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chapter five:
the flea and the acrobat
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AFTER FINDING OUT that what Nancy saw was the exact same thing as what Joyce saw, the four decided they will come up with a plan to at least find a way to get it to show its self again. The only really question is how? But as of right now, that wasn't Evelyn's main concern.

Today was the day where Will Byers, will be laid to rest. Evelyn looked at herself in the mirror, she took notice on the tiny details of her black dress, how her hair was lightly curled. She was trying so hard not to think about what could be out there, she believes what took Barb has also taken Will as well. She also believes that Will is alive just like how she believes Barb is alive.

She didn't tell anyone that she thinks that mostly because it was a theory and she didn't want people to think she was crazy. She just hopes that both of them are somewhere safe and if that thing did take them, she hopes they are hiding from it.

She heard a knock on her door and heard her mom say it was time to go. She softly sighed before looking at herself in the mirror one more time before leaving her room.

On the way out she bumped into Dustin, who didn't look that sad. "Dustin, can I talk to you for a second before we go?" Evelyn softly asked her brother.

"Yea, sure. Mom won't mind waiting two more minutes since she's distracted by Mews. What's up?" Dustin questioned as Evelyn lightly directed them both back into her room.

Dustin sat down on the edge of her bed and he watched as his older sister closed her door and began pacing, he notices that when she paces that something is on her mind. "Everything okay?".

Evelyn looked at her brother who was worried for her, she can tell by the look on his face. She stopped pacing and sat next to her brother. "Dustin, you're going to think I'm crazy" she softly stated while messing with her fingers.

"After everything that has been going on recently, believe me I won't think you are crazy" Dustin told her. Evelyn sighed, she was hoping that what she was about to tell him that he will believe her and won't think she's crazy.

"Evelyn, you can tell me anything. No matter what, I will always believe you. I know you think I won't but I will unless you tell me not too" Dustin told her, hoping it will calm her down a little, which it did.

"I don't think...actually I don't believe that Will is dead. I believe that he's alive. He's just somewhere probably scared and I feel like he's hiding, which I hope he is" Evelyn confessed to her brother. She noticed the silence that was aired out.

"You probably think I'm crazy but Dustin you are the only one I wanted to tell. I wasn't going to tell anyone but I couldn't keep it from you or else it will eat me up alive" Evelyn told him. Dustin grabbed her hand before giving it a light squeeze.

"I believe you" Hearing those words come out made her feel relieved. "Mike, Lucas and I believe he's alive as well and we believe he's in the upside down" Dustin told her.

"Upside down? What is the upside down?" Evelyn questioned. "It's like this dark alternative dimensions. It could it look like Hawkins but more dark and empty, we believe he's in there and we believe El is the one who can get us there" Dustin told her.

"El? I know she has powers but can she actually get you guys there and if she does, you guys get me first because I'm not letting you guys go alone" Evelyn firmly told him. If Eleven could actually get them to the upside down best believe that Evelyn was going to be there with them.

"El was the one who told us about the upside down. As of right now she can't get us there but if she does, I'll find you. Even though she has superpowers, I'll feel a little bit more safe if I had you with me" Dustin told her.

Before Evelyn could say anything, her door was knocked on again before it opened to reveal their mom. "Kids, let's go. We don't want to be late"

"We will be right there mom!" Evelyn told her. Her slightly smiled at them before whispering an okay before heading back towards the living room.

"we should probably be going but thank you Dustin, for believing me." Evelyn told him as she gave him a hug and a kiss on the head. "Always" Dustin told her as he hugged her back.

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After saying goodbye to Will one last time, Evelyn wished her condolences on Joyce and Lonnie ( who she was surprised to see ) before finding Nancy, Jonathan and Sabrina waiting for her to explain the plan that they all came up with.

"This is where we know for sure it's been, right?" Jonathan questioned the three. "So that's..." Nancy started stating off before Evelyn finished. "Steve's house"

"You would know it's Steve's" Sabrina muttered before Evelyn elbowed her. Evelyn ignored the look that Nancy slightly gave her when she mentioned it was Steve's house.

"That's the woods where they found Will's bike and..that's my house" Jonathan told them while pointing out the x marks that was in red on the little map.

"It's all so close" Nancy told him. "Yea, really close. That thing must love that area, no offense Jonathan if you felt offended by that" Sabrina told him.

"Yeah. Exactly. I mean, it's all within a mile or something. Whatever this thing is, it's... it's not traveling far" Jonathan told us after ignoring Sabrina's comment.

"Wait, Jonathan, you want to go out there and find this thing?" Evelyn questioned. Jonathan looked at her confirming her answer. "We might not find anything." Jonathan stated.

"I found something" Nancy firmly stated. "And if we do see it... then what?" She finished off. "We run" Sabrina told her.

Everyone looked at Sabrina. "What? It's the truth. If I saw that thing I would run"

"You could stay with the boys?" Evelyn told her. Evelyn feels like Sabrina will be better off with the boys since than the boys plus El will have someone older there to protect them. Plus she can keep an eye on Dustin and make sure he's safe.

"Now why would I do that?" Sabrina questioned. They didn't notice Nancy or Jonathan leave to head towards his car to get something out.

"I'm not going to be there to protect them especially Dustin, so I feel more comfortable if you were there with them" Evelyn told her. Sabrina crossed her arms and looked at Evelyn with confusion laced on her face.

"You want me to sit with three little boys as they play D&D?" Sabrina questioned. Evelyn completely forgot that Sabrina doesn't know what Dustin and the party have been up too, she doesn't even know about El or the fact that El has superpowers.

"Besides I rather be here with you. Evelyn if this thing shows up again than I'm not letting my best friend fight it alone" Sabrina told her. "You're right but I also won't be alone" Evelyn stated.

"You'll be third wheeling." Sabrina told her. Evelyn got confused on what she meant by that. "Nancy and Jonathan clearly have some form of feelings for each other, well mostly Jonathan, they won't notice you are there"

"Sabrina, Nancy's dating Steve. She won't do something like that to him" Evelyn told her. She knew Nancy really liked Steve and she doesn't see Nancy breaking his heart.

"For now" Sabrina muttered but before Evelyn can respond, Nancy and Jonathan walked back up to the two best friends. "Oh look, how nice of you two to join us again" Sabrina sarcastically told them.

"We are going to kill it" Jonathan told them. "Kill it? Kill it how?" Evelyn questioned. "With whatever sort of weapon you got. We find it tonight and we kill it" Jonathan told her.

Evelyn looked between Jonathan, Nancy and Sabrina before agreeing on the plan. She knew this was going to be a long day.

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After going over the plan once again, Evelyn and Sabrina went back to Evelyn's house to find some sort of weapons they can use.

"Evelyn, no offense but you guys don't have nothing that screams badass" Sabrina told her as she kept rummaging through boxes that Evelyn's mom had stacked up neatly in the garage, well it used to be stacked up neatly, now boxes are just everywhere.

"I don't know, I found an axe and a crossbow set" Evelyn told her. "Axe, I can understand but a crossbow... Why do you have a crossbow?" Sabrina questioned as she took the axe out Evelyn's hand.

"My mom thought it would of been cool if I did an archery class. Only attended for a week but I think I remember how to do it" Evelyn told her as she grabbed an arrow off the shelve and started setting up her shot.

Sabrina stood next to her and watched as Evelyn lined up her shot. "I mean how hard can it be" Evelyn stated as she let go of the crossbow and watched as the arrow went through the air.

"Woah" Evelyn and Sabrina heard someone say. Evelyn was about to call out who it was before she saw Steve walk into the garage. "Steve?" Evelyn questioned.

"Oh look it's Steve, what a surprise" Sabrina sarcastically said with a smile on her face. Evelyn ignored Sabrina's statement before walking over to Steve.

"What are you doing here?" Evelyn questioned. "Well first, I believe this belongs to you and before you ask no it did not hit me, almost did but I moved out of the way" Steve told her as he handed her the arrow.

Evelyn muttered a slight thanks. "And second, I was wondering if you know...maybe, you wanted to hang out? I went over to Nancy's and see if she wanted to go see a movie but her mind is elsewhere and she didn't want to hang out tonight, plus I don't want to hang with Tommy and Carol today" Steve told her.

Steve was hoping she would hang out with him. He wanted to at least get to know her more. He wanted her to see that he wasn't a douchebag like people think he is. "That sounds nice but I can't today, Sabrina and I are doing something but maybe some other time" Evelyn told him as she played with the arrow in her hand.

"Yea, some other time. Well I'll let you guys get back to what you were doing and try not hit anyone with that arrow" Steve told her as he began walking back to his car. "I won't" Evelyn stated as she watched him walk to his car.

"Sabrina, what are you doing?" Evelyn called out as she watched her best friend call out to Steve.

"Harrington" Steve heard his name being called, he stopped in front of the driver side of his car and tuned around to see Sabrina walking up to him with a smile perked on her face along with her arms crossed.

"What do you want, Bensen?" Steve questioned. Sabrina taken notice on his voice changed from being soft with Evelyn to being not in the mood to talk to you with her.

"So how long you been crushing on my best friend?" Sabrina went straight to the question. Steve looked at her. She can tell her question caught him of guard.

"What are you talking about? I'm not crushing on her. In fact, I only think Henderson is cool is because she's friends with Nancy" Steve told her. Sabrina didn't not believe a word that came out of his mouth.

"I call bullshit" Sabrina stated. "Nancy and Evelyn weren't even that close, hell they weren't even consider each other friends until now. Besides, if you didn't like her than how did you know she loves queen so much, granted I believe everyone knows but they wouldn't convince their own girlfriend to get someone to come to a party and than say they will play Queen for them"

Sabrina watched as Steve sighed before looking behind her. She turned to where Steve was looking, she saw Evelyn practicing out the axe now while her crossbow laid on top of a box.

"End of sixth grade" she heard Steve muttered. "What?" Sabrina questioned as she turned back towards him. "Had a crush on her since the end of sixth grade. I do still have a crush on her but I also do really like Nancy as well but not as much as I like her" Steve confessed as he looked back at Evelyn.

Sabrina looked at him with shock written on her face. "You tell anyone I said that, than your ass is grass Bensen" was the last thing Steve told her as he got in his car and drove off.

"Sabrina, we got to go" she heard Evelyn call out too her. "I knew it" Sabrina whispered before heading back towards Evelyn who was waiting for her by her car.

"What was that about?" Evelyn questioned as she handed Sabrina the axe. "Nothing for you to worry about, now let's go catch a monster" Sabrina told her.

Evelyn watched as Sabrina went into her car. She knew Sabrina knew something but decided not to say anything against it. Besides the only thing on her mind was the monster that they were about to catch.

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After arriving at, the two girls caught sight of Nancy and Jonathan walking up ahead. Both who looked to be deep in a conversation. Jonathan caught Evelyn's eye and she gave him a slight wave, he slightly smiled at her before directed his attention back on Nancy.

"Wonder what they are talking about?" Sabrina questioned as she looked around the woods. "Must be something personal with how deep they both look in the conversation. But besides that, what happened between you and Steve?" Evelyn questioned as she was trying not to trip over anything.

"Nothing, just had to ask him something that's all" Sabrina told her. Evelyn nodded her head, she wasn't sure if she should ask another question or let the conversation go.

Before she can decide, she heard Jonathan say something to Nancy as he stormed off. "Trouble in paradise" Sabrina stated.

"Wonder what about?" Evelyn muttered as they continued walking. If only she knew what kind of night she was about to have.

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It was now officially dark outside as the sun set down an hour ago. "Are you sure we are going the right way?" Sabrina questioned as she fiddled with her flashlight. "Feel like we've been walking in circles"

Before anyone can say anything, a little whimper was heard near by. Nancy stopped walking to check to see if she can hear the noise again.

Jonathan taken notice how Nancy was the only who stopped walking. "What, are you tired?" He sarcastically questioned out to her. "Shut up"

"Nancy, everything okay?" Evelyn questioned. She noticed how Nancy was only focused on the whimper she was hearing. "I heard something" Nancy stated as she kept looking around.

The whimper sound got louder. Everyone looked towards one another before deciding to follow to where the sound was coming from.

"Oh, god" Nancy slightly whispered as a deer was laid down on the ground, all wounded. "Should we do something?" Sabrina questioned as everyone kneeled by it.

"It's bleeding out a lot" Evelyn told them. Evelyn felt her heart break into two as she witnessed the deer whimpering in pain. "It's been hit by a car" Nancy told them as she gently put her hand on its side.

"We can't just leave it " Nancy stated as she looked at them. Nancy looked down at the gun in her hand before she can do anything Jonathan placed his hand over hers, taken the gun out of her hand.

"I'll do it." Jonathan told her. "I thought you said.." Nancy started to say before he interrupted her. "I'm not nine anymore"

Everyone backed up as Jonathan got ready to take the shot. But before he could, the deer was yanked back into the bushes startling everyone.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Sabrina frantically questioned as held her hand over her chest.

"Where did it go?" Evelyn questioned as everyone started following the blood trail that the deer left, hoping to see what taken it.

"I don't know" Jonathan stated as he kept looking around the dark woods, hoping to find something.
"Do you see any more blood?"

"No" Nancy told him as she kept looking for any sign of more blood on the ground. Sabrina decided to follow where Jonathan was going as Evelyn followed where Nancy was going.

"Evelyn, do you see that?" Nancy questioned the girl who stopped walking to look where Nancy was looking at.

"What is that?" Evelyn questioned as her and Nancy kneeled down to get a better look. "Is something in there?"

"Jonathan? Sabrina?" Nancy called out hoping the two was still around. Evelyn looked around to see if they were anywhere around but they were no where to be found.

Evelyn turned back towards Nancy to see her about to crawl into the hole. "Nancy, what the hell are you doing?" Evelyn questioned, trying to get Nancy to come back.

"Seeing what's in there. You coming?" Nancy told her as she kept crawling in. Evelyn sighed before placing the crossbow down and following Nancy.

"Ew" Evelyn kept muttering as she kept crawling in the tree. She saw Nancy get out before following along after her.

"Ew" Evelyn kept saying as she was trying to get the disgusting liquid off her. She didn't know what it was , she just wanted it off her.

"Evelyn" she heard Nancy slightly call out. Evelyn stopped what she was doing to fully notice how the sky was no longer dark but an almost blue like color.

They were both still in the woods but just not the woods they were in. "Nancy, where the hell are we?" Evelyn questioned out, as she kept looking around.

"I don't know" Nancy told her as she started walking off. "Where are you going" Evelyn called out before following her, knowing she wasn't going to get an answer.

Nancy's flashlight started going off. Nancy smacked her flashlight trying to keep it from going off before they both heard a snarling sound.

Nancy and Evelyn turned around to find the same creature that Nancy saw eating the deer. "Walk back very slowly, Nancy" Evelyn told her as she kept a hold on the girls arm.

They both walked back slowly not noticing a branch in the way. They both stepped on the branch which made a sound, startling the creature and stopping from eating the deer to look towards the two girls.

It opened its mouth as it screamed at them. "Jonathan? Sabrina?" Nancy screamed out as she dropped her flashlight and grabbed Evelyn's arm.

The two girls started running hoping to find Jonathan and Sabrina.

Meanwhile, Jonathan and Sabrina both heard Nancy scream out but she nor Evelyn was no where to be found.

"Nancy?" Jonathan called out as he grabbed her bag from the ground. "Evelyn?" Sabrina called out worriedly as she grabbed her best friends stuff from the ground.

"Jonathan, where did they go?" Sabrina questioned, she was worried. Jonathan can tell especially since her best friend wasn't around. "I don't know but let's keep calling out their name "

As they kept calling out the two girls name, they didn't notice that the hole that Nancy and Evelyn went through was officially closing up.

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author note:
Steve Harrington has been
in love with Evelyn Henderson
since the end of sixth grade! that's all :)