To Hell and Back Again

Chapter One

Steve sat on the sidewalk in front of the movie theater. A cigarette sat snug between his finger and thumb while the smoke danced through the air. The door behind him slammed and Robin came stumbling out. "Apparently, nobody is hiring still." She sat next to Steve on the sidewalk.
"Well when the Earth opened up and half the population fell through, nobody to watch a movie." Steve smiled and handed her the cigarette. She waved her hand to reject it.
"Well, I give up for today. I'm going to go home and get a shower then go check on the kids." Steve stood up and flicked the cigarette so the ash fell off. "Do you need a ride home?" Robin stood and dusted off her pants.
"Can I just go back to your house then go see the crew with you?" She smiled wearily and Steve nodded. His parents hadn't been in town since the 'earthquake.' They moved the fuck out of Hawkins when the rest of the town did. It was the unlucky few who decided to stay, Steve and the crew for example. People who felt safer knowing they might be able to stop what's happening. Steve got into his car and leaned over the seat to open the door for Robin. "Thanks, Dingus." She said closing the door behind her.

Once at his house, Robin went and got snacks out of the fridge. "I'll be quick." Steve ran up the stairs and into his room. He stood in the door way for a brief second looking at his things. His eyes met Eddie's vest. It was laying on top of his dresser. All he could do was remember everything that happened the previous year. Choking back tears, he grabbed his stuff and walked to the bathroom.
He appeared down the stairs a couple minutes later with wet hair. Robin looked over at him rubbing his hair with the towel. "No time for the hair?" Robin was sitting on the couch with three bags of m&ms and a bag of popcorn.
"My hair isn't really the highest priority for me." He sat down next to Robin on the couch. He rubbed his shirtless chest and sighed.
"You have to get rid of that vest. You do this every time you even look at it." She said pulling her feet up to her chest. "Listen. I can take it. So it's not gone but it's out of sight. Out of sight, out of min-"
Steve interrupted her, "no. I want to keep it. I have the vest, Dustin has the guitar... you know just in case he..."
"Comes back?" Robin asked with a comforting pat on his leg. Steve looked away then stood to grab a shirt off the table. He's not dead. He can't be. He kept thinking to himself.

Robin and Steve pulled up to the Wheeler house. Dustin was sitting on the front porch waiting for them. As soon as he saw them he jumped up and ran to the car. "I don't have time to explain. Actually I'll explain on the way. Take me to the outskirts of town where the portal in the road was." He jumped in the back of the car and tapped on the side through the window. "Onward!"
"No. Not until you tell me what's going on." Steve turned around to say to Dustin. He had the mom face on.
"Okay, so I'll explain real quick." Dustin opened up his backpack and pulled out a D&D rule book. Steve's eyes lit up. "So basically, Vecna. We killed him right? So he would need someone to take his place. Kind of like a vessel." Steve put the car in drive and started towards the gate. "If Vecna is dead, and I said IF, then he would need to use someone who was not one of his four victims as a vessel. Which would mean he could use-"
"Eddie." Steve put his hands on the steering wheel and gripped it tightly.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Robin looked over at Steve who was not using his head in this situation.
"Yes. Dustin, go on." Steve had to know if there was a chance Eddie was still alive. He had to know. If he could do anything it would be to save Eddie.
"Now in D&D, there's another character. Kas. Who becomes Vecna's vessel then kills Vecna and when he does that he's a vampire or whatever. There could be a chance that when Eddie got bitten by the bats he turned into a... well, vampire." Dustin continues. He pulls a gun out of his backpack. "I took this out of Nancy's room."
"JESUS CHRIST!" Both Steve and Robin start yelling at Dustin. "put that away I am DRIVING!" Steve shouts from the front.

No more than three minutes later, they arrive at the gate. It's been covered with police tape but a small crack is still visible. Steve heads over to the gate and rips away the police tape. "I'm gonna jump in, Robin you come in after me. Dustin hand us down the gun and watch guard."
"What?" Dustin exclaims, "I'm not staying out here. What the hell, man?"