𓆩♡𓆪

BROOKE FELT LIKE SHE was in a permanent state of wide eyes and stiff shoulders walking through the grocery store hours ago.

   Food for Eddie had piled up in the cart, paid for between the teens and then they went back to Paisley's house. The teens sit on the Slora family couch now. Boxes of pizza surround them as the movie on the TV becomes white noise.

   All Brooke can think about is Chrissy with broken limbs, no eyes and blood seeping from her eye sockets. The girls had known each other because of Jason of course. Brooke always thought Chrissy was too sweet for Jason but she kept her mouth shut most of the time about it. But, Chrissy is dead now. She can just imagine Jason plotting some revenge on Eddie and maybe Stella if word got around that she was there.

   Cory Slora sits at the island in the kitchen, stoned and eating as much pizza as he can. Steve, Brooke, Max and Cory are the only ones awake. Paisley and Robin have slyly wrapped themselves around each other. Stella and Dustin are asleep on the floor not too far from the other. Stella has found comfort in the boy the past 24 hours, subconsciously sticking by the curly haired boy.

   The lights of the TV have started to blind Brooke but she refuses to fall asleep. She doesn't want her nightmares to wake the others. She doesn't want to see Casey or Hopper's dead body right now. What if she imagines them like Chrissy?

   "I want pizza," Brooke whispers, noticing the cold amount of space between her and her boyfriend. Neither of them have fully apologized yet. Steve insisted he buy her a bottle of soda as a start. Brooke accepted of course, she'd be dumb not to.

  "Pepperoni," Cory shoves the box towards the girl, "I saved some for you," He whispers. "Thanks," Brooke softly says, immediately chopping into the slice. The two sit at the island silently eating pizza but both of them have an urge to at least speak. Brooke knows why, it's always like this now when it's just the two of them. It's always Hopper. If only Hopper knew how many people missed him, how much his kids miss him. Cory finishes the slice first and Brooke prepares herself for the mention of Hopper, kinda like preparing your body for a hard fall.

   "You can have the rest. I'm going to bed," Cory whispers, stumbling off the stool and into his room. A sigh of relief shakes Brooke's body as she takes another slice of pizza. Max gets up and sits right next to Brooke at the island. "Hi," The redhead whispers. "Hey, Max. Pizza?" Brooke holds up a slice for Max.

   "No, I had a lot earlier," Max waves her hands at the slice. Brooke raises an eyebrow, doubting Max is actually properly eating because she knows she, herself, hasn't been. "One more slice won't kill you," Brooke waves the piece around with a goofy smile. "Are you peer pressuring me into eating pizza?" Max asks with a small laugh. Brooke looks around, "What goddamn peers? Dumbass over there who has no idea what the plot of the movie is?" She motions to Steve who doesn't even register the two girls whispering.

   Max gives in and takes the slice. She doesn't regret it as of right now but in a few hours who knows? The thought of Billy could make her physically sick and the slice of pizza could be a complete waste.

    Brooke studies the girl like she always does, trying to see signs of Max being worse off than usual. "Stop staring at me," Max says annoyed. Brooke cocks her head back, not caring that she was caught but still being dramatic about it, "Sorry. No I'm not. Max, talk to me."

  "You sound like my mom."

  "Okay, well, your mom has no idea what happened and I do. Max, I love you. I just want you to feel somewhat better. Wanna know a secret?" Max rolls her eyes but nods and Brooke continues, "Steve is actually quite helpful. He's very—patient. Talking to someone helps."

   The two girls glance over at Steve who is now slumped down slightly in his spot on the couch, desperately trying to fight sleep. "I didn't doubt he was," Max shrugs.

    They stay silent for a minute or so until Brooke can't take it anymore. "Are your nightmares getting.....worse?" Brooke hesitates to ask. Striking blue eyes lock into Brooke's careful brown ones. Max sets the slice down, "Are yours?"

    Brooke glances at Max and there's a gut feeling telling her yes, Brooke's nightmares have gotten worse. "Headaches too," Brooke quietly says.

   Max picks at the end of her hoodie, "Do you ever—ever wonder when this will all end?"

   "What? The Hawkins Curse?" Brooke asks but Max stiffly nods no before speaking, choking up a bit like the words are suffocating her to even think about on her tongue, "No, the.....guilt. Does it ever go away?" The question causes Brooke's whole body to freeze, hands clenched. The heavy feeling of guilt rises again from the grave. The word causes an aching in her stomach. She shifts in her seat. "You don't have to answer," Max whispers.

    "Why do you feel guilty? You couldn't have done anything, Max," Brooke holds the girl's pale hand. "Neither could you," Max says, moving her hand away from Brooke's.

   Brooke swallows, half knowing Max is right while the other half convinces her she's a monster.

   The slice of pizza makes its way to her hand again and she awkwardly chews it. Bits of pepperoni and cheese slide down her throat but it feels like sandpaper. Max keeps glancing at Brooke. "Where's Danny?" Max finally gets out.

   Brooke raises an eyebrow, "I thought you knew." Max raises an eyebrow back, picking the slice back up to eat. Brooke ignores the worry in her chest with the slice of pizza.

      THE DOOR TO THE shed opens with a loud bang. They all carefully step in to be met with Eddie with wide, scared eyes. "Delivery service!" Dustin smiles, bags on each of his arms. Eddie's heart stops beating so fast and he lets a loud exhale, hand on his heart.

   Brooke smiles, her and Steve wiggling their fingers at him. Stella's goofy smile spreads across her face as she moves past the others, "I brought you cereal." Her tone is high pitched, it's the happiest any of them have seen Stella in a while, even in the worst possible situation. "Oh, you're the best," Eddie says and pecks Stella on the cheek. As soon as the teens set the food down Eddie starts munching it all up, the box of cereal is first.

   "So we got, uh, some good news and some bad news," Dustin says. "Which would you prefer, Ed's?" Paisley asks, leaning on the edge of the boat he sits in. Eddie speaks with a mouth full of Honey Combs, "Bad news first, always."

   Brooke sighs and leans against the wooden pole across from Steve, "The nerds tapped in the Hawkins PD dispatch with their Cerebro. Those pigs are up your ass," She lets out a breathy laugh. Eddie's stomach drops and his big eyes stare blankly at the wall. He feels more hopeless than he did two seconds ago.

  "Also, they're, uh, pretty convinced you killed Chrissy," Dustin blurts out. "Like, 100% kind of convinced," Max says with a shrug. Eddie's eyes meet Stella's, "Do they know you were there?"

  "No," Stella answers. A small sense of relief washes over Eddie as he eats more cereal, "Okay, what's the good news?"

   "Your name hasn't gone public yet. But it's really only a matter of time before people find out. Small town. Big mouths," Robin mimics explosions with her hands, "And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow minded mother is gonna be gunning for you."

   "Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie's big doe eyes look up at Robin. "Exactly," Robin responds. Brooke crouches down in front of the boat, "We just need to kill....what was the name?"

   "Vecna," Dustin states. Brooke snaps her fingers, a part of her tired of these nerdy names for such murderous creatures, "Yeah, it'll prove your innocence."

   "Oh, that's all, guys? That's all?" Eddie says sarcastically. "Yeah, no, that's pretty much it," Dustin answers with a high pitched tone. All the teens know how ridiculous this sounds, how impossible this all sounds.

   Paisley sighs, "This sounds delusional, we're aware. We've been through this before, some of us four years in a row. Robbi over here only once but still." Ignoring the warm feeling rolling through her body at the nickname, Robin gives a nervous smile, "Mine was more human flesh based, theirs was more smoke related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel we got this."

   "We usually rely on this girl with super powers, Brooke's sister, but, uh, those went bye bye so....," Steve trails off, eyes meeting Brooke's from the other side of the boat. "We do have one girl with powers, don't know how useful she can be with this so right now we're in more of a, uh," Robin stutters. "Brainstorming phase," Max answers.

  "Yes, that," Brooke agrees, pointing at Max. "See....told you we're....okay," Stella hesitates to say that, saying it's okay could jinx it. Steve scoffs at this, hiding his skepticisms with a smile. Eddie's jaw slightly drops, not believing Stella or any of the people around him.

    Brooke stands up, a scared feeling starts to crawl up but sirens wail in the distance and she physically jumps at the sound. "Shit!" Paisley curses, panicking as she looks around the shed. "Tarp, put the tarp back on!" Brooke pushes Eddie onto his back and she and Stella throw the tarp over the boy.

   The sirens increase in volume as the group runs to the windows. Cop cars and an ambulance zoom past them. Their eyes follow the vehicles until they're out of sight and they can only hear them.

   Brooke frowns and pushes away from the window, "We need to follow them." She's the first to leave the shed, the door hitting the wall behind it. "Whoa, whoa, Brooke!" Steve calls out as the group follows behind. Brooke's gut feeling is telling her it has to do this mess. Her worst thought is that it could be another one of her friends.

    Brooke tugs at the handle to Steve's car when it doesn't open, "Steve!"

    "Brooke," Steve jogs to catch up to his girlfriend at the car, "Can you not run off like that?"

   "What? Those cops could be for...whatever the hell is going on!" Brooke shouts, eyeing her friends staying behind the arguing couple. Steve stutters a bit, only sounds coming out. He sounds crazy or controlling if he says it, he doesn't want Brooke to leave his sight because of this Vecna freak. Brooke cocks her neck out, "Are you gonna say something or can you open the door?"

   Steve gives in, not saying another word and unlocking the car. The couple get in as their friends watch from afar.

  "This is gonna feel like we're in a car with our divorcing parents, isn't it?" Robin whispers to her friends. Paisley scoffs, "They're not gonna breakup."

  "No, they're not. They're just gonna be petty until the other one kisses the other one or we can't find them and they're......y'know," Dustin says with a low chuckle and walks to the car.

THE SIRENS LED THEM to a police barricade. The closer they get, they see a scared Nancy Wheeler with Penelope by her side.

    Cops surround the girls and it looks like Nancy is trying to explain something. Brooke's stomach starts to ache, "Told you it had to do with a friend," She states. They pile out of the car. A look of relief comes over Nancy's face. She gives a small wave which Steve and Brooke return. Penelope stands with her hands behind her back, death glaring at Sheriff Powell yet somehow giving her friends a reassuring smirk.

   Penelope steps in front of Nancy, "That's our friends over there. Are you done badgering her?" Powell gasps in shock at the attitude and looks behind him. The sight of Brooke makes him roll his eyes but he gives a smile nonetheless.

   "Why is he smiling at me?" Brooke asks, crossing her arms. "Oh my God, don't be ridiculous," Paisley gently shoves Brooke. There's a few more words exchanged before Nancy and Penelope are jogging to the car.

   "We're not all gonna fit in Steve's small ass car," Penelope scoffs. Steve eyes her, "Your car is right there. Which is only a two seater, Bauman."

   "And yet more expensive than yours," She retorts, a middle finger up at Harrington.

   Brooke and Paisley stand around Nancy. Her waterline is red with tears and the Wheeler girl's body is shaking. "Hey, what happened?" Brooke asks, rubbing Nancy's shoulders. Everyone's eyes are on Nancy.

   "I—Fred...he died, somehow," Nancy's eyes dart all over the ground. There's a collective inhale for air, each of the teens glancing at the other. Penelope stomps her heel into the ground, "What? What's going on?"

   "Nancy, go in Penelope's car and meet us at the trailer park," Paisley says, pointing at the black Corvette. Nancy raises an eyebrow, "Why?"

   "There is like, a chapter or two you missed," Brooke says with a fake smile, still rubbing Nancy's shoulders.

   NANCY EXPLAINED WHY SHE was even at the trailer park and what happened after her failed interviews. How Fred had disappeared and how she talked to Mr. Munson. The others caught her and Penelope up with Stella, Eddie and Chrissy and how it's all the Upside Down.

   "What's the connection though?" Paisley asks. The group are gathered at a wooden picnic table in the middle of the trailer park. Stella's back is towards Eddie's trailer. The haunting feeling looms over her. Her jaw is clenched as she keeps her head down on the wooden table, not even daring to look behind her.

   "Fred and Chrissy were almost complete opposites," Brooke states, resting her head in the palm of her hand. "They were both at the game," Dustin says. "And near the trailer park," Max adds on.

   "Uh, we're at the trailer park," Steve says. Brooke presses her lips together looking at the trailers.

"Maybe we should leave," Penelope suggests, looking around the dirty trailer park. The yellow crime scene tape on Eddie's trailer is the worst eyesore there though. Wind gently flows between them. An uneasy feeling comes over all of them.

   "There is something about this place. Fred started acting weird the second we got here," Nancy says. As soon as the words come from Nancy's mouth, a headache starts to build up in Brooke's head. It starts from the back and makes its way to the front of her head. She frowns, the sun suddenly being her biggest enemy.

   "Acting weird as in....?" Robin asks. "Scared, on edge, upset," Nancy recalls the fear on her friend's face once they reached the trailer park. "Max said Chrissy was upset too," Dustin remembers. "Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school," Max corrects him.

   Brooke's frown becomes even deeper. The pain has worsened to the point where her friend's voices have almost completely drowned out but she can faintly hear Robin talking about how serial killers stalk their victims. Her hands grip the ends of her hoodie, trying so desperately to ignore the pain. After a second or so it becomes almost bearable. Steve catches on and he sighs when he realizes how far Brooke is from him. Physically and for the past 48 or so hours, mentally as well.

   Brooke blinks, coming back to reality. Steve looks away when Brooke feels eyes on her. "I don't know. If I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone," Steve says.

   Brooke's grip on reality makes her process the words said minutes before finally. She looks up from the broken wood, "Maybe they did talk to someone," She looks towards Max, "Ms. Kelley, didn't she talk to them both?"

    "Yeah, I saw Chrissy leaving Ms. Kelley's office. If you saw a monster, you....you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you. But you might go to your—"

  "Your shrink," Robin finishes.

   "I just so happen to know where the shrink lives," Brooke smirks. There's perks to a somewhat small town. "Okay, then let's go to this ladies' house. Simple enough," Penelope says, standing up from the picnic table.

   They all rush to the cars but Nancy starts to walk right past them. "Whoa, whoa, Nance. Where you going?" Steve calls out. Nancy stumbles back a bit, "Oh, there's just something I wanna check on first."

   "Something you wanna share with us?" Dustin shouts. "I don't wanna waste your time. It's a real shot in the dark," Nancy says with a shake of her head. Brooke steps away from the car, "That's great. There's a murderous D&D monster on the loose. You're not going by yourself."

   "Yeah, someone needs to go with—Brooke," Steve dares to say her name, "Come with me and Nancy," Steve tosses Robin his keys which she stumbles to catch, "You guys go check out the shrink."

  "I don't think you want me driving your car!" Robin says. Paisley lets out a laugh, knowing why Robin literally can't. "Why?" Steve asks. "I don't have a license!" Robin answers. "Why?" Steve asks again.

   "I'm...poor," Robin says. "And she sucks behind the wheel of a car," Paisley says, remembering when Robin nearly hit a pole when she let her drive her dad's car in a parking lot.

  "I can drive," Max says but Brooke and Steve immediately shoot the idea down. "No, no. Are you kidding me?" Brooke shouts. "Anybody but you. No," Steve shouts as well. Dustin smirks but Steve and Brooke also shoot down that idea immediately. Robin rolls her eyes, "This is stupid," She grabs a flashlight from Dustin's bag and grabs Paisley's hand, "Us ladies will stick together. Brooke, you coming?" The brunette glances at Steve, the fake annoyance and stubbornness faltering for a second. "No, no. Have fun," Brooke forces a smile.

  Robin nods and drags Paisley over to Nancy and Penelope, "Unless, you think we need you to protect us." Steve presses his lips together, a hand on his hip which makes Robin laugh.

   Penelope looks around, "Huh, where are we going?"

   "The library," Nancy answers. "The library? What could be there for this shit? I might know an answer or two before the library does," Penelope says and fixes her black mini skirt. Nancy gives a small smile at Penelope, "Can we just go to your car before you start doubting me?"

  "I'm not doubting you. I doubt the library and its credentials," Penelope places a sassy hand on her waist and bends over, the other hand flipping her hair. "Wait, there's four of you," Steve says, pointing at each of the girls.

  "Good job counting, Harrington," Paisley says with a tilt of her head. He turns towards Penelope, "You told me it was a two seater!"

  "Okay, I lied."

  "Why?"

  "I don't want you in my car," Penelope shrugs and starts walking towards her car. The other three shrug and walk past a flabbergasted Steve.

   "Be careful!" Steve shouts after picking up his jaw from the floor. "We'll try!" Paisley shouts back.

   Brooke tugs on the handle, "Dumbass—"

  "Did you know?" Steve asks, walking over to his car. Brooke blinks in confusion, "Know what?"

  "That it's a four seater! Penelope's Corvette," Steve stares, waiting for an answer. Brooke laughs and doesn't answer, she just gets into the passenger seat. "Just get in the car," Dustin shouts at Steve who mocks him before getting in the BMW.

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HI!!! this book is almsot at 10k?? omg. thank u all sm. happy holidays:)