chapter five, in the hole

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CYNTHIA hated the color black.

There wasn't a reason, other than the fact she just lived in shades of light. And black was, well, the opposite of light. It was probably why she also hated rainy weather. The world dimmed down to shades of gray and blue in the clouds. She hated that. She hated funerals. She hated death. She hated that the world didn't even care that Will Byers was dead.

Unlike Cynthia's room laced with pinks and whites, flowers, and lace, Eve's room was different. Her walls were painted a sheen green. Her bed was shoved into the corner of her wall, mirroring Cynthia's bedroom layout similarly. A beanbag chair was pushed into the other corner of the same wall, a desk cluttered with magazines and random items was on the far back wall. Her room had become littered with laundry, posters, and other varying items. There was no theme in comparison to her sisters.

Eve was standing in front of the mirror hanging off the back of her door, brushing her hands over her outfit. A black long-sleeve dress she had gotten from her mom. It didn't fit her quite right, loose around the torso and hanging off her awkwardly. Her beaten Converse was still on her feet as they always were. Her hair spilled over her shoulders as always. She sighed softly, pulling a black jacket over her shoulders. She turned as the bathroom door that connected her and Cynthia's room opened. Her sister's figure slid into the frame slowly.

Cynthia was wearing a black dress, too. It was lacey and fit her perfectly, which lead Eve to clench her jaw with slight jealousy. Black kitten heels and mesh black tights cover Cynthia's legs. The younger twin's hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Her blue eyes shone in sadness. Eve turned to face her completely, raising a brow.

"Is Tommy coming?"

The question caused Cynthia to frown slightly. She slowly shook her head, eyes wide. "No, why would he be?" She asked honestly.

Eve shrugged, "Maybe you were going to bring him along, I don't know." She informed her sister. Now the younger sister's heart cracked. She could hear the bitter tone in Eve's voice but she didn't know why. "Listen, I'm going to hang out with Nancy after the service today."

Cynthia felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up straight. The air in the room suddenly felt colder. Nancy? Evelyn? Nancy and Evelyn? An unlikely duo, even at the best of times. Evelyn didn't have many friends, to begin with...if any other than Cynthia. When did that suddenly change?

"Again?" Cynthia asked, surprised. "You two have gotten close."

"Not any closer than me and Carol." Eve walked across her room, grabbing some bracelets and rings to decorate her hands. Cynthia wouldn't move from her spot, eyes studying her sister. Something had shifted ever so slightly between them. Something they didn't quite understand. Was it because of Tommy? Was it because of Jonathan? Nancy? Steve? Will? Barb? Neither of them could tell. They didn't understand.

Cynthia chewed on her lip, her hands coming together. "Evie," Her voice was soft. It was laced in worry and she waited for her sister to look at her. When Eve did, the Baxter raised a brow. "Do you think Jonathan's going to be okay?"

Eve tilted her head slightly. She didn't know Cynthia cared about Jonathan Byers. She inhaled slowly, her shoulders falling. Maybe it was twin intuition, but Eve could tell her sister needed comfort. Or something. "I don't know, Cynnie," She confessed, walking in her sister's direction. "But we can be there for him and his parents today, right?" Her hands rested on her sister's shoulders. Cynthia blinked slowly, nodding her head obediently.

God, that's all Cynthia could do, Eve thought to herself. Cynthia only knew to obey. Whether it was their parents, Tommy, Steve, or Eve herself. Cynthia wasn't her own person. Eve hated it. But how could she fix it? If she took her from Tommy, the hell they'd go through together, it wasn't what Cynthia needed. Was she better this way? Was she safer?

Will Byers's funeral was predictable, to say the least.  There weren't many people, but more than Jonathan Byers expected. The Wheelers and the Baxters were next to each other. Cynthia held hands with her sister. All the while, Cynthia looked sadly at Nancy's little brother, Mike, and his friends. They were grieving their best friend just like Jonathan was mourning his brother. She felt awful. There were the usual apologies and condolences. Jim shook Lonnie Byers's hand politely. Eve wondered when he came back. But Joyce didn't participate. She stared at the coffin with the white and yellow roses.

Cynthia was quiet, watching as her sister began to walk off with Nancy and Jonathan. She took a step to follow, a hand wrapping around her wrist. She turned around, eyes landing on her dad. "Hey, come talk to Karen Wheeler with me, we wanna discuss you babysitting Holly in a couple of weeks." He hummed. The blond nodded, smiling as she followed her dad.

Eve sat in a secluded part of the cemetery with Jonathan and Nancy, The Byers boy was holding a small map in his hands. "This is where we know for sure it's been, right?"

The two girls looked down. "So, that's," Nancy pointed to the paper.

"Steve's house." Jonathan explained, "And that's the woods where they found Will's bike and
that's my house."

Eve shook her head, "It's all so close together," She acknowledged, "It's all gotta be within a mile or something."

Jonathan nodded at her statement. "Whatever this thing is, it's, it's not traveling far." Jonathan looked over at them. Eve was in between Jonathan and Nancy, looking up at the Byers.

The Wheeler looked at him too. Her blue eyes were on him expectantly. "You want to go out there," Nancy stated. Her tone was unreadable.

Jonathan shrugged, "We might not find anything." He informed her.

"We found something." Nancy reminded the boy. Her blue eyes shifted toward the paper. "And if we do see it," Her hands fiddled with her jacket as she looked at Jonathan again. "Then what?"

Jonathan sighed as he looked out. He thought about what this thing did. Eve had her jaw clenched. She looked down at the map, letting it rest under her fingers. "Easy." She hummed. Jonathan and Nancy looked at her. She looked up slowly, her eyes going between them with pursed lips. "We kill it."

The two girls stood outside Lonnie's car. Jonathan took out a knife, fiddling with the glove box. Eve was leaning against the hood, waiting patiently. "Jonathan, can you tell us what you're doing?" Eve asked as she turned her head, looking at him through the windshield.

"Just give me a second," Jonathan mumbled. Nancy looked back at the people, hoping Lonnie won't come walking over. It'd be hard to explain what they were doing.

It only took a moment for Jonathan to open the glove box, and pull out a gun. Nancy's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" She hissed. Eve tilted her head, her eyes on the weapon.

"What? Do you want to find this thing and take another photo? Yell at it? Maybe Eve can nag it to death."

"Hey!"

Nancy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "This is a terrible idea." She snapped as Jonathan climbed out of the car.

Jonathan took the box of ammo from his dad's car, putting it in his suit jacket pocket. "Yeah, well, it's the best we've got." Nancy rolled her eyes again. "What? You can tell someone, but they're not gonna believe you. You know that."

"Your mom would," Nancy argued. Eve rose an impressed brow. She snickered, causing Jonathan and Nancy to glare at her. She held up her hands, smiling innocently.

"She's been through enough."

"She deserves to know."

"Yeah, and I'll tell her," Jonathan pursed his lips as he looked between the two girls. "When this thing is dead."

Eve sighed, sliding off the hood. "Well, then let's split." She hummed. Jonathan looked at her. "Pick me and Nancy up in two hours. We'll get supplies, or whatever, at our houses and we'll go out tonight." The blond looked between them expectantly. "Sounds like a plan?"

Oh, and what a plan it was.

Jonathan Byers was already back at his old and shitty car when the sound of gentle footsteps caused him to look back. Cynthia stood there, hands clasped together. She seemed to be uneasy, maybe unsure. "Hi." She said. Her voice was small. Like she wasn't the same girl he talked to a couple of days ago. The bubbly, cheery, high-spirited girl was nowhere to be found. She was scared, and nervous, hiding under layers and layers that Jonathan would never be able to claw through.

"Hey,"

Cynthia bit her bottom lip. She shifted on her heels. "How's the camera been?" She asked. Jonathan raised a brow, confused.

But, he shook his head and stuttered an answer. "It's good. Haven't used it a whole lot." He told her honestly. Cynthia nodded with her lips in a tight line. "How's Tommy?"

She grimaced. "He's good. Really good." She informed. Jonathan stared at her for a moment. He thought about yesterday. She hadn't been with Eve and Nancy.

"Let me guess, you didn't tell him you were going to the funeral."

Cynthia blinked at him. She felt her stomach churn and her feet felt heavy. How did he know? Jonathan leaned back, resting on the front of his car slightly. Cynthia shifted her feet again. "He wouldn't have wanted me to come." She said quietly.

"So? He can't force you to do or not do anything."

Cynthia tilted her head slightly. "He just doesn't want me to get hurt." She excused.

"At a funeral for my dead brother?"

She flinched at his words. "No, just in general. He was upset about the other day. And now he's-"

"He's got you on a leash." Jonathan deadpanned. Cynthia's mouth tilted downwards. "Nobody ever told you?"

"Told me what?"

Jonathan exhaled through his nose. God, she was going to hate him after this. But he could see it. Cynthia Baxter's future if she didn't get away from him in time. "Tommy's not a good guy, Cynthia. He's an asshole. To Barb, to me, to Eve, and just about everyone except himself." He stated bluntly. "He's manipulating you. Controlling you." Cynthia squirmed. She hated the feeling that had sunk into her stomach. She felt it before. When Tommy said something mean, or when Tommy and Eve fought. "And I'm telling you now before something worse happens."

Something worse?

Cynthia stuttered, shaking her head slowly. "No, Tommy loves me."

"He loves controlling you to be little miss perfect."

She shook her head again. "I don't believe that."

"You're seeing him tonight, aren't you?" Jonathan asked. Cynthia pressed her lips together. She was. "Watch him. Watch how he is. Really watch him." Jonathan stood up, hands shoved in his pockets. "See what you think after tonight."

Cynthia's hands had fallen to her sides. She didn't make any moves. She just watched as Jonathan Byers got in his car, moving to drive away. Cynthia felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, but she ignored it. She had to.

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Nancy Wheeler was in her garage, swinging a baseball bat. She was desperately trying to mentally and physically prepare for whatever she was going to face in the woods. Evelyn Baxter was a few feet away, holding a police baton she had gotten from her mom's closet (it's a long story). The two girls had both changed clothes. Eve was in brown corduroy pants and an off-white turtleneck. She had her black jacket and Converse on, too.

"Why didn't you tell Cynthia what we were doing?" Nancy asks, looking over at Eve. She had noticed that the Baxter had put her hair into two braids.

Eve shrugged, "I don't know, to protect her, I guess." She muttered as she opened the duffle bag of weapons she had found at home. Izzy was a collector of strange things, which included the police baton, an old rusted machete, and other strange objects. "I didn't want her involved with fighting monsters."

Nancy nodded in understanding. "And you think she's safer with Tommy?" She followed.

Eve clenched her jaw. "To be determined." She looked back to see Nancy swinging the bat. She stood up straight. "Your form's all wrong." Nancy looked at her in confusion. "Here."

The blond walked up behind Nancy, her hands on the brunette's hips. Nancy was buzzing inside. She tried not to shiver as Eve's hands went up her torso to position her correctly. Hands placed on her shoulder. Eve's black Converse was between Nancy's feet, then she them further apart. Why did she feel like she was on fire? "And then," Eve's hands raked Nancy's arms, positioning her hands with the bat in her grip. "Swing." Nancy moved, the bat soaring through the air. There was a small wooshing sound as she did. Eve smirked to herself. "Yes! Amazing!"

Nancy laughed in victory, enjoying the praise. She turned to Eve with a beaming smile. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah, you'll be knocking off heads with that thing." Eve laughed with a grin. Nancy laughed, moving to swing again. Eve turned away, crouching to the duffle bag. She sighed slowly, trying to ignore her swirling stomach and speeding heart.

Nancy yelled as she saw something behind her, moving to smack it with the bat. Steve Harrington jumped back, holding out his arms in surprise. Eve whipped around, her eyes landing on Nancy's boyfriend. The Wheeler girl paused, "Steve?" She said in obvious confusion. Nancy put her hands to her side. "What are you doing here?" Nancy and Steve hadn't spoken since their fight. Nancy told Steve she was gonna tell the police the truth, and instead of worrying about Barb, Steve was worried about getting in trouble with his parents.

"What are you doing?" Steve glanced at the bat, putting his hands on his hips.

The two girls looked at each other. "Nothing," Nancy mumbled.

"I hope that's not meant for me." One of Steve's hands fell to his side as he gestured to the bat in Nancy's hand.

"What?" Nancy looked down, stuttering. "Oh, I was just," The brunette pursed her lips as she adjusted the wooden bat in her hands. "Thinking about joining softball," She lied.

Eve stood up slowly, "And I just gave some pointers," She said, shrugging. "I'm still pretty damn good with a bat." It was true. Izzy had made Eve join the softball team when she was 10, and she played up til freshman year.

Steve didn't make an argument, turning away, "Well, listen, I'm really sorry." Nancy leaned onto the bat as she looked up at Steve in surprise. "I mean, even before you threatened me with a baseball bat."

"Okay," Nancy mumbled as Steve walked past her, leaning against the car. Eve looked away awkwardly, studying the doodles on her shoes.

"I panicked and," Steve took his hands out of his pockets. "I mean, I was a total dick."

"Yeah, you were."

Eve snapped her head up in surprise. For once, Nancy Wheeler hadn't been such a suck-up to Steve. Maybe Cynthia could take some notes. Steve sighed, letting his shoulders fall. Nancy shifted on her feet. "Did you get in trouble with your parents?" She asked.

"Totally, but, who cares? Screw 'em." Steve replied. Eve didn't believe Steve Harrington actually meant that, but it was nice he was trying. "Any news about Barbara? Parents heard from her, or," Nancy shook her head, trying not to make it obvious she was lying. There was news about Barb. Like she might be alive. And the same with Will Byers. Steve leaned off the car, stepping toward Nancy. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he spoke. "Hey, listen. Why don't we catch a movie tonight, you know? Just kinda pretend everything's normal for a few hours." Eve shifted on her feet awkwardly, looking over at the Wheeler's nervous eyes. "All The Right Moves is still playing. You know, with your lover boy from Risky Business?"

Nancy looked down, "Yeah, I know," She hummed softly.

"You know, Carol thinks I actually look like him." Steve hummed as he turned his head. "What do you think, huh?" Eve gawked at him. She watched as Steve Harrington started to sing into the bottom of the baseball bat like it was a microphone.

The Wheeler shook her head, "I just, I don't think I can." She uttered. "I've been really busy with this funeral thing and with my brother," Nancy half-lied as she inhaled. "It's been really hard on him. Eve's here to help me." The blond nodded, waving politely.

Steve looked between the two, realizing his attempt to fix things with Nancy half-way-failed. "Yeah, sure, yeah." He mumbled as Nancy took the bat back from him. He nodded, "I should go."

"Sorry," Nancy said sheepishly, "I'll call you later. Is that okay?" Steve nodded as Nancy gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course." Steve gave a small smile back to Nancy, turning away from her as he waved to Eve. "I'll tell Cyn you're spending the night here, then?" The Baxter girl nodded, leaning into the car. Steve nodded, heading down the driveway and to his car, still singing to himself. Nancy fiddled with the bat, looking at the ground as she tried to sort out her thoughts.

Eve sighed, pushing her braids back as she looked back at the Wheeler. "Come on, you can practice hits on me."Eve waved Nancy towards her. Nancy's eyes were wide with surprise. "Hit me with your best shot, pretty girl."

Nancy pretended her heart didn't skip a beat.

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Jonathan Byers sighed as he let the gun down. He had been trying to aim at the cans on the stumps of trees but had missed every single shot. "You're supposed to hit the cans, right?"

Jonathan turned to see Nancy Wheeler and Evelyn Baxter walking up to them. He looked between them both, seeing the playful smile on Nancy's face. "No, actually, you see the spaces between the cans? I'm aiming for those," He sarcastically explained. Nancy hummed in reply, placing her bag and her bat down. Eve did the same. "You ever shot a gun before?"

"Have you met my parents?" Nancy asked, laughing under her breath. Eve snorted.

"Yeah, I haven't shot one since I was ten," Jonathan explained as he began loading it. "My dad took me hunting on my birthday. He made me kill a rabbit."

Nancy rose a brow, "A rabbit?"

The Byers boy nodded. "Yeah. I guess he thought it would make me into more of a man or something." He said as he shrugged. "I cried for a week." He confessed.

"Jesus," Nancy whispered, shaking her head at the thought of ten-year-old Jonathan having to do such a thing.

"What? I'm a fan of Thumper."

Nancy chuckled, shaking her head. "I meant your dad."

Jonathan sighed, "Yeah," He mumbled. He was still fiddling with the gun as he spoke. "I guess he and my mother loved each other at some point, but," He cocked the gun, looking at Nancy. "I wasn't around for that part."

Nancy held out her hand, waiting for the gun. Jonathan looked at her in surprise, giving her the weapon and basic instructions. Eve stayed close, arms crossed over her chest. "I don't think my parents ever loved each other." Nancy blurted, making a confession she never really said out loud.

"They must've married for some reason." Jonathan countered, trying to be optimistic for the Wheeler.

"My mom was young." Nancy raised the gun, squinting one of her eyes. "My dad was older, but he had a cushy job, money and came from a good family." Nancy pursed her lips as she thought about it. "So they bought a nice house at the end of a cul-de-sac, and started their nuclear family."

Eve sighed, expecting that completely from Ted and Karen Wheeler. "Screw that," Jonathan muttered. Nancy nodded as she aimed the gun.

"Yeah. Screw that."

BANG.

The beer can flew off the stump. Nancy had hit it perfectly. She looked over at Jonathan in surprise, the Byers boy clearly impressed. Eve clapped slowly. Nancy looked over, smiling in triumph. "Your turn,"

Eve looks at the Wheeler, smiling. She took the gun, looking at it in her hands. "My mom. She's a nut case. Took about any self-defense class she could. Her dad taught her everything about hunting and survival. She tried to teach Cyn and I, but Cynthia was as helpless as a rabbit." Eve squinted slightly. "So I had to take in everything. Learn to protect me and her. I guess I never stopped." She explained as she looked up at the beer can on the second stump. Nancy and Jonathan listened. "And my dad is oblivious. He's too busy planning my sports scholarships to even consider that Cynthia needs him. That I need him. It's always been me and Cyn."

BANG.

Meanwhile, Cynthia Baxter was sitting at her desk, lipgloss in hand. Music softly played from her stereo, the blond humming and singing along. She knew her parents were gone for the night. Eve was at Nancy's and it was assumed Cynthia had been close behind. But that wasn't the case.

Maybe Cynthia was jealous. After all, the two girls never split for longer than a school day. They were always at the same sleepovers, the same parties, and the same everything. And all of a sudden, Eve was gone? With Nancy Wheeler? Why wasn't Cynthia invited? What had Cynthia done to make Eve mad?

Maybe there was something and Cynthia had forgotten. But she looked back at her diary, and she looked at her calendar, and there was nothing that had happened and no events that she had missed. Cynthia was lost for words. What was wrong?

She turned in her chair as she heard the doorbell ringing loudly. She scrambled from her spot, rushing to the door. Her white socks patted against the hardwood floor and nearly caused her to slip down the stairs. She pulled open the wooden frame, her eyes landing on familiar freckles.

Tommy Hagan beamed at her, a smirk on his face. "Hey there, sunshine." He said, cooly. Cynthia giggled as his arms wrapped her in quickly, their lips colliding like shattering glass. "How're you doing?"

"Good," She mumbled against his lips. Tommy's hands splayed across her waist and her back, the fabric was soft under his touch. Cynthia pulled away slowly, innocent eyes up at him. She was wearing a white turtleneck with a pink overall dress layered over. Her white frilly socks show along with her white shoes by the door. Her blond hair was teased and styled, and a matching pink headband was on her head. "What are we doing tonight?" She asked with a smile. It didn't meet her eyes, not that Tommy noticed.

"You and I are teaming up with Carol to make lil Steve feel better." Tommy's hands rubbed her arms up and down.

Cynthia's lips tilted downwards. "What's wrong with Stevie?" She asked, on her tiptoes now to look over Tommy's shoulders at Steve's BMW in front of her house. She could see Carol in the passenger seat, her and Steve clearly bickering over the radio.

"Nothing to worry about, Princess," Cooed Tommy, his hand cupping her chin to bring her eyes back to his face. "Why don't you get your shoes on and we'll get going, alright?"

Pink littered across her cheeks, her smile turning shy as she crouched down the grab her shoes. She slowly sat on the bottom step, leaning to put on the sneaker. Tommy clicked his tongue, kneeling down. Cynthia paused, letting him take her shoe from her small hands. Her sock-covered foot rested on his knee as he slipped the shoe over it. His fingers lingered on the laces as he tied them in a pretty bow, just the way she liked them.

He knew how to do it. How to get Cynthia wrapped around his finger again and again. It was a simple yet evil concept, really. He made himself feel needed. He coddled her, made her feel small and helpless (cause that's what she is to him, helpless), and now she'll never let him go. Because she needs him. Cynthia needs Tommy.

"Can't have you tripping over your laces, right?" He asked as he looked up at her confused eyes for a moment.

"Oh, right." She hummed sweetly, realizing Tommy was probably right. She wasn't good at making the right kind of bow. Usually, one side was longer than the other and ended up coming undone shortly after. Tommy was right. He was always right.

Tommy moved to put her other shoe on, copying the same knot he did before. When he was done, he gave her the most heartwarming smile and kissed her knee. Cynthia looked up at him as he stood, his hand out in front of her. "Come on, Princess. Let's get out of here."

She was bouncing on the balls of her feet when she followed him out the door, leaving all thoughts of Eve or Nancy in the empty Baxter house.

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Eve was walking beside Nancy Wheeler. Jonathan was only a few steps ahead, the three of them equipped with what they could find. Eve repeatedly looked in Nancy's direction, her jaw clenched tight as she swallows the lump in her throat.

"You never said what I was saying,"

Nancy's voice cut through the silence like a knife. It caught both Eve and Jonathan off guard. The Byers boy turned around sharply, his eyes dancing around as he stared at the brunette girl. "What?"

"Yesterday." Nancy hummed, "You thought I was saying something and that's why you took my picture."

Jonathan stuttered over his words. What is he supposed to say? What could he say? "I don't know." He said quietly. "I guess," They walked through the woods. Eve's Converse crunched under the leaves as she watched his awkward shoulders move with his words. "I saw this girl, you know, trying to be someone else. But for that moment, it was like you were alone, or you thought you were. And, you know, you could just be yourself." He explained to the Wheeler.

Nancy looked at the ground, shaking her head. "That is such bullshit."

Once again, Jonathan and Eve were caught off guard. Eve choked on her saliva as she looked over. Jonathan gawked at the brunette. "What?" Was all Jonathan could muster out.

The Wheeler girl shook her head, "I am not trying to be someone else." She replied. "Just because I'm dating Steve and you don't like him—"

"You know what? Forget it." Jonathan began to walk away. Eve's mouth fell open. "I just thought it was a good picture."

Nancy began to walk after him, "He's actually a good guy." She declared.

Eve began to laugh. "Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves." She hummed as she held up her hands. "Steve's not a good guy. He's not a bad guy, but he's not good either." The blond cut in as she looked between the two other teenagers.

"Yesterday, with the camera," Nancy stuttered as she spoke. She had a point to prove. "He's not like that at all. He was just being protective."

"Yeah, that's one word for it."

"Oh, and I guess what you did was okay?" Nancy snapped. Eve whistled, looking over at Jonathan.

"No,  I never said that."

Nancy continued to speak. "He had every right to be pissed—"

"Okay, all right. Does that mean we all have to like him?"

Jonathan turned to look at Nancy. The Wheeler shifted on her feet. "No." She deadpanned.

The Byers shook his head at her. "Listen, don't take it so personally, okay? I don't like most people. He's in the vast majority." He turned to walk away from Nancy and Eve. The blond wanted to argue about that, but Jonathan had a point. She too didn't like most people, including Steve.

Nancy scoffed in disbelief. "You know, I was actually starting to think that you were okay."

"Yeah?

"Yeah." Nancy snapped back. "Yeah, I was thinking, Jonathan Byers, maybe he's not the pretentious creep everyone says he is." She listed off.

Eve looked between them. Call it toxic, but she really enjoyed being able to watch this showdown.

Jonathan walked back towards Nancy. "Well, I was just starting to think you were okay." The brunette girl rose a brow. "I was thinking, "Nancy Wheeler, she's not just another suburban girl who thinks she's rebelling by doing exactly what every other suburban girl does." Nancy's blue eyes widened as she realized he wasn't holding back. Eve silently wished she had popcorn. "Until that phase passes and they marry some boring one-time jock who now works sales, and they live out a perfectly boring little life at the end of a cul-de-sac. Exactly like their parents, who they thought were so depressing, but now, hey, they get it."

Evelyn stepped between them, her hands going up. "Okay! That's enough, you two!" She shouted with a scoff. "Jonathan, we get it. You hate everyone. Join the club." The blond looked towards the girl. "Nancy, I'm so glad you're hopelessly in love with the school asshole. Good for you." She rolled her eyes. "But both of you need to shut the hell up and get over it because there are bigger problems than your damn cliche teenage lives." Eve's hands fell to her sides. "I need to take a piss."

Jonathan and Nancy gawked are the blond as she walked further down the path. They shared grumpy, guilty looks, before moving to slowly follow her.

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Eve hummed to herself the rest of the night, ignoring both Nancy and Jonathan. She chewed her gum obnoxiously, looking around the woods as she had been for hours. She wanted to figure out what she saw the other night. She wanted to find out if Will Byers and Barabara Holland were actually alive. Her mind was racing and she was going to throw up if she was left in the dark.

Nancy Wheeler stopped walking. Jonathan turned around, his lips tilted downward as he spoke. "What, are you tired?" He bitterly asked.

"Shut up."

Jonathan was confused. Eve paused, turning to look at the pair behind her. She adjusted the duffle bag on her shoulder. Nancy looked around. "I heard something," Nancy whispered. Jonathan and Kennedy held their breaths as they waited. A whimper. Eve snapped her head at the sound of an indistinct whisper in the distance. Nancy began to walk, Evelyn and Jonathan close behind.

The whimpering sounds got louder and Nancy stumbled upon the creature. It was a deer, bloodied and battered. Eve and Jonathan reached Nancy, their eyes landing on the animal. "Oh, God," Nancy said in despair. Eve scrunched her face in disgust and sympathy. "It's been hit by a car." Jonathan stared at the animal covered in blood. It wasn't going to make it. He knew it from just seeing it. Nancy looked at the two. "We can't just leave it." She whispered. They knew what she meant. They couldn't let it suffer any longer.

All three of them look at the animal again. Nancy fiddled with the gun in her hand. They had to. It was only fair. It'd be quick and painless. However, Nancy felt her hand shake as she aimed her weapon. Eve clenched her jaw in uncertainty. Before she could do anything, she watched as Jonathan reached for the gun. "I'll do it." He declared, holding his hand out.

Nancy looked over. "I thought you said-"

"I'm not nine anymore." The Byers deadpanned. Nancy looked over Jonathan's shoulder, seeing Eve's unbothered face. She wasn't gonna stop him. The Wheeler pursed her lips sadly, handing Jonathan the gun.

The deer continued to let out whimpering sounds, echoing in Nancy's ears. Evelyn stepped back, not wanting to be too close. Jonathan inhaled deeply, trying to sort his thoughts. Nancy turned her head, ready to close her eyes. As the gun cocked and his finger landed on the trigger, something happened.

Something took the deer.

There was a small growl as suddenly the deer was pulled into nothingness. Eve grabbed Nancy's wrist and tugged her backward, and Jonathan jumped back. The three of them stared in shock, gasping. Nancy held her flashlight tightly. "What was that?" She whispered.

Evelyn waved her flashlight in the direction of the bloodied trail. Nancy was clutching onto Eve's hand as the trio moved forwards. Jonathan kept the gun pointed as they looked around. They were in a clearing of the forest, and yet there was no sign of the deer or whatever took it.

"Where'd it go?" Nancy muttered as she looked at the bloodied bones.

"I don't know," Jonathan replied. "Do you see any more blood?" He asked the girls.

Evelyn shook her head, "No." She answered quietly. She squeezed Nancy's hand in reassurance. Nancy squeezed back. Jonathan walked away, looking in the opposite direction.

"Eve. Do you see that?"

The blond looked at what Nancy was gesturing towards. It was a tree with an opening on the bottom. Except it was dripping. Eve and Nancy shared looks as they walked closer. Evelyn put down her duffle bag as she kneeled down. The two girls looked at it closely, Nancy's flashlight highlighting the strange textures. The blood trail was there. That's where the deer went.

Evelyn leaned closer to the tree. "This is gnarly," She whispered in fascination.

"Jonathan!" Nancy called out, trying to get the Byers boy's attention. There was no sound. Nancy and Evelyn turned to look, waiting for Jonathan to come into view. But he never did. "Jonathan?"

Evelyn looked at the goo-like texture on the sides of the tree. What if...whatever took the deer is what took Will and Barb? And if this is where it went... "Oh, hell," Evelyn whispered, fully taking off her duffle bag. She sunk into the ground, digging through the bag quickly.

Nancy looked over in confusion. "What are you doing?" She asked, moving her flashlight to highlight the blond. Evelyn looked up, giving a smile as she whipped out a rusty machete.

"I'm going in."

And with that, Evelyn screwed her eyes shut and began to crawl. Goo and such stuck to their clothes and their hair. Slimey textures on their skin. Nancy called out for Jonathan,but there was silence. Nancy huffed out in dismay, throwing her backpack to the ground and going to follow Evelyn Baxter.

This place was different.

The world was darker, colder. Something was falling from the sky. Nancy's flashlight began to flicker. Blackened vines covered the surfaces. "What the hell is this?" Whispered Evelyn, looking around with a machete in hand. "Where are we?"

Nancy shook her head, "I don't know." She replied. Nancy looked down at her flashlight, which began to flicker even more. She hit it once, twice.

A snarl caused the girls to gasp. They turned to their right to see a creature. It was gray and it was humanoid-esque. But it's head. It was like it didn't have a face, just a mouth that bloomed like a flower. Their eyes widened as they watched this creature eating the deer they saw before.

Evelyn felt her stomach twist. This was what the two of them saw in the woods behind Steve Harrington's house. This is what they saw in the photo Jonathan took. This is what Joyce Byers saw. This is what took Will and Barb.

The two girls stepped back, trying to be as quiet as possible. Eve was holding her breath. The heel of Nancy's shoe stepped on a vine, and suddenly the creature turned, roaring loudly. Eve and Nancy screamed, running. Nancy's flashlight fell to the ground. Eve grabbed Nancy's hand and pulled her as fast as she could.

Somewhere in the woods, Jonathan's head whipped around at the sound of their screams. "Nancy! Evelyn!" He shouted as he ran. He ran in the direction of the sound, stumbling upon a tree.

In front of the tree were Nancy's backpack, bat, and the large duffle bag Eve had brought. But no sign of either girl. "Nancy!?" Jonathan shouted as he looked around. "Evelyn!? Where are you!?" The sounds of screams echoed. He looked around in confusion. "Nancy!"

As he shouted for both girls, he stumbled away from the tree with the open stump. It seemed to have slowly stitched itself together, repairing the birch of the tree as if the hole the two girls had found was never there.

Jonathan Byers was running through the woods, looking for any sign of Nancy Wheeler and Evelyn Baxter. Anxiety and fear flooded his bones as he realized whatever was in the woods might've found the girls. "Nancy!" He shouted. He looked around, no sign of them. "Where are you!?"

"Jonathan!" Nancy screamed, running alongside Eve. "Jonathan!" They could hear him, but they couldn't see him. "Jonathan, we're right here!"  She screamed as she looked around.

Eve whipped around, pieces of her hair falling out of her braid."Jonathan, where are you!?" The two girls stopped, out of breath as they looked around.

"I'm right here! Nancy! Evelyn!" Jonathan could hear their screams, but he couldn't find them. "Just follow my voice!"

"We're trying, asshole!" Evelyn screeched. She whined as she grabbed Nancy's hand, the two girls rushing off. They stumbled through the woods, listening. Jonathan shouted for them both. Nancy gasped as she grabbed onto Evelyn. The creature snarled as it snapped its head in their direction. The two girls yelled as they began to run.

"Nancy, run!" The Wheeler slipped behind a slime-filled tree, breathing heavily. She grabbed Evelyn, pulling her into her. Eve stumbled, the two girls chest to chest, and their faces inches apart from each other. Nancy looked into the blond's eyes, their heartbeats going at extreme rates.

The girls had no idea that Jonathan had stumbled onto another entrance into wherever they were, but he had. Jonathan kneeled in front of a tree with an open stump. "Nancy! Evelyn! Follow my voice!" It was across the clearing. Nancy could see the portal. She nudged the blond, the two girls looking at it. Eve's eyes lit up.

Jonathan kneeled closer to the tree. He couldn't tell what he was looking at, much less hearing from inside the tree. Suddenly, a hand jumped out at him. Jonathan jumped back "Jonathan!" Nancy's voice came from the tree.

"Nancy!" He grabbed hold of the girl's arm, pulling as hard as he good. His feet rested on either side of the tree, pushing hard. Nancy yelled and groaned as she pulled herself out of the hellish place she came from, falling into Jonathan. She didn't stay long, quickly moving to the hole to grab a second hand poking through.

Jonathan stumbled over, helping Nancy pull the girl out as fast as they could. Evelyn yelled as she broke through the portal, landing on the ground harshly. A cluster of arms wrapped around each other as Nancy cried wildly and Evelyn clutched onto her for dear life. Jonathan watched as the portal began to close as if it was never there, to begin with.