Hellfire (Eddie Munson x OC Stranger Things Fanfiction)

Chapter 32: His Demise

I need sleep.

But they won't let me stop blasting Metallica in my ears.

I'm so tired. I have no energy. I feel like I have nothing left.

Everyone keeps looking at me with pity. Some feeling guilty for pushing me into this again and instead pushing me into Vecna's arms.

Dustin and Robin haven't stopped apologising, or checking up on me. They keep asking me what I saw, but I can't tell them. I don't want to tell them that I relived the worst memories of my life.

The day my father almost killed me, and the day a part of me died when I lost Eddie.

I feel my eyes starting to close, snapping open as the tape finishes rewinding. Steve has taken control of the Walkman since he knows my emotional state. He knows I want to join Eddie. Or, at least I did before I found out he's been turned into an undead killing machine for Vecna to use against us.

I turn to glare at Steve, but he maintains eye contact. Daring me to defy him.

I sigh.

Steve pats my shoulder, giving me a pitiful smile before looking over at Dustin. This has been hard on him. First, he loses Eddie, then he almost loses me. He's been through so much already. I can't imagine the toll this must be taking on him.

I pull a headphone from over one of my ears. "Will he be okay?" I ask Steve.

"It's Henderson. I'm sure he'll be okay. He'll just make some intelligent joke nobody understands, probably aimed at me and he'll be back to normal. You know how he is," Steve answers, keeping his voice low.

"I really hope so. I can't bear to see him like this," I add, looking back over at Dustin before turning back to Steve. "Could I... Could I please turn this off so I can get some sleep?"

"Not a chance. We're not losing you."

"Then could I turn it down so its a little easier for me to fall asleep?"

"Sure, but if you start floating, I'm turning that volume up as high as it can go."

"Thank you."

I turn the volume of the Walkman down as Steve walks back over to Dustin. I'm still able to clearly hear my favourite song, but it's low enough that I might actually be able to sleep.

I fold my arms on the table infront of me, letting my head rest on them and close my eyes. It doesn't take long for me to drift off, completely drained from my day.

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The clouds above me darken. Flashes of lightning dancing across the sky in streaks of red. My ears filled with the sounds of screeching.

The ground shakes, throwing me off balance. Parts of the earth start levitating, widening the master gate. Buildings start to crack and crumble as the screeching gets closer.

Monsters start pouring through the gate at an alarming rate. Soldiers are dying. Buildings are being overrun. Our families being killed.

Demogorgons, monsters with many heads, demodogs and demobats. Countless creatures start to flood through Hawkins. Followed by a monster with a huge maw. Rows upon rows of teeth. Its jaw almost wider than the master gate itself.

Then he appears. His sickly visage appearing through the gate. His skin shrivelled, dessicated. Not only missing his left arm, but his left eye.

Vecna.

But my eyes are drawn to the figure following closely behind Vecna. The black aura snaking around his body. His blood red eyes scanning his surroundings. Nightmare Eddie.

They command the army of monsters. Eddie killing civilians and soldiers alike, protected by several demogorgons. I feel the color drain from my face seeing him slaughter innocent people. This is not the Eddie I fell in love with.

I turn, not wanting to see the massacre any longer. I look around at the destruction, spotting my friends amongst the chaos. All in various amounts of trouble.

I see El, her nose pouring blood and her eyes bloodshot. She's using every bit of power she can to keep the army at bay, to stop them from overtaking. But it's no use. She falls.

Mike is dead.

Lucas is dead.

Nancy and Jonathan are struck down by the monster with many heads. Steve falling as he tries his best to reach Nancy.

Dustin is backed into a corner. Alone. Several monsters throw themselves at him and I feel my legs give out underneath me at the sight of his mangled body.

I look out across the rest of Hawkins as it's swallowed by the monsters. This isn't Hawkins anymore. This is the Upside Down, taking over our world.

Hawkins falls.

Everyone is dead.

I see Vecna turn to Eddie. They exchange a few words and I see Eddie nod. He bends his knee, bowing his head at Vecna.

I hear my scream echo as Vecna strikes Eddie down. His body collapsing to the ground in a heap. Blood pooling around his lifeless body.

I'm seeing him die again. Vecna is going to kill Eddie. Once he has no use for him anymore.

My eyes snap open. I'm back at the cabin. My sleeves soaked by my tears. The faint sounds of Metallica playing in my ears.

I look around at the faces around me. All deep in conversation. Probably trying to work out a plan.

I think back to my nightmare. My premonition. The only person I didn't see dead, was myself. Maybe I can do something to help. If I can save everyone here, I will.

I can't just sit and watch everyone around me die when I could do something. So, I sneak away.

I leave the cabin and my friends behind. I don't know how long I have but if what Dustin said is true, we don't have long. The closer the event, the clearer my premonition should be and it was extremely vivid.

I need to find a way to save my friends. To save Hawkins.

I need to stop Eddie from being killed by Vecna. To help him find his way back to us.

I can't lose him again.

This time, I will save him.