Dusk fell, and for the fifth time they went over the plan.
Now they drove in silence, and dropped Max, Lucas, and Erica off at the Creel house. Steve wouldn't admit it, but he had a funny feeling about having them go off on their own. Driving to the woods, outside of the trailer park, Steve gripped the wheel, as Eddie sat in the passenger seat, gripping the spear they had made. He had put his black bandana on, and left his vest on the table behind them. He shrugged on a green vest they had gotten at the store, and put on another belt. Steve had eyed him, and hated that they were splitting up. He knew he was perfectly capable, but he still hated the idea of him and Henderson being alone. Flashes of those bats attacking him. His sides still stung, and were very tender. Eddie already had a plan on what Dustin and him were going to use to barricade the trailer. Steve kept reminding him to make sure every window and door was covered up, no taking chances. Eddie promised, before Steve glanced over at him and smirked.
"What song are you gonna play?'
Eddie looked ahead through the windshield at the golden sunset slowly setting over the hills.
"Master of Puppets. I think that's pretty badass. What do you think?"
Steve remembered not so long ago, laying in his bedroom in the trailer, watching him practice, holding that ruby and black guitar, and instantly falling in love. Steve softly smiled and glanced over at him. He met his eyes.
"I love that."
Eddie smiled, as Steve took the turn down a dark farm road to park. The sky was darkeing quickly, and they didn't have much time. Once they parked, Nancy went over the plan yet again. They all snuck back to Eddie's trailer. Eddie quickly plugged in his amps, and guitar to make sure they would work in the upside down. They stood in Eddie's trailer, where the sheet rope still hung. Steve volunteered to go first. Grabbing hold of the sheet, he pulled himself up, before Eddie patted his back before he pulled himself up.
"Be careful."
Steve smirked, before he pulled himself up, instantly feeling the suction of gravity, making him flip upside down and land on his feet. He looked up at Robin and Nancy watching, before going to drag a mattress. One by one they climbed, landing on the mattress, and tossing their supplies in. They all stood, gathering everything, before heading outside. Steve's heart pounded and he thought of Billy. Not at Starcourt when he rammed the car into his, or trying to drag his body away. Not him covered in what looked like black blood, laying lifeless on the mall's floor as it slowly burned down. No, he thought of the last time he truly saw him. In his driveway, frantic, and angry. He hated that this was the last time they truly spoke, thinking of him begging to leave. He knew he should have just listened to him, hold him, tell him this wasn't the way, and then get him to grab his stuff, and just leave with him.
They all reached outside, when Steve got the strangest feeling in the pit of his stomach. He turned, looking at Dustin and Eddie and explained the rules of the plan again. Telling them not to be a hero or try to be cute. Eddie smirked and motioned to him and Dustin.
"Don't worry Steve...look at us...we are not heroes."
This broke Steve's heart, when he thought of what Robin said. He was the first to jump into the water when he was dragged down the other night. Stepping forward, he looked at Eddie, and gulped. Not caring that everyone was looking, he gently slipped his hand up against his cheek, and pulled him in close.
"You come back to me. Remember, we're leaving this place."
Eddie nodded, before they kissed. It was a quick, short one, but it gave Steve the courage to pull away and leave him. He sadly smiled, turned, and that's when Eddie called him back. Turning. Steve looked. Eddie sighed.
"Steve? Make him pay."
Steve nodded, before turning with the girls.
Later...
Eddie stood on the roof of his trailer. Dustin and him had boarded it all up with wood, pieces of chain link fence, and whatever else they could find. They had worked quickly, and Dustin was believe it or not a huge help, getting the heavy amps and cords up top. Eddie stood with his guitar, the one he had saved up after many drug exchanges, and finally bought just last year. The same guitar he played with whenever he was on stage at the Hangout. It was one of the few nice things he actually owned, and he had nicknamed it his sweetheart. Holding it, he looked at the strange blue sky, as red lightning flashed before his eyes. Dustin gave him the signal, and Eddie stood gripping the neck of it, and gazed out thinking of everything. At this exact moment...all he could think about was his future husband and his beautiful brown eyes.
"Steve...this is for you."
He struck the strings and music roared to life as he played like there was no tomorrow.
Later...
Venca was gone. Just like Michael Myers, when they walked out of the Creel house, they stared down seeing the grass burnt. They all looked at each other, not knowing if they had killed him or not. When the tentacles were strangling them, pinning them to the wall...all Eddie could think about was that he wasn't going to ever see Eddie again. When they were magically released, they slowly crept up to the attic, and found what Steve truly believed was the devil. They lit the cocktails, throwing them, as Nancy fired her shotgun. He ended up screaming, lit on fire as he crashed through the boarded up window. When they came downstairs, they didn't know if they had killed him, or simply injured him. All they knew was that he was gone. They all stood puzzled, when suddenly the ground began to shake. They held onto each other, screaming before finally it suddenly stopped. That's when they all looked at each other, and Nancy's eyes wide.
"Max..."
Instantly they started running down the road towards the trailer park. It was almost right down the road from there, and suddenly Steve felt the sudden urge that something was wrong, very wrong...and they needed to hurry. Robin and Nancy cried after him to slow down, but he didn't care. His legs pumped as he ran as fast as he could, then saw the trailer's park sign. He ran to the top of the hill, leading into it when he froze. There were hundreds of dead bats lying lifeless on the ground. Laying in the middle of it, was Dustin holding onto Eddie, who was laying down. Steve's eyes widened, and instantly he thought of Billy's lifeless body, bloody and laying on the floor of Starcourt. His stomach dropped, and his heart seemed to seize up. as he took off running as fast as he could. Skidding, tripping over several dead bats, he fell forward as Dustin looked up, sobbing.
"The bats started getting inside! He knew they were gonna get through the gate, and he led them away...then they all dropped dead!"
Robin was suddenly there, holding Dustin, leading him away from Eddie, as Steve carefully gathered Eddie into his arms. It was bad...really bad. His Hellfire shirt was soaked with blood, along with his jeans, side of his face, hands, and throat. Weak blood pulsed out of it, as Eddie stared up at Steve, his eyes filled with tears as blood trickled from his nostrils, and mouth.
"S...S..Steve?"
He asked, looking up at him. He was pale...too pale. Steve held him tight, unaware that he was crying.
"Eddie, it's okay. We're gonna get you some help. It's okay. I'm here..."
Steve tried to gather Eddie in his arms to pick him up, but he stiffened, and cried out.
"Just give me a second..."
He said, struggling with his words. A raspy wet liquid sound seemed to come from his throat. Steve sat there, holding him, before he leaned down and gently kissed Eddie's forehead, gently rocking him back and forth. "
I...didn't run away this time!"
Eddie said, struggling with tears. He stared up at Steve, who's own tears were rolling down his face.
"No...you didn't run away this time."
He leaned down and kissed Eddie's head again. Looking down at him, he felt his heart begin to ache, knowing it was happening again.
"I guess...I'm gonna finally graduate. Cuz...it's finally my year huh?"
Steve held him tighter, as Eddie gazed up at him, tears spilling from his dark eyes.
"I love you Steve." Steve sobbed, and nodded sniffling.
"I love you too Eddie."
Eddie stared up at Steve, when suddenly his body seemed to shiver for a second, and his head tilted to the side, as those dark eyes blankly stared off...now no longer with any life in them. It happened again. Steve sat there, with the love of his life dead in his arms. Steve stared down in disbelief as he gave Eddie a hard shake.
"EDDIE?!"
He cried. Eddie continued staring off, his eyes blank.
"EDDIE PLEASE! WAKE UP! PLEASE!"
Nancy was suddenly there, holding him as Steve's face crumpled up. Clutching Eddie's lifeless body, he broke down. Eddie's body laid there in Steve's arms, as Steve buried his face against his now dead fiance'. Billy was right...he was cursed.
Later...
After what seemed like forever, they knew they had to cross over. The gates were ripped open wide, but they were still open. Steve struggled, but picked up Eddie's dead body, gently closing his eyes, and clutching him to his chest. Dustin was a complete wreck, as the girls helped him. They entered the destroyed trailer, before Steve looked up, face pale, and tears running down his face. They all carefully climbed up, before they entered the real world.
Later...
They ventured to the field, knowing once they entered that a massive earthquake had struck Hawkins. There were ambulances, and fire trucks parked, evacuating everyone. They went into the field, into the opposite direction towards the dark field. Finally, they reached it, and Steve collapsed, holding Eddie, completely exhausted. He knew he was in shock, and kneeling there, with Eddie's dead body, he gazed up at the moon. Nancy spoke flatly that they needed to get to the Creel house, that something must have gone wrong. They had failed. Nancy then looked down at Steve, holding Eddie's body, nuzzling it, and staring blankly when she cleared her throat.
"We should bury him. He can't be found."
Dustin, who was still crying, looked up at Nancy as if she was crazy.
"WHAT?!"
"Something happened, we know that...he's still wanted. Look at him, he's covered in those bites. He can't be found guys..."
"SO WHAT? JUST HIDE HIM IN THE GROUND?!"
Dustin screamed. Steve then spoke, in a flat tone, staring out into the dark field.
"She's right."
Robin and Dustin looked at him, as Steve softly stroked Eddie's hair.
Later...
They found a shovel leaning against a trailer. Robin, Nancy, and Steve dug a deep grave in the middle of the field, before the four of them all stood there, before Steve carefully laid Eddie down into the rich dark soil. Moonlight shone down, as in the distance they heard sirens. Steve knelt down, working as if he was a robot. He leaned down, before brushing some of Eddie's hair away from his face, not understanding what went wrong. Why wasn't he there when this happened? Why did he get attacked and live, while Eddie died? None of it made sense. Taking a deep breath, he gently cupped the side of Eddie's face, before he leaned down and gently kissed Eddie's already cold feeling lips. Leaning down, he kissed him, tears running down his face.
"I'm...sorry." He softly whispered. He saw, danging out of Eddie's vest's pocket as his necklace with his lucky guitar pick.
He slid it into his own pocket, before he gently folded Eddie's hands, picking one cooling one up, and kissing the bloody bit fingers.
"I'm sorry..."
He said again, looking at the silver engagement ring. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, taking the shovel, and began filling the grave. He ignored how Eddie looked as he continued tossing soil onto him, slowly covering him up. The others tried to help, but Steve would pull away, on the verge of fighting whenever they tried to take the shovel from him, and try to tell him to slow down. Before Steve knew it, the grave was filled. He patted it down, spreading the dirt around so you couldn't tell anything was buried there. He stood back, handing the shovel to Robin, before he turned his hands over, and looked at his filthy blistered covered hands. He then spotted it, laying in the grass. Nancy had brought it back, and he knew it was loaded.
Not saying a word, he stepped forward, and picked up the rifle. He closed his eyes, hoping in just seconds he would be with Eddie, placing the sawed off barrel underneath his chin. His fingers went to squeeze on the trigger when he felt the gun get ripped away from him, making him nearly stumble. He opened his eyes, and saw Robin standing there, holding the gun, and sobbing.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TAKE THE COWARD'S WAY OUT! AFTER EDDIE GAVE HIS LIFE UP FOR ALL OF US...YOU ARE TRYING TO FUCKING TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT!"
She screamed. He had never seen her so angry before. Tears were running down her face, as she held the rifle. She threw the gun far away into the grass. Steve swayed, the shock and reality that Eddie had died hitting him. He swayed, feeling as if he was about to pass out. Instead, his knees buckled, and he fell. Robin grabbed him, as he fell forward. The two fell to the ground hard, before Steve eyed the grave, knowing Eddie was beneath the ground, just like Billy...gone. His face crumpled, before he lost it. Sobbing, he broke down saying he was sorry over and over again in Robin's arms, as the two of them sobbed beneath the moonlight.
Billy was right...he really was cursed.