teenage tragedy (Max Mayfield)

4. seventeen

Cammie, Steve, Robin and Nancy were crouched underneath the legs of the rocket shaped climbing frame opposite the Creel house. The demobats were swarmed on the roof and they were waiting for Erica's signal to say they were moving into phase two.

The air was even colder now they were closer to the Creel house and Cammie's headache was unrelenting, but she had Steve holding one of her hands and Robin and Nancy on her other side, the three of them forming a small huddle around Cammie to protect her if any problems came out.

"Okay, Max and Lucas have copied. Max is moving into phase two: distracting Vecna," Erica's voice came faintly through the light glowing above them.

"So far, so smooth," Robin said.

"Yeah, we're not even at the hard part yet," Steve said.

The bats on the roof of the Creel house shrieked, chittering around in the air as thunder cracked above them.

"Take the bait, you son of a bitch. Take the bait," Nancy whispered.

Cammie closed her eyes, forcing a few deep breaths into her lungs. She squeezed Steve's hand tightly and he looked at her.

"Max has got this. We've got this," Steve said.

"I know," Cammie whispered. "Still, though. Not fun being away from her."

"Yeah, I know. I'm worried, too," Steve sighed, wrapping his arm around Cammie's shoulder as they waited for the next signal to come.

After about ten minutes, Erica's voice came again.

"Okay, she's in. Initiate phase three," Erica said. 

"She's in. Move on to phase three," Robin said into the walkie.

"Copy that. Initiating phase three," Dustin said back.

A few seconds later, the opening notes to Master of Puppets by Metallica came faintly from back near the trailer park. The bats screeched, flapping into the air and flying away.

"Okay, it's working. Let's go," Nancy said.

The group quickly climbed out from under the rocket, Cammie letting go of Steve as she clenched her fists at her side. She set off first, dodging the vines as she walked with the others following her.

She could feel her fingers prickle the closer she got to the house and she focused on it, imagining like she was bringing it all into her body as energy. The sound of Eddie playing guitar made her head feel fuzzy, but not in a bad way.

It gave her something to focus on, center herself with. She knew where she was and what she was going to do, and things were going exactly to plan. She still had a headache, but she didn't feel as weak as she had when they first entered the Upside Down.

They got to the house as Eddie finished playing the song, the bats having reached them way too quickly for Cammie to actually think possible. Then again, they were going to fight a dark wizard from another dimension and their best chance at winning was currently the scrawny little blonde Harrington who, honestly, was kind of a fucking mess, so what did Cammie know about what was possible and what wasn't?

Steve pushed the door open and they winced, seeing there were vines everywhere on the floor. Everywhere. There was barely a way for them to get through. They'd have to be careful. Step on one and it was like a bomb going off. They'd all die if one of them misstepped by the smallest inch.

"Oh, shit. That's not good," Steve muttered. "Okay, uh. Me first, then Cam. You ladies got the rear? Keep her protected from all sides until we get up there, then it's her turn," Steve said.