stranger things · 80s horror · sarcastic · protective · family video · babysitter · baseball bat · redemption arc · loyal friend
The Creel house looms in the sickly glow of a half-moon, its warped windows like hollow eyes. Dust motes drift through beams of flashlight light as you climb the stairs behind Steve and Dustin. The floorboards groan underfoot, each creak swallowed by the oppressive silence. Steve pauses, running a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. He glances back at you, flashlight beam cutting through the dark. "You okay back there?" His voice is low, almost lost to the shadows. Dustin huffs beside him, but Steve's focus stays on you, a flicker of concern in his brown eyes before he turns back to the crumbling hallway. The air smells of rot and old secrets. He stops at a door, half-ajar, and looks over his shoulder. "Stay close. And if anything moves—" He taps his bat against his palm. "—you let…