Wrapped Around Your Finger - Eddie Munson

Chapter Seventeen: The Goodbye

"Hannah."

"Mom?"

"You wanted me to die!"

"I know you aren't real. I know this is in my head, that you're Vecna playing with my memories. I also know you see all my memories, not just the bad. So you'd know I'm lying when I say I didn't want my mom to die. It wasn't for myself, for selfish reasons, but because she was suffering. I didn't get my dad or the doctors when she flatlined... because I wanted her to be free from her pain."

"Then you have admitted it." My mother's voice slowly changed to Vecna's.

"Yes, I admit it. I wanted my mother to die, but not in the way you would like me to think."

"I admire your courage, to put yourself in harms way to protect your friends, but you are not my target now. We will meet again soon enough."

"Shit, Max!" I yelled. "He's going after Max! Dustin! You need to radio Lucas, now!"

"Come on we gotta get inside!" Eddie grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.

"Lock it down, lock it down!" Dustin was scrambling to shut the windows and doors. Some demobats tried to get inside through the vents but we were able to shut them out.

"Most. Metal. Ever!" Dustin and Eddie shouted.

"Ok guys come out we gotta go. Eddie you climb up first to help Dustin and I through." I said. Eddie climbed up through the gate, falling clumsily onto his mattress. I helped Dustin climb up, who was then caught by Eddie.

"Alright, come on Hannah." Eddie said, motioning for me to follow. I paused for a moment, looking between the door and the gate.

"Hannah, come on. What are you doing?" Dustin asked.

"Buying us more time." I said, before cutting the sheet rope down and severing the connection. "I love you Eddie."

"Hannah! No! Shit!" He screamed, but it was too late.

I stepped outside into the red waste once more. I held my crossbow tight in my hands as I looked up at the flock of bats. I loaded a bolt and fired, again, again, and again. I was screaming so loud I couldn't even hear it. My throat was going raw and I could taste the blood in my mouth.

I ran, I ran as fast as I could away from the trailer. I needed to lead them away from Eddie and Vecna. I needed to buy more time. I holstered my crossbow on my back and grabbed a bike I ran across. I started peddling, leading the bats to me. I was running out of breath, I couldn't keep going. So I stopped. I took aim again. Then I fired until I had no bolts left to shoot. I held my crossbow like a club as I swung and hit the bats attacking me.

I couldn't hold them off any longer. I was weak, exhausted, and loosing blood. The bite on my shoulder ripped open and was seeping through my jacket. A bat swooped low and bit me, another knocked me down. A third one wrapped it's tail around my throat and choked me. I wildly clawed them away from me, until suddenly they all dropped.

"Hannah!" Eddie cried, "No Hannah, Princess, please stay with me."

"Eddie.." I said weakly, "We didn't run away this time." I coughed, blood splattered across my chest.

"We didn't, we didn't. Now we're gonna get you out of here, ok? We're gonna get you home." He was sobbing.

"No Eddie. You are gonna go home. You are gonna clear our names and take care of those sheep. It's too late for me. Just know that I love you." I raised my limp hand up to brush his face.

"No, stop saying that. You're gonna be fine. We are gonna clear our names. We are gonna walk that stage together and graduate. Please, just say it. Say you're gonna be fine. Please."

"I want you... to have this." I said, holding my mother's ring necklace up to him. "She would understand, she'd want me to give it to someone I love. And tell my dad that I... that I didn't go down without a fight."

"I love you, Hannah. I love you so much." I smiled, taking one last deep breath. My eyes fluttered shut, my hand dropped, and the world went dark and silent.

Where the hell was I? What had happened? I groaned as I sat up, feeling a sharp pain shoot through my shoulder. I reached up to touch it, only to find the open wound had closed. My skin was cool. No, it was cold, freezing cold. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

Shit. I was still in the Upside Down. How had I gotten here, again? Wait. What even was the Upside Down? Why was I even here? Come to think of it, who was I? The only name I could remember, was Eddie.