CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR
THE LIGHT

The now full group of teens who had entered the old creel house were reunited under the large flashing chandelier after their brief diversions, each staring curiously at the powered light in the rundown house.

It appeared Max and Lucas had found something when Aaron had rushed into them, that's why they hadn't seen the boy coming, they'd been too entranced with the scene before them to make sense of the boys screams behind them.

Aaron couldn't make sense of the situation, it was completely freaking him out. He jumped onto the first, and in his mind, most logical explanation that sprung to him; someone was still paying the bill. But that thought was illogical in itself; everyone and their aunt knew the creel house was abandoned and most likely haunted.

Aaron jittered at the thought, and the idea caused him to still, going rigid as he tried to steady his now shaky breathing.

If there was one thing he did not need right now, it was a pissed off spirit haunting him for breaking into their house.

"What if the place is haunted?" He blurted in a whisper, green eyes wide with fear as his hands shook while he spoke to the group. "What if Vecna is haunting this house and we've just broken the door down, spoke shit about the up keep of the house, broken things, called-"

"What- no." Nancy was quick to cut the now spiralling boy off with a firm shake of her head, never once taking her eyes off of the large light before her. "It's just like the Christmas lights."

Aaron took a breath and bit the inside of his cheek, he supposed this did make sense to an extent, but his mind was too foggy with the idea of having a haunted spirit attach itself to him to fully accept it and he opted to send Max a startled look just for good measure.

Much to his surprise, she looked back at him with a look of uncertainty of her own, a shadow of fear swimming around her own eyes.

"The Christmas lights?" Robin questioned curiously, tilting her head a fraction.

"From when Will was in the upside down." Kimmy mustered instantly, tightening her hold on her flashlight as she spoke in a mumble.

Aaron caught Robin's eye, the girl only scrunching her face further as she shrugged her shoulders as if awaiting an explanation. Nancy must have caught this as well, as she was quick to elaborate on her previous point.

"When Will was in the upside down, the lights... came to life." She whispered, her eyes never once leaving the now buzzing light.

"Vecna's here." Lucas breathed shakily. "He's in this house, just on the other side."

Taking a deep breath Aaron ran a hand over his face in distress, watching the flickering light intensely as he spoke up to Nancy's theory. "But, even if it is like the Christmas lights, why is Vecna trying to talk to us? What could he possibly be sending signals out for?"

Dustin shrugged, he too startled by the ordeal. "It doesn't mean he's talking to us, the light just shows he's here-"

The curly haired boy cut himself off as the light dimmed and cut itself off abruptly, the suddenness off it all giving the group a fright.

"He must be moving." Kimmy muttered, so quietly that Aaron wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or the group. "He's left the room."

Aaron's brows furrowed as a nauseating feeling which he couldn't place washed through him, the fear and uncertainty beginning to catch up to him. Aaron was terrified of ghosts, and as far as he was concerned that's exactly what Vecna was. An old, angry spirit that evidently terrorised the town.

"Did he hear us?" Asked Max with a shakiness in her voice.

Steve sent the girl an uneasy look out of the corner of his eye. "Can he see us?"

A shiver went down the blond's spine at the thought of Vecna watching the group from the shadows.

Lucas seemed spooked too, adverting all his attention to Max and motioning for her to put on her headphones. The girl scrambled to do so. She was admittedly putting on a brave front, but her shaky hands gave her away, Aaron sent her a pitiful look.

"Turn off your flashlights and spread out." Nancy blurted boldly before stalking away from the group.

Aaron's eyes blew wide and his brows flew up his forehead, snapping his gaze to Steve with a panicked stare.

"Spread out?" He mouthed, looking appalled.

The older boy didn't exactly look thrilled with the idea, but did as he was told. Clicking his light off before scrunching his face up in disapproval, now turning to Nancy. "We won't be able to see if we turn off our flashlights."

By the time Steve had finished his sentence, the group had split off into different directions, leaving the two brothers stood alone again.

Biting his tongue and swallowing his pride, Steve shook his head and took off, leaving behind a frazzled looking Aaron.

"Where are you going?" The youngest called, fear laced within his words.

Aaron watched as Steve shrugged yet kept his back turned. "No clue, dude."

The blond mumbled his protests, crossing his arms over his chest as he spun on his foot and took off towards the opposite end of the house his brother was actively approaching.

On the next floor, Kimmy was absolutely scared shitless wandering the abandoned house, holding her flashlight out in front of her she gave off a faux confidence, somehow sure that she could convince Vecna that she wasn't afraid of him.

Her shaking hand and heavy breathing was the crack in her armour.

Luckily enough for her, Dustin wasn't too far ahead. She was following his every move five steps behind. This gave the girl some sort of relief, knowing that he was close. She couldn't handle to be alone in a house like this.

Kimmy's steps halted as the boy began shaking a door violently, trying to push it open. Adverting her attention to the side and running her fingers along the wall she hoped to look busy.

She hoped the boy wouldn't take too long, or she was going to start looking quite stupid in about twenty seconds.

Luck must have been on her side, as Kimmy could have fallen to her knees in gratefulness at the sound of Robin calling to the group, jolting up straight and spinning around to face the source of the sound.

"I've got him!" Yelled the girl almost excitedly. "He's here, I have him!"

Doing a quick glance behind her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Dustin, who now had his attention stuck on Kimmy, she motioned he follow her, the pair rushing off together and scrambling up the stairs.

It took the pair approximately twenty seconds to run to the older girl, clambering clumsily over the creaky floors of the house. Rushing into the room with Lucas close behind them, Dustin and Kimmy slowly made their way to Robin who was holding up a little flashlight.

However, just as Robin seemed confident enough to crack a grin, the light cut out and her face could only drop.

"I had him." She mumbled pitifully.

Steve went to offer words to his friend, a sarcastic comment Kimmy bet. But before the boy could as much as form a word, the light jumped onto his flashlight.

Steve jolted in surprise, holding his light up properly so everyone could see.

With furrowed brows and a tilted look of confusion, Kimmy leaned closer to get a better look. Before Kimmy could unnecessarily question the scenario at hand given the fact she was sure everyone was as clueless as her, Steve spoke in a loud yet panicked voice.

"Oh, wait he's moving." Louder again. "He's moving!"

Steve instantly took off, tailing the light in hopes to keep up and track the source down.

Without as much as a thought between the group, they quickly followed suit. Right on Steve's heels as he rushed out the room.

Kimmy held her breath in a way, anxious for what the group was unknowingly following around the dust filled house. Part of her wanted to speak up and say that perhaps they shouldn't have been following the possessed light in a most likely haunted house, but she didn't. Knowing she'd be outvoted in leaving anyway.

Besides, Kimmy was quite good at hiding her fear she felt, she always had been. She supposed it was due to living in a consistently fear filled environment, she'd just gotten used to the feeling.

It was Aaron that struggled in that department. If he was concerned, or scared, or upset, or anxious, everyone and their mother knew, he couldn't hide it to save his life. Which was strange in a way, if Kimmy hadn't known any better, weird. Given their drastically different childhoods, she would have assumed that really they should have been the opposite.

If the group hadn't been in a scary scenario, she'd had cracked a grin at the thought of a scared Aaron. He was always freaking out over the most stupid shit. It was annoying to most and Kimmy knew most people found him to be too much; overbearing at times. But she had never minded it. She liked that he was different, special in a way.

Kimmy furrowed her brows at the sudden thought, she was probably overthinking the special comment. That was just how he was.

If she'd had more time to debate with herself then maybe she'd have jumped between conclusions, and perhaps realised that maybe Aaron was so loud and over the top at times for attention. That the constant need for attention from his borderline neglectful parents had morphed him into that way of thinking, that maybe he'd learned at a young age that being loud and annoying was the only way to get anyone's attention in the large house he grew up in. But this was a bit difficult seeing as she walked straight into Dustin's back.

The boy with curly hair turned and sent her a half assed offended look which had the brunette rolling her eyes. Clearing her throat as she drew her attention to Steve.

"I lost him." Steve sighed and dropped his arms to his sides, the light now void from his flashlight.

The small group were now huddled together in the end of the hallway at the top floor of the house, leaving them nowhere to go. A mere chance of half a second to exchange blank stares before Max pushed past them all.

"No you didn't." She remarked bluntly, pushing open the door to Kimmy's left which had gone unnoticed.

The door to the room opened with a large creek, Max hesitantly stuck her head inside.

Kimmy was close to follow behind her, blinking in surprise when she was met with steps. There was a steep staircase which lead up into the lit room, the attic Kimmy concluded. Max looked at Kimmy over her shoulder, silently asking if she'd stay close behind her, Kimmy nodded with a tight smile, swallowing her nerves.

Cautiously, Max began climbing the stairs, Kimmy close behind her.

The group was silent as they climbed to the highest point of the house, the only noise to be heard was the creaking of the stairs. Kimmy assumed this was a mix of fear and anticipation, she wouldn't let her fear show, but that didn't mean she didn't have her finger nails squeezed into her palms under her sleeves.

The group fell silent.

Only for a moment .

That was until it was Aaron's turn to follow suit.

"Guys, I'm just a bit worried about this, the attic I mean." He gushed, arms crossed as he stood in place at the end of the stairs. "What if it's a trap? Like Indiana Jones, what if there are booby traps?"

"We'll be fine. Come on, mini Harrington." Robin huffed.

That was about as much cut as he got. And for a moment, Kimmy thought he would let his stubbornness get the best of him, that he'd stay down there until someone could convince him to do other wise. But a heavy sigh and the sound of the stairs creaking once more, her point was proven wrong.

The room didn't look all that exciting in Kimmy's opinion. It was mostly clutter covered in dust, the only thing out of the ordinary was the dingy room light which was flickering on and off, like it couldn't make up its mind or not.

Hesitantly, the group approached it. A mix of fear and unsteadiness lingering in the air.

As soon as the group got within a few feet of the small light of the room, it began jumping onto their flashlights, all at once, as well as the small light on the roof. Instinctively, the teens surrounded the light, forming a circle as they looked between the light in their hands and the one above them with perplexed expressions.

"What's happening?" Steve asked almost panic stricken, his voice shaky as he spoke.

Kimmy had heard the boy, but she hadn't made any indication so, no one else did either. Instead her head simply tilted and she focused on the pulsing light and the slight buzz which came along with it.

She could feel Max step closer to her side as she too looked on at the sight puzzled, the pent up fear and anxiety practically radiating off her body.

Nancy took a shaky breath. "He's on the other side."

...

It was safe to assume that everyone was just as shaken as Kimmy was after exploring the abandoned house. In fact, she'd been right behind Aaron as they left, and that was to say a lot as the blond boy practically bolted down the stairs and out the door at the nod of Nancy.

The car ride to each house on the way home was an awkward one, with not much talking.

Kimmy was quite shaken, but she was determined not to let it bother her or allow herself to twist into her own mind. Instead, she looked for distractions.

This was proven to be rather difficult seeing as she was so squished into the backseat, she agreed with Aaron in this scenario; most definitely unsafe.

Blowing the air into her cheeks she slowly looked around the mostly quiet car. It didn't take long for the girl to click onto what was happening before her.

Steve was lost in an almost trance like thought, despite being behind the wheel of the car, he was almost too interested in the scenery of the streets as they passed.

Dustin was moving his finger in front of his face at different speeds to see if his eyes could track it.

Nancy had her head leaning against the car window with her eyes scrunched closed as Robin supplied the only voice to be heard by the group, talking Nancy's ear off about utter nonsense.

Max had her headphones on, holding her chin in her hands with a frown tugging on her lips as she dazed out the window.

Lucas had spent the entire journey not so discreetly staring at Max.

Aaron was messing around with the watch on his wrist as he bit his cheek. Kimmy frowned.

It appeared they were all doing what Kimmy was to some degree - looking for a distraction.

"Steve?" Kimmy blurted now much more comfortable in her seat once everyone else had cleared off.

"Yeah?" Came the mumbled reply from the older boy in front.

"Can we get food?"

Steve seemed taken aback for a moment, looking like he almost wanted to object before blinking slowly. Abruptly, he tilted his head and hummed.

Kimmy was more nervous than she cared to admit over the small question. She knew she didn't have to worry when with the two brothers, but she also knew she had no money to her name. They all did. If they were getting food Kimmy wouldn't be paying.

Kimmy was far too aware of this, to the point money was almost an insecurity.

She held her breath as she awaited his answer.

"I guess I could eat." He spoke quietly, thinking over his reply.

Kimmy grinned.

The trio ended up in some shitty little diner, one Kimmy had certainly never been to. She was under the assumption Steve hadn't either with the way he was looking curiously around as they took their seat, perhaps he had just stopped at the closest place.

Aaron definitely hadn't been there before. With his scrunched up expression and hesitancy to actually sit in the booth, she could tell he didn't approve. No, it wasn't the cleanest of places, but in Aaron's mind he may as well have been eating out of the toilet. Kimmy knew he didn't mean to be snobby and that wasn't his intentions, but he couldn't help it. The swirling idea of the germs and dirt hidden to the eye in the place sent his mind into lockdown.

He hadn't actually spoken to the two about his feelings on the choice of food, but Kimmy could tell. He hadn't ordered anything for himself and was sending both herself and his brother questionable glances as they ate away at their fries and burgers.

"Don't you find it weird?" Kimmy questioned the two with a mouthful. "I mean, why's Vecna hiding out in some abandoned house talking through the lights?"

"It's not weird it's fucking terrifying." Aaron corrected from next to her. "The guy's freaky enough, never mind without haunting a murder house from another dimension."

Kimmy turned in her seat to face the blond. "I'm surprised no one has broken in there before. The place looked pretty locked up when we got there."

"I know." Aaron sighed, a solemn look on his face. "I'm a bit worried about it all to be honest. We probably pissed him off. I think the last thing I need right now is to be haunted-"

"Well, nobody wants to be haunted." Kimmy pointed out with a scoff. "And anyway, there were an entire group of us, if he was going to start haunting us you have quite a good chance of not being his first victim."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the comforting words."

Kimmy sent him a soft smile. "My pleasure."

Kimmy went to turn away and continue eating her food, but she'd accidentally set Aaron off while trying to crack a joke to ease him, and the blond didn't show any signs of stopping.

"I'm honestly kinda stressed out." He emphasised dramatically, taking a breath as he clamped his hands together. "What if tomorrow I wake up vomiting black with my skin all grey-"

"I'm trying to eat here, dick." Steve snapped as he dropped his burger to his plate to prove his point.

Aaron scrunched his nose. "I'm trying to be realistic, prick."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah because vomiting black shit and waking up grey is realistic-"

"How would you know?" Aaron shot back with a scoff. "As far as I'm aware, you've never needed an exorcism."

Kimmy paid no mind to the brothers, they often got into petty arguments like that, Kimmy just left them to it. She assumed it was just a sibling thing.

Despite how much she would often overthink her stay at the Harrington household, a small part of her thought that maybe it had brought the two boys closer together. She couldn't remember the last time that they'd truly fought, and even when their parents had come home and obviously played Steve the favour, the two of them had stuck together in a way she couldn't imagine them doing a few years prior.

Kimmy swallowed hard at the thought of their parents. She was glad they had left as quickly as they did, even if it did make her sound selfish. She couldn't help it, she didn't like them at all, and she most certainly didn't appreciate the treatment of their children. Sure, Steve was treated mountains better than Aaron, but he still didn't see his parents for half a year, they still didn't particularly want to deal with him.

She was sure they didn't know it, but she couldn't believe how lucky the two brothers were to have each other. Perhaps if she had had a sibling to help her through life at home, things wouldn't have escalated to the point they had.

Kimmy shook her head as the seeping thoughts of her parents began plaguing her mind. She forcefully pushed them out, clearing her throat as she tried to focus on something else, the two boys voices a blur.

Truthfully, Kimmy knew it didn't really matter if she managed to distract herself during the day or not, it didn't matter if she would never return to her house and see their faces again, they'd always be there to haunt her when night fell. Sometimes she'd wake up shaking, not even crying, just shaking. Shaking at the thought of seeing the pair again, just passing them in the street.

It was bittersweet really. She'd only seen her father once and he'd acted like he hadn't been recognised her. Deep down she knew he probably hadn't, most likely drunk out of his mind or on whatever else he had managed to get ahold of.

A small shameful part of her wished he had recognised her. That he'd stormed over to her and demanded she come home, that he'd caused a scene and embarrassed the life out of her. At least then there would be some sort of fight. But there had been nothing. They'd lost their only daughter and hadn't as much as cared enough to stop her in the street.

The small encounter just proved to Kimmy what she'd feared since she was small - she was not worth the fight.

Kimmy rubbed her eyes at that, angry at herself for thinking such. As true as she may think it to be, she knew she had to rid herself of the thoughts before she would spiral over them and compare anyone close to her to her parents.

She would hope Aaron would never not fight for her, but it was difficult for her not to think he wouldn't when she was raised in a home where being let down and disappointment was the ordinary.

"You won't get haunted." Kimmy spoke shakily, pushing herself into the conversation to silence her thoughts. "I'm sure Vecna doesn't have the time for that right now."

"Yeah, I'm sure he doesn't." Aaron argued back sarcastically, clearly stressed to a point of no return. "But he has enough time to haunt other kids. Haunt M-"

Aaron cut himself off and looked away, suddenly interested in the booths around them as he cleared his throat. Kimmy scratched her nose and Steve was suddenly too engrossed in his burger to look up.

Kimmy knew what he meant. Max.

The boy was incredibly worried about her, even if sometimes he didn't know how to show it to the redhead. Aaron and Max had a funny relationship, one where they'd spend all their time throwing insults and pissing each other off, but when it came down to it, they probably cared more about each other than either of them cared to admit. They were great friends, even if sometimes others didn't understand them.

Kimmy knew this, and she knew Aaron was beating himself up over the state Max was in more than the party probably realised, she'd become one of his closest friends.

"Well we don't have to worry about Max." Kimmy said almost forcefully. "She'll be fine. She avoided him once she can do it again."

Kimmy didn't want to talk about Max and her wellbeing. It made her too upset, too angry. She just wanted the girl to be okay, to know that she was there for her.

Kimmy had actually wanted to spend the night with Max that night, but Lucas had beaten her to it. Of course the brunette understood to an extent, he cared for her in a different way she did and he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

But Kimmy was her best friend. And all she wanted to do was spend as little or as much time with the redhead over the next few days that she could. The heavy statement which lay buried in her mind unaddressed that this may be her last few days to spend time with her was haunting Kimmy.

She just wanted Max to see how much she cared about her, how much she meant to her.

Kimmy knew she was being completely delusional to an extent in saying that Max would be perfectly fine, but she couldn't come to terms with harm coming her best friend's way. And she learned that night that maybe that was what the trio needed to get through the next few days, hope. Sure, some would argue false hope, but hope nonetheless.

...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!