The Protector

The Piggyback Part 3

Eleven and Maddie were both pulled off of the floor by vines. Maddie was pulled onto a vine covered column while Eleven was strapped onto the door of the Creel home.

Maddie fought to keep her eyes opened while she looked from Eleven to Vecna. "Papa is dead. I know what he did to you. You were different. Like me. And he hurt you. He made you... into this. He is the monster... Henry. Not you", Eleven sobbed out.

"You're right. You and I, we are different. And Papa did hurt me. But he was no monster. He was just a man. An ordinary, mediocre man. This is why he sought greatness in others. In you. And me. But in the end... he could not control us. He could not shape us. He could not charge us. Do you not see, Eleven? He did not make me into this. You did", Vecna told the girl.

"At first, I believed you had sent me to my death. To purgatory. But I was wrong. I was somewhere new. I became an explorer. An explorer of a realm unspoiled by mankind. I saw so many things. And one day, I found the most extraordinary thing of all. Something that would change everything", Vecna continued.

"I saw a means to realize my potential. To transcend my human form. To become the predator I was always born to be", Vecna finished.

"It was you", Maddie mumbled out while tears started to run down her face. "You killed them", Maddie muttered angrily before a vine clasped around her mouth. "It was always you", Eleven added.

"All I needed was someone to open the door. And you did that for me. Without even realizing it. Didn't you? So I sought a means to open my own doors. I sought... your power. So don't you see, once again you have freed me", Vecna replied.

"You don't have to do this. You can still stop this", Eleven cried out. "It is over Eleven. Your friends have lost. Hawkins will burn and fall. And the rest of this senseless, broken world will too. And I will be there. And remake it into something... beautiful. There was a time when I had hoped to have you by my side. But now I just want you to watch", Vecna finished before walking towards Maddie. 

The vine that was holding Maddie's mouth shut finally went away. "No!", Eleven yelled out struggling against the vines.

"It's okay pretty girl. It's okay", Maddie said simply while looking towards the girl who was a sobbing mess.

"Take care of them for me okay", Maddie stated while Eleven kept shouting "No". "Please, El. Tell them how much I love them. And tell our friends that I'm sorry. Especially Max. I love you so much. Don't be stupid okay?", Maddie questioned trying to keep her tears in.

Eleven nodded through her sobs causing Maddie to smile at the girl. "I have been trying to get to you for a while now. And now it is finally your time. Don't be afraid. Try and stay very still. It will all be over soon", Vecna told Maddie.

Maddie thought about her friends and family while she looked towards Eleven. She saw the girl struggling and mouthed a quick "I love you". Maddie smiled one more time while a tear ran down her cheek.

She turned her head back to look towards the sky. Vecna put his hand over Maddie's head before Maddie felt her eyes roll to the back of her head. 

Maddie gasped before opening her eyes. She saw that she was high in the air before she dropped to the ground. She bit back a loud scream before looking at Max.

Max was currently sitting in a trance-like-state. "Damn it!", Maddie cursed before standing up, only to fall back down. "What the hell?", Maddie asked before looking towards the source of her pain.

"Oh my God", Maddie said looking at her leg which was currently snapped in a different direction. Maddie then looked towards Lucas who was being held down by Jason.

She started to crawl over towards the boy while holding in her screams of pain. Tears streamed down her face as Maddie grabbed the gun that was lying on the ground before finally reaching her destination.

Maddie hit the boy overtop of the head with the barrel of the gun causing him to fall unconscious.

Lucas looked at Maddie shocked before Maddie tiredly pointed towards Max who was already in the air at this point.

Before anything else could happen, Max's limbs started to snap and her eyes started to ooze blood. After a couple of seconds Max fell to the floor. 

"Max! Max! Max!", Lucas yelled while trying to wake Max up. "Maxi!", Maddie shouted. "Lucas!", Erica yelled while walking into the room.

"We need a doctor! Call an ambulance! Hurry! Call an ambulance!", Lucas shouted back. Erica stood for a moment looking at Maddie and Max's snapped limbs before running out of the house.

"Lucas, Maddie", Max stated shakily. "Yes, yes we're here. We're here", Lucas answered. "I.. I can't feel or... see anything", Max said.

"We know. We know. It's okay. We're going to get you help, okay?", Maddie questioned the girl through gritted teeth while tears ran down her face.

"Maddie, Lucas, I'm scared. I'm so scared. I'm so scared. I'm so sorry Maddie, I'm so sorry", Max sobbed out. "You don't need to apologize, this is all my fault", Maddie cried out.

"I know. I know. I know", Lucas added. "I don't want to die. I'm not ready", Max stated. "You're not going to die. Hang on", Lucas replied.

"I don't want to go! I'm not ready", Max screamed out. "You're not going to die! Just... just hang on! Max. Max! Max!", Lucas shouted.

"Stay with us Maxi, please", Maddie pleaded while sobbing. "Stay with me Max. Hang on! Just hang on!", Lucas begged.

Maddie slowly laid down causing Lucas to look at her. "Maddie", Lucas sobbed out. "It's okay. I'm just going to lay down for a minute", Maddie said simply.

"Erica, help!", Lucas yelled. "Maddie, please don't go!", Lucas shouted. "I'm sorry", Maddie gasped out. "That I couldn't protect you guys", Maddie stated.

"Maddie, please. We need you", Lucas cried out. "I'm so sorry", Maddie said before she fell into darkness listening to Lucas' sobs. 

A/N: Hey guys! I have at least one more chapter coming out tonight! Please feel free to comment, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions! As always I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to vote. Love from the author, over and out!