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The group sat in Steve's car, waiting for Max as she was sitting in front of Billy's grave, reading a letter to her late stepbrother. She'd made keep-safe letters in case something bad had happened to her, seeing as there was still a chance, but hopefully not, that she'd end up like Chrissy and Fred. She had hallucinations, there was a grandfather clock. Even though she felt confident, protected by some of her friends, they were just in case. She had so many things to say, and if she didn't have the time to see some of her friends again or tell everyone what she wanted to say, she'd regret it.
She made them promise to not open them. Even Lucas.
The boys didn't know how Max had the heart to go do this now and doubt herself to survive, but they wouldn't ask.
Ethan and Dustin sit quietly in the back seat, Lucas sitting on the trunk and Steve leaning against the driver's side exterior, keeping an eye on the redhead at the top of the hill. Nancy and Robin were currently at Pennhurst Asylum a few towns away to interview that Creel guy Nance was talking about, Ethan didn't really know, he was more concerned on how his friend was doing than some old grandpa killer that might be connected to all of this. The girls went to search for answers to learn what was happening with these strange killings and if this Creel guy had any answers.
Steve calls for Max with no response, noticing she'd been sitting there for an oddly long time. No answer. He grows suspicious. He walks up the hill with a raised brow, calling to her to still get no response. As he sees her face, a horrified expression grows over his.
"Holy shit! Guys! Come here!" Steve yells to the three younger boys.
Lucas, Dustin, and Ethan stumble up the hill, passing a few headstones on their way to see Max with her eyes glazed over with a blank expression, limbs heavy and limp. Steve tried shaking her awake as he dismissed Dustin to radio Nancy and Robin. Dustin sprints back down to the car while Lucas, Ethan, and Steve try to wake Max up as she sits silent and emotionless.
This couldn't be her end, she had to get out. Ethan wouldn't let her die today, or ever. She was the one to teach him what love felt like between winter and summer. She was one of the only reasons Ethan figured out who he was. He knew he could never repay her for being such a great friend, but now maybe he could try.
"Can't you use some of that power stuff Eleven has?" Steve asks, almost yelling at Ethan.
"I can't teleport myself into the void, Steve!"
"You can't?"
"Holy shit, dude. No!"
"Can you at least try? Please," Lucas begs, his right hand rested on Max's shoulder.
Ethan sighs, glancing from Max to Lucas a few times with a panicked look before giving in and just trying for the hell of it. It wouldn't hurt to just try. He closes his eyes tight, focusing his mind on absolutely nothing, static, darkness. He concentrated as hard as he could but with no avail, he was bound to give up. He focused as hard as he could but he just couldn't. He wasn't like El, he thought he had it for a moment, but he only got a few flashes of red and Max with a terrified expression on her face before he opened his eyes, shaking his head towards Lucas. He could've just made it up, maybe within the panic and worry, he placebo-effected himself.
But he tried, he tried for Max. He tried. He didn't run. He never ran, he never will. He knows how deep friendship runs now, he finally gets it.
Dustin runs back up the hill with his arms full of cassettes and Max's Walkman, setting them down and frantically asking what her favorite song was. Lucas picks out Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) and Dustin shoves it in the Walkman, placing the headphones over the girl's ears. Dustin frantically explains that music can help people break out of their own minds, give them peace, calm them down. This could help her escape the lucid dreaming / hallucinations Max was now plagued with.
The boys continue to yell for Max to wake up, but eventually gravity goes against her as she's pulled up into the air. The boys call for her relentlessly, screaming for her to wake up and fall back into their arms. And after a minute or so, she actually does, landing right in Lucas' arms, hyperventilating and gasping for air, tears streaming down her face.
"Lucas!" she gasps, being held by Lucas as Ethan and Dustin begin to embrace her as well.
"Hey, it's okay. It's okay," Ethan hugs the girl tight as she cries. "You're safe."
"Thank you," she chokes out, sobbing.
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AN - really haven't been motivated w stranger things lately :( I'm so sorry these chapters suck and stuff but yk. I'll try to keep updating bur updates will be slow bc I really have no ideas rn :/ hope ur all good and uh yeah have a good day/night :) ; post second editing, i literally couldnt extend this chapter because this is basically all that happened for hawkins heroes and i lowk hate writinf s4 so :,)
published ; october 4 2022 edited ; june 27 2024 edited 2.0 ; dec 26 2025
