bitchin'

Chapter 53

"I've been waiting to hear those words, Max," the voice says. Max, now standing, sees the figure of her step-brother Billy. Although, she knows he died and that Vecna is messing with her now, "waiting so very long. But it wasn't the full truth, was it, Max?"

Billy's body is bloodied, exactly like the night he died. He approaches Max who can't move out of fear.

"You know, I think there's a part of you, buried somewhere deep, that wanted me to die that day," he says. She shakes her head 'no', "That was maybe even relieved. Happy."

"Billy, no, that's not true," she whimpers.

"That's why you stood there, isn't it, Max? It's okay. You can admit it now. No more lies. No more hiding."

"Billy, that's not true, I swear!" she cries, backing up, "I swear it's not true."

"That is why you feel such guilt."

"No!"

"Why you hide from your friends."

"No... No."

"Why you hide from the world."

"No!"

"And why, late at night, you have sometimes wished to follow me. Follow me into death."

"No..."

"That is why I am here, Max. To end your suffering, once and for all."

"No!" She backs up off the edge of the cemetery and falls down. She hits the ground and gets the breath knocked out of her. When she looks up, Billy is no longer there, Vecna is in his place.

"It is time, Max. Time for you to join me."

"Call Nancy and Robin! Go get 'em! Call Nancy and Robin! Go!" Steve shouts at Dustin. The boy falls over the edge of the cemetery, just like Max, and stumbles to the car to get his walkie.

"Max, please!" Lucas shouts. He, Steve, and Lindsay surround the redhead.

"Max, come on!" the Harrington girl shouts. She desperately tries to wake her girlfriend, tears streaming down her face.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Dustin shouts as he grabs his walkie from the car, "Nancy? Robin? Do you copy? This is a code red. Do you copy?"

No answer.

"Shit. Robin! Nancy! This is a code red! Do you copy?" he tries again. No answer, "Robin, where the hell are you? This is a code red. I repeat, a code red!"

"Dustin, it's Robin. We copy!" Robin answers quickly. He gets on top of the hood of Steve's car to have the best signal.

"Holy shit. Finally! Please, please tell me you guys have this figured out," he exclaims frantically.

"Lindsay!" Max screams inside of the Upside Down, "Dustin! Lindsay, please, help! Lucas!"

She runs through the cemetery in the Upside Down. She is unable to get out of her trance, but runs to keep Vecna away from her. Dustin goes running back to Lucas, Lindsay, and Steve with Max's Walkman.

"Max, you gotta get outta there!" Lindsay cries. Dustin throws the Walkman on the ground in front of Max, along with a bunch of tapes.

"Lindsay! Lindsay! What's her favorite song?" Dustin exclaims.

"What is this?" Lucas asks as Lindsay begins looking through the tapes without hesitation.

"Robin said if she listens... it's too much to explain now, what's her favorite song?!" he shouts. Lindsay quickly flips the tapes.

"It's right here! Got it!" she exclaims, holding up Kate Bush's Hounds of Love tape. He snatches the tape from Lindsay.

"Okay, okay, headphones!" Dustin shouts. She puts the headphones on over her girlfriend's ears, "now!"

-say, if i only could, ooh-

A portal opens inside Vecna's Mind Lair, where Max had run into to try and buy some time. Although it didn't work, as Vecna found her and took ahold of her body. She's held against her will, but she can hear them shouting for her. She just has to fight to get through the portal, into reality.

"Max! Max, wake up!" Dustin shouts, "please!"

"Max, come on! Come on!" Lindsay cries.

"Max, we're right here!" Lucas shouts. Vecna turns to see the portal as well.

"They can't help you, Max. There's a reason you hide from them. You belong here, with me."

"You're not really here," she struggles to say. The vines restraining her tighten around her neck. Using the Hive Mind, he keeps his grip on her.

"Oh, but I am, Max. I am."

Vecna lifts his hand over her face and takes ahold of her in the Mind Lair while Max in reality begins to lift up into the air, levitating.

-and if i only could-

"Max... Max! No! No! Steve! Boost me up!" Lindsay shouts, climbing onto Steve's shoulders. He stumbles over and Lindsay resorts to jumping up to try and grab her.

-be running up that road-

"Max!" Lucas shouts, not knowing what to do. The boy looks at Steve with wide eyes. Frozen with fear.

"Please! Max!" Dustin screams. Steve just stands in shock, wondering if he is about to witness Vecna's next murder.

-be running up that building-

Max opens her eyes and sees the portal to reality. She can hear Lindsay screaming for her. Memories of them begin to flash in her mind.

-it's you and me, won't be unhappy-

The day they met, when Max said, "Well, we can be friends, as long as you don't beat me up."

-come on, baby-

After Halloween, Max bandaged Lindsay up after getting beat up for her, "I know, I just figured... while I'm here."

-come on darling-

The night on the bus, Lindsay told her, "Max, you're nothing like your brother. You're cool and different. And you're super smart and nice. And really pretty."

-let me steal this moment from you now-

And the night Eleven closed the gate, Billy had come to get Max. And it ended with Lindsay fighting him, "he was gonna hurt her! He was gonna hurt you all! He's gonna hurt her! Let go!"

-come on, angel-

When they started dating and she was less than subtle about Max's acne, "is that a new zit?"

-come on, come on darling-

And earlier today, "I don't want a letter. Just talk to me, to us. We're right here. I'm right here."

-let's exchange the experience-