For Better Or Worse: 3
Henry Creel x Female Reader
Summary: Henry Creel turned out not to be how you thought heād be
A/n: Part 3 is here! This chapter is LONG, so buckle up and from here on out the chapters are probably going to be this length. This chapter is heavily influenced by stranger things: the first shadow. I donāt own stranger things or stranger things: the first shadow, but I do own Y/n and her storyline. There is also going to be more characters that you know and love popping up in this chapter! I also received a request for a Steve Harrington fluff so look out for that as well! I hope you guys enjoy!š„°
š¬ 0Ā Ā š 0Ā Ā ā¤ļø 22Ā Ā·Ā For Better Or Worse MasterlistĀ Ā·Ā š¬ 5Ā Ā š 0Ā Ā ā¤ļø 82Ā Ā·Ā For Better Or WorseĀ Ā·Ā Henry Creel x Reader Summary: Henry Creel turned
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā
There goes my baby by the drifters was playing from Karenās radio. Karen, Karenās sister Chelsea and I were currently pampering ourselves for girls night. Karen was applying a homemade avocado mask on Chelseaās face after already applying it on her face and my face.
I was rummaging through Karenās nail polish bin and I came across a light pastel yellow shade. Itās been awhile since Iāve done yellow and I thought it would be a nice change. I grabbed the clear nail polish as well and began to set up my own station to paint my toes on the floor of Karenās bedroom.
āThank you for letting me crash your girls night Y/n. I know this was supposed to be a you a Karen thing.ā Chelsea said.
āItās no problem! I love hanging out with you!ā And I meant it. Although Chelsea was two years younger than us, which made her an seventh grader, it doesnāt mean sheās not fun to hang out with. I enjoy her company and I see her as a younger sister.
I unscrewed the top of the yellow nail polish bottle and began to paint my big toe. The song there goes my baby came to an end and jail house rock began to play. Elvis may have only been around for a couple of years, but he is easily one of my favorite singers.
āOh I love this song!ā I exclaimed.
āMe too! I love Elvis!ā Chelsea added.
āOh my god guys speaking of Elvis.ā Karen stood up from her spot on the floor and walked to her desk. āLook what I bought the other day.ā
Karen held up a Life Magazine and on the cover was Elvis Presley. I immediately shot up, while also being careful not to mess up my toes, and snatched the magazine from Karenās hands.
āHow can a man look so good!ā I said.
āI know heās so hot.ā Karen commented.
āDuh of course he is! Look at him!ā I said as I pointed at his face. Chelsea inched closer to Karen and I.
āLet me see!ā She said. I knelt down to the ground, so she could get a good look at Elvis.
āWow.ā Was all she said and I giggled at her reaction.
āI bet heās an amazing kisser.ā I said.
āI bet his is. A girl can only dream.ā Karen said with a dreamy look in her eye. My mouth curved into a mischievous smile after a thought popped in my mind.
āWhat?ā Karen asked after noticing my expression. She joined me and Chelsea on the floor again.
āOh just wonderingā¦is Ted a good kisser?ā
āY/n!ā Karen exclaimed and Chelsea giggled.
I picked up the yellow nail polish again and continued my work. āWhat? You agreed that Elvis would be a good kisser, and Ted is your boyfriend, so he has to be a good kisser right?ā
āYeah is he?ā Chelsea pried and Karen shoved Chelsea in response.
āYes heās a good kisser. Y/n is there anyone youāve kissed whoās a good kisser?ā
Although Iām not much of partier, Iāve attended the occasional party from time to time. Some of those parties entailed games such as spin the bottle or seven minutes in heaven. So although Iāve never had a boyfriend, Iāve dabbled in a little fun here and there.
āEvan Decker is a pretty good kisser.ā
āThe sophomore on the basketball team?ā
I nodded bashfully. āDamn! Okay I see you Y/n. Kissing with an older man.ā Karen teased.
āPlease heās only a year older. Itās not a big deal.ā I shot back.
āI know I just like teasing you.ā I playfully rolled my eyes in response.
āSpeaking of boys. I saw that you were partnered with Henry Creel during drama club. So how did that go?ā
āWhoās Henry Creel?ā Chelsea asked.
āSomeone from school.ā Karen answered quickly before turning back to me.
āIt was okay.ā I answered. āHe was pretty quiet, but he wasnāt bad.ā
āReally?ā
āYeah why do you sound so surprised?ā
āYeah?ā Chelsea added.
āI donāt knowā¦I guess I just believed what everyone else was saying about him.ā Just like I thought. āSo I was worried while you were āaloneā with him Y/n, but if you think heās okay then I trust you.ā
She was worried when I was alone with Henry? āYou wore worried about me being with him?ā
Karen nodded.
āWhy?ā
āBecause of the rumors. Specifically about the girl he blinded. I didnāt want anything to happen to you. So I told you all about the rumors about the girl and him being weird to try and scare you away from him, but I should have known that you wouldnāt believe any of it unless you had the proof. But you talked with him and you had a normal conversation with him. You did have a normal conversation with him right?ā
āYeah.ā
āWell then there you go. Although I still think heās a little weird, I trust your judgment and if you think heās alright, then heās alright. Can you forgive me?ā
āOf course I can forgive you. I was never mad at you in the first place.ā I said. Karen immediately sighed and brought me into a hug.
āThank you y/n.ā
āOf course.ā Karen and I broke apart from the hug and I pulled the makeup bin closer to her. āNow pick a color to paint your nails.ā
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ė
Bob
āGood evening Hawkins Indiana weāre broadcasting to you live from the Hawkins AV club. N-n-news flash.ā Bob Newby, the founder and president of the AV club said. He pressed a button that caused a sound of an arrow hitting its target for effect.
āJoyce Maldonadoās production of Oklahoma has cast its leads and they started rehearsals not too long ago.ā Bobbed added the applause sound. āAnd guess whoās doing sound for the show. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?ā Bob pressed the airplane sound button. āNo. Itās Bob the brain. Newby.ā
Suddenly, out of nowhere, the radio began to go haywire from an unknown source and sound filled his headphones that made his ears heart. Bob tried to fix the mystery problem while trying to reassure the listeners who may have heard the disturbance.
āSorry folks must be some kind of power surge, but it is 10:15, so time to call it a night huh.ā Bob began to play a song to bid his listeners good night. āThis is sleep walk. Dream on dreamers.ā
The disturbance came again and Bob had to take his headphones off because the frequency was too loud. What is going on Bob thought. Bob wanted to investigate further, but decided to call it a night since he had school in the morning.
āIāll fix it tomorrow.ā
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ė
Henry
The sound of static came from my radio, and filled the attic of my house. After moving here from Nevada, the attic has served as a safe haven for me and it is the only place I can have peace and quiet. It is the only place where I can really be alone and think.
My mind wandered to the conversations that Y/n and I had this week. I always like to watch her from afar and who wouldnāt want to look at Y/n, sheās beautiful. Her being a cheerleader and in the popular crowd made me see her as untouchable. Thereās no way that someone like her would even look at someone like meās direction. But she did. Well the first time we ever talked doesnāt count. She was returning my script back to me and I found out later that day that Joyce told her to do so, when Joyce asked me during rehearsal if I got my script back.
The second time we talked however, she seeked me out. My radio was going haywire and I was seeing things. Things I didnāt want to see, but I still saw them anyway. The familiar painful ache filled my head and I tried to snap out of whatever trance I was in.
I repeated the phrases that my mom always told me to tell myself: Iām not seeing things. Iām not crazy. Iām normal. Iām Henry Creel. It worked most of the time, but that day during school it just wasnāt working. I didnāt get out of my stupor until I felt a hand on my arm and it belonged to Y/n.
In an instant, I was brought back to reality, and I was able to breathe again. I looked at Y/n and she was dressed up in her cheer uniform. She was all dolled up with her makeup and hair and she had her pom poms in her locker.
She invited me to the game that everyone in school was talking about and at first I didnāt want to go. However, one look at Y/n and all of sudden I felt compelled to go to the game because I now knew that she was going. I put two and two together and realized not only would I be seeing her at the game, but I would also be seeing her perform as well. So I did what I didnāt think I would do that day and went to the game.
I paid attention to the game, although I was bored, but that didnāt stop me from glancing at Y/n from time to time. She looked even more beautiful when she smiled and I could tell she enjoyed cheering when she performed. That day I couldnāt believe that someone so special actually talked to me.
Then the next week we crossed paths several times. During drama club rehearsal, at study hall, and after drama club rehearsal and her cheer practice.
I noticed that she always hung out with that one popular girl named Karen, and whenever she wasnāt with her she was with Joyce. I realized that the lipgloss she always applies on her lips were strawberry flavored/scented after she casually mentioned it once.
I observed that whenever she had her hair tied up she would always use a brown velvet scrunchie with white flowers on it, but when she had games her hair would be tired up in either a green or yellow scrunchie (Hawkins high colors) (A/n: I know scrunchies werenāt around at the time but I wanted to include it anyway). I knew so much about her, but I still knew so little.
For instance, why is she not afraid of me? She obviously heard the rumors about me so why is she not weirded out by me or scared of me like everyone else? And what is her relationship with her family like? I asked her is she had any siblings and she immediately froze. Does she not get along with her siblings?
I was suddenly interrupted from my thoughts when my radio switched channels and I was now hearing my parents having a conversation about me.
āDid you hear that?ā
āWhat is it Virginia?ā
āWhat is he doing up there in the attic?ā My mom asked from the radio.
āOh probably listening to his damn radio.ā
āI think you were right. I-I think that we should take it away.ā Mom suggested.
āNo! I think heās doing better.ā Dad argued.
āI feel like itās too soon for him to be back in school. Heās still having nightmares. We should have kept him home longer. Iām worried.ā
āWell you shouldnāt be. I saw him taking to a girl in a cheerleader uniform when I picked him up.ā
āA girl? What girl?ā Mom asked curiously.
āI donāt know some girl.ā
āDo you think thatās good?ā
āItās normal. I think heās doing normal things. Itās better than being hulled up with his radio all day.ā
[Suddenly the lamp lights began to flicker from the dining room where Victor and Virginia Creel are]
āWhat is that?ā Mom asked.
āItās an old house it needs rewiring. Look. He got into it in his last school. He made a mistake. Boys do that, but we did the right thing huh. Now weāre here and we have to make a fresh start.ā
āDo you really think he should be hanging around with a girl?ā
āThis is completely different.ā
āHe blinded that girl Victor.ā
āFor Gods sake!ā Victor bellowed. āIt was an accident.ā
āBut what if it happens again?!ā
āWhat do you want me to do?ā
I didnāt want to hear it anymore. Hearing my parents talking about me through my radio was a lot. So would if I was talking to Y/n? That doesnāt mean that I am going to hurt her. I would never harm Y/n or put her in any type of risk that can lead to harm. I like to consider Y/n a friend and I would never intentionally hurt her or anyone. I didnāt intentionally hurt the girl.
I donāt know what happened back in Nevada with the girl. It all happened so fast that everything felt like a blur. One moment we were talking and everything was normal. Then a few minutes later I felt the familiar ominous feeling I always felt ever since I was little, and before I knew it I lost control of everything. The next thing I knew, the girl was on the ground, as she cradled her eyes and cried out in pain. Blood seeped out of her eyes sockets and I found out the horrid truth that she would never see again. I blinded her.
After the gruesome event, things didnāt get any better for me and my family, so we moved to Hawkins. We inhirited money from a wealthy relative and my parents bought a house. We moved to Hawkins Indiana and my mom got the fresh start she wanted.
Although we started with a clean slate, my mom still keeps an eye on me. She thinks any minute Iām going to snap and hurt someone and ruin our reputation. Itās not something I can control and deep down I donāt want to hurt anyone, but at the same time I do.
Itās hard to explain, but sometimes it feels like something or someone plants evil thoughts in my mind. These thoughts almost feel like mine, but I know better. Theyāre someone elseās
Iāve felt this ominous feeling ever since I was a child. The feeling grew as I got older and ever since Iāve moved to Hawkins this uneasiness has been at an all time high. Before Y/n approached me before the game and during ice breakers for drama club, the same sinister feeling crept like a shadow. I still donāt know what it means, but im glad itās gone for now.
I had foreign sinister thoughts, before I hurt that girl, but they havenāt invaded my mind in a while, so I should be fine. Right?
I didnāt want to hear whatever my parents have to say about me anymore, so I covered my ears to muffle their conversation. However, after some time I got bored, so I pulled my hands away and was brought back to the sound of their voices coming from my radio.
āHeās not himself.ā My mom voiced. Great theyāre still taking about me. āAnd neither are you! Nothing has been fine since you got back from the war.ā
Suddenly, I felt the familiar painful sensation make its way to my head. I placed both of my hands on my head to try to dull the agony that was pulsating from my skull, but it did nothing. I thrashed and sprawled across the floor as I screamed in pain to try to make it stop. It was like something was pulling from inside of me and trying to claw its way out. It wouldnāt stop and it was torture.
āDonāt you start this please!ā Dad argued.
āOh, oh you canāt just drink this away Victor this is our son!ā
āWhat about you! You pop those pills like theyāre candy!ā
I had to make it stop now! And fast. My head felt like a bowling ball weighing me down, but with all my might I managed to pull myself up and my eyes landed on my radio. I had to make the pain stop. While clutching my head, I dragged myself across the floor, army crawl style, and slowly, but surely I made it to where my hand held radio was sitting on the floor.
I began to press all the buttons on my radio. Anything to make it stop. I twisted the volume, changed the station, everything I could, but I still heard my parents arguing. I began to bang and hit my radio out of frustration. The static from my radio got louder and I fell backwards as the pain became unbearable.
Another wave of piercing pain came like a tsunami and my head began to throb as a nauseating pain shot through my skull. I fell to the ground and began to scream in agony as I clutched my head. My breathing turned rapid as I became more and more delirious.
I heard a ringing in my ears and white filled my line of sight, so I stood up as I plastered my hands over my eyes. I couldnāt feel anything, but the pain.
Usually I could get the headache to go away or I just had to wait for it to pass, but my headaches were never this intense and nothing seemed to work for this one.
I continued to scream, not sure if anyone could hear me, until something peculiar happened.
I felt a surge of energy course through my body, almost like a pulse and it came at me all at once. The pain in my head was still present, but it subsided to a dull throb Strangely, I felt my body being transported somewhere else.
I caught my breath as my breathing steadied and my headache almost felt nonexistent. I slowly pulled my hands away from my face and assessed where I was.
āWoah.ā
Darkness. Thatās all I could see. Pitch black darkness. I could see nothing for what looked like miles. My feet felt wet, so I looked down and saw a sheet of water covering the ground. I could tell I was somewhere else, but I wasnāt physically there. I could feel the water on my toes and I could lucidly move around, but I still felt my body in the attic at home.
Where am I? What is this place? Did I transport myself here? How could I get back to the attic? A bunch of answers were going through my head.
Then, the pain that disappeared for a moment came back, not as strong as before, but this time I felt it in my chest and I felt something moving inside me. I thrashed and twitched as the pain that was once just in my head became apparent everywhere. I thrashed around and felt it move, from my chest and up to my throat until suddenly I had the urge to sneeze.
The pain was now in my jaw and slowly, but surely I felt something slide out my nose and a trail of black smoke escaped from me. The pain I once had was gone once again and along with dark feeling that usually loomed over me like a shadow.
After all the smoke left my body the unsettling feeling went away. I heard a wizzing near my head and I turned to see the trail of black smoke swirling around. It moved left, then right, up and down as if it was playing with me.
āWhat are you?ā
I went to go reach for it, but it flew away before I could get to it. I tried to grab it, but it was too quick. After some time, I decided to call it quits and stopped chasing the smoke, and eventually it disappeared.
I surveyed the area I was in a little more, but there was nothing much to look at, except pure darkness. Although this was a new place for me it seemed familiar. Like Iāve known this place all along.
My hands werenāt covering my face in this place, but I still felt the tiredness of holding my hand over my eyes for a long period of time back in the attic. I pulled my real right hand away from my face, however, when I did so, the world I was in began to blur. I looked around and I was no longer in the black void and I was back in my attic.
I placed my right hand over my eyes again and the pitch black abyss became clear. The same black smoke was back again and it whizzed in a tornado shape until it formed an image of her.
It was Y/n. She was sitting on the ground, in her pajamas, as she applied yellow nail polish to her toes. The sound of music playing from the radio was heard from a distance and the sound of her giggling was like music to my ears. I smiled as I watched Y/n being so carefree. She really was beautiful.
āY/n.ā I reached out to her, with my right hand, but the image of her faded away, but the black void was gone and I was back in the attic again. I looked down at my hand. I left the dark place after I pulled my hand away from my eyes, so that means I need something to cover my eyes that isnāt my hands.
After careful consideration, I grabbed the strand of the fabric that was used to tie my robe around me wait and pulled it free from the loops. I wrapped the strand around my head, to cover my eyes, and tightly tied it in the back.
Immediately I was transported back to this mystery dark place and with one last pull the strand was finally tied up around my head. I reached my arms out and I could feel myself reaching out at the air, but I wasnāt doing said actions back in the attic. It was as if I was in two places at once, but somehow I knew I wasnāt physically here in this dark place. Itās as if Iām in my mind.
I tried to search for Y/n, so I could see her again. I tried to remember the way her voice sounded so soft, or the way her laugh rang like ringing bells. I searched for a while until a voice called out, but it wasnāt the soft voice that I wanted to hear.
āPrancer! Prancer!ā An annoying male voice called out. āWhere are you buddy?ā
I tuned to the source of the voice and one of my classmates, and member of the drama club, that always picked on me, appeared in front of me like how Y/n did earlier.
āWalter.ā
āWhere are you you little bastard.ā Walter shouted.
āWalter Henderson.ā I confirmed. I covered my head with the hood of my robe and looked the other way in order to hide myself, but he didnāt seem to notice my presence. I turned around and looked directly at his face, but he didnāt even react.
I was standing right in front of him, so I expected him to make fun of me like he normally does, but instead he looked right past me like I wasnāt even there.
āWalter did you find him?ā A winy voice called out.
āNot yet angel.ā Walter sang out.
Claudia Yount, from drama club, came running and ran into Walterās arms. āIf we donāt find him soon weāre going to miss the drive in.ā
āOh weāre not going to miss the scary movie my little chestnut.ā Walter tickled Claudiaās sides and she giggled in response.
I was about a foot away from them, in clear view of them, but they didnāt even acknowledge me. Claudia even looked right at me, but she didnāt even say anything. Didnāt she see me? Now I was even more confused. What were Claudia and Walter doing in this place and why couldnāt both of them see me?
A sound came out of nowhere and I turned to see a building magically appear right in front of me in the middle of the pitch black. The building had big bright red and yellow letters at the top that spelled out: Henderson Liquors.
It was the town liquor store in Hawkins that was owned by Walter Hendersonās family. The store was on the corner of Wall Street, but now it was directly in front of me. Why is it here? How is it here?
Walter peered over at Henderson Liquors and noticed Claudiaās furry friend. āOh see! Heās in the shop!ā Walter grabbed the store keys from his pocket and stepped inside.
I remained outside of the liquor store with Claudia to see if I could maybe make her notice me. I stood in front of her and waved my hand in front of her face. She didnāt see me, but her face contorted with confusion.
āHello?ā She called out. She couldnāt see me, but she could sense that I was there I thought. Interesting.
āOver here babe.ā Walter said from the shop door.
Claudia gave an uneasy look towards my direction before she joined her boyfriend into his family liquor store.
āOh there you are prancy.ā Claudia said when she found her cat behind the counter. āWhat the heck are you doing in here? Oh heās frightened.ā
āHeās fine.ā
āPoor little baby. No heās hiding here, heās scared.ā
āWhat about me?ā Walter asked from outside the liquor store. āArenāt I your poor little baby too?ā
I felt a surge of powerful energy pass though me and the lights of the Henderson establishment began to flicker. Did I do that?
āDid you see that?ā Claudia asked as she ran out of the liquor store to Walter.
āItās an old sign.ā
Claudia looked in my direction once again and I knew she could sense that I was standing in front of her. I moved a little further away to block my interference. āWalter, someone else is here.ā She said scared.
āNo one is here dumpling.ā
āDonāt dumpling me. I am leaving and you can lock up yourself.ā Claudia walked back into the shop to say goodbye to Prancer.
āCome on! Donāt be a weeny Claudia!ā Walter complained.
Claudia met him at the door. āThen donāt be an asshole, Walter.ā Claudia walked off without a second thought.
āThanks a lot scady cat.ā But Claudia ignored him. Walter sighed before he flipped through the keys he had on a ring as he looked for the one to lock the liquor store.
I thought about all the times Walter made my life a living hell. The snide comments he made when I wasnāt listening. The words he would say straight to my face and the ones behind my back (they always found a way to me). All the times he made my life at school miserable.
I never retaliated and always took what he threw at me. What could I do anyway? He was a senior and I was only a freshman. Upperclassman have power and even if we were in the same grade, no one would ever help me. I was the school freak. The weirdo.
I never retaliated, but at the moment he couldnāt see me and I could do whatever I wanted without repercussions. If Claudia could feel my presence, then maybe I could touch something.
I walked behind Walter and made my way to the door. I took one last look at him before I felt the coldness of the steel door against my hand as if I was there. Curios, I pushed the door in one swift motion and the door slammed shut.
Walter, shocked at the action, jumped back. āWhat the hell?!ā
āWalter come on!ā Claudia called out.
Walter ignored her and continued to stare at the door. I know I closed the door, but in Walterās mind, āno oneā closed the door. āHello?ā Asked frightened.
āWalter!ā Claudia called out angrily.
I walked up behind Walter and brought my mouth to his ear. āRun.ā
Somehow Walter was able to hear my voice and he immediately ran away over to Claudia. Coward. āWait for me!ā
I laughed in response at Walterās idioticy. I never fought back like that before but it felt good. Of course I would never terrorize him back in the real world, but it felt nice to stand up for myself for once. Walter, or Claudia will never know itās me, so it can be my little secret.
Now that I was alone, I peered inside and Prancer the cat was nowhere to be found inside the liquor store. I called out to it as I opened the door of the liquor store. I guess Walter forgot to lock it, since he was too busy screaming in fear I thought.
āHey Prancer. Watcha looking at?ā Prancer was nowhere to be found. āAre you scared of me too? Why? Whereād you go? Donāt be afraid.ā
I heard the sound of hissing and sure enough there was Prancer on top of the countertops in the corner coming out from his hiding spot. I slowly approached him with my arms stretched out. If I could open and close a door then I could certainly pick up a cat. āHere kitty kitty.ā
Prancer tried to run away, but I caught him. āThere you are.ā
Iāve always been fascinated with animals. They were so different, but yet so similar to humans. And a plus was that they never looked at me like I was crazy or avoided me like the plague. I held Prancer in my arms and I felt him shake in fear. I lifted him up from my arms and raised him to my eye level.
āItās alright Iām not going to hurt ya.ā I said. The ominous feeling I always felt came back again. I looked around and didnāt see the black smoke anywhere. I tried to convince myself that the black smoke wasnāt here. Itās all in your head I thought.
I turned my attention back to Prancer and he still seemed afraid. āYouāre such a good kitty. Iām not going to hurt you.ā
I brought my head closer to Prancer, but he hissed at me. āI-itās okay. D-donāt be scared. Itās okay just donāt be scared.ā
I held Prancer up for a little longer, until I felt him move. I soon realized that Prancer was levitating, so I shockingly let go of Prancer and he was now floating in the air above me. I tried to pull him down from up there, but I couldnāt reach him.
Then, something strange and frightening occurred.
I felt the hair on my arms stand up and a surge of energy pass through me. It started from my feet and went all the way up to my fingertips. One of Prancerās legs began to vibrate before I heard and felt his bones snap like a gingerbread cookie. Then it was followed by his other leg snapping and his two back legs followed suit, until his whole body contorted in a not normal way. His eyes began to shake until his eyes sunk inward and his eye sockets became empty dripping with blood.
I stood paralyzed as I looked up at Prancer. What just happened? Did I just do that?
I had no time to process my thoughts because I felt the shock from before course through my body. Prancer began to disintegrate like smoke followed, by the bottles of liquor on the wall and the four walls of the liquor store I was standing in.
The black void I was in began to blur and my headache from before returned. I placed my hands over my eyes to numb the pain. I felt my body being transported again and as the pain in my head went away I heard the sound of static from my radio filling my ears.
I smelt the sweet cedar smell of the oak in my attic fill my nose and I felt the chilly fall air against my skin. I felt the palms of my hands and the cloth against my face. I quickly pulled away my hands from my face and untied the fabric that was shielding my line of vision. I looked around and I was no longer in the black void. I was back in my attic at home.
I felt something wet drip from my nose. I touched the bottom of my nose and when I pulled my hand away I saw red. āBlood.ā
I sat down on the floor and thought about what just happened. I held Claudiaās cat in my arms. The cat levitated and it was alive until it wasnāt. Did I kill the cat? No thereās no way. I wasnāt really at the liquor store. Right? But there was no other explanation of Prancerās cause of death.
āNo no no no. Itās just a nightmare.ā I said to try to convince myself. I walked over to my radio and turned it off and the static came to a stop. āItās not real. Im normal. Iām Henry Creel.ā But I was the only person there.
I held my head in my hands as I realized what I have done. I killed Prancer the cat. I killed Prancer while somehow still remaining here in my attic. How? I donāt know. Why? I donāt know. I just wanted to pet him and hold him. He was just alive in my hands until he wasnāt. My breath began to quicken when I thought about Prancerās sunken head and broken bones. I killed Prancer. I killed an animal. Me. I killed an innocent life.
I lifted my head up and stared down at my hands. Iām a killer. Iām a monster. My mom is wrong. Iām not normal. Iām weird. Iām a freak. Something is wrong with me. Iām a danger to others. Iām a danger toā¦
I abruptly stood up from the ground. I canāt see her anymore. As much as I want to be around Y/n I know I canāt be around her anymore. If something happened and I lost control I couldā¦.she could end up like Prancer and I could never live with myself if I killed another living being.
Itās for the best. Itās best to cut ties now before we got any deeper in the relationship. This is the best way to keep her safe. Maybe in another life we could have been something, but in this life weāre meant to be strangers. Two people who arenāt meant to cross paths.
This is for the better I told myself, but why do I feel like itās for the worst. And why does it hurt so much.
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ė
I spent the whole weekend at Karenās house. Anything to get out of not seeing my parents. I know my parents love me, but they have a really odd way of showing it. Sometimes they donāt realize how their actions affect me and I am just not in the mood for that right now.
Karen and I are in the church choir, which is why we were at church Sunday morning. We were currently squeezing in an extra rehearsal right before todayās midday mass. Just another activity I did to try and make my parents proud, but they never seemed to care.
At the moment we were running a new number for today and suddenly Patty Newby burst through the doors.
āPatricia youāre late.ā Mr. Newby, our Choir conductor said. Patty was Mr. Newbyās daughter and he was hard on her most of the time and sometimes for no reason.
āIām sorry-āShe responded timidly.
āI donāt want to hear it.ā Patty scurried beside Karen, who was next to me, and began to sing alongside the rest of us.
āPatricia youāre flat.ā Patty tried to fix her pitch, but it was still a little off. āPatty.ā Mr. Newby repeated sharply. Patty continued to sing off key.
āStop.ā We all abruptly stopped singing. āStop. Stop. Youāre flat Patty.ā
āIām not flat.ā
āExcuse me.ā
āIām not flat your flat.ā I gave Patty a look as if she was crazy and maybe she was. If I talked to my parents like that I would be six feet under. Patty never spoke up like that before and maybe itās because of that boy she is seeing. She has been more confident lately and if so good for her.
āWhat the hell has gotten into you?ā Mr. Newby asked.
āItās because Patty is in love.ā Karen teased. I swatted Karenās arm. Although what Karen spoke was nothing but the truth, why would she say such a thing when she knows how her dad can be.
āNo Iām not!ā
āGirls youāre dismissed.ā Mr. Newby then turned to Patty. āNot you Patty.ā
Practice ending early? Mr. Newby is definitely being generous today I thought. I turned to Karen. āWhat was that for?ā
āWhat was what?ā
āWith Patty!ā
āOh well-ā
āHey kid.ā I turned around and saw Jim Hopper jogging into the choir room. I wanted to call after him, but before I could Lonnie Byers and Charles Sinclair came wizzing past me.
āSmokes! You want em I got em. Camels and whatnot you name it.
āIāll take some.ā Charleās said.
ā10 cents a pack.ā Jim answered. While Jim was bargaining with Charles, Lonnie snatched a cigarette pack from Jimās hand.
ā10 cents what a rip off.ā Lonnie complained.
Jim snatched the pack back. āTake em or leave em lover boy.ā
āWhat did you just call me?ā Lonnie squared up to Jim.
āHey can we not fight here. This is kind of āGods placeā.ā I said.
āKidās right.ā Jim stated. Lonnie took one look at me before he backed away from Jim. I walked over to him.
āWhat are you doing here?ā
āIām here for business.ā He said as he held up a pack of camels.ā Butā¦thereās a little get together thatās happening after todayās service. My dad is forcing me to go. What are you doing here?ā
I gestured at the white choir robes I was wearing. āAh.ā He said in response. āAre you coming to the get together?ā
āGet together? What get together?ā
āEveryone I have an announcement!ā Claudia entered the room with Walter and was holding a white bag stained with red at the bottom. Was that blood?
āPrancer was murdered!ā She exclaimed as she held the bag up in the air and we all erupted in shock.
āPrancer was murdered?ā Everyone chorused.
I became queasy now that I knew that Claudia had her dead cat in the bag. I felt a hand on my shoulder and it was Jim. He silently asked if I was okay and I nodded my head. My face probably looked white as a sheet.
āPrancer the cat?ā Lonnie asked.
āMurdered and mutilated. Every bone was broken.ā
āIt was probably a lynx.ā Ted suggested. Wait when did he get here? I didnāt have time to ponder on that though.
āIt wasnāt a lynx!ā Claudia said as she swished the bag around in front of our faces. āSomeone did this! Someone here in our town.ā
āHopper hates cats!ā Alan Munson said as he pointed accusingly at Jim. When did he get here too?
Claudia charged towards Jim and I and Jim used me as a shield. I winced and grimaced at the red stained bag being flown in my face. āIām allergic. Lonnie killed that dog last summer!ā
Claudia ran to Lonnie and I looked up at Jim. āSeriously?ā
āWhat Iām allergic?ā
āItās in a bag itās not going to affect you.ā
āWell-ā
āI put it out of its misery!ā Lonnie said after being accused of killing Prancer. āCharles is the one who hit it with its truck!ā
āYeah well Ted bit the head off a turkey!ā
āIt was a joke!ā
āSure Ted sure.ā I said as I rolled my eyes.
āHello kids.ā A manās voice said. Gosh how many random people are going to be coming into this room?
We all turned to see Henry standing with a middle aged man and woman and a young little girl. They must be his family I thought.
āI think you all know Henry from school.ā The man said. āHeās here to make friends.ā
Claudiaās cries were the only sound that filled the room.
Henryās alleged father awkwardly glanced at Claudia before he patted Henry on the back. āHave fun.ā
Then he ushered the young girl with him and the woman, who I assume is his mom, placed her hand on Henryās shoulder before following her husband and daughter.
No one said anything as we all looked at Henry. His eyes scanned all of us until they landed on me. The awkwardness in his eyes eased for a bit, but then it was replaced with a different emotion. Fear? But why would he be afraid of me?
I went to go take a step towards him, but Claudia interrupted me. āThe devil has come to Hawkins!ā She said as she charged towards Henry with her dead cat. Henry cowarded away from her to about a foot away from me.
āAnd I am offering an award to whoever can find this monster and bring them to justice.ā Claudia continued as she walked around to each of us. I turned to Henry to say something, but he was on the other side of the room. Why did he go all the way over there?
āAn award?ā Jim asked.
ā$100.ā
ā$100 bucks?ā
āWith that amount of money anyone can get Claudiaās cat out of the bag.ā Lonnie said with laughter.
āWell go ahead and laugh! Next time it could be your pet who gets killed. Or who knows next time it could be you.ā Claudia hysterically walked out of the choir room with Walter following closely behind.
āHey Junior!ā Chief hopper shouted as he stormed in. āYou take my cigarettes god damnit!ā The chief stood in front of Jim and he flinched.
I havenāt known Jim personally for long, but one thing that everyone knows is that Jim and his dad have a complicated relationship. I just didnāt know it was this complicated. The boys in the room all oohed in unison. I gave all of them dirty looks, but that did nothing unfortunately.
āWhat are you looking at.ā The chief said to everyone. āThe service is starting you little punks.ā
Everyone began to scurry off to get to their places. Karen walked up to me and dragged me to the entrance. āHey just give me one sec.ā I said.
āThe service is about to start Y/n.ā
āI know just give me two seconds.ā
āYou better hurry. If weāre not all in places for the top of service then Newby is going to be livid.ā Karen ran out of the practice room and I turned to Jim who was already walking towards me.
āAre you okay?ā I asked.
āYeah.ā
āWhat do you think killed Prancer?ā
āI donāt know, maybe some animal, but Iām going to find out. Mark my words Iām going to get that award money and the Iām gonna get the hell out of this shithole.ā Jim said before he walked away.
āWait what-ā
āSee you later kid!ā
āDonāt call me kid!ā I called out, but he ignored me again. I sighed before I pulled the handle of the door to get ready for mass, but I heard a slight mumble from behind me. I turned around and noticed Henry lost in his little world.
As I got closer, I realized that Henry was speaking the similar mantra he was saying in the hallway, a couple weeks ago. āIām not seeing things. Itās all in my head. Iām not crazyā¦I didnāt do it. Itās impossibleā¦Iām Henry Creelā¦Iām normalā¦Im Henry Creel.ā
āHenry?ā I said softly. Henry jumped and immediately turned around.
āJesus Christ!ā He said before he moved a couple steps away from me.ā
āIām sorry I didnāt mean to scare you.ā
āItās fine.ā He said as he fidgeted with one of the knobs on his radio. There was an awkward silence that filled the room.
I took a good look at Henry and he looked pretty shaken up. He fingers were fidgeting and he nervously glanced at me every now in then.
My thoughts went back to the fear that filled his eyes when he noticed me earlier. I thought that was a coincidence, but wait is he actually scared of me? I didnāt wanted to accept the fact that that could be true, so I tried to keep the conversation going.
āSo what do you think about the cat situation? Do you think it was an animal or some sick psycho?ā
Henry said nothing and stared at the floor. What was going on? I thought we finally got to a place where we were comfortable with each other, but now it was the opposite. His stance was rigid and he awkwardly glanced at me every two seconds. It looked like he didnāt want to talk to me.
āWell if you donāt want to talk to me then what are you doing here?ā
āTrying to figure out if Iām just crazy or if Iām actually the devil.ā Woah I was not expecting him to say that. Okay heās obviously not scared of me, because if he was then he would have continued to ignore me. Henry has always been kind of distant, but that one time during study hall, I managed to crack under the surface and he seemed pained.
Now he looked pained, but tenfold. I wonder whatās troubling him? Knowing Henry, getting him to open up to me is going to be a long shot, so I decided to do something a little more manageable: trying to lift his spirits.
āInteresting. You want to confess?ā I joked as I walked over to the confessional booths. Why there were confessional booths in a choir practice room is beyond me.
āI wouldnāt know where to start.ā He said hesitantly.
āItās easy!ā
āWhy must I tell all my secrets?ā He still has his walls up.
āFare enough. Look, Iāll go first.ā I stepped into one of the confessional booths and closed the curtain to conceal myself. āI hate cheerleading almost as much as I hate being in choir!ā
āOkay well my mother is a nut bag and my father is an alcoholic.ā
I stepped out of the confessional booth and looked at Henry. āMy parents donāt really care about me.ā
āThe only thing my parents hate more than me is each other.ā
āMy parents like my brother more than me.ā
āMy mom tried to do an exorcism on me.ā
āI was once grounded for being ungrateful.ā
āI have no friends and I have nightmares.ā
āNightmares donāt make you the devil.ā
āThey do if you can make the come true.ā
āWhat?ā
āIām a monster.ā Henry repeated in quieter voice.
āMake them come true? So you can do things? You have super powers or something?ā I asked.
āNoā¦More like a super weakness.ā He said before he walked over to one of the confessional booths, sat in it, and closed the curtain.
I sighed before I walked over to the booth that he sat in and stood in front of it.
āIt doesnāt have to be a super weakness. It can be your strength. You said once that your relationship with your parents isnāt the best, but maybe thatās what makes you stronger. Superheros like Superman, Batman, and the green arrow were all orphans, so maybe youāre like them. Well youāre not literally an orphan, but you might feel like an orphan sometimes. No wait that came out wrong, what I meant to say was-ā
āDonāt worry I understand what youāre trying to say.ā
āOh okay.ā Silence. āWait why donāt you just make it a good dream?ā I suggested.
āBad people donāt have good dreams.ā
āWhy not? Good people have bad dreams all the time, so why donāt you just dream that we go to Vegas! You can do magic and Iāll be a famous cheerleader if that even exists.ā
āI thought you hated cheerleading.ā
āI donāt hate cheerleadingā¦I just hate why I do it. I hate howā¦Iām only a cheerleader to please my parents. I love being a cheerleader now, but the real reason I joined was so that I could live up to my brotherā¦ā
My breath got caught up in my throat as I thought about opening up to Henry. Iāve never spoken about Alex to anyone before. Not even my own parents. It was just too painful to talk about my brother when he meant the world to me when he was here. But I felt like I could trust Henry with this. He didnāt seem like the type to make fun of me for sharing something like this.
I looked over at the confessional booth Henry was in and I saw Henry sitting down with the curtain pulled away, so I was able to see him. He gave me an encouraging look to continue my ramble. Usually I could talk on and on for hours, but when it came to Alex I always choked up. But looking at Henry I felt safe and thatās all that mattered.
āMy brotherā¦he disappeared a year ago and no one knows what happened him.ā
Henryās eyes widened. I guess he didnāt expect that response to come out of my mouth.
āHe was three years older than me and he was perfect in everyoneās eyes. Mr. Popular. He was the captain of the basketball team and everyone loved him. Before his disappearance my family and I were happy. We were your usual white picket fence family and I didnāt feel the intense immense pressure I always feel now.
After my brotherās disappearance, my parentās attitude towards me shifted and now our relationship is just off. To my parents my brother was the golden boy and I could never compare to that. My parents have never deliberately told me that, but I just know.
Thatās why I joined the Cheer team. Joined choir. I wanted to be a part of something and make my parents proud of me for once, but after everything I do it doesnāt change a thing about how they perceive me.
Itās been a year and Iām still trying to make my parents proud and I donāt know if I ever will. Iāve leaned to accept that this is how things are now with my parents. Iāve also learned to accept the fact that Iāll probably never see my brother Alex again. Or at least Iām trying to.ā
After my mini monologue, we both reminded in silence together until I felt Henryās hand slip into mine. I jumped at the sudden contact, but soon relaxed to his touch. His hand felt calloused, but soft at the same time. His hand was bigger than mine and it felt like a blanket shielding me from the outside world.
āIām sorry.ā He said. āYour parents are awful for not thinking that youāre special because you are.ā I smiled at his response. No one has ever said to me before and Henry thought I was special. I donāt know if I should feel happy or weird about it.
The sound of the organ began to play from the back of the church and that was my cue to leave.
āThatās me! Iām sorry I have to go!ā I hurried across the room, but I stopped at the door. āYou know. Youāre definitely not the devil.ā
āNo?ā
āNo. Youāre just a weirdo, but the good kind.ā The sides of his mouth turned upwards at my answer and I smiled in return. I pulled the door open, but then Henry called after me.
āY/n wait! What is your dream?ā
āWhat?ā I said as I turned around. āMy dream?ā This was a little random.
āI mean i-if I could make dreams real what would you want?ā
I didnāt hesitate to answer. āMy brother.ā
āYour brother?ā
I nodded and walked back towards Henry. āI want to know what happened to him. I still wonder if heās still alive or if heās dead. If heās dead I want to know how he died and if heās alive I want to know where he is and why he hasnāt reached out. But itās silly.ā
āNoā¦itās not.ā I stared at Henry and he made his way over to me. āIn your dreams...where is he? Just close your eyes and imagine.ā
āWhy?ā
āDo you trust me?ā He said as he held his hands out and slowly walked up to me.
What was he trying to prove here? I told him about my brother in confidence and now heās playing some sick game with me. Is he trying to make fun of me? But then I looked at Henry.
There was no malice or condescending nature shown on his face. Only genuine curiosity and welcomeness. I looked off to the side and debated my choices. I could play along with this little game, or I could tell him to sock it and storm out to perform.
āI trust you.ā
āGood. Now close your eyes.ā I obliged and closed my eyes. A couple moments later I felt the touch of Henryās hands over my closed eyes as he was standing right behind me. I tried not to blush due to the close proximity.
āThe last memory I have of him is the day he left. He had a basketball game that day and like usual, my parents and I went to go see him play. It was day before spring break, and he had plans with his friends to go on vacation together. After the game, Alex gave me the biggest hug he could possibly give me and he said his goodbyes. He got in the car with his friends and they drove to the airport, so they could take a a plane to Florida.ā
āOkay heās in Florida.ā I heard the footsteps of Henry stepping away. āNow tell me how you find him in Florida when heās on vacation.ā
I imagined what Alex looked like from what I remember. I saw his soft always messy hair and his chocolate brown eyes, which always had a glint of mischief. His tall stature that he always used to brag about (I was on the shorter side).
I thought about his laughter that used to always ring throughout the house. I felt his hugs that could make the worst disasters go away in an instant. I imagined my brother. The one person I missed more than words can describe. I imagined finding him.
āOkayā¦well I just took a flight from Indiana to Florida, so Iām pretty tired. Alex, I love him to death, but he was never the responsible type, so he wasnāt there at the airport to pick me up. However, he didnāt forget about me and he arranged for a car to drive me to the beach house that heās staying at. I get in the car and eventually I arrive to my destination. I enter the house and itās quiet, which makes sense because Alex was never a morning person which means heās still sleeping. And sure enough there he is sleeping on the couch.ā
āGood. Now imagine what he would be doing if he was here right now.ā Henry continued.
What would Alex be doing right now if he was still in Hawkins? Well it was a Sunday, so he definitely wouldnāt be up early. He was not a morning person. Usually after he woke up, he would always come downstairs for breakfast, that had already been set for him for about an hour already.
However, once in a blue moon he would actually wake up early enough to eat breakfast with my parents and I. So if this was one of those times, mom would be flipping the pancakes on the stove, and I would be setting the table. My dad would be watching the news in the living room and thatās when Alex would saunter in.
He would go up to mom as usual and kiss her forehead, before bringing me into a hug. He would ask my mom if she needed help, which she would always respond with āthat wonāt be necessaryā. My brother would then take this as his cue to join my dad in the living room.
I imagined Alex walking out of the kitchen and for a moment it was almost as if he was real. As if I was actually seeing him walk away in front of me. I relished in that moment until I was brought back to reality and the real circumstances that I was in.
This isnāt real I thought. The vision of him evaporated and I opened my eyes. āHenry this is stupid!ā
āNo itās not, itās working.ā
āHenry.ā
āYou said you trust me right?ā I nodded. āSo trust me.ā
Henry reached inside his pocket and pulled out a blue strand of fabric from his pocket.
āWhatās that for?ā
āJust trust me.ā I watched him for a second longer before I agreed to whatever plan he had up his sleeve.
āTry again. Picture him in your mind.ā Henry said as he turned the knob on his handheld radio.
I listened to Henryās instructions. I replayed the scene with my parents and brother over again in my head. I saw him walk out of the kitchen once again, but then something weird happened.
I felt a weird sensation shoot through my body like a catapult. It felt like what I would imagine electrical shock therapy would feel like, but not as painful. Fast and all at once. Then something weirder happened. I felt my body being transported somewhere else, but I still felt the feeling of the church ground on my feet.
I opened my eyes and was met with nothing, but pitch black darkness. I turned to my left and saw Henry standing next to me.
āHenry what is this?ā I asked scared.
āIām helping you find your brother.ā
āWhat?! This doesnāt make sense? Where are we?ā
āDonāt worry about that. Just trust me and follow along. Now close your eyes again and picture your brother.ā
āHenry-ā
āClose your eyes. Imagine what you would do, if you saw your brother right now.ā I closed my eyes again and imagined my brother again.
It started with the sound of the kitchen sink running. A middle aged woman was standing at the kitchen counter and washing a butter knife and a cutting board in the sink. Beside her were four plates laid out with freshly made sandwiches laid on top of them.
The sound of music playing from the radio filled the room. The kitchen was small, but it had a cute and quaint vibe to it. A white wooden table was laid out to the side with a set of four chairs.
The mystery woman hummed along to the music as she turned the sink off and began to dry the newly washed dishes. She walked over to the fridge, to her right, and pulled out a glass pitcher which looked like it was filled with juice. She set the pitcher on the table and made her way back to the sink.
We were right in front of her, but yet she didnāt acknowledge us. She carried on as if two strangers werenāt standing in the middle of her kitchen.
āWhere are we?ā I asked.
āI donāt know.ā
āWho is she?ā
āI donāt know.ā
āWhy canāt she see us?ā
āBecause weāre not really here.ā
āWhat?ā Now I was more confused.
āPhysically weāre still at the church.ā Henry answered. I wanted to ask him more questions, but the sound of dull tapping grabbed my attention.
The woman, tapped on the window above the sink and motioned for whoever was outside to come inside. A few moments later a man who looked similar in age to the woman walked in with a young boy who looked no older than seven.
āWhatās for lunch mama?ā The little boy asked as he sat at the table.
āSandwiches, now go get Alex and tell him that lunch is ready.ā The little boy nodded and scurried out of the kitchen.
āAnything yet?ā The man asked the woman quietly.
āNo. Nothing in the newspaper this morning either. It just makes me so sad that he has no family out there. It makes me wonder if his family is looking for him like how he is searching for them.ā
āI know. I know, but we have to be patient.ā
āItās been almost a year. I wish we could do more for him.ā
āWeāre already doing enough for him, by taking care of him and heās grateful for that. Letās continue to support him like we always have.ā
It looked like the woman wanted to argue more, but the arrival of the young boy and Alex shut her up.
I froze when my eyes landed upon Alex. He looked different. His hair was cut a lot more shorter and by the looks of it he couldnāt run his fingers through it like he used to. His face was clean shaven which was slightly different from the stubble he used to always have. But his smile was the same. It still carried that youthful energy and his eyes were filled with its familiar mischief.
I always imagined what it would be like to see him again, but now that Iām seeing him in the flesh I donāt know what to do. He looked different, but I knew that I was looking at my brother. There was no denying it.
He looked so real. Like I could reach out and touch him and my hand wouldnāt go through thin air. I would actually be touching his arm. I stepped forward towards him, but Henry seemed to have read my thoughts.
āYou canāt touch him, because weāre not really here.ā I turned to look at Henry.
āWhere is here?ā
āI donāt know.ā
āWhy do you keep saying I donāt know?!ā
āBecause I donāt know, but we do know one thing,ā
āWhat?ā
āYour brother is alive.ā I turned back to look at my brother who was now seated at the table with the man and the young boy. The woman placed one of the plates in front of Alex.
āHere you go. Your favorite.ā She said with a smile.
āThank you Eliza.ā So the womanās name was Eliza. Alex began to dig in along with the man and the young boy.
My body had a mind of its own and I subconsciously walked over to Alex. I reached out to hug him, but my hands went right through him in thin air. Then slowly, but surely he began to evaporate.
āWait! Wait whatās happening! Alex! Alex!ā
The family Alex was with started to disappear too, then the kitchen counter and along with the four walls of the kitchen. In addition to that, that weird catapult sensation came once again through my body and I felt myself being sucked out of the world Henry and I were in. I opened my eyes and we were back in the church.
I walked around the room and looked for my brother Alex but he was nowhere to be found. Where was my brother? He was here! But then it hit me. Everything I just saw wasnāt real. I imagined everything and it was all in my head.
āIt wasnāt real.ā I whispered.
āI told you it was just a dream.ā
āWell I thought you said you can make them come true.ā
āItās not that simple.ā
āWhy not?ā I wanted answers. What did Henry just show me and how? His dreams that he was telling me about earlier were real for a moment. Or were they? Or did I just imagine everything on my own. He said he can make nightmares come true, but that didnāt seem like a nightmare, nor the truth.
āItās hard to explain. We both saw him, but he was never here.ā
āSo where is he?ā
āI donāt know, but we saw what he was doing at that very moment.ā
I staggered backwards in disbelief. āSo youāre saying that my brother was eating a sandwich in real time?ā
Henry nodded. I walked in a daze towards the confessional booths and leaned against it. āSo heās alive.ā I whispered. I heard footsteps and Henry stood right in front of me.
āHeās alive.ā He repeated.
āClaudiaās family will be hosting a service this afternoon for Prancer the cat. Please join us now for coffee and cake. All are welcome to attend!ā Our main priest shared.
I immediately stood up at the sound of the new voice. I looked around and saw Karen looking for me.
āCan we talk about this later. I just have some questions.ā
āYeah sure.ā
āHenry.ā a womanās voice called.
I looked behind him and saw his mother calling for him. āIāll let you be with your mother, but Iāll see you later.ā I said with a smile.
Henry smiled back and I found my way to a worried Karen. Karen spotted me and her eyes widened.
āY/n where were you, you missed the entire service.ā
āI know, but then I had to the bathroom andā¦.the janitor needed help with a mess and we lost track of time.ā I lied on the spot.
Karen looked at me warily, but thankfully she didnāt pry. āAlright well letās get some cake! I heard Claudia parents brought red velvet!ā
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ė
No oneās pov
āPrincipal Newby.ā Victor Creek stated. āJust wanted to introduce myself. I heard you were a military man. Sargent Victor Creel. Ninth Air Force.ā
āMajor Robert Newby. What division?ā Robert places a hand on Victorās shoulder.
āNinetyeight sir. Second wave Normandy.ā
āSecond wave? Not many made it out.ā
āNo sir. Still get nightmares for it.ā
āIf you ever need to talk or if you just need anything, Iām here. You seem like a nice fine man.ā
āThank you. You seem like a nice fine man as well.ā
āHave you tried the finger sandwiches? I heard theyāre amazing.ā Mr. Newby said changing the subject.
ā¦
āHenry? Were you talking to that girl?ā Virginia asked her son.
āNo.ā Henry said as he walked away.
āIs that blood?ā She said after noticing blood drip from Henryās nose āDid you hurt yourself?ā
āNo Iām fine.ā
āDid you hurt that girl?ā
āWhat?! No we were just talking.ā
āHenry donāt lie to me, I know you were talking to that girl. You can tell me the truth.ā
āWhat do you think Iām going to do?ā Henry said strangely. The familiar ominous feeling came circling back in his mind.
Virginia backed away from her son, afraid of the tone in his voice. āVictor!ā
Desperately Virginia looked around for her husband Victor and her daughter Alice. She quickly spotted them near the desert table and made her way over.
āGet your things! Weāre leaving.ā
āNo weāre not leaving.ā Henry argued.
āAre we leaving?ā Victor asked.
āYes.ā
āBut I didnāt have any cake!ā Alice complained.
āWell we have cake at home sweetie letās go.ā
āApparently weāre leaving.ā Victor said to Robert Newby.
Virginia walked over to where Henry was and said sternly. āYou are not to see that girl again do you understand me?ā
āYes mam.ā Henry responded. Virginia tried to take his radio away, but he moved it out of her reach. Virginia gave Henry one last look before she ushered Alice to follow her out the door, while not waiting for her husband or her son.
āIf you ever need anything Victor, you know where to find me.ā Robert Newby said.
āThank you sir.ā
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā
Bob
āWe are brought to you with our regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you some devastating news folks. Another pet was found dead today bringing the grand total to five pets in nine days.ā Bob pressed a button and the sound of a woman screaming was signaled.
āItās got some wondering if something sinister is going on in the sleepy town of Hawkins Indiana.ā Bob began to play the song Mr. Sandman. āSo please stay home. Sleep tight and dream on dreamers.ā
Instantaneously, the same frequency disturbance from before came back. It shocked Bobās ears and he took his headphones off. āUh what is this power surge?ā
All of a sudden, the door of Bobās recording booth burst open and Jim Hoper walked in.
āBob.ā
āWhen the red light is on it means Iām on the air.ā Bob looked at the intruder and was shocked to see Jim hopper of all people. āJim? What are you doing here in the AV club?ā
āI need you.ā
āMe?ā
āI need your help with something. Grab your camera.ā
āWith what exactly?ā
āThereās no time to explain. Just follow me.ā Jim said and walked towards the door as Bob stared at him in disbelief. When Jim realized Bob wasnāt following him, he turned around to face Bob.
āLetās go!ā Jim explained. Bob instantly packed up his things and shut off his microphone. Iāll apologize to my listeners about my abrupt ending tomorrow Bob thought.
āCome on Bob!ā
āIām coming! Iām coming!ā Bob ran out the door after Jim and shut the door behind him.
ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā Ėļ½”āąØą§Ėā Ėļ½”ā ā
ā£ļøTaglistā£ļø
@fallingwallsh @loverspeak01









