Same Blood, Different Feelings ~OC x Will Byers~

Chapter Seven: The Bridge

Holly gasped awake. She was standing up, pinned to...a wall? And the first thing she saw in front of her...

Was Oscar. He stood there, giving her this kind of strained smile. He was holding some kind of vine in his hand.

Holly looked around quickly and saw other children pinned up to walls with some sort of membrane, they had those vine things in their mouths.

She screamed, and then threw up a kind of dark fog.

"Holly, Holly, it's okay!" Oscar quickly shushed her, ripping the membrane apart and catching her in his arms. Holly sobbed and clung to him tightly.

"O-Oscar..." She heaved, looking up at him as tears ran down her cheeks. "The kids- they need help-"

He set his hands on her shoulders firmly, pushing her back to meet his hands. "No, no, you need to listen to me." He spoke to her in a gentle but firm tone. "You're safe, I promise. Vecna won't hurt you, not anymore."

Holly hiccupped. "T-The other kids-"

Oscar shook his head. "Leave them to me, okay? You...You need to go."

"Go where?" Holly asked helplessly as she cried.

"There's a gate, okay? It's outside of this lair, it'll look like a red crack in the ground." Oscar explained gently. "Go through it, and wait for the others to find you."

Holly looked so confused. "A-Aren't you coming to? W-Why are you here alone? D-Didn't you all come to rescue me?"

"The others are on their way." Oscar promised. "I...got here ahead of them. You need to go and meet up with them now."

"Not without you!" Holly cried, grabbing onto his arms and holding on tight, as if scared he'd shove her away.

Oscar smiled weakly. "I have to stay here, but I'm not in danger, okay? I promise..." He whispered. He looked over at where Vecna was levitating, connected to the center area. He looked back at Holly. "But I need you to go so you can deliver a message, okay?"

"Message?" Holly hiccupped.

Oscar nodded. "Tell El...tell her I'm exactly where I need to be." He told her in a firm, unwavering tone.

Holly sobbed. "I-I can't. I can't do this alone-"

"Yes you can. You can, Holly. You know why?" Oscar clutched her little hand in his own. "You're a Wheeler," He smiled weakly. "And we just don't know how to give up."

That seemed to be the push Holly needed. She hiccupped, and she nodded shakily, finally letting him go.

Oscar watched as Holly ran. She ran for the exit and didn't look back.

Oscar didn't need to turn his head to know Vecna was stood right behind him.

"Now it's time for you to keep your end of the deal...Oscar Wheeler." Vecna muttered.

Oscar didn't resist, walking over to where Holly had been stored previously. The membrane latched onto him and he grimaced as he was pinned to the watch.

Vecna stroke his cheek softly. "Do not be afraid...it will all be over soon."

The last thing Oscar saw was one of those vines heading for his mouth.

~

It was startling, to say the least, when Nancy saw Holly fly down like a bullet from the sky of the Upside Down.

"NANCY!" She shrieked.

But at the last moment, she hovered, keeping her from going splat on the roof of the lab. She was lowered safely until she was in Nancy's arms.