I don't know, I wasn't really sure. It happened so fast. [ He sighs again, hesitates as if he's unsure whether or not he should continue, then: ] I'm gonna tell you something and it's gonna sound crazy, okay? But I swear it's not. Well, I mean, it is, but it's also true.

So the town I'm from, Hawkins? There's something wrong with it. People say it's cursed, and maybe it is, I don't know. It's just... bad there. Things happen, people go missing. There are monsters. But most people don't even know about it.

[ THE POINT is: ]

There was this one monster that could get into people's heads and control them. We called it the Mind Flayer. It died, but now some new one showed up, Vecna. He can get into people's heads too, make them see bad shit. Like, bad memories or whatever.

Ever since I came here I've been afraid that's what happened to me. Like, what if Vecna or something like the Mind Flayer is just making me think I'm here?

[ This isn't easy to talk about, and he honestly regrets bringing it up. His eyes sting and he has to clear his throat before he can speak again, in that telltale way that says "absolutely do not bring up the fact that I am having an emotion." ]

Anyway, my point is, that's what Smith reminded me of. The Mind Flayer.

[ hmmm hmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmmm almost like being controlled by something really sucks huh feels kinda bad huh maybe controlling someone else also is bad huh hmmmmmmmmmm ]