Stranger Things Than a Tribrid

Chapter 8: Wins and Loses

Hope's POV:

"Do you hear anything Hope?" Nancy asks me. I shake my head. "No." I walk towards the door and carefully open it. The four of us slowly make our way out into the hallway. The monster is gone. The bear trap wasn't set. My heart is pounding. It's gone. For now.

Once we reach the living room we can be sure it's gone. "This is crazy. This is actually crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy! This is CRAZY! THIS IS CRAZY!" Steve yells. I turn to the absolutely confused boy behind us.

He reaches for the phone and dials what I can only assure is 911. Nancy yanks the phone right out of his hands. "What are you do-what are you doing?! Are you insane?!" He yells at her, grabbing for the phone.

"IT'S GOING TO COME BACK! So you need to leave. Right now." She tells him firmly. He looks around for a second and I can tell he's hesitant to leave despite being obviously terrified. "GO!" I yell at him. He glances at me then rushes to leave the house. I sigh in relief. I turn to them.

"You two should leave too. I can handle this. There's no point in the two of you risking your lives." They shake their heads. "We're not leaving." Johnathan insists. "He's right. We started this. Time to end it." I sigh, but nod. "Ok, let's get ready. It should be back soon.

Suddenly the lights start flickering again. "Where is it?" Nancy asks. "Come on. Come on you son of a bitch." Johnathan spits. I raise my hands, not having a weapon. I really should have thought this through. "Either of you see it?" Johnathan asks. "No." We both reply.

"Come on. Where are you? Come on!" He yells. That's when the lights go out completely. I hear it. Nancy turns. "JOHNATHAN! HOPE!" She screams. We whip around to see the looming figure of the demogorgan. He knocks Johnathan down first.

"JOHNATHAN!" Nancy and I scream as his bat goes flying. I sprint forward and leap into the air. "HEY!" It turns and I nail it in the face. sending it to the ground and off of Johnathan. We roll and Once I'm back to my feet it swings it's hand, sending my flying into the opposite wall.

I hit and slide down it, groaning in pain. I hear gun shots, but the creature is now on top of me. I can feel it's breath and see it's horrible features. It's scent is pungent. Like rotting flesh times ten. I hold back a gag. I hear the gun click. Nancy is out of bullets.

I raise my hand to cast a spell when something comes in contact with the demogorgan's side, sending git flying. I scramble to get up with someone's help. I turn to see Steve. What? Once I'm up he continues to hit it back until it's in the trap. "STEVE!" Nancy yells.

"HE'S IN THE TRAP! HE'S STUCK!" Steve yells. "HOPE NOW!" I shove Steve out of my way and extend a hand. "Incendia!" Flames shoot out of my hand and engulf the monster. "What the hell?!" Steve yells. We watch as the demogorgan goes up in flames.

"Hope, you can put it out now." Nancy tells me. "Adiuuatur." The fire goes out and it's gone. No ashes. Just gone. Slowly, all the lights go back on. "Where'd it go?" Nancy asks. "It has to be dead." Johnathan insists. "It has to be."

All there is left of the demogorgon is still smoldering flesh on the bear trap. I sigh. That's when the lights light up in a gentle way. They slowly go away from us. We follow cautiously. We all freeze when it nears the door. "Mom? Is that you?" Johnathan asks. No reply.

We all walk outside. The street light flickers. "Where is it going?" I ask. "I don't think that's the monster." He says. There's silence before Steve breaks it. "Ok, now that that thing is gone. What the hell are you?" Steve asks, raising his newly acquired bat slightly. I roll my eyes.

"Well, I'm not one of them so you can drop the bat. Not like it'll help you any." He gives both Nancy and Johnathan a confused look. "Just hear her out." Nancy insists. He turns back to me. "Well?" I sigh. I mean, at this point, might as well. "My name is Hope Mikaelson and I'm a tribrid."

"Tribrid?" "Hybrid of three different creatures. Werewolf, witch and vampire. I haven't activated my vampire side yet though. Oh, and I'm from the future. The year 2028." I tell him. His eyes widen tremendously. I can tell he wants to argue by the way he opens and closes his mouth.

Finally he sighs. "You know, after what I saw tonight, that's actually not the hardest thing to come to terms with." I chuckle. "Yeah, I bet." I turn to Johnathan. "We should make our way back to the school." He nods and turns to Steve. "We'll explain everything on the way, but right now we need to go." He nods. "I'll drive." We all pile into Steve's car and he drives us to the school.

When we get there it is surrounded by cars, emergency and SUVs. We all jump out and search for the kids. "Mike, where's El?" I ask, confused when I don't see the girl that has grown on me. He sees me and tears come to his eyes immediately. No.

I let out a choked sob and pull the already crying boy. He's shaking, but I hold him tightly. Nancy comes over and I let her hug her crying brother as their parents show up. Mrs. Wheeler sends me a relieved look, still thinking that she knows me. I step back, going behind the cars.

Once I'm out of sight I drop to my knees, sobbing into my hand. "Hope?" I look up to see Steve standing there. His confused look turns into an understanding one. He hauls me to my feet and pulls me into a tight hug while I sob into his chest. I don't know this boy, but I don't care.

El's gone. An innocent girl who didn't ask for this life. A girl I saw myself in. Gone. We stand there for what feels like hours before Johnathan finds us and informs that Hopper and Mrs. Byers found Will and are on their way to the hospital. We're all quick to go and be there for them.

Now, Hopper, Mr. Wheeler, Mrs. Wheeler, Steve, Nancy, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and I are all sitting in the waiting room, waiting for Will to wake up. Mrs. Byers and Johnathan are in the room with him, waiting for him to come around.

We've been waiting for hours when finally, Johnathan walks through the door and nods to a now very alert Mike. Mike stands quickly. Guys. Guys, he's up. Will's up. Guys, Will's up." Mike says, shaking a currently sleeping Dustin and Lucas.

The three bolt from the room, Johnathan on their tail. He stops though, turning to me and Nancy. "Come on." "Me?" I ask, confused. I don't even know Will. He nods. I stand and we exit the room. Once we're out of everyone's ear shot he turns to me.

"I want him to know the girl who helped save his life." I smile softly and nod. We walk into the room where the boys are now talking over each other. I chuckle. "Will, there's someone special that I want you to meet." Johnathan says. The boys move, beaming at me.

I take a look at the small, fragile looking boy in front of me. "Hi Will, my name's Hope." "Hope helped us find you. She's special." Will gives me a beaming smile. "Hi." I smile back. Maybe, just maybe, everything will be ok.