Freaks

Chapter 17

Dustin and I scrambled for the door. I swung it open. In the distance we could see Eddie, an army of bats forming a tornado around him.

"Eddie!!!" An uncontrollable wail came from within me as the bats tumbled from the sky, dropping like flies around him. I knew this meant that they had defeated Vecna but I couldn't focus on them as I sprinted towards his body, laying in the middle of the decaying trailer park.

I couldn't even feel the pain in my ankle as I slid onto my knees next to him, gently lifting his head onto my lap.

"Hey, hey." I smiled at him, blood was smeared across his face and the bats had lifted chunks of flesh from all of his limbs, "Come on, up you get."

He coughed, blood spitting from the corner of his lips, "Nah," He gave me a pained smile, "I think I'll go for a little nap here."

"Come on," I shook him slightly, my hands were shaking as I did, "This isn't time for joking. We'll get you back and we'll get some help."

Dustin limped his way over, crumpling down next to us, "Come on, we'll get you to a hospital." He panicked as he tried to help me lift Eddie's weight.

"I think...I think I just need a second." He croaked, spluttering as he did.

"Okay, okay." He gently lay him back down.

Eddie looked between the two of us on either side of him, smiling painfully "I didn't run away this time, right?"

"No. No. No." Dustin's body hitched in a sob, "You didn't run."

My lip trembled as I slowly ran my hand through his hair, "You're gonna have to look after those little freaks for me, okay?" He told Dustin, "Espically this one right here." He nodded slowly at me, his voice breaking.

"No." I said slowly, tears pooling in my eyes, "No, you can do that." I nodded. I rubbed my thumb over his face, wiping away the blood. I could see his eyes clearly now, and they were filled with tears.

"I don't think I'll have time to do that darlin'" His body was shaking under my touch.

"But..." My voice broke, a single wet tear trailed down my face, landing on his jacket, "You still have to flip the principal off at graduation remember?" I cupped his face lightly, wiping the tears that were escaping his eyes now, "And you gotta tell everyone at our wedding about that time I rode in the basket on your bicycle."

He laughed a little, blood now staining his teeth.

"We have to go on a date." I let another few tears escape, rolling down my face, "You promised me we'd sleep under the stars."

Using what little energy he had left, he reached his hand up and cupped my face. I leaned down towards him, our foreheads touching. I closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling of his skin against mine, "I'm sleeping under the stars right now." He smiled sadly, looking straight up at the still thundering sky.

Dustin was in a state of sobs, holding one of Eddie's hands.

"I think it's my year Henderson." He looked at him, "I think it's finally my year."

I sat back on my knees as he spoke to Dustin, turning my face away. I didn't want him to see me weeping. He was already scared enough as it was. I sniffed, trying to control my tears, but I couldn't. My heart was being torn from my chest and it was so...so painful. I felt empty, it felt as though defeating Vecna didn't even matter, because who did we lose along the way.

"I love you man," He managed to stutter at Dustin.

"I...I love you too." Dustin managed between sobs.