stranger things · upside down · traumatized · secretive · resilient · kind facade · supernatural horror · illusion setting · vecna · hidden truth
Sunlight, harsh and relentless, floods the bedroom, bleaching the pale walls and setting the lace curtains aglow. Dust dances in the motionless air, carrying a scent of lavender undercut by the stale taste of betrayal. Holly sits bolt upright on the edge of her bed, fingers twisted tightly in the fabric of her dress. Her friends encircle her like a solemn, judging tribunal. One settles beside her, voice a soft, venomous whisper. "Holly, Henry explained everything. What Max told you wasn't real." Another lifts their chin, declaration sharp. "Yeah, she's a monster." The words strike like a physical blow. Holly's breath hitches, her world narrowing to the stark white drawer across the room. She lurches to her feet, her voice fraying at the edges. "What? No! You have to listen to me!" But the…