Stranger Things: Rebuilding

Chapter 25 of my Stranger Things story, enjoy.

Reviews

Boris Yeltsin: Thanks and of course not, I said quite plainly climax of part 1, not the whole story.
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)
JaynetheFawn: Thanks, glad you've been enjoying it, yeah, Nancy now knows the truth, something that could very well be to Mike's benefit in the future. Yes indeed, it is quite unfortunate, as for who sent the note, well...might be worth taking a few guesses ;) As for Troy, well, you might be surprised ;)

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stanger Things or its characters.

Terrifying Chase

Eric believed his mind and body finally connected when he truly started making love to Jessica. But in truth, they weren't actually joined until several second later when his senses alerted him, in fast succession to the creak of the door, the surprising influx of light and then, the stunned, horrified, face of Jane Hopper. That was the moment his body and mind had snapped back into one piece.

El had never seen anybody have sex before so the image before her was raw, strange, crude, terrible and electrifying all at the same time.

She should have fled at once, dashed out of there instantly, but her muscles seized up due to her astonishment, That left her with ample time to torture her eyes with the sight of Eric's naked body, pressed up against Jessica's equally naked body, their legs tangled together, then Eric's head turned and their eyes locked and that was the worst moment of all, her pain too large to hide, scrawled so flagrantly across her face.

Eric was baring his body but she had been caught bearing her soul. Everything, all her confused and agonized emotions all there for people to see and worst of all, for Eric to see. At last her muscles freed themselves and she ran. She turned and fled, already feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. It was only when she fled out the common room that she realized she hadn't stopped to look at Jessica's face, to see her reaction. It just didn't seem to matter at that moment.

When Eric saw Jane's devastated face he thought his heart broke for her, but he realized later that it broke for himself.

Jessica watched Jane's expression with a disturbing sense of excitement. As full and complex as her expression was in that surreal moment, Jess knew she'd never forget it, even as she noted that she hadn't bothered to look at Eric for his reaction, as if she already knew it.

Staggering out of the college, not even caring if the guard had seen her and called out to her, El kept walking, tears spilling down from her eyes, down her cheeks and her jawbone. She felt crushed, she had been filled with so much that finally, tonight, she'd finally be able to make sense of things. Only to come across that sight, a sight she wished she could never see again.

She longed to be able to purge the image of Eric in bed with bitch girl Jessica from her mind. She was aware that her cap was still in her pocket, but she didn't care, after all she had just seen, she'd almost welcome Troy coming after her. She staggered into the park, now deserted, and collapsed onto the nearest bench, burying her face in her hands and sobbing noiselessly.

'Why, why are things like this...I thought for once, things could go well for my life...only for it to be so messed up, again.' She thought in dismay.

She remained slumped in her current position, trying to pull herself together, yet at the same time filled with dread.

She knew she was stuck. 'What do I even do now, Hopper has to know by now I snuck out...I don't even have anything to show for it if I go back and, and…'

She wished she had an answer to her problems, but nothing could help her right now, not in the state she felt in. She slowly lifted her face and realized that all the lights nearest her were flickering.

XXXXX

Eric had never pulled clothes on quicker. He felt disgusting doing this to Jessica, leaving her at such a moment, but he felt a more urgent need to catch up to Jane and, then what? Make her feel better, make himself feel better? Yet it all rang hollow, after all it didn't even begin to make up for the fact that she had seen him in bed with Jessica.

"Jessica. I'm really, really sorry." He mumbled to her numb looking face.

Not sorry enough apparently that he stopped to wait for a reply, or even look back at her as he tore out of the dorm room. He felt disgusting. He didn't even stop to check the elevator, it would take too long anyway, instead he took the stairs and went crashed down them, bursting into the lobby only to see no sign of Jane.

'Shit.' He thought before turning to the guard. "Kevin, did you see a girl come running out of here."

Kevin looked up from his TV, on which the game blared. "Yeah I saw her, no idea how she got in when she wasn't supposed to-"

"Just tell me where she went!?" He burst out, startling even himself.

Kevin blinked but then shrugged. "Um, okay, she left, right out the door. I tried to call her back but she ignored me, think I saw her heading down towards the park though."

"Right, thanks." Eric burst out.

He took off running again, cursing himself for being so stupid, of course she would've gone to the park. With the sole exception of that hospital visit and tonight, every major incident in his life involving Jane Hopper happened in the park. Given the significance of the park to both of them he hoped, prayed even, that this was a good sign, that it meant he could still fix this disaster.

He entered the park, looking around wildly and then he saw her, seated on a bench, sobbing. His heart ached at the sight and he began to hurry towards her, he could fix this, he knew he could. He could finally cut through all the distraction and confusion and finally, openly talk with her. He hoped it would work, that this could be salvaged and then, then they'd have to deal with the messy aftermath, so many things to clear up.

But he hoped it would be possible and all he had to do was get to her and tell her, tell her the truth, that he loved her. He didn't even register the flickering lights, or the wind picking up to billow the leaves around.

Watching her, Troy took some satisfaction in her tears, she'd been hurt, whatever had happened had gone wrong.

'Good, that'll make this even better, teach her pain and have her down before I finish her off…' He thought angrily.

He raised his gun and took aim, making sure to line her up properly and this time there would be nothing to stop him.

"You're dead bitch."

His finger touched the trigger, then the lights started to flicker and the leaves blew around in the sudden wind.

El blinked rapidly, her tears clearing up as she realized, seeing the flickering lights, the leaves.

'No...it can't be…' She thought in horror. 'The missing hikers, it's not...it's…'

At once she threw herself to her feet and ran, full speed, not daring to stop, out of the park, through the town and into the woods. Eric stopped dead as he saw El raise her head, but then she ran off without even looking at him and he felt crushed. Then, like a madman, he took off running again, hurrying after her.

"Bitch." Troy hissed.

Once again, just as he was about to finish the job, she had took off running, not even bothering to hide the gun again this time he ran after her, determined to finish the job.

At the same time, a large and heavy presence took off in pursuit of El, of its prey.

Unaware of two of her pursuers, El continued to run, trying to regulate her breathing, to conserve her energy as she ran into the woods, ducking under a low branch, then leaping over one at floor level. She could feel it behind her, feel the malice and raw aggressiveness. She couldn't believe one of them was here, had clearly been here a while given how long hikers had been disappearing.

'But it shouldn't be possible.' Her mind raced in horror. 'Not unless...a gate...But there shouldn't be one open…'

She had no time to worry about that just now, even her former problems of seeing Eric in bed with Jessica paled into insignificance with this.

Eric grimaced as he ran, desperately trying to catch up with Jane, to talk to her. He couldn't understand it, why was she running, he knew it couldn't have anything to do with him, she hadn't even seen him before she ran.

He puffed for air desperately. 'Okay, I must be crazy, it feels like there's more than just me chasing her…'

But he barely had time to even register that thought as he reached one of the few roads that cut through the woods and practically ran full speed into the side of a van. He briefly had time to notice it read Hawkins Power and Light on the side, before figures from within leapt out and manhandled him inside, before everything went black.

'Jesus fuck, is she never gonna stop!' Troy thought in disbelief.

He continued to pursue his target, continued to pursue the girl. But she didn't stop running, it was like she didn't even know he was there. But that made no sense to him, how could she not, why else would she run. Knowing he had no other choice, he didn't even stop to properly aim, he just aimed as best he could at her while running, no easy task in the woods, and prepared to fire.

She could feel it, the darkness was receding, she could hardly dare hope that she had outrun it. Still, she took her chance and ducked behind a tree, sweat coursed down her face and back as she pressed against the tree. She flinched at the sound of the gunshot as the bullet struck the tree she had ducked behind.

"Fuck." She gasped. 'Troy too, that idiot!'

She took off running again, aware of it drawing closer once more, no doubt lured by Troy shooting at her, then came another gunshot and another, both struck her surroundings, missing her, but she knew there was even more danger than simply being shot. Then she cried out as she stumbled over a tree root and fell to the ground, sprawling. Groaning she tried to pull herself up, then spun around and pushed back with her feet until her back was pressed against a fallen log. Troy stood over her, smirking as he aimed at her with the gun.

"End of the line, bitch." He growled.

But he noticed that she wasn't looking at him scared. Her expression was petrified, but she was looking over his shoulder. It was then Troy registered the sound of heavy, inhuman, breathing.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.