"I think I'll head to Ms. Kelley's," you say. "But you guys be safe."
Nancy and Robin bid you all goodbye and head to the Wheeler's station wagon. Steve shoos Dustin to the backseat with Max, clearing up the passenger seat for you. Steve holds out his hand for you to hold while he drives. Despite how scary things are right now, you're glad to be with Steve.
Dustin and Max snicker from the backseat at your sign of PDA, and Steve gives them a look through the rearview mirror.
As Max heads into Ms. Kelley's, you, Dustin, and Steve wait for her to emerge with (hopefully) some information on what connected Chrissy and Fred.
"I wonder what she'll find out," Steve muses aloud.
"Hopefully she'll get some good answers," Dustin says. "Vecna could be the worst thing we've faced."
Steve must feel your hand squeeze his a little tighter. He clears his throat and says, "Henderson, have some optimism. You're freaking me and Waldenbooks out here."
"I'm just being realistic!" Dustin shoots back.
When Max returns to the car, she's got Ms. Kelley's keys. The plan has changed: you four are going to break into her office and read Chrissy and Fred's files. It's technically illegal, but it's a matter of life and death—literally.
You settle in one of the chairs in her office with Fred's file. Steve reads over your shoulder while Max and Dustin read Chrissy's file.
The information you learn terrifies you once you put the pieces together. Both of Vecna's previous victims experienced the same things you've been experiencing before they were killed. Right down to the nightmares, nosebleeds, hallucinations, and headaches.
Holy shit. You're next.
You jump when you hear a horrendous, blood-curdling chime echo through the school halls. You turn to your friends, but they're too engrossed in reading the files and discussing Vecna to notice.
You stand from your chair and walk through the open doorway, wanting to follow the sound. Needing to follow the sound.
You gasp when you turn a corner and see him: your father.
He shuffles down the hall toward you like a zombie, glowering at you the whole way.
"How could you?!" he roars. "How could you forget about me already?!"
"No, I haven't!" you shout, stumbling backward as he swipes an arm toward you. "I swear!"
You step back more but pause when you feel heat. You turn and scream at the sight of flames enveloping the way you came.
In one direction, flames. The other, your undead father, who looks like he wants to kill you. You're trapped.
You screw your eyes shut, unable to watch which kills you first. However, you hear that distinct chime once more. You look to the left and gasp. Stuck into a row of lockers behind you is an antique grandfather clock.
You blink. You're sitting in Ms. Kelley's office, and Steve is shaking your shoulder. Robin and Nancy have arrived, looking concerned alongside Max and Dustin.
"Whoa, sleepyhead," Steve says when you become alert once more. "Who are you, Rip Van Crinkle?"
"It's Rip Van Winkle," Dustin corrects. "Waldenbooks, are you narcoleptic, or something?"
You taste copper. Your nose is bleeding steadily.
There's no clock, no fire, no father. Just your friends and boyfriend staring at you, utterly horrified because now, they've figured it out, too.
"Vecna's coming after me," you say, voice hoarse. You look up at Steve, eyes glassy. "He's going to kill me."
Robin and Max are fully in denial, trying to convince you that it must just be an unfortunate coincidence.
Nancy and Dustin seem pretty convinced of your fate, but they assure you that you all can figure something out to save you.
Steve is just frozen. Numb. He can't even look at you or say anything, and you're worried he's somehow mad at you. That fear multiples when he mutters something about needing a smoke and storms out of the office.
"Steve! Wait!" Robin shouts, running after him.
Nancy is quick to comfort you in Steve's absence, telling you everything will be okay. You all hear a thud down the hallway, but before you can investigate, Steve and Robin return with Lucas Sinclair.
He explains that Jason is hunting Eddie and the rest of the Hellfire Club members—including poor Dustin. Dustin explains your predicament, that you're cursed by a new monster from the Upside Down, and hearing someone else say it makes you want to cry.
For the first time since you said anything about being cursed, Steve acknowledges you. He crouches next to your desk chair and places a hand on your knee.
"I'm not going to let him get you," he says, eyes steely with determination and voice shaking. "I promise, Waldenbooks. You're going to be okay."
WELL, THIS ISN'T GOOD. GO TO PAGE 52 TO CONTINUE THE STORY.