ACE OF HEARTS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE: THIS IS
ONLY THE BEGINNING
HOLDING AN ICE PACK GENTLY ON HER bruised throat, Cassie Harrington gazed out of her living room window. One by one, she watched as her neighbors packed up their belongings and moved out of their houses. Since the earthquake hit, almost every single Hawkins resident decided that it wasn't safe to live there anymore. And honestly, nobody blamed them.
"Check it out, Steve," Cassie called to her brother, pointing across the street. "Looks like the Peterson's are leaving, too."
"Really?" Steve asked, moving beside her and peeking through the window. "Wow, that was quick."
"I wonder how many others have left..." Cassie trailed off, turning around to face the boy seated on the living room couch. "Hey, Mike, turn on the TV."
Nodding, Mike Wheeler reached out for the television remote and pushed the power button. Advancing back into the living room, Cassie Harrington took a seat beside him on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder.
As the static hissed, the television screen grew clear and a news reporter appeared. At the sound of the news, Steve, Eddie, Nancy, Robin, and Dustin made their way over to the couch to join the others. As Mike turned the volume up, the reporter's voice spoke loudly towards them.
"It's been less than 48 hours since a 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the quaint town of Hawkins, 80 miles outside of Indianapolis, in an event that seismologists are calling a natural disaster of near-unprecedented scale. The death toll now stands at 22. But with hundreds more filling Roane County hospitals and many more still missing, officials expect those numbers to rise."
"Jesus," Cassie muttered, pulling her head off of Mike's shoulder and gluing her eyes onto the television screen.
As the reporter continued to speak, the camera panned over several burning buildings, injured citizens, and emergency vehicles. It was no secret. The town of Hawkins was in absolute chaos.
"This is only the latest tragedy to befall this once-safe town. Most recently, a string of high school students were killed in a series of ritualistic murders, which have been linked to a local satanic cult known as Hellfire. Eddie Munson, the leader of this cult and prime suspect in the murders, has been missing since the earthquake and is presumed dead."
Seated on the couch, Eddie Munson let out a sigh as a picture of his face flashed onto the screen.
"But this offers little comfort to the people of Hawkins, who are scared, angry, and searching for answers. Why their town? What have they done to deserve so much suffering? A growing chorus believes the two recent tragedies are linked, claiming the Munson murders opened a doorway between worlds. A doorway, they say, into hell itself."
"Munson murders," Eddie Munson mocked, shaking his head. "I mean, it has a nice ring to it."
"What are we going to do?" Mike Wheeler asked the group, sitting up in his seat. "I mean, are we just going to sit here until we figure out a plan?"
"I guess so," Cassie answered, shrugging her shoulders. "There's not really anywhere else we could go. They still think the Hellfire Club is responsible for this."
Suddenly, the sound of a revving engine filled Cassie Harrington's ears, signaling an approaching vehicle. Lifting an eyebrow, the girl skeptically moved back towards the living room window, peaking through the blinds to see who it was. Narrowing her gaze, Cassie was quickly able to spot a bright yellow van moving through the trees. As it grew closer, the girl was able to make out the words Surfer Boy Pizza written in red on the side of the van.
"Wait a minute..." Cassie trailed off, turning to face the group behind her. "Who ordered a pizza?"
"Pizza?" Mike Wheeler questioned the girl, pushing himself off the couch and advancing toward her. "What are you talking about?"
"There's a pizza van pulling up on the driveway right now," Cassie replied to the boy, taking a step back from the window and heading towards the front door.
"Woah, Cass, where are you going?" Mike asked the girl.
"Just wait here," she answered, pulling open the front door. "I'll find out what's going on."
Taking a step outside, Cassie Harrington watched as the mysterious van slowed to a stop on her driveway. Narrowing her gaze, she tried her best to see who was behind the tinted windows. But, it was fairly difficult to see.
After a few more moments of waiting, the girl noticed the van door swing open, revealing a girl dressed in white pants and a floral long sleeve shirt. At the sight, Cassie Harrington instantly froze.
It couldn't be...
"El?" Cassie asked, her eyes fixating on the girl in disbelief.
At the sound of her name, Eleven turned to face Cassie with a look of relief on her face. Before she was able to fully take in the sight, she was soon distracted by another. Stepping out of the van behind her, another boy appeared, dressed in a beige flannel and brown khaki pants.
"Oh my god," Cassie breathed, her eyes moving to the tall boy behind her. "Will?"
Without another word, Will Byers and Eleven raced towards Cassie Harrington, pulling her into a tight hug. Stiffening from the sudden embrace, it took the girl a moment to fully wrap her head around what was happening. They were here. They were actually here.
"Are you guys real?" Cassie asked the two, her eyes brimming with tears as she held onto them. "Is this really happening?"
"We're real," Eleven answered the girl.
"Holy shit," Cassie spoke, pulling away from the two and looking them in the eye. "Where the hell have you guys been?! We've been writing, calling, you never answered!"
Scratching the back of his head, Will Byers answered, "Yeah...it's kind of a long story. There was this whole thing with the government, and the army, and the lab, and a bunch of guys with guns, we'll explain it all later."
"Army? Government? What?" Cassie asked, shaking her head in confusion. "I'm just glad you guys are back home safe."
Suddenly, the front door behind Cassie swung open, revealing the rest of the group. One by one, each of them rushed over and hugged one another, the entire atmosphere filling with shock and surprise. As Mike, Dustin, Steve, and Robin ran over to Will and Eleven, Jonathan ran over to Nancy.
Of course, this sentimental reunion left one figure standing awkwardly at the door, unsure of what to do. Luckily, Cassie Harrington noticed this, and decided it was time for him to meet the others.
"Eddie, come over here!" Cassie Harrington called to the boy, waving him over. "There's a few people I want you to meet!"
Hesitantly nodding, Eddie Munson took a step forward and advanced down the driveway, heading towards the group. He had heard so many stories about them, so it was strange to see them up close in person.
"Is this the girl you guys were always talking about?" Eddie Munson asked, pointing over at El. "The one with the superpowers?"
"Yeah," Cassie answered. "Eddie, this is Eleven. We call her El for short."
Nodding, Eddie waved to the girl, "Hi, El."
"And this is Will Byers," Cassie introduced, slinging an arm around the boy beside her. "He loves to play Dungeons & Dragons. He's really good at it, too. The best in our party."
"Yeah?" Eddie Munson asked, a smile forming on his face as he took a step toward the boy and held out a hand. "We share that in common. It's nice to meet you, Will."
Taking his hand, Will Byers smiled, "Nice to meet you, too."
As Will Byers and Eddie Munson fell into conversation, Cassie Harrington turned around to meet an unfamiliar boy standing next to Jonathan Byers. Studying his appearance, the girl noticed his brightly colored outfit, filled with all different types of patterns. He hand long, dark hair that went down to his hips, and a yellow visor on top of his head.
Lifting an eyebrow, Cassie curiously asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm Argyle," the boy waved, plastering a smile on his face. "Whats your name?"
"Argyle," Cassie hummed, nodding. "Cool name. I'm Cassie."
"Cassie like the constellation?" Argyle asked. "Cassiopeia?"
"Nah, my parents were lame," Cassie answered with a shrug. "Cassie as in Cassandra. But never call me that."
Letting out a soft chuckle, Argyle replied, "Sounds good to me, my dude."
For the next few moments, everyone was happy in each other's presence. So happy, that they completely forget about the troubles they had previously faced.
That was, until Will Byers asked, "Where are Max and Lucas?"
Standing across from the boy, Cassie Harrington fell into complete silence. In that moment, all the memories from the previous night were unveiled in her mind. Memories of what Cassie had seen, what she had done, what happened to Max, flashed before her eyes. Hands around her throat, blades cutting through skin, blood everywhere, shattering bones, cries for help.
"Hey, Cassie," Will spoke, furrowing his eyebrows as he noticed her expression. "What's wrong?"
"Max and Lucas..." Cassie Harrington trailed off, lifting her gaze to meet Will's. "They're both at the hospital."
"Why are they at the hospital?" Will asked.
Shaking her head, Cassie shifted her gaze back down towards the ground and answered, "Something happened while you guys were gone. Something that you both need to know..."
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"Do they know when she will wake?" Eleven asked, her gaze falling on Max's limp body.
"No," Lucas Sinclair answered, his voice falling. "They say she might not. Her heart stopped. For over a minute. She died. I mean, clinically, but then...she came back. The doctors don't know how. They say it's a miracle."
There was a brief moment of silence that followed the group. Looking down at the girl laying in the hospital bed, Cassie Harrington winced as the memories of last night flooded back into her mind.
"I'm sorry, Cassie." were the last words Max Mayfield spoke to her.
Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, Cassie Harrington tried her best to swallow back her tears. All she could think about was that night. If things had gone differently, she would be the one laying in this hospital bed. She would be on the verge of death. Not Max. If things had gone differently, Max would've been safe.
"I'm sorry, Max," Cassie whispered down to the girl, placing her hand gently on her cast. "I'm so, so sorry."
Watching the interaction from behind, the group couldn't help but sympathize with her. They knew that Cassie Harrington would never forgive herself for what had happened. They knew that if she could trade places with Max, she would. In a heartbeat.
"Come on, Cassie," Mike Wheeler called to her, placing a gently hand on her shoulder. "We should get back."
"I don't want to leave her," Cassie whispered in reply, keeping a grip on Max's hand.
"Don't worry," Lucas Sinclair assured her, standing on the other side of the bed. "Erica and I will take care of her."
Meeting his gaze, Cassie Harrington slowly nodded and stood up. Just before she was about to exit the room, the girl took once last glance over at Max Mayfield.
"I'll see you soon, Max."
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After exiting the hospital, Cassie Harrington and the others made their way over to Hopper's cabin. After a short discussion, they decided that it would be the best place to hide both Eddie Munson and Eleven for the time being. It was hidden, quiet, and peaceful. Nobody would find them there. And at a time like this, it was the perfect place to be.
At least, that's what they thought, until they entered into the cabin.
"Oh, Jesus," Jonathan Byers groaned as he swung the door open.
"Holy shit," Mike Wheeler cursed, looking around the area. "This place is a total disaster."
Following closely behind Mike, Cassie Harrington took a small glance up at the ceiling, which had a large, gaping hole in it. Inhaling in a sharp breath, the girl pointed at the hole and announced, "That might be a big problem."
From the other side of the room, Argyle spoke up, "I mean, I get we gotta hide Supergirl and the Banished dude, but this isn't exactly the Fortress of Solitude, man. It's more like a fortress of grodiness."
"The names Eddie," Eddie Munson corrected him. "And did you just quote Superman?"
Turning to face the boy, Argyle nodded in appreciation, "Yeah, I did! My apologies, Eddie the Banished man."
Eddie chuckled, "All good, dude."
"Come on, guys, seriously," Nancy Wheeler spoke up, taking off her jacket. "It's not that bad. I've seen Mike's room look worse than this."
"Me too," Cassie agreed.
"Ah, brutal, dude," Argyle laughed, playfully pushing Mike's shoulder.
Stepping into the kitchen, Cassie Harrington began to help Nancy Wheeler search for the cleaning supplies. It didn't take long, for most of the brooms and dustpans were in the same place they were before. Only this time, they were completely covered in dust and cobwebs.
"I think we might need to clean the cleaning supplies..." Cassie trailed off, examining the ancient tools.
"Don't be silly," Nancy told her, blowing a large cloud of dust off the broom. "See? Good as new."
"Lovely," Cassie spoke, sending the girl a fake smile as she took the broom out of her hands.
Following her actions, the rest of the group grabbed the cleaning supplies and began to work on the cabin. As Mike and Cassie swept the living room floors, Will and Eleven cleaned up the trash. Outside, Jonathan and Nancy boarded up the windows, and Eddie and Argyle...well, nobody really knew what they were doing. They were just there.
After about forty five minutes of dusting the cabinets, sweeping the floors, picking up the trash, and wiping down the tables, Cassie Harrington needed a breather. Moving over to take a seat on the open couch, the girl fell onto the cushion and let out a deep breath.
"Let's hope that evil bastard is dead and rotting in hell," Cassie Harrington sighed, throwing the broom onto the floor. "He deserves it."
"Who?" Mike Wheeler asked, falling onto the couch beside her. "Jason?"
"No, what? No, not Jason," Cassie answered the boy, mentally face palming. "I'm talking about Vecna. I hope he's dead."
"Oh," Mike hummed, scratching his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, me too."
"He's not dead," Will Byers spoke, taking the open seat at the other side of Cassie.
Turning to face the boy beside her, Cassie Harrington furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean he's not dead?"
Taking a deep breath, Will continued to speak, "Now that I'm here, in Hawkins, I can feel him. He's hurting, but he's still alive. I can still remember what he thinks, and how he thinks. And he's not going to stop. Ever. Not until he's taken everything. And everyone."
Pausing for a brief moment, Will turned to meet their gaze, "We have to kill him."
"Shit," Cassie muttered, inhaling sharply as her mind whirred in thought. "Why can't any of these damn monsters just stay dead?"
"It'll be different this time," Mike Wheeler assured the two. "We will kill him. We will."
Suddenly, the sound of a mysterious vehicle approach from outside, quickly catching the groups attention. Immediately standing up from the couch, Cassie Harrington made her way over to the partially boarded up window.
"What do you see, Cass?" Mike asked her.
"Looks like some sort of government car," Cassie answered the boy, fixating her gaze on an all black vehicle.
Without a second thought, the brunette girl made her way over to the front door and pushed it open. Following close beside her, Mike Wheeler and Will Byers exited the cabin, advancing onto the front porch.
Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw next.
The next several moments passed by in an blur. Within a split second, Cassie Harrington felt herself rushing over towards a tall man, pulling him into a tight hug. Shock, anger, sadness, joy, relief. All of these emotions were running through her as she held onto him, burying her face in his chest.
"Hey, kid," Jim Hopper spoke down to her, holding onto the back of her head. "Long time no see."
"I don't even wanna know," Cassie replied, her voice muffled in his chest. "I don't wanna know how or why or anything."
"Okay, okay," Hopper chuckled, breaking away from the hug and looking into her eyes. "It's good to see you again."
Letting out a soft laugh, Cassie Harrington took the sleeve of her t-shirt and wiped her tear-filled eyes, "It's good to see you too."
"Cassie, sweetheart," Mrs. Byers called the the girl, holding her arms out. "Come here."
Without hesitation, Cassie Harrington quickly moved over to the woman standing beside Jonathan and Will, falling into her embrace. As Mrs. Byers comfortingly rubbed her back, she asked the girl, "How are you?"
Sniffling, Cassie replied, "I've been better. But, I'm glad you guys are here."
"Me too," Mrs. Byers smiled.
For the next several minutes, the group stood in conversation, enjoying the heartfelt reunion they had waited so utterly long for.
However, this reunion was soon cut short as the light around them seemed to go dim, white flakes beginning to fall from the sky. Standing at the front of the group, Will Byers reached for the back of his neck, goosebumps rising on his skin.
"Cassie," Mike's voice dropped as he looked up, his eyes growing wide.
Following his eye line, Cassie Harrington lifted her gaze above the trees. Letting out a small gasp, the girl watched as huge thunderclouds washed over the skies above.
Moving through the trees, the group desperately tried to find an opening where they could see what was going on. In a matter of minutes, Eleven led them out of the woods, onto a large, grassy hill.
Once they were able to get a better view, they quickly grew aware of what was going on. Looking out at the scene from the top of the hill, the group watched as huge, black smoke clouds rose above the town of Hawkins. The gates were opening. The monsters were coming.
"Oh my god," Mike Wheeler gasped, nervously looking down at the girl beside him. "Is this it? Is this the end?"
"No," Cassie spoke to him, clenching her jaw. "This is only the beginning."