010 & 011-Elmax

30

-This chapter takes place during the beginning of S4E8: Papa-

—Hawkins, Indiana—

—Third Person—

The brown-haired man wipes away any residue from the tattoo he inked onto young Henry Creel's skin as Nancy watches in disbelief.

"There, that wasn't so bad was it?" the man asks. "There's nothing to be afraid of... is there Nancy?" The man slowly twists his head towards Nancy, his eyes covered in a grayish-blue film. The whole image pulls a gasp from Nancy's lips. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Nancy bolts down the corridor, not waiting to see what Vecna has planned for her. She makes a sharp turn to only be met with countless bodies of dead children in hospital gowns, all of them with shaved heads. Confusion clouds her mind. This isn't one of her memories. Mar described these living nightmares as if it's her own trauma Vecna was using against her. This definitely has nothing to do with Nancy. This isn't even from the variety of night terrors she's gotten over the years. What's even stranger is that none of these kids are Eleven. There's nothing here that's even remotely related to Nancy.

She doesn't ponder much longer as she hears the heavy steps of Vecna and keeps running. She reaches the exit but it's boarded up. She doesn't take a moment more to think and yanks off the boards one by one. Even when Vecna approaches her from behind, calling her name, she doesn't let the fear building up in the pit of her stomach stop her. Nancy refuses to be another Chrissy.

"Nancy, what are you doing?" Vecna asks. Nancy turns around to look at the monster walking towards her. "It's not time for you to leave."

Nancy turns back around to yank the planks off of the door. One left.

"Now that you've seen where I've been..." — this is HIS memories, Nancy realizes, a newfound fear of the Upside Down monster filling her. Did he kill all of these kids? — "I would like, very much, to show you where I am going."

Nancy pulls the last piece of wood off of the door and runs straight through, only to end up in the same room she started in. Impossible. She looks the man who's still standing there in the eye as tears build up.

"Take a seat , Nancy."

The lights flicker off for a moment and Nancy can hear nothing but the sound of her heavy breathing. The lights surge back on and she is in the same chair the man was using to tattoo Henry. Unlike Henry however, she is bound to the chair by vines. She tries to struggle free but it's no use.

Suddenly, Vecna appears in front of her and stalks closer. He leans in front of Nancy, his face hovering not even half a foot above her's.

"I... want you to tell Eleven," he says, raising his hand above her face. "I want you to tell her everything you see."

"NO!" Nancy screams. "NO!" She unsuccessfully tries to pull away from him.

Horrifying images flash in her mind. The ground breaking, the Creel House splitting into two, Hawkins being taken over by monsters and darkness.

Just as quickly as it started, it ends. Nancy collapses to the ground and is quickly caught by strong arms.

"It's okay, I'm here," Steve says, holding her, and she just lets him.

—Somewhere in Nevada——Max's POV—

"How far is Nina from Vegas?" Will asks Mike.