003 ➳ stranger things [1]

Chapter 17: Death

Erin and Dustin walked out to the forest, leaving the group to bicker. They were careful to know where they were coming from, and made sure they couldn't hear voices from the house. They sat down, Erin sighing.

"What's wrong?" Dustin asked, sitting down next to her.

"This," Erin paused. "Everything."

"What do you mean?" Dustin looked at her, reading her face.

"I have this feeling," Erin looked at Dustin, then back into the forest. "It feels horrible. I feel like something is going to happen, like really bad."

"What do you feel in this feeling?"

"Death." A tear rolled down Erin's cheek, and she leaned her head onto Dustin's shoulder.

"Who?" Dustin asked.

"Cassidy." She took a deep breath, the tears started coming down more and more.

"Oh god, Erin." Dustin wrapped his arm around her.

"I know and it sucks that I can't do anything about it. She's my weakness."

"She's your weakness?"

"And I'm hers. Eleven's is Mike, Kali is her friends, Will's is Mike, Nancy, and Jonathan. His second family," Erin put her face into her hands. "God what if we all die." She sniffled, wooing her tears.

"You're not gonna die."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I just do." He said softly, bringing Erin closer.

She looked back at him, tears still falling. The two stared at each other for bit- it wasn't awkward. Just staring.

"Erin! Dustin!" Cassidy called, her voice echoed in the forest.

"We should probably answer her." Erin softly said.

"Yeah probably." Dustin nodded. The two stared at each other again, and they started to lean in.

"There you guys are." Cassidy said, relieved. The two pulled away quickly. "I've been calling you."

"Oh we didn't hear." Erin wiped her tears, and Dustin and her got up quickly. She walked away quickly, leaving Dustin and Cassidy.

"Was she crying?" Cassidy asked, stepping closer to him.

"Yeah she just talked about her problems and I comforted her." Dustin wiped the dirt of his hands.

"Why was she crying?" Cassidy stepped forward.

"Oh it's nothing." Dustin shrugged, stepping past her.

"What do you mean it's nothing?"

"I mean it's nothing."

The two walked side by side back to the cabin. They walked into Hopper and Joyce laying down blankets on the patio, talking with Kali. Mike and Eleven were talking, watching them. Lucas and Max were talking to Erin, probably about how Erin feels that Cassidy is going to die. Jonathan was comforting Will, The two walked past Nancy and Steve who were talking.

"Steve I don't know what to do." Nancy sighed.

"I can get a crib, and we can tell your mom together." Steve replied.

"No I mean about Jonathan. He's my boyfriend, Steve."

Cassidy and Dustin exchanged looks, Cassidy  confused and Dustin shrugged. Dustin left Cassidy's side, and walked off to Erin.

"You tell them yet?" Dustin asked, joining Erin's side.

"Tell us what?" Max leaned her head forward.

"I feel like," Erin looked up at Dustin. "Cassidy might die."

"What?" Max and Lucas asked together.

"She has this bad feeling." Dustin defended her.

"You're going off of a feeling?" Max asked, a little angry.

"If you felt it," Erin said with a strong voice. "You would know for sure." Erin said with a softer tone.

"So what does it feel like?" Lucas asked.

"What?" Erin asked.

"We wanna know if this is a big thing." Max nodded.

"It's like a darkness around your heart. Where you don't want it to be true, but it's true and you know it." Erin explained.

Kali was staring at Erin tell them, as Cassidy approached.

"Is it working?" Cassidy asked.

"Seems like it," Kali paused. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have to protect Erin." Cassidy nodded.

"By faking your death? You know she'll never forgive you." Kali looked down at her.

"Trust me. I know."

—

"Hey Cassidy if you wanna sleep in a bed tonight, I can sleep out here." Erin offered, as the moon shined on them.

"Sure. I don't mind." Cassidy shrugged.

"You sure?" Joyce asked. "You don't have to sleep out here with the boys."

"Joyce I don't mind. I think it's peaceful out here." Erin smiled.

"Nancy and Kali can sleep on the bed," Steve paused. "Jonathan and I could sleep on the floor." Jonathan and Steve exchanged glances, Jonathan nodding.

"Alright. Sleeping arrangements all sorted." Erin smiled.

"It's late, we all should go to bed," Hopper nodded. "We have a long couple of days ahead of us."

"Yeah no kidding." Erin's hand subtly grabbed Dustin's, then looking back at Hopper.