𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘴 ~ 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine:
Fifty-Nine
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Tiredness racked Ramona's body, embedding itself deep in her bones. Her joints burned and ached, crying and screaming at her for a break. A moment where she didn't have to strain herself. Where she didn't have to use the energy she didn't even have. It was almost shocking to Ramona. Shocking that her body hadn't collapsed from exhaustion.

"Now!" Lucas' voice echoed throughout the wrecked mall. Ramona huffed, using all of her remaining strength to launch her lit firework over the railing. 

"Hey, asshole! Over here!" Steve grunted, tossing the lit firework over the railing and at the monster.

"Joder tú." Ramona felt her muscles clench as her knees gave out, her body crumpling to the floor.

"Ramona!"Steve's voice echoed around the mall, his voice bounced off of the glass that remained intact. He dropped to his knees, pulling the girl into his lap as he forced her to look at him. The rest of the group looked down at her, worry swirling in their eyes as they watched. "Are you okay?"

Ramona nodded her head slowly, "Yeah... Just a little dizzy. I can get up, don't worry."

"No." Steve scolded, his voice barely audible over the booming fireworks. "Stay down. You're too weak to do anything now. Got it?"

"No." Ramona said, a fire in her eyes as she weakly pushed him away, using the railing to pull herself to her feet. "I-I can do this.."

"Are you serious? You're gonna get yourself killed!" Steve rolled his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"Fuck off, Harrington." Ramona spared him a glance, taking another firework from Lucas's hands and launching it towards the creature. Steve paid no mind to these comments, dropping to his knees beside the fireworks.

"We're almost out!" Steve yelled, panic evident in his tone.

"I know!" Lucas answered, tossing another one, one that barely missed hitting Ramona.

"Hey!" Steve shouted, knocking the boy back. "Watch it."

"You watch it!" Lucas shouted back, gesturing to the baskets with a measly three fireworks left.

"Dustin!" Steve rose the radio to his lips, "We're out of time."

Ramona coughed, tightening her grip on the railing to steady herself. Her chest burned and her muscles ached as the fireworks boomed around her. She focused on steadying herself, keeping herself upright as to not add to the burden on her friends.

"We're out!" Will cried, his voice cracking with panic.

"Damnit!" Lucas stopped, his eyes focusing on the creature who continued to roar over Eleven and Billy.

Ramona's eyes opened just in time to see Billy stand from Eleven, only to march forward to stand in front of her. This time was different, Ramona noticed. He stood protectively in front of her, his arms crossed in front of him, preventing an arm from getting to her. Billy's yells echoed around the mall as arms grew from the creature, embedding themselves in his torso and chest. 

Tears pricked in Ramona's eyes at the sound of Max's horrified scream from the sight of Billy's body collapsing to the floor. Ramona flinched, stumbling back into Steve as the monster suddenly began to writhe and wail in pain, crashing onto the railing she stood beside.

Steve's arms wrapped protectively around her waist, his hand finding it's way to her head as he hid her face in his chest. His breathing became heavy as it crashed to the ground, dead. "Holy shit.."

Ramona's arms slid around Steve's torso as hundreds of army men and women flooded the mall. Yet, at the same time, a sense of relief washed over her. It was all over. It was all finally over.

~~

Black smoke blocked the sky from sight as Ramona shivered as the paramedic wrapped the blanket tighter around her body. Police, firetruck, and ambulance sirens filled her ears, echoing around her brain as the rain poured down."You'll be transferred to the hospital once your mother arrives, okay, dear?"

Ramona nodded weakly, her eyes searching for Steve subconsciously. The words he spoke barely registering in her head as he walked away to attend to the others that had been hurt. A weak smile spread across her features as she spotted him, running towards her.

"Steve!" She was barely able to get the word out before she was engulfed in his arms. He buried his face in her neck, tears slipping down his face as he rocked her gently back and forth.

"I'm sorry." He blurted, pulling away and moving his hands to cup her cheeks, "I'm so fucking sorry for being such an asshole."

"I'm sorry too." Ramona whispered, smiling tearfully at him as her arms rested around his neck. Steve sighed, resting his forehead against hers momentarily before making the move to close the gap. A contented sigh left her lips and her eyes fluttered shut, her hand grabbing a fistful of the fabric of the shirt he wore. 

What felt like a short time later, Steve pulled away, his hand instinctively tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You look beautiful, even covered in blood.. and vomit.. and whatever that is."

"Quite the charmer." Ramona laughed, rolling her eyes as Steve moved to sit beside her in the ambulance. Steve nodded his head, going to say something before he was cut off by a motherly voice.

"Mi amour!" Ramona's mother cried, dropping her purse and rushing towards her daughter who sat in the ambulance, barely keeping her eyes open. Hearing her mom's voice caused her back to straighten and her head to raise. Tears pricked in both women's eyes as Ramona stood, the blanket slipping off of her shoulders and crumpling to a heap on the concrete.

"Mom!" Ramona crashed into her mother's arms, gripping the fabric of her dress in fistfuls. "Mom.."

"I love you," Her mom whispered, burying her face in her daughter's hair. "I love you so much.. No vuelvas a hacer eso nunca más."

"¡Lo siento mucho! ¡Lo siento mucho!" Ramona whimpered as she and her mother sank to their knees, tears pouring down each of their faces.

"I love you so much." She repeated, peppering her daughter's face in kisses. "Okay?"

"I love you, too." Ramona whimpered, pulling her mom closer. 

"You're grounded until you're sixty." She whispered, cradling her daughter's head close.

"Mom!" Ramona whined, pulling away and shooting her a glare.

"Okay, okay, fine." She relented, a smile finding its way onto her lips. "Fifty-nine."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

{ A/n; yeesh its been a HOT minute, so im a lil rusty so i hope this isnt bad. i started school two weeks ago! also the last chapter is next. :( }

{ Translations: fuck you, I'm so sorry x2, don't you ever do that again }

{ Edited: No }