teenage tragedy (Max Mayfield)

4. eighteen

AN: this chapter is huge
like 7000 words huge
could've split it into 2 chapters but 19 is an odd number and i don't vibe with odd numbers unless they're multiples of five so 18 will have to do😑 fml

enjoy :)

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"Hello?!"

Cammie's voice echoed around the void as she landed in the water, scrambling to her feet as she tried to ignore the pain still coursing through her body and making her brain burn from the inside out.

"Hello?!" she screamed.

"Cammie?"

Cammie spun around at the whisper of her name, stumbling backwards when she saw what was in front of her.

Lucas was cradling Max on the floor as he cried. Max's arms and legs were clearly broken, her eyes open with blood streaming from them. Her body was still and rigid, an expression of pain on her face.

"Max?" Cammie said weakly, stepping forward on shaky legs. "Max, this isn't funny, okay? Stop playing with me," Cammie said.

"Cammie."

Cammie dropped to her knees at the side of Max and Lucas, watching as Lucas' chest heaved with sobs. Max's chest wasn't moving and she wasn't breathing and she couldn't be dead, she just couldn't be.

They'd stopped Vecna in time. She'd stopped him in time.

"Max!" Cammie shook Max's body, but Max didn't move.

"Cammie, stop. It's too late."

Cammie looked over her shoulder, seeing Max stood behind her. She was crying, much like Cammie was, though she didn't look like she'd just been Vecna'd. She still looked like Max. Her Max.

Eddie wasn't stood too far behind her and Cammie almost gagged at the sight of the two of them. All of that work and they still lost two of the people they were supposed to protect.

Cammie shook her head quickly, words tumbling out of her mouth too fast for Max to understand.

"No, you can't! You're- dead, no! We did it! We got there in time! I was- I ended it! I- No!" Cammie cried.

"Cammie-" Max tried, stepping closer to Cammie.

"No! You're not dead! You're not dead!" Cammie cried.

She turned back to Max in Lucas' arms, resting her head against Max's chest as her chest heaved with sobs. Her fists clenched tightly around the sides of Max's jackets, pleas falling from her lips for Max to just wake up.

"You're not dead. You're not dead. You're not dead," Cammie whispered.

Cammie's fingers pricked with a white glow that was becoming all to familiar. Cammie didn't notice, too busy willing Max's heart to just start beating again.

"Come back to me. Please, Max. Please, come back to me," Cammie whispered.

Eleven watched this scene take place from behind Cammie. Cammie couldn't see her, because Eleven was still piggybacking Max's mind and Max's mind was in the void. Cammie couldn't see into Max's mind, so she couldn't see El.

Eleven watched as Cammie's fingers glowed white, the light getting bigger until it moved to Max's heart. Cammie opened her eyes, staring confusedly at the light. It hovered above Max's chest for a few seconds before sinking down, disappearing into her skin.

The scene in front of Cammie slipped away within seconds, her hands falling through the empty air to the water as Max and Lucas disappeared.

"Cam-" Max was cut off as she disappeared from behind Cammie.