WILDFIRE ↝ E. MUNSON

[18]

Lily had just managed to lean her head back against the rock, her eyelids fluttering shut when a twig snapped in the distance. Her eyes shot back open as she quickly looked at Eddie, a panicked look crossing his eyes before his head turned in the direction of the sound.

"Someone's here," he whispered as a second branch snapped, crawling out from under the rock formation to hide on the other side from where the sound was coming from, and motioning for her to follow him.

The two crawled behind the line of boulders surrounding Skull Rock, trying to keep as much distance between them and the pairs of footsteps that were now growing louder as they marched through the woods. Eddie and Lily continued around the boulders, silently praying that their friends had finally found them but preparing for the worst if it was an unwelcome party.

"Oh, boom!" a familiar voice exclaimed, accompanied by the sounds of more fumbling through the underbrush, and Lily sighed in relief at the realization that the voice belonged to Steve. "Bada bing, bada boom, in your face, Henderson, Skull Rock!"

Lily glanced over at Eddie to see him about to pass out from the relief that he was safe, that they had been found, as more footsteps reached the clearing.

"In your face, man," Steve continued. "In your stupid, cocky little face."

"It doesn't make sense," Dustin said, and she could see the corners of Eddie's mouth turn up into a relieved smile at his friend's voice.

"Yeah, yeah," Steve chided. "Even with it staring you right in the face, you can't admit it. You just can't admit that you're wrong, you little butthead."

Eddie finally found his footing, climbing up over the rock they'd been hiding behind and leaping down to the ground. Lily followed suit, landing behind Eddie as Dustin and Steve turned around, jumping slightly at their sudden movements.

"I concur," Eddie agreed. "You, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead."

"Jesus, we thought you were goners," Dustin said, stepping forward to pull Eddie into a hug, and Lily looked over to see the rest of the group behind them.

Steve and Dustin were followed closely by Nancy, Robin, Debbie, Sarah, and Nick, who rushed after Dustin to give her brother a hug. Bringing up the rear of the group were Lucas and Max, and as the younger Mayfield's eyes met that of her older sister, she ran forward, tightly throwing her arms around Lily.

"Are you alright?" Max asked, her face buried in Lily's shoulder as Lily hugged her back tightly.

Lily nodded. "I'm okay," she said, though she wasn't quite sure if she was trying to assure her sister or herself.

When Max finally stepped out of Lily's arms, Lily was then greeted by Nick, who, to her surprise, gave her a quick hug. "We're so glad you guys are safe." Nick said, and Lily nodded back in understanding before she was then hugged by Sarah and Debbie.

"Thought you might be hungry," Debbie said, holding out a sandwich and a canister of water, and she took them eagerly.

"Thank you," she said, looking over to see Eddie crouching down by the rock formation with a sandwich and water bottle of his own, along with a bottle of beer from his much requested six pack as a bag of groceries lay on the ground next to him.

Lily took a seat next to Eddie as she unwrapped her sandwich, the rest of the group settling in around them, though they stayed on their feet. She took a bite of the ham and cheese, her stomach growling in response as the last thing she'd eaten was the PopTart she'd found in her purse back at the boathouse.

"We went to bring you guys your groceries, but when we got to Rick's, the place was swarming with cops." Robin explained.

"They uh..." Max trailed off nervously, her eyes landing on her sister. "They said it was Patrick's body they found there last night." as she spoke, Lily could feel everyone's eyes moving in her direction, and she glanced down briefly for a moment before she looked back up at Max, nodding.