WILDFIRE ↝ E. MUNSON [1]

[29]

Lily peered out the window of the Winnebago as it sat off the side of the road at the edge of the woods leading to Forest Hills Trailer Park. The night was quiet, casting an eerie shadow around them as the woods seemed too still for her liking. She knew they had to be quick, allowing them enough time to get the Upside Down's version of the Munsons' trailer ready for the distraction, as well as giving, Steve, Nancy, Robin, and Debbie a chance to get to the Creel House, where Vecna would hopefully be waiting in his catatonic state.

"Okay, I want to run through it one more time." Nancy said, pulling Lily's attention away from the back window, to where the rest of them all gathered around the mobile home's small dining area. "Phase one,"

"We meet Erica at the playground." Robin spoke up. "She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready."

"Phase two," Nancy said.

"Max baits Vecna." Steve said. "He'll go after her, which'll put him in his trance."

"Phase three?" Nancy asked.

"Eddie, Cam, Lily, and I draw the bats away." Dustin added, and Eddie reached down from where he stood behind Dustin, playfully pushing the boy's head down with a smile.

"Four." Nancy said.

"We head into Vecna's newly bat-free lair and..." Robin trailed off, picking up one of the Molotov cocktail bottles and giving it a slight shake. "flambe."

"Nobody moves onto the next phase until we've all copied." Nancy said adamantly, "Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?"

"Got it," they all chorused, and Lily reached behind her, grabbing her shield and spear from where they rested on the couch in the back of the vehicle, holding them close to her as she followed the others outside.

Nancy led the group as they jogged through the woods towards the trailer park, keeping their eyes peeled for anyone moving outside. Lily kept a close eye on the windows of each trailer they passed, ready to cover Eddie at a moment's notice if they were caught, but the park remained deserted that night, devoid of any passersby or peeping toms.

Steve pulled the door open to the trailer, and everyone followed his lead, piling inside until Lily shut the door behind them. It remained untouched since they had last been inside, Wayne's tapes still littering the floor from where Eddie had rummaged through them the night before in an attempt to save Nancy and the bedsheet rope hanging from the ceiling, bridging the gap through the gate to the Upside Down.

"Be careful," Dustin said, nodding in Steve's direction as the older boy stared at the gate above them.

"Thanks buddy," Steve said, giving Dustin a pat on the shoulder before reaching for the rope. "Here goes nothing."

Steve grabbed the rope, jumping up and catching his feet on one of the knots as he began to climb. He moved carefully, not wanting to risk getting hurt without the safety net of a mattress waiting on the other side, and when the gravity shift came he held on tight, flipping and landing onto his feet on the floor below. As he steadied himself, he looked back up at the others with a satisfied grin, shrugging at his own impressive landing.

"Whoa, what does he want us to do, applaud?" Robin asked sarcastically, causing Cam to chuckle as she watched Steve with a smile.

Steve disappeared as he moved further into the trailer, returning a moment later lugging a version of Eddie's mattress that was darker and even more stained than the one beneath their feet. He set it down directly below the gate, freeing the rope from where it had gotten caught underneath the mattress and looking back up at the group above him.

"Alright," Steve said. "Let's go,"

Nancy shrugged off her backpack and Robin got down on one knee, helping to boost the girl up onto the rope. She climbed up until she fell through the gate and onto the floor below, and as soon as Steve helped her up, Eddie tossed their backpacks through, with their respective weapons sticking out.