TRIGGER WARNINGS: Descriptions of a PTSD episode and mentions of Panic Attacks
The weight of weed kept her grounded. Kept her from spiraling. It wasn’t that serious.
“Pass me the joint Chris?” Nancy held her hand to Chrissy who smiled, taking a long drag before handing it to her.
“God I never would have imagined myself here,” Chrissy sighed. “This is lovely.”
“Yeah,” Nancy agreed, taking a long, hard hit. “Me neither.”
“I can,” Robin stared at the two women, a dopey smile on her lips. “I can’t count on anything after the Russians.”
“Robin!” Nancy gasped as Chrissy laughed. Which in turn made Nancy laugh. She felt so light. Who cared? Who cared about the mountain of NDAs they signed. They were higher than a kite and not like these guys had any clue.
“Russians?” Eddie looked back at them, holding a tape in his hands.
“Russians,” Robin nodded solemnly before giggling. “Oh my god Nancy you didn’t see them.”
“Were they hot?” Chrissy asked.
“Absolutely not,” Robin shook her head. “These ugly ass men.”
“Ugh,” Chrissy collapsed on the floor. “Shame.”
“Okay…” Eddie glanced at them all which Nancy to laugh. This was all absurd and normal. Nothing in her life in the last three years had been normal. But here she was, watching movies with friends and getting high.The TV turned to life as Eddie pressed play and the girls quieted down. Nightmare on Elm’s Street flashed across the screen and Nancy felt herself relax. Nothing could be as scary as the shit she’d seen. Nothing could beat a demogorgon standing above you, millions of sharp teeth lunging at you. That, combined with the weed, should make this a piece of cake.
Nancy had forgotten that the main girl in this movie had her name but it was fine. It was okay.
“Fingernails? That made me remember the dream I had last night?”
Fingernails. Like Vecna’s long clawed fingers, like the vines that had crawled up her skin. Nancy took a deep breath, trying to ground herself.
It is a fucking movie, Wheeler.
So what if Freddie Kruger looked a little like Vecna? The burnt, holey flesh reminding her of One. Sounded like him too. The rough, rasp of his voice was similar to how Vecna had sounded, the way he had growled. She was fine. Fine.
Breathe Nancy. Fucking breathe.
Watching Tina floating, captured in her own nightmare made Nancy want to scream. She tightened her fingers into the blanket, trying to focus. She thought Tina’s hair was blonde not red? It looked so much like Max’s. How Max had looked floating in the air. Did Tina always looked like Max? The actress was a carbon copy, she sounded like her too. The wailing like Max’s when she couldn’t see before they had lost her for several days.
Nancy could feel Robin’s eyes on her. She didn’t need them. She was fine. Fine. She was in Eddie’s trailer. She was in Eddie’s trailer.
Vecna was smiling, the pulsing under his translucent flesh shining in the lights. “Nancy Wheeler,” he sneered. “Sweet, selfish Nancy Wheeler. Look at you now. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. A broken girl who uses weapons to get her way. Selfish, selfish Nancy Wheeler. Breaking the heart of two boys whose only crime was to love you. You say they are bullshit but you’re the one that’s bullshit. Can barely keep your friends, your brother alive. Almost too late this last time right? Almost missed it. Steve’s death would have been on you. Too slow. Too bad you couldn’t help Barb. Too bad you were so weak, so selfish. Barb was screaming your name when she went you know? Begging for her life. She loved you. Loved you. And you gave her up, left her alone. You could have saved her. Could have kept her alive. Her parents didn’t have to be childless, didn’t have to grieve. But maybe you wanted Barb to die? Didn’t you Nancy? Barb kept you from reaching your full potential. Barb was in your way, isn’t that right Nancy? And you don’t let anyone get in your way…otherwise they end up dead.”
Nancy felt the vines slithering over her, saw Vecna staring back at her on the scream. The screams of Nancy’s friend, Tina were too much. They sounded like Barb. Maybe they were Barb? Barb screamed and screamed and Nancy hadn’t heard, didn’t hear. She felt sick, felt vile, unclean.
