"Steve" Nancy called. Steve leaped up and faced her.
"Yeah ?"
" Don't you think Will is acting a bit weird around mike these days ?"
" Well.." A disappointment spread across his face. "Well, yeah."
"Aren't you supposed to keep an eye on the children?"
"Er- Yeah I am doing that. What do you think ? I guess Will is a lot like Robin. "
"What do you mean ?"
Steve straightened up and smoothed his hair. " She- likes girls"
"Oh." Nancy took some time to process this.
" Well I'll just go and look what those little jerks are doing."
Will was busy painting another potrait for mike perhaps. Eleven stepped into the room. "Hey Will, who's that for ?"
"Er - no one." Will awkwardly hid away the painting. "What do you want?"
"Er- nothing. Just Mike's sweatshirt which i borrowed."
"What would it be doing in MY ROOM?" Will's eyes widened.
" I don't know. You took it from my room, I saw it. i thought you put it in laundry."
"Er- yeah ofcourse i did. I'll give it to you after it's done, Okay?"
"Yeah, fine. By the way, Mike and I are going out . Do you wanna come too?"
"Where? Rink-o-mania?" said Will sarcastically.
"Don't be silly. We're in Hawkins now", she said angrily.
"Well..the wound was horrid but suited on Angela's face. "
"Nothing's more horrid than your HAIRCUT !!"
"HOW DARE YOU!"
"Oh, Lil Will is upset OVER HIS ACCIDENTAL CUT ...AND DIDN'T TELL HIS FRIENDS THAT THE BARBER FELL ASLEEP WHILE PRUNING HIS- "
"SHUT UP!!"
"Will! Eleven! What happened?" Mike had entered the room.
Silence.
"Just a sibling fight." Eleven spoke, then quickly smiled. "Where are we going, Mike?"
"I don't know yet. We can go anywhere we want. Steve wants us to get out of the house and get some fresh air.. he's been nagging since morning..i am tired. What do you think , Will?"
"What?" Will asked, shocked. His insides started to scream. He hadn't been listening all along.
"Where do you think we should go for some fresh air, huh?" Mike repeated.
"You choose. But I really want to go to some fields."
"Fine, then. I guess Steve will buy us some ice creams."
"Wait, Steve's coming too?" Eleven asked.
"Yeah, he said he wants to keep an eye on us, jerks. Bet Nancy told him to."
"Who else is coming?" Eleven asked disgusted.
"Dustin and Lucas."
"Yeah, Dustin needs some healing." Will said.
Eleven's expressions changed, so did Mike's. Dustin hadnt quiet talked to anyone after Eddie's death.
'He died for a town which hated him' he would angrily mutter. 'Jason died a dog's death..but still it wont bring Eddie back.
Mike, Will and Eleven approached Dustin, who was sitting on the sofa emotionless.
"Hey, Dustin. Bud, how about we go out a bit, huh?"
Dustin didnt reply. Mike sat down beside him and patted him sympathetically.
"Hey, this isnt you. We all lose someone ...but we need to get over it, bud. We are still here, we all can help you whenever you need, Okay?"
Steve appeared with his hands on his hips.
"Hey Henderson, You gotta leave that sofa and get out for some air, you hear me? Grieving wont bring someone back."
"Steve." Dustin spoke in a gloomy and unnatural voice. That was the first word he spoke in this week.
"Yes? Pray tell me."
"You got bitten by those bats, right ?"
"Um, yeah."
"Then why didnt it kill you?"
Steve looked shocked. He hesitated.
"I am thinking that Eddie's not dead either. He might be hurt badly, but he's alive." Dustin said.
No one knew what to say.
"Dustin, i really wish i could help you. But it didnt help max either." Eleven said in a low voice.
"I dont care. I will find him again. I am sure."
"Dustin, i am so sorry- "
"No. I am going back into that damn thing." He stood up.
"But, now? Its dangerous. Vecna's alive, dustin." Will said feeling goosebumps on the back of his neck.
"I dont care. I'll let him take me."
"Dont be stupid, Dustin. You're not going anywhere-" exclaimed Steve.
Dustin gave him a look.
"- without me"
Dustin's face shone. "Thank you."
"Wait, I dont understand it, Where will you two be going?" Mike said
"To rescue Eddie through the water gate perhaps." Steve said.
"Guys..just think. Eddie lost blood..he-he might not- ...an-and Vecna's still alive..he's hurt, but alive." Eleven stuttered.
"I dont care." Dustin said, unbothered, his face now filled with a new determination and hope.
"But why hadnt you thought this sooner"
"Because i was too busy grieving.. i havent given a thought about it."
Somewhere in the tangles of the wild slimy bushes, a similar world with no people in it some strange man-eating monsters...did i say 'eat' ? they gobble you up...and a wizard who wasn't destined to be there now turned into a slimy and squishy monster with tingles growing out of his body lives there..hurting every minute , but alive. He could destroy the world if he wanted to, with the help of the great mind flayer and someone new..no one 'knew'.
"EDDIE! EDDIE! WAKE UP! I DON'T LIKE THIS!" a similar panicked voice screamed through the silence.
Dustin who was sobbing hard, left him reluctantly knowing he was... gone and hurried towards the gate . After he left, Eddie moved his arm a bit, stood up and stared dreamily towards the surroundings, But he wasn't the same. He limped forwards and blood dripping from his mouth, his eyes deep red and the band still tied on his head...Said in a low chilly voice-
"WILL , I AM COMING FOR YOU"
"WILL! WILL! ARE YOU OKAY?"