𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 || 𝘔𝘈𝘟 𝘔𝘈𝘠𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘓𝘋

38. splitting up

"But El isn't here." Stephanie argues. "We would be dead right now if it weren't for her."

Eddie gives a look of confusion. "We usually rely on this girl who has super powers. But, uh, those went bye-bye, so..."

Stephanie scrunches her nose.

"So we're technically in more of the-"

"-Brainstorming phase." Max tries and looks to Robin for approval

Steve snaps his fingers. "Brainstorming. Yes."

"There...There's nothing to worry about." Dustin splutters.

Dustin leaves the group in silence, until sirens come wailing by the house.

"Oh, shit." Steve whispers.

"Tarp!" Robin points to the boat. "Tarp. Tarp."

Eddie dives under the tarp, with help from Stephanie with covering everything.

Everyone else runs towards the increasing sound of sirens and see...firetrucks? Firetrucks wouldn't come for Eddie.

"Let's follow them." Steve pants, already almost halfway out the door.

Once they get into the car and follow the firetrucks, Stephanie sees almost ten police cars and a shit ton of ambulances. But the only thing she really notices is Nancy talking with the Chief, looking as though she's about to cry as she notices her friends exiting the car.

————

༺♥༻ Nancy, Steve, Robin, Dustin, Max, and Stephanie are sitting at a picnic table in the trailer park exchanging information.

Stephanie looks over her shoulder at the caution tape wrapped around Eddie's trailer.

All she can think of is who would do something like this? To Chrissy? To anyone? It was something definitely beyond everyone's comprehension.

Nancy is still determined to figure it out herself, though. "So, you're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?"

Fred is Vecna's second victim and counting. He was apparently friends with Nancy, but even though Stephanie only knew Fred as the second grader who peed his pants on the school bus, she still knew that Nancy definitely does not seem the type to be friends with him.

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse." Dustin squints, unsure of his own words. "Now whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know."

Stephanie scoffs. "A spell?" She looks around, realizing she created a pretty awkward silence. "This isn't Dungeons and Dragons, Dustin. If Vecna is attacking with a spell then it won't be rainbows and glitter." She pauses, thinking of the right words. "It could be something like a...a sickness, what if Chrissy and Fred had something like symptoms before they got killed?"

"But why Fred and Chrissy?" Nancy asks to the table, probably directing it to Stephanie as she seems to have all the answers at the moment.

Stephanie shrugs. "I don't know, I don't work here."

Nancy ignores Stephanie's joke, indicating that it's definitely not an appropriate time and continues with her questions. "I mean, why them?"