The Devil's Gift/The Bloody Handed

5

** 48 hours later **

My head throbs. I toss and turn, my legs restless and yearning to stretch and walk. I felt lethargic and I didn't want to move a singular muscle. I've slept so much the nightmares eventually gave up. I've learned how to wake myself up. The visions haven't returned since the other day, and I don't know if could handle any more. I was hopeful then I lost it as soon as I walked through that door.

My Mom always said we all die one day. And while that may be true, there's just some things you can't accept. Mom gave up, and I was always unsure of why. It's almost as if she knew she had this coming to her. Every time I tried to talk her into chemo she would shut me down and say if this was God's will so be it.

But what stroke me as curious was that she wasn't the type of woman you'd find in a church on Sunday dressed in a handmaidens dress and Bible in hand while she twirled her hair and secretly flirted with the purest passage after passage. She was the kind of woman you'd find spontaneously doing something like starting a garden or going on a mile run. She thought Dad or I never took notice, but I know I definitely did while Dad lived in denial until the day she shoved off her stubbornness and was diagnosed.

I close my eyes. The image itself was one engraved into my brain until the day I die. I accepted the fact that death was inescapable. But I'd rather cancer take both of them instead of some vicious monster. The I would have gotten to say goodbye and have a decent closure. The worst part is that they knew.. they both knew things I never got to understand. And now I'm left here on my own to figure it all out by myself. But how can I blame a parent wanting to keep their child in the dark about murderous creatures?

I no longer felt much sorrow. I felt more angry. Upset. Vengeful. I felt like all sorrow would do is hold me back at this point in time. What it felt like to be out of control because of my emotions.. scared me. The kicking, crying, screaming, throwing up. All of that nonsense was raw emotion. And raw emotion just brings you down.

It couldn't happen again and I couldn't show any more signs of vulnerability; not until this was over and not if I wanted to make Vecna suffer. I needed to make Vecna suffer. And you bet your ass I was going to. It's what Mom and Dad would have wanted to say the least. They wouldn't want me crying and pitying myself.

I look at my hands and close them. I had fingernail indents on my palms. I picked it up as some sort of new nervous habit. I barely talked to the others. They tried to come and talk to me but I really only allowed Eddie and occasionally Robin and Dustin- mainly Eddie.

He's brought me food, water, and wet rags to clean myself with. I couldn't thank him enough for what he did for me that day. He didn't have to. And it caused me a lot of second hand embarrassment. The morning after hell struck, I found him sleeping against the bed on the floor with his jacket over me. I just wanted to tell him to leave me alone and to forget that whole night happened. But I couldn't.

I swing my legs over the bed and narrow my head down. My pocket knife lays on the floor, just wanting to be seen. I bend down to pick it up, and move it in between my fingers. The symbol seems to stare right back at me. I bite my cheek and suddenly an outburst of anger causes me to throw it at the door. Damn thing. Something I failed to notice was that there was someone opening the door.

"Don't kill the messenger." Eddie walks in with his hands up like I was going to kill him. "I didn't know you wanted to stab me just yet, Sparky." I give him a quick smile and it fades. He walks closer to me and sits on the bed. He reaches into his pocket, tongue out per usual. "I wanted to wait a little, but I grabbed this. It was laying by the front door." He hands me a crumpled ball of ruled paper. I look at him, my eyes widening. My parents were pure geniuses. This might be able to help us. I slowly uncrumple the paper and watch as words start to form into sentences.

Dear Chrissy,

If you are reading this, I am considerably dead.

And you need to get revenge for me.

I've been saving to write this note for a very long time, waiting for my time to come to an end.

I heard the clock today, I saw it. I found the strength to do one last thing for you.

Kill him with fire. And lots of it. Don't stop. Don't show mercy. Just finish my job.

The bloody handed never wields his weapon; he bears it.

I love you and I'm sorry. But I knew this was coming and so did your father. You are strong and brilliant, never forget that.

- Love, Mom and Dad

I trace the hand written letters with my fingers and sigh. I blink hard and pinch my nose, breathing out. "Thank you Eddie." He looks at me and nods biting his lip nervously. I don't think he realizes how many times he has saved my ass without knowing it. I crumple the paper back up and shove it into my shorts pocket. "I'm ready." He looks at me, his eyes wide.

"Ready? Already? We can wait, Clary-"

"No, I want to prepare. Sitting here and sulking isn't doing me any good." I grip the edge of the bed and give him a convincing smile. "I'm okay. And I'll be even more okay once we kill that son of a bitch." He nods at me and I follow him out into the RV. Everyone's head turns and the silence became unbearable. Nancy and Steve were sitting in the front seats, Robin was drawing on the window, and Max, Lucus, Erica, and Dustin were at the table reading and note taking.

"Well, are we going to kick some Vecna ass or what?" I open my arms and smile. I couldn't ask for better people to be with at this moment. Through life to almost death, I knew these people would be here to my dying breath. I look back to Eddie who's leaned against the wall. His arms are crossed and he gives me a proud smile like a dad would when he sees his daughter go to her first prom.

"Hell yeah, fuckers!" Eddie throws up his hands and flashes the rock sign, sticking his tongue out.