#charles sinclair

Henry Creel x Female Reader

Summary: Henry Creel turned out not to be how you thought he’d 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 don’t 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!🥰

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There goes my baby by the drifters was playing from Karen’s radio. Karen, Karen’s sister Chelsea and I were currently pampering ourselves for girls night. Karen was applying a homemade avocado mask on Chelsea’s face after already applying it on her face and my face.

I was rummaging through Karen’s nail polish bin and I came across a light pastel yellow shade. It’s been awhile since I’ve 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 Karen’s bedroom.

“Thank you for letting me crash your girls night Y/n. I know this was supposed to be a you a Karen thing.” Chelsea said.

“It’s no problem! I love hanging out with you!” And I meant it. Although Chelsea was two years younger than us, which made her an seventh grader, it doesn’t mean she’s 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.

“Oh I love this song!” I exclaimed.

“Me too! I love Elvis!” Chelsea added.

“Oh my god guys speaking of Elvis.” Karen stood up from her spot on the floor and walked to her desk. “Look what I bought the other day.”

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 Karen’s hands.

“How can a man look so good!” I said.

“I know he’s so hot.” Karen commented.

“Duh of course he is! Look at him!” I said as I pointed at his face. Chelsea inched closer to Karen and I.

“Let me see!” She said. I knelt down to the ground, so she could get a good look at Elvis.

“Wow.” Was all she said and I giggled at her reaction.

“I bet he’s an amazing kisser.” I said.

“I bet his is. A girl can only dream.” Karen said with a dreamy look in her eye. My mouth curved into a mischievous smile after a thought popped in my mind.

“What?” Karen asked after noticing my expression. She joined me and Chelsea on the floor again.

“Oh just wondering…is Ted a good kisser?”

“Y/n!” Karen exclaimed and Chelsea giggled.

I picked up the yellow nail polish again and continued my work. “What? You agreed that Elvis would be a good kisser, and Ted is your boyfriend, so he has to be a good kisser right?”

“Yeah is he?” Chelsea pried and Karen shoved Chelsea in response.

“Yes he’s a good kisser. Y/n is there anyone you’ve kissed who’s a good kisser?”

Although I’m not much of partier, I’ve 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 I’ve never had a boyfriend, I’ve dabbled in a little fun here and there.

“Evan Decker is a pretty good kisser.”

“The sophomore on the basketball team?”

I nodded bashfully. “Damn! Okay I see you Y/n. Kissing with an older man.” Karen teased.

“Please he’s only a year older. It’s not a big deal.” I shot back.

“I know I just like teasing you.” I playfully rolled my eyes in response.

“Speaking of boys. I saw that you were partnered with Henry Creel during drama club. So how did that go?”

“Who’s Henry Creel?” Chelsea asked.

“Someone from school.” Karen answered quickly before turning back to me.

“It was okay.” I answered. “He was pretty quiet, but he wasn’t bad.”

“Really?”

“Yeah why do you sound so surprised?”

“Yeah?” Chelsea added.

“I don’t know…I guess I just believed what everyone else was saying about him.” Just like I thought. “So I was worried while you were “alone” with him Y/n, but if you think he’s okay then I trust you.”

She was worried when I was alone with Henry? “You wore worried about me being with him?”

Karen nodded.

“Why?”

“Because of the rumors. Specifically about the girl he blinded. I didn’t 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 wouldn’t 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?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then there you go. Although I still think he’s a little weird, I trust your judgment and if you think he’s alright, then he’s alright. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course I can forgive you. I was never mad at you in the first place.” I said. Karen immediately sighed and brought me into a hug.

“Thank you y/n.”

“Of course.” Karen and I broke apart from the hug and I pulled the makeup bin closer to her. “Now pick a color to paint your nails.”

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Bob

“Good evening Hawkins Indiana we’re broadcasting to you live from the Hawkins AV club. N-n-news flash.” 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.

“Joyce Maldonado’s production of Oklahoma has cast its leads and they started rehearsals not too long ago.” Bobbed added the applause sound. “And guess who’s doing sound for the show. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” Bob pressed the airplane sound button. “No. It’s Bob the brain. Newby.”

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.

“Sorry folks must be some kind of power surge, but it is 10:15, so time to call it a night huh.” Bob began to play a song to bid his listeners good night. “This is sleep walk. Dream on dreamers.”

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.

“I’ll fix it tomorrow.”

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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 wouldn’t want to look at Y/n, she’s beautiful. Her being a cheerleader and in the popular crowd made me see her as untouchable. There’s no way that someone like her would even look at someone like me’s direction. But she did. Well the first time we ever talked doesn’t 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 didn’t 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: I’m not seeing things. I’m not crazy. I’m normal. I’m Henry Creel. It worked most of the time, but that day during school it just wasn’t working. I didn’t 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 didn’t 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 didn’t think I would do that day and went to the game.

I paid attention to the game, although I was bored, but that didn’t 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 couldn’t 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 wasn’t 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 weren’t 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.

“Did you hear that?”

“What is it Virginia?”

“What is he doing up there in the attic?” My mom asked from the radio.

“Oh probably listening to his damn radio.”

“I think you were right. I-I think that we should take it away.” Mom suggested.

“No! I think he’s doing better.” Dad argued.

“I feel like it’s too soon for him to be back in school. He’s still having nightmares. We should have kept him home longer. I’m worried.”

“Well you shouldn’t be. I saw him taking to a girl in a cheerleader uniform when I picked him up.”

“A girl? What girl?” Mom asked curiously.

“I don’t know some girl.”

“Do you think that’s good?”

“It’s normal. I think he’s doing normal things. It’s better than being hulled up with his radio all day.”

[Suddenly the lamp lights began to flicker from the dining room where Victor and Virginia Creel are]

“What is that?” Mom asked.

“It’s 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 we’re here and we have to make a fresh start.”

“Do you really think he should be hanging around with a girl?”

“This is completely different.”

“He blinded that girl Victor.”

“For Gods sake!” Victor bellowed. “It was an accident.”

“But what if it happens again?!”

“What do you want me to do?”

I didn’t 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 doesn’t 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 didn’t intentionally hurt the girl.

I don’t 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 didn’t 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 I’m going to snap and hurt someone and ruin our reputation. It’s not something I can control and deep down I don’t want to hurt anyone, but at the same time I do.

It’s 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. They’re someone else’s

I’ve felt this ominous feeling ever since I was a child. The feeling grew as I got older and ever since I’ve 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 don’t know what it means, but im glad it’s gone for now.

I had foreign sinister thoughts, before I hurt that girl, but they haven’t invaded my mind in a while, so I should be fine. Right?

I didn’t 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.

“He’s not himself.” My mom voiced. Great they’re still taking about me. “And neither are you! Nothing has been fine since you got back from the war.”

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 wouldn’t stop and it was torture.

“Don’t you start this please!” Dad argued.

“Oh, oh you can’t just drink this away Victor this is our son!”

“What about you! You pop those pills like they’re candy!”

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 couldn’t 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.

“Woah.”

Darkness. That’s 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 wasn’t 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.

“What are you?”

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 I’ve known this place all along.

My hands weren’t 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.

“Y/n.” 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 isn’t 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 wasn’t doing said actions back in the attic. It was as if I was in two places at once, but somehow I knew I wasn’t physically here in this dark place. It’s as if I’m 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 wasn’t the soft voice that I wanted to hear.

“Prancer! Prancer!” An annoying male voice called out. “Where are you buddy?”

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.

“Walter.”

“Where are you you little bastard.” Walter shouted.

“Walter Henderson.” I confirmed. I covered my head with the hood of my robe and looked the other way in order to hide myself, but he didn’t seem to notice my presence. I turned around and looked directly at his face, but he didn’t 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 wasn’t even there.

“Walter did you find him?” A winy voice called out.

“Not yet angel.” Walter sang out.

Claudia Yount, from drama club, came running and ran into Walter’s arms. “If we don’t find him soon we’re going to miss the drive in.”

“Oh we’re not going to miss the scary movie my little chestnut.” Walter tickled Claudia’s sides and she giggled in response.

I was about a foot away from them, in clear view of them, but they didn’t even acknowledge me. Claudia even looked right at me, but she didn’t even say anything. Didn’t she see me? Now I was even more confused. What were Claudia and Walter doing in this place and why couldn’t 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 Henderson’s 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 Claudia’s furry friend. “Oh see! He’s in the shop!” 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 didn’t see me, but her face contorted with confusion.

“Hello?” She called out. She couldn’t see me, but she could sense that I was there I thought. Interesting.

“Over here babe.” Walter said from the shop door.

Claudia gave an uneasy look towards my direction before she joined her boyfriend into his family liquor store.

“Oh there you are prancy.” Claudia said when she found her cat behind the counter. “What the heck are you doing in here? Oh he’s frightened.”

“He’s fine.”

“Poor little baby. No he’s hiding here, he’s scared.”

“What about me?” Walter asked from outside the liquor store. “Aren’t I your poor little baby too?”

I felt a surge of powerful energy pass though me and the lights of the Henderson establishment began to flicker. Did I do that?

“Did you see that?” Claudia asked as she ran out of the liquor store to Walter.

“It’s an old sign.”

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. “Walter, someone else is here.” She said scared.

“No one is here dumpling.”

“Don’t dumpling me. I am leaving and you can lock up yourself.” Claudia walked back into the shop to say goodbye to Prancer.

“Come on! Don’t be a weeny Claudia!” Walter complained.

Claudia met him at the door. “Then don’t be an asshole, Walter.” Claudia walked off without a second thought.

“Thanks a lot scady cat.” 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 wasn’t 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 couldn’t 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. “What the hell?!”

“Walter come on!” Claudia called out.

Walter ignored her and continued to stare at the door. I know I closed the door, but in Walter’s mind, “no one” closed the door. “Hello?” Asked frightened.

“Walter!” Claudia called out angrily.

I walked up behind Walter and brought my mouth to his ear. “Run.”

Somehow Walter was able to hear my voice and he immediately ran away over to Claudia. Coward. “Wait for me!”

I laughed in response at Walter’s 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 it’s 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.

“Hey Prancer. Watcha looking at?” Prancer was nowhere to be found. “Are you scared of me too? Why? Where’d you go? Don’t be afraid.”

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. “Here kitty kitty.”

Prancer tried to run away, but I caught him. “There you are.”

I’ve 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.

“It’s alright I’m not going to hurt ya.” I said. The ominous feeling I always felt came back again. I looked around and didn’t see the black smoke anywhere. I tried to convince myself that the black smoke wasn’t here. It’s all in your head I thought.

I turned my attention back to Prancer and he still seemed afraid. “You’re such a good kitty. I’m not going to hurt you.”

I brought my head closer to Prancer, but he hissed at me. “I-it’s okay. D-don’t be scared. It’s okay just don’t be scared.”

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 couldn’t 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 Prancer’s 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. “Blood.”

I sat down on the floor and thought about what just happened. I held Claudia’s cat in my arms. The cat levitated and it was alive until it wasn’t. Did I kill the cat? No there’s no way. I wasn’t really at the liquor store. Right? But there was no other explanation of Prancer’s cause of death.

“No no no no. It’s just a nightmare.” I said to try to convince myself. I walked over to my radio and turned it off and the static came to a stop. “It’s not real. Im normal. I’m Henry Creel.” 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 don’t know. Why? I don’t know. I just wanted to pet him and hold him. He was just alive in my hands until he wasn’t. My breath began to quicken when I thought about Prancer’s 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. I’m a killer. I’m a monster. My mom is wrong. I’m not normal. I’m weird. I’m a freak. Something is wrong with me. I’m a danger to others. I’m a danger to…

I abruptly stood up from the ground. I can’t see her anymore. As much as I want to be around Y/n I know I can’t be around her anymore. If something happened and I lost control I could….she could end up like Prancer and I could never live with myself if I killed another living being.

It’s for the best. It’s 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 we’re meant to be strangers. Two people who aren’t meant to cross paths.

This is for the better I told myself, but why do I feel like it’s for the worst. And why does it hurt so much.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚

I spent the whole weekend at Karen’s 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 don’t 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 today’s 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.

“Patricia you’re late.” Mr. Newby, our Choir conductor said. Patty was Mr. Newby’s daughter and he was hard on her most of the time and sometimes for no reason.

“I’m sorry-“She responded timidly.

“I don’t want to hear it.” Patty scurried beside Karen, who was next to me, and began to sing alongside the rest of us.

“Patricia you’re flat.” Patty tried to fix her pitch, but it was still a little off. “Patty.” Mr. Newby repeated sharply. Patty continued to sing off key.

“Stop.” We all abruptly stopped singing. “Stop. Stop. You’re flat Patty.”

“I’m not flat.”

“Excuse me.”

“I’m not flat your flat.” 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 it’s because of that boy she is seeing. She has been more confident lately and if so good for her.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” Mr. Newby asked.

“It’s because Patty is in love.” Karen teased. I swatted Karen’s 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.

“No I’m not!”

“Girls you’re dismissed.” Mr. Newby then turned to Patty. “Not you Patty.”

Practice ending early? Mr. Newby is definitely being generous today I thought. I turned to Karen. “What was that for?”

“What was what?”

“With Patty!”

“Oh well-“

“Hey kid.” 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.

“Smokes! You want em I got em. Camels and whatnot you name it.

“I’ll take some.” Charle’s said.

“10 cents a pack.” Jim answered. While Jim was bargaining with Charles, Lonnie snatched a cigarette pack from Jim’s hand.

“10 cents what a rip off.” Lonnie complained.

Jim snatched the pack back. “Take em or leave em lover boy.”

“What did you just call me?” Lonnie squared up to Jim.

“Hey can we not fight here. This is kind of “Gods place”.” I said.

“Kid’s right.” Jim stated. Lonnie took one look at me before he backed away from Jim. I walked over to him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for business.” He said as he held up a pack of camels.” But…there’s a little get together that’s happening after today’s service. My dad is forcing me to go. What are you doing here?”

I gestured at the white choir robes I was wearing. “Ah.” He said in response. “Are you coming to the get together?”

“Get together? What get together?”

“Everyone I have an announcement!” Claudia entered the room with Walter and was holding a white bag stained with red at the bottom. Was that blood?

“Prancer was murdered!” She exclaimed as she held the bag up in the air and we all erupted in shock.

“Prancer was murdered?” 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.

“Prancer the cat?” Lonnie asked.

“Murdered and mutilated. Every bone was broken.”

“It was probably a lynx.” Ted suggested. Wait when did he get here? I didn’t have time to ponder on that though.

“It wasn’t a lynx!” Claudia said as she swished the bag around in front of our faces. “Someone did this! Someone here in our town.”

“Hopper hates cats!” 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. “I’m allergic. Lonnie killed that dog last summer!”

Claudia ran to Lonnie and I looked up at Jim. “Seriously?”

“What I’m allergic?”

“It’s in a bag it’s not going to affect you.”

“Well-“

“I put it out of its misery!” Lonnie said after being accused of killing Prancer. “Charles is the one who hit it with its truck!”

“Yeah well Ted bit the head off a turkey!”

“It was a joke!”

“Sure Ted sure.” I said as I rolled my eyes.

“Hello kids.” A man’s 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.

“I think you all know Henry from school.” The man said. “He’s here to make friends.”

Claudia’s cries were the only sound that filled the room.

Henry’s alleged father awkwardly glanced at Claudia before he patted Henry on the back. “Have fun.”

Then he ushered the young girl with him and the woman, who I assume is his mom, placed her hand on Henry’s 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. “The devil has come to Hawkins!” She said as she charged towards Henry with her dead cat. Henry cowarded away from her to about a foot away from me.

“And I am offering an award to whoever can find this monster and bring them to justice.” 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?

“An award?” Jim asked.

“$100.”

“$100 bucks?”

“With that amount of money anyone can get Claudia’s cat out of the bag.” Lonnie said with laughter.

“Well go ahead and laugh! Next time it could be your pet who gets killed. Or who knows next time it could be you.” Claudia hysterically walked out of the choir room with Walter following closely behind.

“Hey Junior!” Chief hopper shouted as he stormed in. “You take my cigarettes god damnit!” The chief stood in front of Jim and he flinched.

I haven’t known Jim personally for long, but one thing that everyone knows is that Jim and his dad have a complicated relationship. I just didn’t 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.

“What are you looking at.” The chief said to everyone. “The service is starting you little punks.”

Everyone began to scurry off to get to their places. Karen walked up to me and dragged me to the entrance. “Hey just give me one sec.” I said.

“The service is about to start Y/n.”

“I know just give me two seconds.”

“You better hurry. If we’re not all in places for the top of service then Newby is going to be livid.” Karen ran out of the practice room and I turned to Jim who was already walking towards me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“What do you think killed Prancer?”

“I don’t know, maybe some animal, but I’m going to find out. Mark my words I’m going to get that award money and the I’m gonna get the hell out of this shithole.” Jim said before he walked away.

“Wait what-“

“See you later kid!”

“Don’t call me kid!” 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. “I’m not seeing things. It’s all in my head. I’m not crazy…I didn’t do it. It’s impossible…I’m Henry Creel…I’m normal…Im Henry Creel.”

“Henry?” I said softly. Henry jumped and immediately turned around.

“Jesus Christ!” He said before he moved a couple steps away from me.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine.” 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 didn’t wanted to accept the fact that that could be true, so I tried to keep the conversation going.

“So what do you think about the cat situation? Do you think it was an animal or some sick psycho?”

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 didn’t want to talk to me.

“Well if you don’t want to talk to me then what are you doing here?”

“Trying to figure out if I’m just crazy or if I’m actually the devil.” Woah I was not expecting him to say that. Okay he’s 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 what’s 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.

“Interesting. You want to confess?” I joked as I walked over to the confessional booths. Why there were confessional booths in a choir practice room is beyond me.

“I wouldn’t know where to start.” He said hesitantly.

“It’s easy!”

“Why must I tell all my secrets?” He still has his walls up.

“Fare enough. Look, I’ll go first.” I stepped into one of the confessional booths and closed the curtain to conceal myself. “I hate cheerleading almost as much as I hate being in choir!”

“Okay well my mother is a nut bag and my father is an alcoholic.”

I stepped out of the confessional booth and looked at Henry. “My parents don’t really care about me.”

“The only thing my parents hate more than me is each other.”

“My parents like my brother more than me.”

“My mom tried to do an exorcism on me.”

“I was once grounded for being ungrateful.”

“I have no friends and I have nightmares.”

“Nightmares don’t make you the devil.”

“They do if you can make the come true.”

“What?”

“I’m a monster.” Henry repeated in quieter voice.

“Make them come true? So you can do things? You have super powers or something?” I asked.

“No…More like a super weakness.” 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.

“It doesn’t have to be a super weakness. It can be your strength. You said once that your relationship with your parents isn’t the best, but maybe that’s what makes you stronger. Superheros like Superman, Batman, and the green arrow were all orphans, so maybe you’re like them. Well you’re not literally an orphan, but you might feel like an orphan sometimes. No wait that came out wrong, what I meant to say was-“

“Don’t worry I understand what you’re trying to say.”

“Oh okay.” Silence. “Wait why don’t you just make it a good dream?” I suggested.

“Bad people don’t have good dreams.”

“Why not? Good people have bad dreams all the time, so why don’t you just dream that we go to Vegas! You can do magic and I’ll be a famous cheerleader if that even exists.”

“I thought you hated cheerleading.”

“I don’t hate cheerleading…I just hate why I do it. I hate how…I’m 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 brother…”

My breath got caught up in my throat as I thought about opening up to Henry. I’ve 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 didn’t 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 that’s all that mattered.

“My brother…he disappeared a year ago and no one knows what happened him.”

Henry’s eyes widened. I guess he didn’t expect that response to come out of my mouth.

“He was three years older than me and he was perfect in everyone’s 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 didn’t feel the intense immense pressure I always feel now.

After my brother’s disappearance, my parent’s 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.

That’s 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 doesn’t change a thing about how they perceive me.

It’s been a year and I’m still trying to make my parents proud and I don’t know if I ever will. I’ve leaned to accept that this is how things are now with my parents. I’ve also learned to accept the fact that I’ll probably never see my brother Alex again. Or at least I’m trying to.“

After my mini monologue, we both reminded in silence together until I felt Henry’s 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.

“I’m sorry.” He said. “Your parents are awful for not thinking that you’re special because you are.” I smiled at his response. No one has ever said to me before and Henry thought I was special. I don’t 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.

“That’s me! I’m sorry I have to go!” I hurried across the room, but I stopped at the door. “You know. You’re definitely not the devil.”

“No?”

“No. You’re just a weirdo, but the good kind.” 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.

“Y/n wait! What is your dream?”

“What?” I said as I turned around. “My dream?” This was a little random.

“I mean i-if I could make dreams real what would you want?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer. “My brother.”

“Your brother?”

I nodded and walked back towards Henry. “I want to know what happened to him. I still wonder if he’s still alive or if he’s dead. If he’s dead I want to know how he died and if he’s alive I want to know where he is and why he hasn’t reached out. But it’s silly.”

“No…it’s not.” I stared at Henry and he made his way over to me. “In your dreams...where is he? Just close your eyes and imagine.”

“Why?”

“Do you trust me?” 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 he’s 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.

“I trust you.”

“Good. Now close your eyes.” I obliged and closed my eyes. A couple moments later I felt the touch of Henry’s hands over my closed eyes as he was standing right behind me. I tried not to blush due to the close proximity.

“The 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.”

“Okay he’s in Florida.” I heard the footsteps of Henry stepping away. “Now tell me how you find him in Florida when he’s on vacation.”

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.

“Okay…well I just took a flight from Indiana to Florida, so I’m pretty tired. Alex, I love him to death, but he was never the responsible type, so he wasn’t there at the airport to pick me up. However, he didn’t forget about me and he arranged for a car to drive me to the beach house that he’s staying at. I get in the car and eventually I arrive to my destination. I enter the house and it’s quiet, which makes sense because Alex was never a morning person which means he’s still sleeping. And sure enough there he is sleeping on the couch.”

“Good. Now imagine what he would be doing if he was here right now.” Henry continued.

What would Alex be doing right now if he was still in Hawkins? Well it was a Sunday, so he definitely wouldn’t 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 that’s 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 “that won’t be necessary”. 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 isn’t real I thought. The vision of him evaporated and I opened my eyes. “Henry this is stupid!”

“No it’s not, it’s working.”

“Henry.”

“You said you trust me right?” I nodded. “So trust me.”

Henry reached inside his pocket and pulled out a blue strand of fabric from his pocket.

“What’s that for?”

“Just trust me.” I watched him for a second longer before I agreed to whatever plan he had up his sleeve.

“Try again. Picture him in your mind.” Henry said as he turned the knob on his handheld radio.

I listened to Henry’s 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.

“Henry what is this?” I asked scared.

“I’m helping you find your brother.”

“What?! This doesn’t make sense? Where are we?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just trust me and follow along. Now close your eyes again and picture your brother.”

“Henry-“

“Close your eyes. Imagine what you would do, if you saw your brother right now.” 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 didn’t acknowledge us. She carried on as if two strangers weren’t standing in the middle of her kitchen.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why can’t she see us?”

“Because we’re not really here.”

“What?” Now I was more confused.

“Physically we’re still at the church.” 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.

“What’s for lunch mama?” The little boy asked as he sat at the table.

“Sandwiches, now go get Alex and tell him that lunch is ready.” The little boy nodded and scurried out of the kitchen.

“Anything yet?” The man asked the woman quietly.

“No. 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.”

“I know. I know, but we have to be patient.”

“It’s been almost a year. I wish we could do more for him.”

“We’re already doing enough for him, by taking care of him and he’s grateful for that. Let’s continue to support him like we always have.”

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 couldn’t 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 I’m seeing him in the flesh I don’t 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 wouldn’t go through thin air. I would actually be touching his arm. I stepped forward towards him, but Henry seemed to have read my thoughts.

“You can’t touch him, because we’re not really here.” I turned to look at Henry.

“Where is here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why do you keep saying I don’t know?!”

“Because I don’t know, but we do know one thing,”

“What?”

“Your brother is alive.” 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.

“Here you go. Your favorite.” She said with a smile.

“Thank you Eliza.” So the woman’s 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.

“Wait! Wait what’s happening! Alex! Alex!”

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 wasn’t real. I imagined everything and it was all in my head.

“It wasn’t real.” I whispered.

“I told you it was just a dream.”

“Well I thought you said you can make them come true.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” 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 didn’t seem like a nightmare, nor the truth.

“It’s hard to explain. We both saw him, but he was never here.”

“So where is he?”

“I don’t know, but we saw what he was doing at that very moment.”

I staggered backwards in disbelief. “So you’re saying that my brother was eating a sandwich in real time?”

Henry nodded. I walked in a daze towards the confessional booths and leaned against it. “So he’s alive.” I whispered. I heard footsteps and Henry stood right in front of me.

“He’s alive.” He repeated.

“Claudia’s 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!” Our main priest shared.

I immediately stood up at the sound of the new voice. I looked around and saw Karen looking for me.

“Can we talk about this later. I just have some questions.”

“Yeah sure.”

“Henry.” a woman’s voice called.

I looked behind him and saw his mother calling for him. “I’ll let you be with your mother, but I’ll see you later.” I said with a smile.

Henry smiled back and I found my way to a worried Karen. Karen spotted me and her eyes widened.

“Y/n where were you, you missed the entire service.”

“I know, but then I had to the bathroom and….the janitor needed help with a mess and we lost track of time.” I lied on the spot.

Karen looked at me warily, but thankfully she didn’t pry. “Alright well let’s get some cake! I heard Claudia parents brought red velvet!”

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No one’s pov

“Principal Newby.” Victor Creek stated. “Just wanted to introduce myself. I heard you were a military man. Sargent Victor Creel. Ninth Air Force.”

“Major Robert Newby. What division?” Robert places a hand on Victor’s shoulder.

“Ninetyeight sir. Second wave Normandy.”

“Second wave? Not many made it out.”

“No sir. Still get nightmares for it.”

“If you ever need to talk or if you just need anything, I’m here. You seem like a nice fine man.”

“Thank you. You seem like a nice fine man as well.”

“Have you tried the finger sandwiches? I heard they’re amazing.” Mr. Newby said changing the subject.

…

“Henry? Were you talking to that girl?” Virginia asked her son.

“No.” Henry said as he walked away.

“Is that blood?” She said after noticing blood drip from Henry’s nose “Did you hurt yourself?”

“No I’m fine.”

“Did you hurt that girl?”

“What?! No we were just talking.”

“Henry don’t lie to me, I know you were talking to that girl. You can tell me the truth.”

“What do you think I’m going to do?” 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. “Victor!”

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.

“Get your things! We’re leaving.”

“No we’re not leaving.” Henry argued.

“Are we leaving?” Victor asked.

“Yes.”

“But I didn’t have any cake!” Alice complained.

“Well we have cake at home sweetie let’s go.”

“Apparently we’re leaving.” Victor said to Robert Newby.

Virginia walked over to where Henry was and said sternly. “You are not to see that girl again do you understand me?”

“Yes mam.” 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.

“If you ever need anything Victor, you know where to find me.” Robert Newby said.

“Thank you sir.”

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Bob

“We 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.” Bob pressed a button and the sound of a woman screaming was signaled.

“It’s got some wondering if something sinister is going on in the sleepy town of Hawkins Indiana.” Bob began to play the song Mr. Sandman. “So please stay home. Sleep tight and dream on dreamers.”

Instantaneously, the same frequency disturbance from before came back. It shocked Bob’s ears and he took his headphones off. “Uh what is this power surge?”

All of a sudden, the door of Bob’s recording booth burst open and Jim Hoper walked in.

“Bob.”

“When the red light is on it means I’m on the air.” Bob looked at the intruder and was shocked to see Jim hopper of all people. “Jim? What are you doing here in the AV club?”

“I need you.”

“Me?”

“I need your help with something. Grab your camera.”

“With what exactly?”

“There’s no time to explain. Just follow me.” Jim said and walked towards the door as Bob stared at him in disbelief. When Jim realized Bob wasn’t following him, he turned around to face Bob.

“Let’s go!” Jim explained. Bob instantly packed up his things and shut off his microphone. I’ll apologize to my listeners about my abrupt ending tomorrow Bob thought.

“Come on Bob!”

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” Bob ran out the door after Jim and shut the door behind him.

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On the subject of Dustin and Steve I have so much to say that I hit the character limit the first time I tried to write this post, so I might have to break up my ideas for them in a few posts/polls.

(Poll below the fold)

First and foremost is the subject of brotherly and fatherly relationships in Stranger Things. I know Stancy vs. Jancy is the popular conversation, but I think the real heart of both Steve and Jonathan’s characters lie in their brotherly relationships with Dustin, Will, and the other younger kids. On the subject of fathers, Lucas is the only one of the core four to have a truly present father, Mike’s is emotionally absent, and Will’s is physically absent. But they never mention Dustin’s father once, which means any choice I make regarding him won’t necessarily retcon any prior canon. So, I’ve been thinking about Steve finding out at the height of their emotional conflict that Mr. Henderson passed away when Dustin was very young (before he and his mom moved to Hawkins.) The party would have known this but it would be an unspoken rule not to bring up Dustin’s dad since it’s such a sensitive subject.

Personally, I felt like Steve was borderline cruel to Dustin at times in canon S5 which felt very out of character to me. (Like yeah Dustin has an attitude and Steve was jealous of Eddie but that’s his baby and he’s grieving, Steve would not treat him like that.) This felt like backward development for Steve who should have learned from Nancy not to dismiss the feelings of your loved ones when they are mourning. (I have a whole other post on Nancy and Dustin parallels coming, trust.) Instead, I’m thinking the whole party together again would result in Steve realizing probably for the first time how close ‘his kids’ are with Jonathan. Like, before Steve ever really met any of the kids Jonathan had been a brotherly figure to all of them as long as they’d been friends with Will, but since S2, it’s been Steve with the kids while Jonathan’s off with Nancy. Basically instead of being jealous of Eddie, Steve is jealous of Jonathan, but not over Nancy, over Dustin and the other kids, being perturbed that Dustin seems hellbent on favoring any other “older male friend” over him while actively pushing him away despite Steve’s efforts to support him through this difficult time. This could be little things like Dustin agreeing with Jonathan over Steve in party meetings, or making jokes about Steve’s intelligence (or lack thereof) with Jonathan, or making a remark about Jonathan kicking Steve’s ass in ‘83 while tension is already high between Stonathan as they’re trying to train Mike and Dustin in fighting without guns (because Lucas is the best shot so Nancy sends the others to stick to bats and spears—also Stonathan competing for the kids’ attention rather than Nancy’s is just really funny to me. Even better, Jonathan thinks Steve is showing off for Nancy but he really just wants Dustin to think he’s cool again.)

Ultimately this would culminate in their big emotional moment where Dustin gets angry with Steve for always risking his life. While Steve is just trying to protect Dustin and everyone, he hasn’t realized how terrified Dustin is of losing him until Dustin begs him not to let it happen again. Dustin would finally open up to Steve and admit that when he lost his dad, he wished he had a big brother to be there for him and teach him things his dad didn’t get to. So of course Jonathan meant a lot to him growing up, but he would always be Will’s brother. Finding his own brother in Steve meant everything to him. Steve had never realized just how much little things like helping Dustin with his hair or giving him advice on girls had meant to him. Or how much Dustin had blamed himself when Eddie died. None of them realized Vecna had been haunting Dustin with his guilt without revealing himself (like recurring nightmares of Eddie’s death, twisting his thoughts and memories so he feels responsible for Eddie and his father, convincing him everyone close to him will die because of him.) Steve and Dustin reach a deeper understanding of each other and solidify that surrogate brother relationship before going into the final battle. Regardless of ships I think this is a more satisfying story for Steve and Dustin, but I will let you all be the judge of that.

I also have ideas on Nancy being the one to realize Dustin is blaming himself because of what she went through with Barb and telling him it wasn’t his fault (with Steve being the first person to ever tell her Barb wasn’t her fault either, leading to a deeper conversation between Stancy resolving their root conflict whether they end up together or not) but I fear I’ve been trying to write this post for 2 hours and I’m going to hit the character limit if I start talking about Nancy. So, I’ll save that for its own post, and for now I want to know

(If you don’t like the Steve being jealous of Jonathan over t he kids idea lmk in the comments and I can make a separate post.)

Holly loves the snow to a borderline ridiculous level. Like she will hear on the tv that there is weather on the way and she will stand at the door and watch for snow.

Will hates the cold, it freaks him out. But there is so much that Jane has never done before that he will bundle up (think Ralphy’s brother in A Christmas Story) and go out with her to show her the ropes

Regardless of what they are doing or where they are, if there is snow on the ground the moment it comes to mind Steve will whisper “Angeling hour” and throw himself backwards into the snow to make an angel. Scares the shit out of everyone every single time.

Snow days are spent at the Wheelers house. Ted and Karen will watch the early morning news to see what the weather is going to shape up to be, and as soon as school closes they’re scrambling to make sure they have enough for breakfast for the kids and coffee for them (because if Ted has to put up with Dustin for a whole 24hrs he’s going to need something to get through it)

The Party made a snow bucket list for Max her first winter in Hawkins. Dustin and Will were sure she’d hate it, but she absolutely loved the snow and colder weather.

Regardless of her day and what she has to do, Joyce enjoys a cup of coffee outback in the first snow of the year

Snowball fights with the boys have always been Lucas and Mike vs Will and Dustin. Once they came, Jane and Max became their own team

Robin knows all the good sledding spots. The easy ones for beginners, the illegal ones for the risky, you name it. She has taken Steve to every single one their first year of friendship.

Regardless of what is happening in his life, Jim enjoys a glass of whiskey on the porch the night of the first snow.

Sometimes in an attempt to escape the sounds of her own mind Nancy will go and stand outside in the snow in the middle of the night. For her, the silence is comforting. She found out later on in life that this was a trait she inherited from her Dad.

this post just screamed erica tbh

- had eric wigend as a understudy for bob and i gotta say he is very 2000s nerdy older brother and i loved it

- henry straying from sue’s tour just to go poke at prancer and talk to claudia (personally i believe he loved animals before.. everything)

- charles gesturing to walter to give him the scooter after his intro and instead of just handing it over walter just, sorta, waddles over like a toddler 😭

- eric’s bob, instead of growling and clawing the air (like juan’s) when trying to act ‘sexy’, chose finger guns and barking which was hilarious

- charles hitting the absolute shit out of walter with a playbill after his racist af comments

- bob going on how everyone def saw something between patty and henry, except eric chose to imitate henry’s little leg sticking out lean he does during the ‘kiss’ scene 😭

- always love patty helping out the ensemble member who spends the entire scene between bob and patty just in the background, struggling to move like five chairs at the same time, before patty comes along and helps out

- henry giving prancer a little kiss on the head before freaking tf out and killing him 💔

- louis getting confetti stuck on him during the dance sequence and kinda just trailing around with it literally wrapped around his shoulder and leg (he tried his hardest to get it off but that shit was tangled until it majestically fell off at the end of the scene)

-bob accidentally dropping D.A.D. when introducing it and piece of the machine quite literally flying straight into the audience

- henry lowkey getting distracted and playing with the feathers on the dancers when creelby are trying to find patty’s mom

- also louis’s accent coming out a lot tonight too! pronouncing mom as ‘mum’ and nevada as ‘nuhvadah’ - literally reminded me he is in fact *irish 😭 but fun to catch

- the lab guys being extremely judgy tonight and continuously shaking their heads in disappointment at people’s bags and gesturing that they will keep their eyes on them, like ALOT they did not like us

- brenner: “i usually find a social maladjusted child, that’s you 😁, who presents psychologically poorly, also you😁☝️”

henry:

- henry casually waving at the rats in the cage while listening to brenner ramble (slowly noticing that henry should maybe stop being nice to animals or he will uncontrollably kill them)

- patty putting a hand out to henry during the scene where she helps him fight against the mind flayer (that’s what happens right) and he just tiredly lays there with absolutely no energy to reach out

that is all for now but i will add more if i remember!!

They could have all died when Hawkins cracked apart in St4 - and the narrative of story would not have been impacted one bit.

If those three were meant to have been absent / bad parents like the Harringtons thier absence wouldnt feel so egregious but they aren't. Lucas, Erica and Dustin's parents are all meant to be good ones so why aren't they shown to care about what is going on with thier kids this season?

You know, I have one super major gripe with S5, and I'm not the only one bothered by it judging by the criticism I saw online, but let's leave that for another post, hm?

ST always had a hierarchy of families— Byers, Wheelers, Sinclairs, and the Hendersons, though the Byers were unmatched. They were the main family for two/three seasons straight (their protagonism in Season 3 is a bit disputed because that season is when things start getting messy and confusing). When duffers didn't knew what to do with them, they brought up the 2nd family.

On one hand, I think it's nice that more people are now aware of what's happening in Hawkins, but why wait till now? Till the very last season. Why not sooner?

As a Byers family lover, this bothers me a little bit, because IMO, no family ever matches them. Joyce, Jonathan, and Will were THE Stranger Things characters. This was THEIR story.

Regarding the Sinclairs and Mrs. Henderson, this is a major problem regarding kids/teens-leading stories. Keeping the parents oblivious all the time at one point makes them useless—which is what happened to the Sinclairs and Mrs. Henderson. And what do we do with useless characters? Throw them overboard!

EDIT: OH MY GOD, AND WHAT OF MAX'S MOM!????? HER DAUGHTER IS IN A FUCKING COMMA AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF HER WHATSOEVER?!!!!!!!!!

The town in under military occupation, and they're apparently okay with their kids staying out all night? They're not concerned with anything? I mean, Robin mentioned calling Mrs. Henderson to ask of Dustin's whereabouts, wasn't she concerned for her son? This bothers me, ngl.

Stranger Things is trying to go full-on MCU, but failed on this aspect—Marvel always did a good job with their teen/kid superhero characters. Their actions have consequences. If Peter Parker spends all night fighting crime, he misses school, his grades tank, and aunt May grounds him. The party spends all night doing God knows what and the parents just don't care? They could have at least told us, "Oh, we lie to the parents. Mike says he'll spend the night at Dustin's. Dustin says he'll spend the night with the Sinclairs. And Lucas says he's spending the night with the Wheelers." There. It's not hard!

Remember when Karen went to scold Mike in Season 1 when he showed up late at night after they found Will's "body"? Or when she said nancy couldn't go to Steve's party because Will was missing? That's how parents react! Now they're all cool with their kids NOT being home?! I mean... It's not like Karen and Ted or the Sinclairs make good use of their kids-free time to do some WooHoo... 🫣

And ironically enough, we all know what happens when a parent doesn't keep tabs on their children at night. Don't we, Joyce Byers? Our kids get kidnapped by a demon sent by an interdimensional child predator.