The Devil's Gift/The Bloody Handed

6: Life as we Know it

We soon arrive at Skull Rock. Everyone grabs their things and start to head off to the boat we had used last time. I was shocked it was still there, if I was being honest. Nothing has really changed except the amount of despair that polluted the air.

"Good luck, guys. Be safe." Robin nods then wraps her arms around me.

"You too. Please. I can't handle losing you again. Or anyone." Robin pulls back.

Nancy comes up and hugs me next. "Be safe."

"You too, Nanc. Go bad ass on 'em." I smile.

Steve comes up to me next. His eyes seemed as if we was scared but also fed up with the whole situation. He wanted revenge. He hugs me, his arms wrapping around my shoulders. His grip was tight and comforting. I didn't know how to explain it, but there was a lot hidden in his expressions.

"Be safe, Clary." He pulls back.

"You too, Steve." I offer him a smile and he shuts the door behind him.

Eddie hops into the drivers seat and look over to me.

"Dustin, I suggest you sit tight." He looks to me "Sit down, hun. This is gonna be one bumpy ride." He immediately steps onto the petal and goes through the brush area, taking what I assumed to be a short cut. I hang onto what I called the oh shit handle and try to find my balance.

The ride was quiet, and it was timid. It all seemed to happen so fast, with little no preparation. All we had were my abilities, gasoline, matches, and lighters. It just had to work this time. We had to get Vecna at his most vulnerable and weakened point. If we didn't, we were allowing him to rebuild himself from the ground up again- maybe to where he could return stronger.

"So.. you think he's going to take the bait?" Eddie looks over to me, nervous.

"Vecna has to. It's all he has- all he wants." I shake my leg up and down and breathe in. "I just want his head on a stake. I want to see it roll across the ground while I spit on it. I want him dead. I failed last time, but not this time." I look outside of the window and Eddie still gives me a concerned look, and rests his hands on my thighs. I was not sure how he could tolerate those rings still after all of this, or how he hasn't lost any.

"Alright guys." Dustin says as he comes up in between us. "We're here."

Eddie puts the RV in park, and we gather all of our supplies. Eddie carried two cans of gasoline while I carried one. Dustin grabbed the arson supplies. We step in front of the house and look at one another. Max was just standing here not even three months ago, yet here we were. Back for more. There was caution tape wrapped all around the porch and the front door. A no trespassing sign stood right in front of the sidewalk.

"Let's go before someone sees us. Especially this all this." I say.

We all walk in and Eddie grabs something out of his pocket. "Kept it from when Nancy let me use it." He kneels down and puts his ear to the lock, listening to the clicks and mechanics of the lock.

Within seconds, the door swings open.

"Wow, a magician!" Dustin awes.

"Not even close," Eddie looks back smirking. "A warlock." He wiggles his fingers as he pushes the door and we all go inside. The house was dark and damp. You could easily tell a family got murdered here. Well- everyone except my mom. I drop the gasoline can and trace the peeling wallpaper.

"The house my mother grew up in.." I sigh. "I can't believe it. How did she even survive someone as powerful as Henry?" I look at the floor boards. "Then that means I'm not related to Jason.. which I guess is a lot better than this."

"No, I think I'd prefer Vecna over Jason right now." Dustin says.

"I second that." Eddie says.

"They're both equally as bad. I just.. I don't know how my life went from boring to deadly in a half of a year."

"Well, that makes all of us." Dustin comes over to me and places his hand on my shoulder. "Trust me; I was in the shame shoes you're walking in now. If you told me at twelve I would be fighting monsters I would call you crazy." He laughs.

"Same here, hun. You and I both have had an eventful half year." He readjusts his grip on the cans. "We ready?" He starts you the stairs, each creak making my chest tighten and my heart pounding faster.

Suddenly I start to hear a small humming. "He's here.." I hold my ears as the humming turns into a steady pitch. "Ah, shit." I take back my hands and see the red on them, my ears filling with a familiar warm thick liquid.

"You okay?" Eddie puts a hand on my back, leading me up the stairs.

"Yeah, fine.. let's just go. We got the confirmation at least." I grab his hand reassuringly and squeeze it.

We reach the top of the stairs and the ladder to the attic stares me in the eyes. I swallow as I watch Dustin slowly go up, holding the bag in between his teeth. I follow after, the can of gasoline swishing and diverting its weight back and forth making me almost lose my balance. My ears were starting to feel like they were underwater, as if I was hundreds of feet under. I feel Eddie's hand supporting my thigh as he follows behind me.

"Keep going, it's ok." I nod and I keep pushing up with my legs. Dustin reached out his hand and I pass him my can and then Eddie's. I wiggle my way to the attic floor and Eddie does the same.

"Alright," I say brushing myself off. I look around and it was almost pitch black. There was a gaping crack right down the middle of the ancient wooden floor boards, presumably where Jason had died. Outside of the window was a fog, and in the mist a playground. The one Erica stood on and was beat up by Jason's goons on. I clench my fists. "Let's start soaking this area from head to toe. Nancy and them have the base of the house."

Dustin and Eddie start to unscrew the gasoline cans and drop the lighters and matches on the floor.

"These will be accesible right by us and you so once Vecna comes let us know so we can light it up." Eddie says.

I walk towards the middle of the floor and bring my knees up to my chest, closing my eyes. Eddie and Dustin are sloshing around the gasoline, the liquid smacking on the floor.

I take a deep breath in, and try to talk in my mind.

I know you're here. I can feel you.