"Hey, you remember what I said last year, right? We're Zombie Boy and Ghost Boy. I'm not ever gonna leave you."
"Promise?"
"One hundred percent."
***
In which Alistair fights the monster that possessed his friend alongside his friends, while trying...
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Chapter Thirty-Three: Trapped
(The Battle Of Starcourt, Pt. 4)
***
Alistair gritted his teeth as he kept a hold around El, him, Mike and Max helping her to Nancy's car. Hugin nested in his curls, worry for El seeping through their bond and heightening Alistair's own worry. In front of them, Rowan, Will, Cami, Lucas, Nancy and Jonathan walked ahead, looking as tense as Alistair felt. The fear of the Mind Flayer finding them crackled in the air, a tangible thing, and Alistair held El tighter, refusing to let the bastard get her again.
"El, you're bleeding," Max murmured, and Alistair looked down, seeing spots of blood on El's bandage. Worry churned even more viciously in Alistair's gut as Mike asked, "Are you okay?"
Despite the pain contorting her face, El nodded and said, "Yeah."
Alistair bit his lip. He knew El was probably lying, but he hoped she hadn't been. That she was in slightly less pain now.
Eventually, they hobbled their way to the car. Max let Mike and Alistair help El get to the back as she got into the car with Lucas, Cami and Will, Rowan ordering, "Get inside, gremlins," before she followed after. Together, Mike and Alistair helped El inside as much as they could without causing her any more pain, Mike murmuring, "Here, lay down."
When she was sat down and more or less comfortable, Mike and Alistair got in, Hugin flying onto El's lap and giving a comforting croak to the injured girl.
With everyone now inside, Nancy turned on the ignition to start driving away, but instead of the car coming to life, a stuttering noise came instead.
Worry spiked in Alistair as his sister said, "Uh, Nance, now would be the time to go."
"I know," Nancy replied as she twisted the keys again, but only that stuttering noise came. Alistair shared a worried, confused look with Mike as the car remained stationary.
"What's wrong?" Jonathan asked, sounding just as worried.
"I don't... I don't know," Nancy answered, wrenching the keys again. But only that noise responded, as worry transmuted into dread, coiling around Alistair's heart.
"You can't be serious. Come on!" Nancy yelled at the car.
"Didn't your mom just buy this car?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, I'm sure it's fine," Nancy snapped, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that, too.
"Brand new cars don't make noises like that, Nance," Rowan pointed out.
