Chapter 48 – Clues
It took Steve a few seconds to process what the priest had just said.
Then—utter confusion.
Really? he thought. Now? With a monster about to rip me apart, this guy wants to talk about… misunderstandings?
"I'm literally about to die here!" Steve snapped, eyes darting at the monster.
Gideon, however, didn't flinch. His tone turned solemn.
"Clearly, you don't understand the gravity of this. Misunderstandings are where everything begins. Think about it—
you assume I'm after Nancy. Resentment grows. From there, everything you see, everything you believe, gets twisted into what you expect.
That leads to conflict. And eventually…"
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"…eventually I beat you half to death."
Steve blinked, stunned. For a moment, he even forgot the slavering beast in front of him.
The demodog itself shifted uneasily, almost as if realizing too late that another presence had joined the fight.
"To avoid unnecessary trouble," Gideon continued, voice calm but edged with iron, "I need to know you understand this."
Steve opened his mouth, hesitated. Against all logic, he had to admit—the priest wasn't entirely wrong.
"I… apologize," Steve said at last. "I won't misjudge you again. Just… save me, please. I don't plan on dying tonight."
Gideon gave a small nod. That was the right attitude. With luck, this would prevent Steve from becoming a nuisance later.
The demodog studied him for a long moment, then glanced at Steve. It could sense its packmates were gone. Worse, this human before it radiated danger.
It shifted its hind legs, ready to retreat.
Too late.
"Shhhk—"
Holy water splashed across its hide. Flesh hissed and smoked. The beast convulsed, then collapsed into a heap of steaming bone.
"Jesus…" Steve exhaled, shaking. Relief hit him like a wave.
He stared at the priest, eyes wide. What the hell is this guy?
The power he had just witnessed was terrifying. Steve knew firsthand how strong these things were—his blows hadn't even scratched one. Yet under the priest's hand, the creature had been reduced to ash.
And that liquid… what was it? A stone couldn't even bruise the monster's hide, but that stuff burned it alive.
Before he could dwell further, Nancy rushed over, breathless.
"Steve!" She grabbed his arm, then turned to Gideon, eyes full of desperate hope.
"Father, please—you have to save Barb."
The sight of the monsters had only deepened her dread. Something told her Barbara's disappearance was tied to them.
Gideon's face hardened.
In the original events, these demodogs weren't supposed to appear so soon. That could only mean one thing—the lab had lost control.
And he suspected it was connected to what had happened earlier at the Byers' house.
"You two need to listen carefully," Gideon said, voice firm.
"This town is no longer safe. Go home, lock your doors, arm yourselves."
He turned to leave, then stopped and glanced back.
"And one more thing—if you want to live, don't act alone. No lone-hero nonsense. Understood?"
The severity in his tone silenced both Steve and Nancy. They nodded quickly.
Only then did Gideon stride back toward the road.
Joyce was still in the car, wringing her hands anxiously. At least she hadn't run into danger.
"Is there a shortcut Will might take on his way home?" Gideon asked as he slid into the passenger seat.
Joyce frowned, thinking hard. "Maybe. There's an old trail, but… nobody goes there anymore. No houses, nothing."
"Then that's where we're going."
Deep in those woods stood Hawkins National Laboratory.
It was near there that Mike and the others would eventually stumble upon Eleven.
Joyce didn't fully understand, but she chose to trust him.
The engine roared to life. The car sped off into the night.
---
Meanwhile, not far from the lab.
Flashlights sliced through the darkness.
"Will!"
"Hey, Will, you out here?"
A line of police officers swept the forest, combing every inch.
"Chief, maybe we should call it for tonight," Officer Bob muttered, adjusting his cap. He glanced at Hopper.
Hopper checked his watch. 6:32 PM.
"Sun just went down," he said gruffly. "We keep looking."
He pushed forward, voice booming as he shouted again into the trees.
Bob sighed, shrugged helplessly at a colleague. They had all been running ragged since Will's disappearance.
Back then, life had been simple—home before dark, a cold beer, TV, nothing more.
Dull, maybe. Ordinary.
Now? Endless nights, fruitless searching, a gnawing guilt that they hadn't acted sooner.
Bob pulled out his phone, ready to call home and say he'd be late again.
But a news alert flashed across the screen:
"Multiple Children Missing in Arizona."
He tapped it open. His face went pale.
Rushing to Hopper, he read aloud:
"According to reports, several children have gone missing in Arizona. Witnesses claim a priest was seen near the scenes…"
"At this time, authorities urge anyone with information to call—"
Hopper finished reading, then swung his flashlight onto Bob's face.
Bob squinted, throwing up a hand to block the glare.
"You serious? Arizona's a long damn way from here."
"Have you seen any new faces around town lately? Anyone… in a priest's collar?"
Bob hesitated, suddenly at a loss for words. Hopper shoved the phone back into his hands.
Before either could continue, another deputy shouted from the distance:
"Chief! Over here—found something!"
Hopper rushed toward the call.
At the bottom of a small embankment lay a bicycle.
His beam caught the painted words on the frame: "Gift for Will."
"Will!" Hopper barked, diving into the underbrush, tearing through leaves and branches.
The other officers snapped to attention, flashlights cutting across the darkness as they joined the search with renewed urgency.
---
On the other side of the woods, a car idled by the treeline.
Gideon stepped out, scanning the shadows. After a pause, he unshouldered his cloth satchel and drew out several sacred relics, handing them carefully to Joyce.
"Place these along the path—one every so often. It'll help keep things at bay."
Joyce bit her lip. "If we're going into the woods, we'll need flashlights. It's pitch-black in there."
"No need," Gideon said quietly. "Just stay close to me."
He chose a direction and pushed into the trees without hesitation. Joyce hurried after him.
At first, she worried they'd get lost. The forest was thick, the paths unclear. But soon, surprise crept across her face.
The priest walked as though he knew every step in advance. He never stumbled, never faltered. The way he moved was sure, almost instinctive.
After ten minutes, his eyes lit up. He pushed through a screen of brush—
—and there, huddled in the shadows, was a small figure in a white hospital gown. Her head was shaved bare.
"Eleven?" Gideon called softly.
The girl flinched. Fear widened her eyes as she turned toward him.
The sight confirmed it. He'd found her.
The moment he had stepped from the car, his Ethereal Sight had picked up faint currents of power leaking through the forest. Different from the Upside Down, but just as unnatural. Following it had led him straight here.
Eleven clutched a strip of bark, chewing it desperately. When she noticed the strangers, panic flashed across her face.
Her hand shot up. Blood trickled from her nose.
A sudden invisible force surged at Gideon—
—and slammed straight into a cross he held forward.
Eleven gasped. Shock rippled across her features. Her power… didn't work. The cross absorbed everything, as though it had swallowed the attack whole.
Gideon's brow arched. He reached into her thoughts with Psychological Counseling, his voice steady, reassuring.
Gradually, Eleven's breathing eased. Her trembling arm lowered.
Only then did Gideon step closer and pick the cross back up from the dirt.
"Don't move! Hands where I can see them!"
A sharp voice cut through the night.
Gideon turned.
Several men in police uniforms emerged from the trees. The one in front raised his gun—aimed straight at the priest's chest.