor, ones that suspiciously looked like someone had dropped them to run away. Serenity felt her stomach twist uncomfortably.

Finally, they stopped in front of a hospital room. Nancy pushed the door open, but the bed was completely empty, and a vase was overturned, flowers and water spilling out of it. Serenity's eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Where is she?" Jonathan inquired.

"I don't know," Nancy revealed.

"Is this the right room?" Serenity added.

"Yeah."

Suddenly, the lights started to flicker. Serenity felt her veins fill with fear as she looked up at them. The lights only flickered like this because of one thing — the Upside Down.

"She's gone home," a new voice stated, and Serenity whipped around, only to see Tom Holloway standing in the door. He was wiping his hands on his shirt, which immediately became stained with blood. "We were hoping you might come back."

"Whose blood is that?" Jonathan demanded as Tom walked into the room, slightly pushing Serenity and Nancy behind his back.

Serenity felt her heart race increase as Tom got closer and closer to them. She now suddenly regretted leaving the bat in the car.

"Tom, whatever you've done, it's not you," Nancy insisted. "He's making you do this."

Jonathan then grabbed the vase on the table in his hands and smashed it against Tom's head. It shattered into pieces and Tom slumped against the wall.

"Go!" Jonathan shouted.

He grabbed Nancy's hand, who in turn grabbed Serenity's hand. The three of them instantly sprinted out of the room. However, they stopped in the hallway, only to see another man standing there, also covered in blood. He looked just as insane as Tom had.

The man put his blood-stained hand to his head, the veins on his face turning black. "Owie."

"Who is that?" Serenity asked.

"Bruce," Nancy breathed out.

He advanced on them, too. Jonathan turned around and gently pushed the two girls forwards.

"Go, go, go!" Jonathan yelled.

Serenity let go of Nancy's hand and ripped open the door to the staircase. She pushed her way through and Nancy followed, the two starting to race down the stairs. Jonathan stopped by the door, slamming it shut in Bruce's face.

"Run!" Nancy called to Jonathan.

The three of them sped down the stairs. Serenity breathed heavily from running, and from fear, and from being totally exhausted. They reached another door to a new floor and opened it. Serenity sprinted down the hallway, her eyes widening in horror that the sight of dead nurses and doctors on the floor covered in blood. The door opened behind them, and she glanced back, seeing Bruce following after them.