pls read in dark mode for this chapter, ty

EPISODE NINE
the piggyback.

IT HAD gotten dark, almost pitch black outside as the only brightness that could be seen was the small blue light coming out of their lanterns.

every breath you take played through nova's headphones as she took small steps around the attic, looking around and trying to find vecna.

the three had all split up and were all looking in different rooms of the house. nova jumped slightly when she felt somebody tap her.

lucas and erica stood there with wide eyes as she frowned, erica lifted up the notebook, nova glanced at it and her eyes widened.

found vecna !!

she nodded slowly and lucas and nova followed erica as she guided them to where she found him. erica's lantern was on a table and flashing brightly. nova walked over to it and let out a breath as her lantern flashed.

she turned back to face the sinclairs, nodding slowly as erica went to go and start phase one. lucas walked towards her slowly, and she looked at him with worried eyes.

the two sat down in another room by the window opposite each other, waiting for erica's signal. they didn't write to each other, or even look at each other as nova avoided his gaze, looking around the room.

she brought her legs up to her chest and sighed, crossing them, she glanced at lucas who was looking down at his feet.

she picked up up the notebook, and began to write something on it. lucas looked over in interest.

hi.

it read. she smiled lightly and he returned it, picking up his notebook and writing back to her.

hi :)

she smiled at the smiley face he had drawn, and shook her head with a smile, picking up the pen and beginning to write on the paper.

i'm glad you're here.

it read. he raised his brows, smiling brightly as he scribbled something onto the paper.

me too!

she tilted her head and smiled at him, his smile being so contagious. she noticed he was writing something down on the paper again and raised a brow.

he looked nervous to show her, slowly lifting the paper up as hesitant look was on his face.

movies friday?

she let out a breath, eyes widening slightly as she glanced at him before beginning to draw something.

a shakey breath left lucas' lips as he leant forward to see what she was writing. she glared at him and hid the paper as he quickly sat back up.

she smiled as she held the drawing up, his eyes widened and a smile appeared on his face, making her grin as she tilted her head.

he looked down, and back at her with a loving smile, until they saw a flash from the window. they quickly got up, walking to the window and saw erica flashing the torch at them.

lucas flashed the torch back to signal they were ready as nova let out a breath, and they were now moving into phase two: distracting vecna.

nova tied her shoe laces as she got up, and slowly walked into the room where vecna was. she stood by the door, lucas behind her.

she looked back at lucas with shakey breath as he stared back with a hesitant frown.

she took of her headphones, her hand slowly reaching down to press pause on the walkman. "hey, asshole! i'm here." she exclaimed.

"no more music. no more games...do you hear me? what are you waiting for, huh?" she grew frustrated when the light didn't stop.

"come on, do you want me or not?" she exclaimed. the lantern faded and she stood up straighter as it went onto her lantern.

she followed the light and where it was taking her, lucas slowly following behind. they walked up the stairs, down a corridor and then up another set of stairs. into the attic.

the lantern light shone brightly as she closed her eyes. but then it stopped. she frowned, looking at lucas in confusion.

"what are you waiting for? i'm right here." she whispered, "i know you can hear me. i know you can read my thoughts. even the worst ones...maybe mostly the worst ones."

she set the lantern down and took off her headphones fully, placing them on the stool as she sat down in front of the lantern.

"i thought about what you said. about how i wanted my brother to die. i thought you were trying to upset me, to anger me. but you weren't. you were just telling the truth. billy made my life living hell after mom left every chance he got. so, sometimes...when i would lie in bed at night, i would...pray that something would happen to him." she began, ashamed to admit it as her eyes filled with tears.

"something awful. he always drove way too fast, so i would imagine him crashing...dying in that stupid car. i just...i wanted him out of my life and out of max's life. forever. i wanted him to disappear." she wiped away a few tears that had fallen, sniffling slightly.

"the day that he died, i think that's why i just stood there and watched. not because i was scared or weak...if i wanted to get out of mike's arms i could've. but because...i didn't know if he deserved to be saved." she admitted, closing her eyes.

she looked down as she continued, "and i've tried to forgive myself. but...i just can't. so now, when i lie in bed at night...i pray that something will happen to me. that something terrible will happen to me. so that's why i'm here. because...i just want you to take me away. and i want you to make me disappear."

"is that all true? you wanted billy to die." her heart raced as she heard lucas' voice, and she looked confused, "why are you talking?"

he turned to look at her slowly. "you ever have thoughts like that about me?"

"what? no, never." she got up, eyes wide. "normal people don't fantasise about killing other people, nova. you realise that, right?"

"lucas, please." she whispered, "i thought you were getting better. but you're not, are you? you are sick!" she took a step back as her eyes widened. this wasn't lucas.

"maybe it is good he takes you. maybe it's for the best," his voice was distorted, and his eyes were distant as he tilted his head. "in fact, i'm glad it's going to be you."

lucas had tears rolling down his cheeks as nova stepped back. "you will be the chosen one. the forth. the final sacrifice. it's going to be you that breaks the world!"

a tear rolled down her cheeks as her eyes widened, taking another step back, "nova. where are you going? don't be scared?"

"stay away from me." she spoke, voice breaking slightly. "nova, i thought you said you were ready! ready to disappear!"

"stay away!" she exclaimed, grabbing a wooden plank and hitting him with it as she ran away from him, turning back to see vecna stood there.

now, phase three.

nova let out a small sob as she ran out of the attic, running down the main stairs and towards the front door. she yanked it open, but her eyes widened as it was barricaded up with wooden planks.

"where are you going, nova?" vecna asked as tears filled her eyes and she turned around to try somewhere else, running into the living room.

turning back every so often, she ran towards another door, opening it as her eyes widened once she saw the same planks guarding it. she attempted to pull them off, but it was no use.

she ran to as many doors as she could find, but all were boarded up with the wooden planks. the next door she tried, a gasp escaped her lips as she saw billy licked in the sauna.

"nova! let me out of here!" he yelled and her eyes widened, she stepped back as billy continued to throw himself at the door to try and get it to open.

he smashed the window and she jumped, before letting out a breath and closing her eyes. focus on your happy memory. she told herself over and over.

she stood still, thinking of the memory where she was happiest, all her memories with lucas flashed through her mind as it stopped on the snowball. a memory of her dancing with lucas and having their first kiss filled her mind as she continued to focus on that exact moment.

she couldn't hear billy's yells anymore, so she opened her eyes. a shocked and relieved gasp escaping her lips as she realised her plan had worked.

she was stood in the hall, which was decorated for the snowball of 84'. balloons all on the floor. she was all alone and it was slightly darker, but everything was still there. she had made it.

"holy shit." she smiled, chuckling in relief to herself.

:')