Her head felt like it had been submerged under a torrent of water, the rushing in her ears was so loud. She stood, still staring at the ceiling, at the gate, at the space where he had been. Her heart was pounding so painfully she thought it would stop dead at any moment. Then she opened her mouth and the scream that came from her was something else, guttural, almost inhuman. Tearing her eyes away from the ceiling, from the noise of him throwing the trailer door open, she span on her heels. Dustin was shouting into the void.

"Dustin!" She cried, grabbing hold of him firmly. "Help me."

Nat let him go and turned to the kitchen table, grabbing one of the chairs from underneath it. She dragged it quickly to the centre of the room, right below the gate. She'd have to jump for it, she could make it, she would make it. "Hold it steady." She commanded and Dustin did as he was told.

Nat took four large steps back, tears had begun to leave tracks on her face, she had to get to him, she would get to him. She ran. Four quick strides, leaping up onto the seat then pushing herself up off the back of the chair. She hit the gate with a thud, arms wrapped over the edge, she kicked her legs and then heaved, heaved with everything she had in her. She tumbled over herself, landing with a crash on the mattress below her, her shoulder whimpered at the impact.

She grunted, pushing herself up. "Go!" Dustin called to her, "Go! I'll make it!" Nat looked back at him briefly before grabbing the shield and spear from the floor.

The door slammed aside as she threw herself against it, bursting out onto the steps she stumbled forward momentarily before regaining her balance. "Eddie!" she screamed into the dark. To her left, the sickening call of the Demobats gave away their pursuit, she didn't hesitate, she just ran. Her lungs burned as she gave chase, not caring whether she touched any of the vines now, not caring if the cries that came from her alerted anything to where she was. The cloud was swarming in the distance, and through it all she could just make him out amongst the clash of their wings. He stood, strong, defiant, spear and shield held aloft, teeth bared. "Eddie!" If her cry reached him, he did not show it.

"Come get me you sons of bitches!"

They were upon him in an instant. Nat cried out as she drew closer to them, to him. He held strong as they unleashed themselves on him. The bangs of flesh against metal popped loud in Nat's ears. She was calling for him, pleading for him just to hold on. I'm coming. Just hold on. As she reached the edge of the swarm, her lungs burning, she watched in agony as a Demobat latched its tail around Eddie's neck, pulling him off balance. He choked out a cry as he fell back.

Nat cried out, a vicious warrior snarl echoing from her throat as she burst into their ranks. She didn't think, she didn't stop, she went straight for the bat at Eddie's throat. She swung her shield in a high arc, the creature barely having time to hiss at her as the spikes of the shield collided with its flesh in a deafening crunch. The tail released and Nat followed through with her spear slashing as she screamed. She didn't look back at Eddie, she couldn't afford to, she had to focus now, focus on keeping those things away from them. She swung and stabbed and beat and crashed, each connection making her arms ache. Nat saw a brief movement behind her, then felt the leather jacket press up against her back, she let out a small sigh of relief and pressed herself back too, grounding herself. She gripped her makeshift sword and spear harder, grinding her teeth. The Demobats continued their sickening dance macabre, spinning and spinning around them, swooping and launching down at them, teeth and tails snapping and crashing. Nat growled as she missed an oncoming swoop, allowing talons to connect with her arm before butting the end of the spear into the assailant's mutilated head. She felt the warm trickle of blood curdle into the sleeve of her hellfire shirt. She could hear Eddie panting breathlessly behind her, swinging his weapons wildly, cursing at every blow. Nat's head swept from side to side, trying desperately to predict the oncoming attacks as if the swarm was somehow coordinated. One from the right, one from above, one from the left… Above, right, left, right, above. Her shoulders burned with exhaustion, they needed to move, to get free of this swarm.

"Eddie! Nat!" Nat snapped her head round at Dustin's call, he was limping desperately towards them, using the spear as a crutch. His voice was pained, desperate.

"Oh God," Nat whispered, he'd be overwhelmed… Nat watched him a split second too long and cried out as her arm was torn to the side, the spear flinging from her grasp. The tail twisted around her wrist, causing her to lurch forward, away from Eddie, off balance, she swung her shield out wildly.

The second collided with her shoulder in an impact that sent her spinning to the floor, shield clattering beside her. She grabbed it, flinging it manically over her head to intercept the third swoop. A second tail closed around the wrist of the hand that held the shield, pulling it up high over her head.

"Nat!" She kicked her foot out at the creature that landed by her feet, connecting with a sickening crunch. Pulling her arms desperately towards her she caught sight of Eddie, he was calling for her like a man possessed. The bats had continued their swarm, forming a partial wall between them. Through the gaps in their wings she could see the pain and desperation in his face. It burnt when the first creature bit into her side.

Thrashing desperately, Nat screamed. Her arms were splayed helplessly above her as she kicked and kicked at the bats that landed near her legs. She heard the tearing of her flesh before she felt it, chunks of her Hellfire shirt being torn with it. Talons slashed at her legs, tearing her jeans, blood began to pour. Her breath came out in ragged gasps between her screams.

A tail lashed around her leg. "Nat!"

Another bat tore into her hip. "Nat!"

This was it. "Nat! Just hold on, I'm coming!"

The Demobat that landed on her chest dug its talons in so deep it felt like it would rip her heart from her chest. Nat's vision blackened at the edges, but she screamed and screamed, throat raw.

"Eddie!" Her eyes were searching desperately for him as she thrashed, everything was on fire. The sounds in her ears were muffled, far away. The sky was nothing but the swarm, blackness and fear, crashing around her. Then there was thudding, dull… sharp screeching… pain.

She barely registered her arms hitting the ground, the burning was raging throughout her. Somewhere along the line she'd stopped screaming, her breath was hitching, ragged in her throat. Red flashed across the sky in place of the missing swarm.

"Nat!" His face swam before her, his hands on her face. "Oh my god… shit. Nat? Nat you gotta talk to me."

She whimpered as he put his arm under her, pulling her up onto his lap. "Hey…" She whispered weakly, trying to smile through small gasps.

"Hey… hey, you're okay." His face was pained, the dirt streaked across it split by tear tracks. "You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be fine, okay?" Nat grimaced, reaching her hand up to press it to his cheek. Eddie looked up briefly. "Dustin!" He called, "Call for help!" Eddie looked back at her, she was heaving in breaths now.

"I'm- I'm saying… the word." She choked out, trying to laugh.

"Okay…" Eddie said, his voice raw. "Me too… We're done, okay. It's all over now."

"Eddie…" She blinked slow, she was so tired.

"Yeah?"

"D-Don't blame yourself…" She stuttered, closing her eyes a little longer this time. "Do it for me. Please." She heard the crackle of the walkie and Dustin's faint call into it.

"Nat…" He shook her gently, she opened her eyes again and looked at him, though everything was blurred. "You gotta stay with me okay? You gotta stay with me cause I-" He took in a shuddering breath. "I can't do this without you… okay? I need you. I need you Nat, I- I… I love you… And you can't leave me now, I won't let you… okay?"

The burning inside her was dull now, she couldn't feel anything, she could barely see him… I love you. She smiled, "Ditto…" She breathed, her hand falling from his cheek.

"Nat… Nat- No, no, no, no. Natalie!"