[32]

"Eddie!" Nick and Dustin's voices chorused in Lily's ears as they continued to yell after him, their voices sounding as if they were underwater as the blood began to pound in her ears. "Eddie, come back here! Eddie!"

Lily quickly scanned the room, searching for anything she could use to boost herself back through the gate when her eyes landed on a chair sitting next to the kitchen table. "Move the mattress," she said, reaching down to pick up the chair.

"What?" Nick asked, her eyebrows furrowing together in confusion.

"Move the mattress!" Lily shouted, and Dustin quickly leaned down, turning the mattress over so it now rested against the couch on the side of the wall, clearing the space below the gate.

"Lily, what are you doing?" Dustin asked as she placed the chair on the floor, the younger boy watching her uneasily.

"I'm going after him!" Lily said adamantly, her gaze moving from the chair to the gate as she tried to gauge the distance between the two. "I can't leave him alone in there. We promised we wouldn't get separated again, and I'm not going to start now. If I jump, I think I can make it."

Lily took a few steps back, her eyes still glued on the gate spreading over the ceiling of Eddie's trailer. It was a steep jump to get to the gravity on the other side of the gate, and she knew it was a slim chance, but in order to help Eddie she knew it was a risk she needed to take. She took a deep breath, breaking into a running start before jumping onto the chair to use as leverage to boost herself into the air, desperately grasping for purchase on the edges of the gate.

Her hands managed to find a hold on the side of the gate, and she tried to raise herself upwards as much as she could, feeling the familiar tug of the shifting gravity as her body moved from the atmosphere of the real world below to that of the Upside Down. She held on tightly to the gate as her legs toppled out from above her, her muscles straining as she fought the instinct to let go without a mattress below her to break her fall. As soon as she managed to steady herself, she let go, dropping to the floor in a crouch and instantly reaching for where she'd abandoned her spear and shield only a few minutes before in their desperate escape out of the Upside Down.

Never did she ever think she'd be trying so hard to get back inside the demonic hellscape after the night they'd had trying so desperately to escape.

Lily could hear Dustin and Nick now calling after her as she raced for the trailer door, throwing it open as a loud burst of thunder boomed in the sky, a bright flash of red lightning illuminating the outside to where the swarm of bats could be heard in the distance, though the outside of the trailer now sat empty, devoid of any of the winged creatures. She followed the sounds of their screeches, desperate for a glimpse of shaggy dark hair and to see that Eddie was still alright.

"Eddie?" Lily called out as she searched around desperately, running down the gravel road that led away from either of their trailers and following the sounds of the bats. "Eddie, where are you?"

Lily rounded the corner at the edge of the road, coming to a halt as her knees began to buckle at the sight before her. In the distance, she could see the swarm of bats moving in a circle, spiraling down to where Eddie stood at the center, brandishing his spear and shield. One by one, they attempted to dive down at him, but he moved quickly, deflecting their attacks with his shield and sending them back into the spiral, rejoining the ranks with the rest of the demonic creatures.

A scream escaped from Lily as a tentacle shot out from one of the bats, wrapping around Eddie's throat and forcing him to his knees as it began to cut off his air supply. As he dropped his weapons onto the dusty earth below, another small swarm charged at him, knocking his legs out from under him as one by one, their tentacles wrapped around each of his limbs, pinning him to the ground below as he fought to get free, though it was to no avail as the bats kept a tight hold on him.

"Lily!" Nick's voice sounded from behind her, and she turned to see Nick rounding the corner with Dustin in tow, the two of them moving slowly as Dustin walked with a limp, holding onto his spear for extra support. The two of them looked around frantically, though they hadn't seemed to find Eddie yet. "Lily, where is he? Where's Eddie?"

Eddie's screams began to pierce through the darkness as he started to cry out in pain, and Lily turned back to where the swarm still hovered over him, a number of bats now covering his body. At the sight of him, Nick gasped, Dustin beginning to scream the boy's name as they could only watch, a feeling of helplessness settling over the three of them.

Lily wasn't sure when she began to run, her legs moving involuntarily as she willed herself to move faster, to bring herself closer to Eddie as he continued to scream, to do something, anything to lessen his pain. The edge of the trailer park grew closer and closer, though the swarm still continued to spiral around him, guarding him from anyone on the outside. She gripped her spear tighter, bracing herself as she ran through the field and the bats on the outside of the swarm grew closer, a few screeching louder as they began to take notice of the newcomer.

However, she was only a few feet away from the swarm when the screeching cut off sharply, a deafening silence cutting through the air as the bats suddenly dropped to the ground, hitting the pavement in a myriad of dull thuds as they all crashed around where Eddie lay. She quickly moved around the dying bats, not daring to question what seemed like a miracle in that moment and only stopping when she stood in front of Eddie, tears springing to her eyes as she studied the sight in front of her.

Eddie lay on the pavement, his right leg bent at an awkward angle as he stared up at the black and red sky above them, struggling to keep his breathing even. His Hellfire Club shirt lay in tatters as blood began to seep through the white fabric, his skin shredded from the claws and teeth of the Demobats, beginning at his neck and raking down his body. His skin was ghostly pale, and when his gaze finally moved from the sky to where Lily stood above him, his eyes were glassed over with unshed tears. As he began to cough, a small spray of blood escaped from his mouth, staining his lips and dripping down to his chin.

"Eddie," Lily's voice came out in a broken whisper as she quickly knelt down next to the boy, pulling him into her arms as he began to groan in pain. "It's alright, I've got you. Eyes on me though, okay? Stay with me."

"Eddie, you idiot!" Nick yelled as she dropped down next to them, with Dustin close behind her. "What were you thinking?"

"Oh God, Eddie," Dustin breathed, his eyes raking over the older boy's injuries.

"Bad, huh?" Eddie croaked, a defeated expression crossing his face.

"No, no no no, you're gonna be fine." Dustin insisted. "We've just gotta get you to a hospital, okay?"

"Okay," he said in a small voice, and Lily exchanged a glance with Nick and Dustin, nodding as they began to help him up.

Lily slowly pushed the boy up into a sitting position as Nick and Dustin each grabbed one of his arms, attempting to hoist him to his feet. He'd barely sat up when he began to cry out in pain, slumping back against Lily as his breathing became shallower, fighting to keep his eyes open. It wasn't hard to see how much pain the boy was in, but she also knew they were running out of time if they didn't keep going.

"Come on," Dustin said.

"You're almost there," Nick added. "You can do this."

"I think I just..." Eddie trailed off, trying to catch his breath. "I think I just need a second, okay?"

"Okay," Lily sighed as he leaned back in her arms, a sad smile crossing his face as he looked up at her. "But just a second. And your eyes stay open, alright Munson?"

Eddie smiled wider, tears beginning to fall from his eyes as his gaze moved between the three of them. "I didn't run away this time, right?" he asked.

Lily felt a sharp pain as her heart lurched at his words, and she sniffled as she shook her head, reaching down to wipe a tear from his eye and pressing a soft kiss on his forehead. "No," she said, her voice cracking as she looked into his eyes. "You did so good, honey."

"You didn't run," Dustin assured him, tears freely falling from the younger boy's eyes.

"You're gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay?" Eddie asked, his eyes training on Dustin as he struggled to get the words out.

"Eddie," Nick warned, reaching out to take her older brother's hand.

"No," Dustin said adamantly, shaking his head. "No, you're gonna do that yourself."

"Nah, man," Eddie said. "Say 'I'm gonna look after them.'" Lily looked over at Dustin as he began to cry harder, avoiding Eddie's gaze. "Say it." Eddie repeated.

"I'm..." Dustin trailed off as his voice began to crack. "I'm gonna look after them."

"Good," Eddie said with a smile. "'Cause I'm actually gonna graduate. I think it's my year. I think it's finally my year. Nick and Lily will be right up there on that stage with me, right?" he asked, looking back over at the two girls.

"Of course we will," Nick assured her older brother. "We just need to get you up on that stage first."

"You need to look after Uncle Wayne," Eddie said, looking up at Nick. "You're all he has."

"No I'm not," she sniffled, shaking her head. "He's got you too, you idiot. You're not leaving us alone."

"We have to get you back, Eds." Lily said. "Don't forget we have a date, remember?" Tears fell faster as she spoke, but she kept a smile on her face as he looked up at her. "You're taking me to the arcade and then we're going for pizza and a milkshake. I'll even let you pick the games, but we just need to get you there first, okay?"

Eddie smiled softly up at Lily, reaching a hand up to stroke her cheek before letting it fall back down to his side. "I'm sorry I let the timer go off." he said before his eyes slowly fell shut, the boy lying motionless in Lily's arms.

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