HEAD OVER HEELS // E. MUNSON

008. RUNNING UP THAT HILL

AFTER A quick stop at Max's trailer, she had us on the road again. Roane Hill Cemetery. Where Billy was buried.

Once Steve was parked, the redhead jumped out of the car and started up the small hill. Lucas hopped out an raced after her.

"So, big Henderson," began Steve, smirking at me from the driver's seat. "What were you up to last night?"

"Sleeping, Steve. Like normal people do," I grinned sarcastically.

"Is that what they call it these days?"

Dustin groaned from the backseat, "Okay, I do not want to hear this." He got out of the car just as Max parted from Lucas.

"Oh, I do," Steve laughed. "You and Eddie, huh?"

"There is no 'me and Eddie.' I just don't think he should be alone while all of this is going on."

He gave me a soft smile, "No one should."

We all stayed silent for the next fifteen minutes, eagerly awaiting Max's return. Steve checked his watch with a sigh before getting out of the car.

"It's been long enough," he announced.

"Steve, just give her some time," Lucas pushed.

"I have, all right, Sinclair. I'm calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can."

Steve was up the hill before anyone could argue. I glanced at Lucas, who looked over at Dustin, who then looked over at me. Without a word, I followed behind Steve.

By the time I reached them, Steve was crouched besides her calling her name. I knelt beside him, confused until I saw Max. Her eyes were red, wide open, tilting up into her skull.

"Wake up!" Steve yelled.

"Shit! What do we do?" I exclaimed.

Steve shook her shoulders, desperately trying to wake him as panic started to set into both of us.

I screamed over my shoulder, "Dustin! Lucas!" and the two boys came running. We formed around the redhead, all screaming for her to wake up.

Steve grabbed Dustin by the collar, "Call Nancy and Robin! Right now!"

Dustin basically did a somersault and he scrambled to his feet to race to the car.

As he attempted to contact the two girls on the walkie, Steve, Lucas, and I screamed for Max to wake up. I wasn't the type of person who does well under pressure, so I felt tears welling in my eyes. I tried desperately to push them away. I needed to be strong right now.

Dustin came hurtling up the hill, Walkman and a bunch of cassettes in his arms. He tripped, throwing the music in front of us.

"What's her favorite song?" Dustin questioned frantically.

"Why?" Lucas retorted.

"Robin said if she listens—it's too much to explain now. What's her favorite song?"

"K-Kate Bush!" I hollered. "Something Kate Bush!" I started searching through the cassettes.

"Running Up That Hill!" Lucas screamed.

I finally found the title. "Here!" I pulled the cassettes from its' case and handed it to Dustin who shoved it into the Walkman. Steve put the headphones on her head as Dustin hit play and tucked it into her pocket.

Without another moment to think, the young girl's body began to levitate. We all stumbled back. Tears were streaming down my face as we all called to the girl hanging ten feet in the air.

We kept screaming, pleading for her to fight the curse when she suddenly fell to the ground. As soon as her body landed, Lucas pulled her into his arms. She was panting frantically, tears threatening to spill.

It was as if we could all breathe again. Dustin had a hand on Max's forearm, Steve's hand on Lucas's shoulder. I put my hand on Steve's bicep and leaned my head against it. In that moment I knew what we were all thinking—We had to kill Vecna.

//

"And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God
and I'd get him to swap out places."