chapter thirty-six.
josefina turned bad?
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disclaimer: I hope everything in Spanish is accurate!! I used Spanishdict like someone told me too !! Hopefully it's correct :)) but thank you to that person (I forgot their username, my bad)
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STRANGER THINGS
original chapter

It had been six long months since Max was put into a coma, and the town of Hawkins was slowly rebuilding itself, piece by piece. Vecna's apocalypse loomed ever closer, but only a few knew the truth. Max remained unconscious in her hospital bed, unaware of the world around her. Josie Cortez, dressed in her baseball uniform, sat beside her, her hand clasped tightly around Max's. Her routine was unchanging: home, school, practice, hospital, and back home again. Her hair, now grown out to her shoulders and dyed blonde, framed her determined face as she watched over Max daily.

Josie had distanced herself from the Party. She blamed them, and especially Eleven, for what had happened. They had all accepted the risks, not knowing the full extent of the danger they were inviting into their lives. As the clock on the wall ticked toward 9:35 pm, the time Max was taken, Josie tightened her grip on Max's hand. "Don't worry, Max. I will save you. I will find a way. When Vecna strikes back again, I will kill him, so you can get your memories back," she vowed, a dark determination burning in her eyes.

A creak at the door broke the silence, and Josie turned to see Mike entering the room. The last time they had spoken was when Max was first hospitalized, and she had ended things with him. She stood up, her glare icy. "What are you doing here?" she retorted.

Mike walked over, his expression filled with concern. "I'm worried about you. We all are. Why have you been ignoring us?" he asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

Josie's glare intensified. "It's all of your faults that we're in this fucking mess! Especially El. If she hadn't gotten close to Max last summer, Max wouldn't have targeted her!" she shouted, her eyes beginning to glow red. It had been a long time since Mike had seen her eyes glow like that, and he took a step back.

"Josie, it's not her fault or ours—" he began, but Josie cut him off.

"No, Josie, me! It is your fault!" she exploded. "My mom doesn't even speak to me anymore! She kicked me out! I'm living in a trailer! I'm working my ass off! I work once a week at a fucking diner! A diner! Charlotte's gone! Max is in a fucking coma! My mom's walking around this town still blaming me for things and I am being called names at school! I am so done with you and your stupid party."

Her tone was harsh, and the pain in her voice was unmistakable. Mike stood there, absorbing the weight of her words. He knew she was hurting deeply, and he wasn't going to let her push him away. He took a step forward, his voice gentle but firm. "Josie, I know you're hurting. We're all hurting. But pushing us away isn't going to help Max. We need to stick together, now more than ever."

Josie's red eyes blazed with anger. She took a step closer to Mike, her voice low and dangerous. "I don't need your help. I don't need any of you. Just get the fuck out. Now."

Mike flinched at the venom in her words, but he stood his ground. "I'm not leaving you, Josie. We're all in this together, whether you like it or not."

Josie's hands clenched into fists, the room crackling with the intensity of her emotions. "Get. Out." she repeated, her voice a deadly whisper.

Seeing that he was not getting through to her, Mike reluctantly backed away. "I'll be outside if you need me," he said softly, hoping she would come around.

As he left the room, Josie turned back to Max, her shoulders shaking with a mix of rage and sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Max," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll fix this. I promise."

The door clicked shut behind Mike, and Josie sank back into the chair beside Max's bed, her resolve hardening. She would save Max, no matter what it took, and she would do it alone.

Josie arrived home at the trailer park, a place she had grown accustomed to despite its dangers. It was one of the gates to the Upside Down, a constant reminder of the ever-present threat. But in her mind, with her superpowers, she felt she could handle anything. She saw the caution tape surrounding her trailer, rolled her eyes, and ducked under it. Stepping over the ominous gate, she heard noises from inside. So far, nothing had come out to harm her, but she knew one day, that might change.

Entering the trailer, she felt a sudden chill run down her spine. She snapped her head around, realizing the space had grown dark and cold. The air thickened, and she recognized the signs of being pulled into a trance by Vecna. Flurries of supernatural energy surrounded her, drawing her outside the trailer. Her palms glowed with energy, and her eyes turned a menacing red.

"Vecna! I'm ready to fight, bitch!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the still night. She felt a cold, crawly hand on her shoulder and snapped her head around to see Vecna towering over her.

"Oh, Josefina. I don't want to fight. I want you to join me," he said in a deep, looming voice.

Josie laughed hysterically, letting go of her energy powers. Her eyes returned to their normal color. "You know what? Take me. Save me from this cruel world. Take my memories," she said, holding her arms out in a gesture of surrender.

Vecna chuckled darkly. "That's not what I'm talking about. I want you to join my side. You hate El now as much as I do," he said, beginning to circle around her.

Josie's eyes narrowed as she listened. "She took everything from you, like she took everything from me. She took your girlfriend from you, she took your home, your friends, your mom... Join me, and we can make a plan to get back at her and her stupid friends. If we succeed, I will give Maxine her memories back, and she will wake," Vecna promised, stopping in front of her.

The offer hung in the air, tantalizing and dangerous. Josefina didn't hesitate. The prospect of getting Max back was too powerful to resist. "I'll join you," she said, her voice steady and resolute.

Vecna's twisted smile grew wider. "Welcome to the winning side, Josefina," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. The deal was sealed, and Josie's path was now entwined with darkness, all for the chance to save Max.

As Josie stood before Vecna, a strand of her hair began to turn blue, a visible mark of her shift towards darkness. She smirked, feeling a surge of power and purpose coursing through her veins. Vecna noticed the change and his smile widened.

"A sign of your new allegiance," he said, reaching out to touch the blue strand. "This is just the beginning. We will speak again soon, and then we will begin our planning. For now, return to your regular life. Act as if nothing has changed."

Josie nodded, feeling a strange sense of exhilaration. Vecna's presence began to fade, and she found herself back in her trailer, the cold and darkness lifting. She looked at herself in the mirror, running her fingers through the newly blue strand of hair, a symbol of her commitment.

With a final smirk, she turned away from the mirror and headed back outside. The world around her seemed different now, charged with a new energy. She felt more powerful, more determined than ever. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had control over her fate.

Josie resumed her routine, but with a newfound purpose. She would play her part, pretend everything was normal, but deep inside, she knew she was now a part of something much bigger. The thought of getting Max back kept her focused, and she was willing to embrace the darkness if it meant saving her friend.

As she moved through her day, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. The next time Vecna reached out, they would start their plan. For now, she just had to keep up appearances and wait for the right moment. The thought of what was to come made her heart race with excitement. She was ready for whatever lay ahead, determined to see her mission through to the end.

ASH SPEAKS!

its been a long time yall... season five doesn't come out until next year :(( i missed josie so i wrote this bonus chapter.... this is jsut the beginning of her evil era and i can't wait for yall to seeeee!!! i need SEASON FIVE NEOWW