I Notice

Chapter 7: East Hawkins

We all sat in silence for a hot minute. "If we go to East Hawkins, will this reach Pennhurst?" Max spoke up.

"Of course. Yeah." Dustin responded.

"Why are we talking about East Hawkins?"Steve asked very confusedly. "No. No. No! Max, Max. Seriously. Seriously, I'm not joking. I'm not driving you anywhere." He was getting mad. It was funny to see.

"If you think I'm going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, you're out of your mind. Either take me where I need to go or tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute." Max said sounding very determined to get what she wanted.

We all walk out to Steve's car.

"Open the door." Max said turning to Steve.

"Uh, no." Steve responded pissed off.

"I know a good lawyer." Max said trying even harder to get what she wanted.

Steve opened the door and scoffed.

"Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst." Max said to Dustin.

We all squeeze into Steve's car. It's a pretty tight fit but it'll do. 6 people in a car that fits 5. We begin to drive. Once we reach Maxs  house she stepped out.

"This better be fast, Mayfield." Steve said to Max. "Twenty seconds." She walked off into her house. I had a bad feeling about all this.

"That thing's got batteries in it, right?" Steve asked looking at the Walkie Talkie.

"I'm not even answering that question. Yes, it has batteries." Dustin said very annoyed.

"Yeah, I got it."

After a good minute Max came back out. She looked stressed out.

"Hey, that was longer than 20 seconds." Steve said to her as she approached us.

"Hey, whoa, whoa. You all right?" We asked her concernedly.

" I'm fine. Just drive." She said sounding stressed.

"Did something happen?" Dustin asked.

"Can we please just go?" Max said trying to avoid our questions.

I can tell something happened but I don't want to ask her and annoy her even more. We drove off and headed to the graveyard Billy was buried at.

"Turn here." Max said to Steve.

"Max?" Lucas said following Max as she walked out the car.

I could hear them talking.

"Lucas, please, just wait in the car." Max said trying to get Lucas to go away.

"Max, just wait. Max, please." Lucas said trying to get Maxs attention.

"Lucas, just wait..." Max said to him.

"Just listen to me. Just, please. I know something happened there with your mother.Was it Vecna?" Lucas questioned.

"I told you, I'm fine. Okay? I mean, as fine as someone who's hurtling towards a gruesome death can be." Max said to Lucas. Almost like this is all a joke.

"Max... You know you can talk to me. Right" Lucas said to Max trying to support her.

"Yeah, I know that." She said awkwardly.

"Okay, then why do you keep pushing me away? Okay, look, I don't need a letter. I don't want a letter. Just talk to me. To your friends. We're right here. I'm right here. Okay? I'm here." Lucas said to her very supportively.

"Wait in the car. This won't be long." Max said as she walked off.

We sat in the car for a while. "All right, it's been long enough." Steve said about to leave the car.

"Steve, just give her some time." We said to him.

"I have, all right? I'm calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can." Steve said walking out his car and going over to Max.

After a little bit we heard Steve. "Max! Guys! Come on. Wake up!" We all jumped out the car and ran to where they were. When I got to Max her eyes were white. She was unresponsive. We all screamed for Max to get out of there.

"Max! You gotta get out of there! Can you hear me?"

"Call Nancy and Robin! Go get em! Call Nacy and Robin! Go!" Steve said to Dustin. Dustin took off running to the car. We all kept trying to wake up Max. She has to wake up. She can't die. Not now.

Dustin came running back. He threw music on the ground. "What is this?"

"What's her favorite song." Dustin asked.

"Why?"

"Robin said if she listens... It's too much to explain now. What's her favorite song!!" Dustin yelled to us.

The boys struggled to find her favourite song. Lucas found it. They put Kate Bush in Maxs headphones and put it on her. Play.

We all continued screaming for Max to wake up. Max began to lift up in the air. We screamed so much trying to get her down. She finally started to lift herself down but she was still in the trance.

She woke up and fell down into Lucas arms.

"It's okay" Max said as she breathed a lot.

"I thought we lost you." Lucas said as he held Max.

"I'm still... I'm still here. " Max said to us.

We drove back to the Wheeler house. Lucas and Max were sitting close to each other as Lucas comforted her. The ride there was so silent and peaceful. The only not peaceful part was the fact Max almost died. Thankfully she didn't. I feel as if that happening made me snap more into reality. I need to kill Vecna and soon. I can't have Max or anyone else here die. It would make me feel guilty that I couldn't protect them. Like they died under my watch.

We arrive at the Wheeler house. We sit down and Max tries her best to explain what happened but it's hard for her too. She gives up on trying to tell us about it. I make sure she's okay and I tell Eddie it's time to go. I hug everyone goodbye and me and Eddie get in my car and go.

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