𝑽𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆, 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒐

New tail and wings like shown on television

*Eddies POV*

The last thing I remember was Dustin holding me in his arms, tears sliding down his face as he said something that sounded a lot like I love you. Everything else was hazy after that, my insides got torn to shreds by a bunch of freaky bats. I swore death was at my door but I don't remember, I do recall slipping out of conciseness and into the light, or was it all dark, like I said I don't remember.

I woke up as if I had just taken a Sunday nap on the couch, I tried to sit up but my head started to pound and my sides burned like fire. Managing to get to my elbows to look around, I scoured the area and immediately knew I was still in the Upside-down. Groaning internally at the thought of my corpse being left here to rot I tried to get to my feet. Immediate regret flooded me as felt nauseated from the sudden movement. I began to puke out whatever I had eaten last all over the ground when I finally got to my feet.

Something alien and sharp poked at my lips as I closed my mouth after practically dry heaving the nonexistent vomit from my throat. I raised my hand to rub my fingers across my teeth and discovered a pair that were unnaturally large and pointy. That's new, or maybe I'm just delusional and dehydrated from escaping death. I decided to ignore it as I turned and made my way to the trailer gate before I could hallucinate even more.

Passing a shattered mirror I caught a glimpse of myself and it looked like I tangled with a bear. My favorite hellfire shirt was ripped and bloody and my face was stained from coughing up the crimson liquid. I almost laughed at my appearance, but that brought the most noticeable change, my teeth. They really were fanged now. I shut my mouth so I wouldn't let a scream out and limped to the trailer door as fast as my battered body could go.

I had to get out. This all had to be some messed up dream, some after effect of death. Or maybe I was dead and had to relive my time in the upside-down as a monster, like a sick punishment for watching Chrissy die.

But as I flung the door open the gate was still there and bigger then ever. Beginning to doubt I was dead, my wound started to scream for help as I climbed up a new rope that the gang must have attached when they left. Landing on my back I fell to my reality, back home in Hawkins.

Unfortunately the mattress was gone so nothing broke my fall and I could have sworn I heard a crunch. Letting out a whimper I scrambled to my feet to rush to the bathroom. Fishing through the drawers and sink cabinets I could only find some old bandaids and hydrogen peroxide.

Deciding to take a shower before applying the medical supplies I turned on the shower, and stripped my soiled clothes. Stepping into the tub I hissed as the cold water hit my scrapes and tears. Red washed down the side of me and onto the floor as it was swept down the drain, it looked like a murder scene. Gingerly lifting my arms to wash my hair I caught a glimpse of something flicking behind me. I turned so fast I almost slipped, my eyes bulged as there appeared to be a slim tail sprouting from my backside. It hung nearly to my ankles and at the end was a pointed tip. It looked almost identical to those stupid cartoon devils, but instead of red, it was pitch black. It was so silly I laughed out loud.

'First vampire teeth and now a tail, what's next, wings?' I giggled with delusion clouding my rational thoughts.

Just as I had thought of wings, they appeared, literally a poof of black smoke, and there in the mid section of my back were bat like wings, black and an estimate span of six feet. I tumbled out of the shower yelling as I got tangled in the curtain and fell face first and butt naked on the bathroom floor.

I stood breathing heavily and peered into the bathroom mirror. What I saw was not pretty to say the least, my skin was lighter then it was before, which was normal because I died and was left in a sunless place for god knows how long. But the wings, tail, and teeth were something that couldn't be explained. I'm not sure how long I gaped at my reflection, but the sudden stab in my ribs was enough to snap me back. I decided I'd worry about my new circumstances later and deal with what I could for now. I began by pouring the whole bottle of peroxide over my wounds and wrapping the bigger ones in bandages and the smaller ones with a couple bandaids. Thanking to whoever could hear me that no one removed my rings when I passed, I rinsed them off and slipped them back over my fingers.

When I was satisfied I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed to my room to grab new clothes. This deemed to be a challenge. First because the trailer was practically split in two by the gate, which seemed to have grown quite a bit sense I was resurrected. Second was because of the new body parts.

Grabbing a pair of blue jeans and wrapping my new tail around my waist was easy. But I struggled to pull a black Led Zeppelin T-shirt over my head, at first I tried tucking the wings together and back as far as they could go. But with the frustration of not wanting them on my back anymore, the wings vanished. There was another poof of black smoke, and they were gone. Sighing with relief I snatched a red and black flannel to cover my bandaged arms and tugged on some socks and a pair of old black converse then trudged to the front door.

When I reached the door I relished the thought of seeing everyone again. Nancy, Steve, and that weird girl Robin must have been shocked to see me dead, and Dustin -oh god- he must have been devastated. Being able to tell them I'm okay, well as okay as I could be besides the weird features and scars, that I was alive, gave me so much joy.

Then a terrible thought crushed my fantasy of meeting up with everyone again. 'What if they don't believe I'm real. What if they think it's a trick or I was sent by Vecna to take them down when they least expect it?'

Those kinds of things swarmed in my brain and created panic. My hand shook as it hesitated over the door handle. 'Should I go see them? And if I do who and where would I go to first?' I thought.

Dustin should have been at the top of the list, but I couldn't face him. Not after he watched me die a brutal and bloody death, plus the shock of my new look would give him a heart attack. It would give anyone a heart attack. The next safest bet had to be Steve or Robin, or maybe both. Didn't they say they worked at the movie rental place? If I could catch them there I could totally explain the situation to them. They didn't know me as long and probably don't have as much as an connection to me as Dustin, so breaking the news I'm alive to them first seemed like the best idea.

I felt we went through some weird shit together that I trusted them enough to show myself to them. Hopefully they would believe it, and not try to kill me.

I glanced at the clock and calendar over the kitchen sink, it was March 29, 1986 and currently 2:00 pm on this lovely Thursday afternoon, thankfully I wasn't gone for to long. Last minute I decided to grab a black baseball cap and tucked my hair up under as a disguise. Taking a pair of my uncles sunglasses off the counter I reassured myself I was ready to go look for my friends.

As soon I as I stepped outside I knew something was wrong. Ash like from the upside down was falling from the sky. I almost ran back inside from pure terror of the thought of still being in that godforsaken place. But then I saw some of the trees were alive and the sun was still trying to shine. So I stood my ground and put one foot in front of the other and as I made my way, by foot, to town I noticed few people around. They must have evacuated after what I assumed was the gates opened and our plan failing. I was dishearten at the thought of failure, especially after I sacrificed my life to save Hawkins from this fate. But I kept pushing forward and praying that Steve and Robin would still be here. As I got closer to the town all I saw was flashing blue and red lights and there were so many ambulance and fire trucks. The town was split. The four gateways connected.

I realized many things at once as I stood and watched the chaos around me. Steve and Robin probably wouldn't be at work, hell no one should be in this disaster. And Max. If another gate opened that means Max was gone, she was another victim to Vecna. Poor red, I hadn't known her for long but I know she was special to Lucus and friends to many of the same people I now call friends.

I started to run. I promised myself not to run away, so instead I made my way to Hawkins high, which was the designated shelter in case of an emergency. I held my now aching sides as I skidded to a stop near the back doors of the school. Keeping my head low but my eyes sharp I looked for someone, anyone, recognizable. Passing the missing persons board I saw a old picture of me, uncle Wane must have put that up, but I had devil horns scribbled on my photograph. I let a laugh escape my lips, they should have added a tail and wings to the doodle, then it would have been fitting.

Pulling away from the posters, I finally spotted Robin. She was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with that other girl I knew was from band. As quickly as my feet would move without me looking suspicious, I made my way over to her. Tapping her shoulder I whispered to her to find Steve and meet me in ten minutes outside by the picnic bench in the woods.

I hurried away before she could respond and made my way out the door. I could only pray she would obey and meet me at the only spot I thought would be empty from prying eyes to discuss this mishap.