"Sure," you say. "Sounds good to me."

You turn to Steve, hug him, and give him a shy kiss on the cheek.

"Please be safe," you murmur, ignoring Dustin and Max's snickers.

"Always," he says. Before you can walk away, he pulls you back to him for a proper kiss. Dustin, Max, and Robin hoot and holler.

"Quiet, you two," Steve snaps, ushering the younger teens toward his car. You follow Nancy and Robin to the Wheeler's station wagon, climbing into the backseat.

Thanks to Wayne Munson, Nancy has a theory that Victor Creel was involved somehow. At the library, the research seems like a bust at first. However, when Robin mentions some whacky magazine called "The Weekly Watcher," things turn around.

The publication has an article about how Victor Creel claims a demon haunted his house and killed his family. It definitely seems like Vecna could have been that demon.

Robin and Dustin speak on their walkie-talkies, and a plan is set for you all to meet at the school. When you arrive, Robin and Nancy jog through the halls toward Ms. Kelley's office.

When you arrive, Max looks very, very pale. She explains that she has been having nightmares, nosebleeds, hallucinations, and headaches-the same things Chrissy and Fred experienced before they were killed by Vecna.

You feel a bit numb, unsure of what to do now that one of your own is on death row.

Before you all can comfort Max, Lucas Sinclair arrives. He explains that Jason is hunting Eddie and the rest of the Hellfire Club members-including poor Dustin. Dustin explains your predicament, that Max is cursed by a new monster from the Upside Down.

"We're not going to let him get you, Max," Steve says, eyes steely with determination and voice shaking. "I promise, Mayfield. You're going to be okay."

MAX IS CURSED. GO TO PAGE 29 TO CONTINUE THE STORY.