WARNING: Please do not read unless you've read Chapters 1-3 completely.
Ch. 1: https://strangerthings.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003462393
Ch. 2: https://strangerthings.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003463730
Ch. 3: https://strangerthings.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003466286
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“Dustin, do you copy? This is Lucas. Over.”
“Yeah, this is Dustin, I copy. Did you get Kali? Over.”
“Yeah. We’re on our way to Hawkins. Over.”
“Okay, listen… Steve, Nancy and Robin are at the hospital. Over.”
“Where are the rest of you guys? Over.”
“We’re heading over to Town Hall. Over.”
“Town Hall? What for? Over.”
“Okay, look, I’ll explain it later. But the Bald Eagle thinks that there might be commies hunting us. And Kline’s broken out of prison. Over.”
“Well Kline’s the least of our problems right now. Over.”
“I know, but you asked. Just meet Steve, Robin and Nance at the hospital. Over and out.”
Lucas turned to Kali.
“So you are the policeman?” she asked Hopper.
“Yeah, I guess I am,” replied Hopper.
“I trust you treat Jane well?”
Hopper chuckled. “I try. She’s kind of high maintenance, ya know.”
Eleven smiled.
“Okay, so, El… Bloomington?”
“Bloomington.”
“Uh, hey, Chief?” called Lucas.
“Yeah?”
“Dustin said that when we reach Hawkins we should go to the Hawkins Memorial Hospital. Also… the Russians are back.”
Hopper frowned. “Well they never really left, did they?”
A hundred and thirty-four men, women and children stood in front of the skeleton of Hawkins Lab. A towering mass of flesh and blood squelched through a drain. It was a mixture of molten rats, deer, dogs and cats which, once Flayed, had gathered at Brimborn Steelworks to create a portion of the proxy body that the Mind Flayer would soon possess.
One by one, the Flayed walked to the proxy body and melted into biomass. The body was already higher than the Spider Monster was when not even half of the Flayed had been melted. Finally, all the Flayed had melted. All but Karen and Ted Wheeler, but that bit was intentional. They had use.
The Mind Flayer, disassembling its trademark spider form, flew into the proxy body. It was an exact
replica of the Spider Monster of 1985. Except, it was over seventy stories high. More than double the height of the Spider Monster. It was a behemoth. The Behemoth.
The Behemoth followed the railroad tracks until it reached the main town of Hawkins. There, after it destroyed Melvald’s, Family Video, the Palace Arcade, RadioShack and about fifteen more buildings, it arrived at the Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
But Nancy, Steve and Max were long gone. They were en route to Hawkins Lab.
“Steve, how’s she holding up?”
“Fine, I guess.”
“Look, I know it’s hard.”
“I know you know, Nance. So I thought you’d understand.”
“I do! I do. But right now, Hawkins needs us. It needs us all, more than ever. Don’t let Robin’s death be in vain.”
“It’s not. It’s not in vain. She died so that we could live.”
“Yes! And we lived so that we could kill Vecna. Robin would want us to fi–”
“NANCY! LOOK OUT!”
But it was too late. Karen’s car crashed into the Sinclairs’ car, and the hoods were destroyed. Puffs of smoke arose from both cars.
Coughing, Nancy, Steve, Claudia and the Sinclairs got out of their cars.
“Mrs. Henderson? Mrs. Sinclair? What are you doing here?” asked Nancy.
“Nancy! Where’s Lucas and Erica?” asked Mrs. Sinclair.
Nancy thought for a bit, and then replied, “They’re… at the… Palace Arcade…”
“And… And Dusty’s with them?” asked Mrs. Henderson.
“… Yeah…”
“Okay, thank you so much,” said Mr. Sinclair.
Claudia and the Sinclairs looked at their car. Then they looked at Nancy and Steve.
“You guys think we could get a ride?” asked Mrs. Sinclair.
Nancy and Steve looked at each other nervously. They had Max comatose in the car.
“We’re so sorry, we’re full. Um… Robin, Vickie… Tommy… Carol…”
“Oh…” Mrs. Sinclair looked like she had been a little offended. “Well then. We’ll just hail a cab.”
Nancy and Steve swiftly waved at them and got into the car again. Luckily, it was less banged up than the Sinclairs’ car, but it wouldn’t go far.
Nancy started the car and started driving.
“Nance, I thought you said we were going to the lab? You’re going the wrong way,” said Steve.
“I’m not. We need a new car. And I have one at the Hess Farm.”
Chief Powell, Officer Callahan and Officer Daniels, for the second time in one week, had gathered the town—or what was left of it—for a meeting at Town Hall. However, instead of warnings about Eddie the freak Munson and the Satanic cult Hellfire, they were giving out a motivational speech.
“For the past few years, we’ve all witnessed what was once a safe, loving community delve into tragedy and dark mystery. First there was the chemical leak which led to the disappearance of Barbara Holland. Then rotting crops and another leak at Hawkins Lab. Then, a mall fire. So many souls lost. Tom, Janet and Heather Holloway. Bruce Lowe. Billy Hargrove. Our heroic Chief of Police Jim Hopper, a shining example which all of us strive to follow. Most recently, the murders of Chrissy Cunningham, Fred Benson and Patrick McKinney by Eddie Munson. And now this.” Powell paused. “It is with a heavy heart that I, Officers Callahan and Daniels advise all of you to leave Hawkins.”
The crowd started murmuring. Eugene McCorkle stood up and said, “Hawkins is our home! If we were to leave it, we would have already!” Many others among the crowd shouted in agreement.
“Then that is your decision. But we cannot guarantee your safety in this town anymore.”
“But we can!” Everyone looked at the source of the voice. A fourteen-year old teenager anyone would recognize now; Dustin Henderson, a member of the Hellfire Club. Behind him, Joyce Byers, Murray Bauman, Will Byers the Zombie Boy, the pervert Jonathan Byers and Erica Sinclair.
Nearly the entire crowd scowled. Some even stood up to leave. But Dustin confidently marched up to the platform. “What I’m about to say is going to be a lot to take. But every word is true. We came here today with hope that the people of Hawkins, the Hawkins we knew and loved, will support us against the evil that is causing this. An evil that is not Eddie Munson. There is another dimension. A dimension we call the Upside Down. The monsters you see right now, emerging from the lava, running amok in the streets? Those are from the Upside Down. And the lava is not lava. Those are gates to the Upside Down. These murders? The murders you all think Eddie did? They were done by a distorted, misunderstanding foul man from the Upside Down. A man who was shaped by Dr. Martin Brenner of Hawkins Lab. This man, he governs the Upside Down. He wants the Upside Down to take over our dimension so that he can control our world. There was never a chemical leak. This man, he made one of his monsters kill Barb Holland. Plants from the Upside Down caused the crops to rot, and these monsters you see out there, they massacred Hawkins Lab in 1984. Starcourt Mall was burned down because we used fireworks to try to stop a monster made of melted people from killing the only person who could possibly fix all this. That monster was made of Tom, Bruce, Janet, Mrs. Driscoll, Heather, and so many more. Billy Hargrove sacrificed his life; he was killed by the monster. And Eddie Munson also sacrificed his life so that we could at least try to stop Vecna. He was no killer. He was a hero. The world will have ended by the time I told you the whole story. But what you need to know is that the only way that we can stop this is if we close the gates. We have a friend coming who can help with that, but she alone won’t be able to stop this. So I have a plan. A plan that requires each and every one of you. You can choose not to believe us. Or, you can join us so we can stop our world from being destroyed.”
Everyone was silent. Obviously it was a lot to take in. But Murray had no patience. He marched up the stairs, waltzed onto the stage, snatched the microphone from Dustin and screamed into it, “In other words, CHILDREN, QUIT WHINING, FIRE UP SOME TORCHES AND BURN SOME INTERDIMENSIONAL JUMBO DOGS!”
It worked. Some loud folk began shouting their lungs out, while other at least slightly intellectual people started walking out to drive to the Big Buy for ammunition. Who knows how many would die on the way. At least fifteen had died on their way to Town Hall already.
But… that wasn’t Dustin’s plan. He tried to stop some people from marching out, but to no avail. “MR. BAUMAN! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE SAME TIME! EVERYONE ATTACKING AT THE SAME TIME! AT A SCHEDULED TIME!”
“Oh. Heh.” Murray cleared his throat. “LISTEN UP! THIS KID RIGHT HERE HAS A PLAN AND IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE YOU WILL FOLLOW IT! NOT JUST GO OFF LIKE A MOB AND ATTACK THE MONSTERS!”
The crowd was, obviously, thinking how much of a hypocrite Murray was, but no one had the audacity to question his authority. Except for Merrill Wright. “But you just said—”
“SPARE ME! I am sorry for the confusion but APPARENTLY THIS KID IS THE MASTERMIND OF INDIANA SO EVEN I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LISTEN TO HIM! So you WILL listen to him.”
Victor sat in his chair, scratching his nails on his desk as always. He, obviously, was completely unaware about what was happening in Hawkins, Indiana. He was unaware that it was his own son who was the demon haunting him, and who killed Virginia and Alice. That is, until now.
“Victor…” said a raspy voice behind him.
Victor turned around. He would’ve had a heart attack—which would’ve been a miracle for him—but he had an unusually high tolerance for obvious reasons.
He could see! But… he could not. It felt like a dream. But whatever it was, the person who had spoken was a man. But was it? It was a humanoid creature… with disgusting tendrils growing out of him… he was singed and maroon. As Victor looked at its face, though, he felt an uncanny sense of familiarity.
“…Henry?”
“Hello father. Missed me? How have you been?”
“Henry… What have you become?”
“What you see.”
Victor realized everything. “It was you! But… But you died! You died! Then how are you… Are you a… ghost?”
“Better. I am a master. A master of a dimension mostly unknown to mankind. But those who do will soon be gone. And after they are, everyone else will. And then, the world will be mine. Do not ask questions. I have come to ask you. Ask you… to join me.”
Victor sat silently.
“If you do not, I will kill you.”
Still, Victor remained silent. But then, he smiled. He stood up. “Henry. Of course. What has this world given me anyways? I will be glad to be by your side when you destroy it.” He walked over to Vecna and hugged him. The first time someone had shown Henry Creel love in twenty-seven years.
Nancy parked the car in front of the abandoned building known as the Hess Farm. By now it was around 8 pm.
“Nance, what is this place?”
“It’s an old farmhouse Starcourt Industries bought. For powering the Key.”
“Okay, well… why exactly do you keep a car here?”
“Because it’s old and abandoned.”
“But what if someone stole it?”
“Well it’s not exactly in mint condition. I don’t think anyone would want to steal it. Anyway, let’s go.”
Nancy led Steve behind the building, where the car was parked.
“Oh my gosh. No way. You kept this piece of junk?!”
“I mean… it’s just a little banged up is all. It still works perfectly. Much better than my mom’s car.”
It was the Toddfather. Luckily, the Toddfather was not in the Spider Monster’s path of destruction when it chased Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, Robin, Will and Lucas.
Steve carried Max to the Toddfather and laid her down on the back seat.
Suddenly, Nancy and Steve heard someone’s footsteps. The backdoor of the Hess Farm swung open and out stepped Larry Kline.
“You!” Nancy exclaimed, remembering Kline.
“Oh. Uh, Nancy… hello… I wouldn’t expect to find you here.” Nancy suspiciously eyed the man. “Say, Nancy, do you happen to know where Mrs. Henderson and the Sinclairs are?”
“No I do not. And I wouldn’t tell you of all people if I did.”
“But you would tell us.” Major General Stepanov and Colonel Ozerov emerged from behind Kline. Although Nancy never met either of them, their accent and uniform gave away that they were Soviet officials.
But still, Nancy stood her ground. “No we would not.”
Ozerov smirked and went inside to retrieve his crowbar.
“Steve, start the car,” Nancy whispered.
Steve and Nancy jumped into the Toddfather. Kline climbed over the door after Nancy, but she punched him in his nose. He yowled.
“OZEROV!!!” Stepanov was livid. By the time Ozerov arrived with the crowbar, Steve had started the car.
“KLINE! GET GUN!”
Kline ran into the farmhouse to get a gun, and the Toddfather cruised away. Stepanov snatched the rifle away from Kline and shot it. But he missed every bullet. If only his hitman Grigori was there.
“That guy. He was the one who beat Robin and me up. Anyways, where to now? The lab, right?”
“No, I think we should get Max to a hospital. But not Memorial, somewhere out of Hawkins. Then we can go to the lab. Hold on.”
Nancy took out her walkie-talkie and yanked the antenna.
“Dustin, do you copy? Over.”
“This is Joyce. Is this Nancy? Over.”
“Yeah. You all are still at the lab, right? Over.”
“No, we’re at Town Hall. Dustin came up with a new plan. Over.”
“Of course he did. Uh, you have time to explain it? Over.”
“Well it’s something about the entire town burning the monsters at the same time and then because of the Hive Mind the rest will be weakened and then they’ll die or something. To be honest I don’t completely understand it myself. Over.”
“Alright, well, good luck. We’re bringing Max to a hospital out of Hawkins. And yeah, Dustin was right, the Russians are back. Should we come to Town Hall after dropping off Max? Over.”
“Hmm… No, I think you guys should just go to Murray’s. You still have the duplicate keys he gave you, right? Over.”
“Well yeah but—”
“Good. There’s no reason for you to endanger yourselves. Over and out.”
Nancy sat on her seat in shock.
“Did she just tell us to leave Hawkins? In a time like this?!” asked Steve.
“Yeah. But we’re not going to. With the Soviets, Kline and the monsters, not to mention Vecna still out there, they’re going to need some more help.”
Meanwhile, the Behemoth marched towards Bloomington, Indiana.
