More Than The Upside Down - An IT (2017) & Stranger Things Crossover

Contacting Will

Eddie

Inside the room to the AV Club, it was darkness would have enveloped them if it wasn't for a spare light bulb that hung onto its wires for dear life. It felt hollow and cold, like a cemetery would. And the room was so small it made Eddie's chest feel tight, constricting his breathing. He fumbled for his inhaler in his pockets, but then remembered that it was empty. As Eleven sat in the chair near the radios and the boys surrounded her, Eddie reached for Richie's arm.

Instead, he grabbed onto Richie's hand. Eddie pulled away in a hurry, hoping Richie hadn't noticed but he unfortunately had. He could feel a blush begin to blossom on his face and he tried his hardest to conceal it from his friend. That didn't seem to be what Richie was focusing on though.

Richie pushed his glasses further up his face, his eyes wide with worry, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Eddie lied, although he could hear the wheeze come out.

His chest grew tighter as he struggled to breathe properly. Eddie's thoughts were overruled by Oh shit I can't breathe, Oh shit I can't breathe as he began to feel light headed. Richie must have seen Eddie's thoughts written on his face because he gently grabbed his arm.

"Fight it," He whispered to his friend. "I know you can do it."

Eddie nodded and tried to take deep breaths. Richie rubbed his arm encouragingly which caused him to feel soothed and happy. He could feel his chest begin to lighten up and he smiled at his friend.

Eddie thanked his friend with as much gratitude as he could put into one word.

"No problem skipper," Richie grinned back in his terrible English accent. "Just remember to breathe next time, it's something every human being does."

He cringed at this, "Oh my god, can you please stop with the fucking accent?"

"No can do, Eds. I've got to keep my voices in order to improve them."

"Well can you do that in private? I swear to God you make my ears bleed every-fucking-time you use them." Eddie bickered.

Richie gently grabbed his head and peered at Eddie's ears, "I don't see any blood-"

"Can you guys stop fighting for one second and shut up?" Dustin interrupted, helping Mike adjust the radios.

Richie and Eddie apologised in union, "Sorry."

The all stood around Eleven in silence, waiting. At first, only static blurred out of the radios with other noises flickering in and out occasionally.

Breaking the silence, Mike declared excitedly, "She's doing it. She's finding him!"

Eddie frowned in confusion as he couldn't hear anything, but he didn't say anything as well.

"This is crazy," Dustin blurted out in reply.

Lucas sighed, "Calm down, she just closed her eyes."

The light flickered out, causing Stan and Eddie to yelp in surprise. Eddie felt Richie grab onto his arm again nervously and this time he didn't fight the giddiness and warmth that spread throughout his chest. In fact, he embraced it. And besides, he was too busy trying to calm his racing heart that pumped nervously in his chest.

The static was interrupted by sharp bangs, causing Eddie to jump. He felt Richie grasp his arm tighter, attempting to calm his friend. They all leaned in closer to the radios curiously.

"What is that?" Dustin asked calmly.

How could somebody remain so calm to what we're hearing? Eddie thought.

"I don't know but it sounds fucking insane to me," Stan replied, his voice shaking.

Eddie couldn't help but side with Stan on this one.

"Mum?" A boy's voice broke through the static.

Lucas gasped, "No way!"

"WILL!" Mike screamed into the microphone beside him.

"Will it's us! Are you there?" Lucas joined in.

Eddie's heart began to pound faster as he felt goosebumps rise on his neck and his palms become sweaty. Mike, Dustin and Lucas kept on calling out into the microphone, a tone of desperation all similarly in their voices. Eddie wanted to call out as well, but knew that it would both distract and confuse Will.

"Hello?" The voice cried out desperately. "Hello?"

Lucas glanced Mike, "Why can't he hear us?"

Mike shrugged with a panicky rush, "I don't know!"

Eddie's heart broke at seeing the pain on their faces and pleading in their voices. It was how Bill first reacted when he told Eddie that Georgie was missing. Eddie could still hear Bill's voice break from saying the words: "I just want him back so badly."

Seeing that same expression on the boys' faces made him determined to help them find their friend even more than before.

"It's so cold! And it's so dark!" The voice cried out even louder. "It's so dark! It has me and it's so cold!"

Eddie saw Lucas's eyes begin to fill with tears and his own eyes couldn't help but do the same. So much pain in such a short amount of time, he thought, I wonder how they've all survived it.

The connection was cut out with a final scream as the main radio erupted into a shower of sparks, causing a small fire to follow. The group jumped back in fright as the lights flew back on and the school's fire alarm began to ring. Dustin grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the blaze.

The smell of smoke and melting metal emerged like a sinister mist in the room. Mike and Lucas checked to see if Eleven was okay, but Eddie doubted it. She was a sickly pale and the blood pouring from her nose was much thicker than usual. They all helped her up and ushered out of the school, but not without those screams and cries echoing in Eddie's mind.