chapter xlii.
blast from the past
They took Nancy's car this time, Steve's wouldn't house them all but Nancy's did. Belly and Max sat in the back row with Steve, Robin and Nancy in the front whilst Dustin and Lucas were banished to the back.
Isabella held Max's hand as the red head rested her head onto Isabella's shoulder, her eyes shutting, music blasting in her ears. The closer they got to the Creel household, Belly felt more on edge, more uneasy. The power only got stronger, the creepiness. And when they pulled up outside, they found that it was almost stuck in the fifties. No one had changed it, brought it, or anything like that. The front garden was unkept, overgrown and grass sprouted through the cracks in the concrete steps out the front of the house.
All given torches and walkie-talkies, the group made the journey up to the front of the house. Over the years, it's become run down, windows smashed and bordered up. Kids have tried to break in, dared one another to go up to the doorstep where the rickety rocking chair is, and knock on the door.
Belly had heard of all the rumours that happened in the house, stories, all different every time but each time, they blamed Victor for it all and from what Nancy and Robin told them, it was Vecna.
"Yeah, that's not creepy." Steve mumbled staring up at the rickety old house that swayed in the wind. They grabbed hammers and Nancy and Steve got to work breaking the board off the door, pulling the nails out and discarding them, "What exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?" The Harrington asked.
"We're not sure." Nancy responded, "We just know this house is important to Vecna."
"Because Max say it in Vecna's red soup mind world?"
"Basically."
"Great."
Isabella believes that any clues that could lead them closer to Vecman is good, all of them would be good leads, the smallest or the biggest. "Maybe it's a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels. And how to stop him before he comes back for Max."
"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asked, sounding very dumb as he spoke. There's no way Vecna would be in there, it doesn't make sense.
If anything, he'd be in the Upside Down, he must be finding a way to get through or his mind is. Belly frowned a little, there has to be a way he's getting through, he's a creature of the Upside Down, that's where he'd be. "Guess we'll find out." Max just shrugged.
"Ready?" Steve asked, now they've removed all the nails. Bella gasps when it falls to the floor with a loud bang, thudding and spraying up the leaves on the porch. It revealed the door. The stained glass window had faded over the years, although there is still some colour to it, some parts brighter then others, but the outline of the rose is still there. He jiggled the door knob, "Great. Should I knock, see if anybody's home?"
"No need." Robin grinned, wiggling a brick, "I found a key."
"Babe, no." Belly shook her head, "I've got a key that isn't vandalising government property that'll get us sent to jail for up to ten months." She sighed, walking towards the lock and knelt down, opening her bag to pick out the lock picking gear. She laid it out and got to work undoing it, and after a few moments, the door swung open with a loud creak, revealing the hallway. Isabella sighed, packing her gear up and shoving it in her bag. The group gave her weird looks, "What? We spend a lot of time breaking and entering, it'll be easier if we don't need to vandalise things, right? And it's better then using a rock and allowing access to any idiotic child who wants to get in, so yeah."
Slowly, they entered the house, closing the door behind them. Isabella looked around, it was clearly stuck in time. It was like stepping into the fifties. Wallpaper was starting to peel and mould, paintings were hung on a slant, everything is covered in a thick layer of dust and grim. Although, the floor seems relatively clean. "Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill." Lucas sighed, trying to flick on a lamp.
Dustin just flicks on his torch, Steve frowned, "Where'd everyone get those?"
"Do you need to be told everything?" Dustin asks, raising a brow at him and giving him a weird look, "You're not a child.'
"Thank you."
Henderson sighed out loudly, rolling his eyes and handed the man a torch from his bag of goodies. They split into groups and searched the house for clues, Max took Bella's hand and they went off down the corridor, shining their respective torches around. Max stopped in a second, spotting a grandfather clock that's still working, "Hey, guys. You all see that right?"
"Yeah." They all reply in unison.
"Is this what you saw?" Nancy asks, looking up at the menacingly tall clock. "In your visions?"
Max nods, squeezing the eldest Sinclair's hand tighter, "I mean, it's... just a clock." Robin mutters, her voice low and laced with dread. "Right?" She walks up to it and drags her hand over the dusty window, "Like a normal old clock."
"Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?" Steve questions, voicing their thoughts. "Maybe he's, like, a clockmaker or something?"
"I think you cracked the case, Steve." Dustin claps his back with a firm nod.
Nancy let out a soft sigh as Harrington rolled his eyes in disbelief and annoyance, "All I know is... the answers are here. Somewhere. Okay, everyone stay in groups of two. Robin, upstairs." Bella and Max naturally split off into a group of two, leaving Lucas, Dustin and Steve to search together. They could hear Dustin and Steve bickering up the stairs whilst the two girls searched the downstairs area.
Max decided to put her music on as they searched, she felt Vecna's presence strongest in this house. It was a feeling she couldn't describe, but it was just a precaution, although, she's starting to get sick of Running Up That Hill constantly on repeat. As they entered a new room, it flicked off, "Damn, wish we had a longer loop."
"Forty-six minutes isn't bad." Max shrugged a little, rewinding it to the start again. "I think there are bigger concerns. Like... What if, by listening to this over and over, I get sick of it, and suddenly it's not my favourite song anymore? Will it still work? Or will Kate Bush, like, lose her magic power or something?"
Belly smiled, "Kate Bush? Never. And if that happens, I'll sing you my new song I've been working on." Max's gorgeous face lit up with excitement, "It's not finished, you can't hear it yet. But it's about us."
"You're a Kate Bush fan?" Max asks, arching a gentle brow.
"Yeah." Bella shook her head, frowning a little, "I have always liked her, but now, I'm a mega-fan. She saved your life. And, besides, we're hot on the tail of Vecman, and we'll run into his secret lair, wielding our crazy weapons, slaughter him and save the world and your life, which means more then the world." Thankfully, it's too dark for Bells to see her cheeks that have flushed red, "And, maybe, if we bash the keys on this thing, we might open the secret door to his lair." She walked over to the creepy old piano and bashed the keys in a very graceful manner, remembering some things she learnt from her three piano lessons as a six year old.
Max laughed, "You're such a dork."
"I've missed that." Isabella sighed, her heart fluttering at the sound of Max's melodic laugh.
"Missed what?" Max frowned.
Belly's smile fell a little as she looked up from the keys, and bit on her bottom lip, "Your laugh." Max is still smiling though, her skin glimmering in the shafts of light that shine through the boards on the windows. "I've really missed it, and you." The red head sighs, placing a hand onto her cheek, rubbing her thumb over Belly's cheekbones. Isabella's eyes shut as she nestled her face into Max's soft hand.
Just when her tape clicks and Kate Bush begins to play over the headphones again. Max purses her lips, "All done. Let's let Kate work her magic." Just as the girl goes to pull her headphones on, the light in the room begins to flicker. A low thrumming noise comes from it, a familiar feeling coming from the flickering lights. "I promise I'm gonna stop asking this, but... you're seeing that, right?"
"Yeah." Belly confirms, swallowing thickly.
Max slowly reaches her hand up to touch the lamp, she's so gentle with her movements, caring until the light flashes brightly and then flickers off and its gone. Kate Bush's voice was distorted before, but now it returns loud and clear. "Look." Isabella points, a new light flickering in the other room.
The teen girls slowly follow the lamp, the red head takes Belly's hand into her own, holding it tightly as different lights turn on and off.
Somehow, the lights lead them upstairs where a chandelier is flickering on and off, the low electrical buzz echoing in the rickety house. The group is gathered around the table that the chandelier dangles over, staring at it. It has to mean something, right? Surely. It wouldn't just flicker like that for no reason, especially since they established there's no running water or electricity. "It's like the Christmas lights." Nancy remembered.
"The Christmas lights?" Robin asks, whispering.
"Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down, the lights... came to life." Nancy explained, Isabella remembers that. Joyce had gone temporarily insane taring apart her home, trying to find her boy.
"Vecna's here." Lucas observes ominously. "In this house. Just on the other side."
A chill travels down Bella's spine, like there's someone behind her. She whips around, feeling a cold gust on wind on the back of her neck where goosebumps appear. They all look at her as her eyes travel over the area, there's nothing there. She feels terror travel down the centre of her chest, and then when she turns, the light dies down to nothing, leaving them with nothing but the light of their torches considering it's turned dark outside and is starting to pass into a new day.
"I think he just left the room." Robin announces.
Max looks around, "Did he hear us?"
"Can he see us?" Steve asks.
"Headphones." Lucas practically orders to Max. She pulls them on, starting the song again.
Nancy almost gasps in, "Wait, wait, wait. Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out." The only noise is their footsteps and Running Up That Hill playing through Max's headphones. Steve voices his fears about not being able to see, but they've already left the room by them, spreading out through the house.
As Isabella moves through the house, she feels even more on edge, turned around and disgusted. It's like she's walking through Vecna's mind, his twisted, dark mind. There's a certain chill to the place, she catches it every now and again, almost feels someone hovering over her. The more she moves upwards, towards certain places in the house, the stronger it gets. Vecna is certainly in the house, on the other side, and it seems to be that he's following her around. She believes that he can't see them , but he can probably hear them. That's how Will communicated with Joyce in ninety-three, when he was in the Upside Down, he could hear her, they just couldn't hear him, or see him.
"I got him!" Robin suddenly hollered throughout the house, "Got him!" She cried. The group gathered around her, as her torch turned on and then off. "I had him."
Steve turned on, "Oh, I think he's moving. He's moving." The man followed the flickering light, "He's moving." They follow Harrington around the house, following Vecna. Isabella grips onto Max's hand, tightly, she doesn't want to let go, listening to Kate Bush who is working her magic. "Shit, I lost him."
"No, you didn't." Bella noticed, walking over into the darkness, where she disappeared into the shadows and then opened a door, revealing more flickering lights. The girl swallowed, before sticking her head through the door, and up the steep staircase hidden.
They all followed her up the stairs as she moved gradually, Robin was slightly worried, she has a weird fear of attics. But Robin has weird fears of everything, so it doesn't really process in anyones brain. "Hold up, guys." Dustin quietly called, "What if he's leading us into a trap? Guys, guys! Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit." None of them stopped for him, their interests peaked, wanting to know more about Vecman.
Isabella felt a stronger connection the minute she emerged into the library, a darkness spread down her chest, filling her heart. She couldn't explain it in any words, but it was a feeling that only dragged her closer, like a magnet. She wanted to know more, to see him, hurt him for hurting Max. The light bulb pulsed in the centre of the room, her torch started flickering, the same as everyone else's. Vecna is using his abilities, the power surge must've been what made their torches turn on. They gathered in a circle around the bulb, holding their torches up as they flickered on and off.
Everything only shone brighter, "Okay, what's happening?"
"He must be using his powers or something, it's a surge of power." Isabella explained, feeling like she suddenly had all the answers, which she didn't. She was so caught up in curiosity, she didn't realise blood slowly trickling from her right nostril.
Steve looked over at her, "Bells, you're... your nose."
She frowned, touching her nose, and felt something wet. The group looked at her as blood trickled from her nose. Bella lowered her head, frowning in concern. "What the hell?" She frowned, no headache followed the blood, it was just... she was just bleeding, but it's totally spontaneous, nothing would've brought it on. She's not prone to nose bleeds.
Isabella yelped when her torch burst, the glass shattering and exploding. She dropped it to the floor, with a loud bang, and as everyone's torches burst, the light bulb shattered over them all. Belly threw herself over Max, protecting her from the falling glass, blood still dripping from her nose. And then... it was over, no more flickering, no more surges of power, nothing.
Vecna was gone. He'd claimed a new victim.
◦◦◦
The next morning, they drove to find Eddie, he needs a food delivery and his six-pack of beers. Nancy had picked everyone up from their respective homes, although, Dustin had slept over at Lucas', incase Jason and his crew showed up. Lucas' parents were worried, angry and happy all at the same time to see him. Bella returned back to her and Steve's house only to find that their parents had scattered again, they probably heard about the murders and decided to flee before they were claimed next. Max only temporarily went to her trailer, just to collect new tapes and clothes for herself whilst Nancy just slept in her own bed, happily and peacefully.
Max stayed over at Bella's, she didn't want to be at home, she didn't want to be alone, it was far too terrifying for herself. So they had a sleepover, like old times. Max braided Belly's hair, they read comics and gossiped until eleven p.m and then both ended up falling asleep.
Steve checked up on them a few times during the night, Isabella woke up screaming and crying around three in the morning due to a nightmare. He held her, like always, let her sob it out until she felt ready to try and get back to sleep. Max found it strange that he laid beside her, holding her, but she just drifted back to sleep as if nothing happened. She gets nightmares all the time, it's normality for her, and it must be normal for both Steve and Isabella, they've witnessed a lot of shit, more then anyone should have to in a lifetime.
Nancy was playing some happy, upbeat music on the radio as they drove down the winding path to Reefer Rick's condo. "Not to be a wimp, but can I maybe sit in the car for this visit? 'Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck."
"It'll be fine." Nancy huffed, shaking her head a little.
"I just can't stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't." Robin spoke distantly, remembering the last time they gave him really shit news. Isabella nodded in agreement.
"At least he can drink himself into feeling better." Steve spoke, lifting up the six-pack of beers.
"That's what my mom does." Max stated nonchalantly.
Isabella's eyes widened, she looked at the red head, as if, did you really think that through? "Why don't we just give it a trial? 'Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah, and we found Vecna. Only the bad news is that he's in the other, darker, much scarier dimension, that we told you about, and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. Like, he's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And, no, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're, like, doubly, triply screwed.'"
"Uh, wait. Maybe we dont put it like that." Lucas suggested, with a slight wince.
"'We're one step closer finding Vecna.' That's what we say. That's what's important." Nancy gives her insight, it's good, and they'll probably use that to break the news to Eddie.
Steve tosses a Pringle at Dustin, "See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference." She hums in response, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, shit." Nancy suddenly gasps.
They drive closer to Reefer Rick's place, and as they get closer, they find the police gathered around the house, news reporters and civilians, neighbours, curious passers. Sheriff Powell is trying to clear the crowd, as he gives a report to the news. The group climb out of the car as he gives his reports, "As you may know right now, the Roane County line received a call a little after midnight reporting a homicide out here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lovers Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there we found the victim, an eighteen-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney. His limbs, his body, it was disfigured in a similar way to our previous victims. There was an eyewitness on the scene, the name will not be released to the public. We have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."
Fear travels throughout the group, Lucas feels his heart break a little. Patrick is a good guy, he doesn't deserve this. Lucas doesn't know much about him, but he definitely didn't deserve such a gruesome death.
"Oh, man." Steve mumbles. "This is not good. Really not good."
"I know you've got a lot of questions, and I'm going to answer as many as I can." Sheriff Powell tried to address the clamouring reporters who want to know as much as they can to write their twisted reports, "Two o'clock at town hall, where anyone from the Hawkins community is welcome. But right now, I've got some work to do, and I appreciate your understanding."
Reporters continued to yell questions as the officers left to continue their search for Eddie. And then, as if a miracle, Dustin's radio made a static noise and Eddie's voice came through, "Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?" The group turned from the crowd, hoping no one heard it.
"Eddie. Holy shit." Dustin speaks, "Are you okay?"
"Nah, man." He responds, voice shaky, "Pretty... Pretty goddamn far from okay."
"Where is he?" Robin asks.
"Where are you?" Dustin repeats into the walkie. Isabella expects that he wouldn't be okay, he's been on his own for the past few days, cooped up in a damn boathouse whilst there's an alien trying to kill teenagers. And, on top of that, he's witnessed two very gruesome murders of people he knows and been named prime suspect for their murders, it doesn't look like it's going well for him.
Eddie responds in a matter of seconds, "Skull Rock. Do you know it?"
"Uh, yeah." Dustin winces, a little unsure, "That's near Cornwallis and--"
"Garrett, yeah. I know where that is." Steve cut him off, before going back to the car. Dustin tries to reassure Eddie that they'll be there soon, but Isabella knows he's not going to be in good shape.
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