No Surrender | Eddie Munson

Chapter Fifty-One: Real

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: REAL

MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE — BOB DYLAN/ADELE

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

——————

Leathery wings scrape against the bare branches. The sound rakes into my skull, all I can hear over my own ragged gasps for air.

We hide under the cover of Skull Rock. I don't know how long it will be until this passes. It already feels like hours have passed. And, somehow, strangely, no time at all.

One hand rests on the stone wall beside me, the other clasped tightly onto Eddie's.

I don't know how Will survived a week in this hell. This place overwhelmed me in seconds. I can hardly think past the fog of fear.

But I hold onto my best friend. My thumb moves against the curve of his in trembling strokes. I don't dare to try a hijack to calm us. I don't want to catch unwanted attention.

Finally, the swarm passes. Carefully emerging, Robin lets out a relieved breath. "Okay."

"That was close. Too close." There is still a squeak in Eddie's voice. I haven't really heard it before. He hasn't been scared in front of me. Not like this, anyway.

A quiet thud sounds against the rock. Steve leans against it with a trembling arm. His skin is pallid and beaded with sweat. "Steve? Jesus," Nancy gasps.

He tries to turn from her touch. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"No. No, no, no. You're not. You're losing blood. Come on, sit."

He reluctantly does so and lets go of his side. A deep tear marks his side. The second the pressure lifts, it starts to leak in dark, thick trails that stain his sweatpants. A coppery tang hangs in the air.

Ignoring the spinning of my head, I drop down beside him and take his hand in mine. He tries to resist but I glare until he backs down. I can't quite remember how I did it last time. Something about the flow of energy. My eyes shut and I focus on establishing a link. A gentle warmth slowly trickles through my fingers and into his. Then, after a moment, I start to pull. It shifts. Fire spreads through my body and I wince. "Fuck. I— I got it. Work quickly, yeah?"

I open my eyes again once I'm sure I can hold the connection. Eddie's stare meets mine. Guilt grows heavy in my stomach at the sight of all of that fear and worry. I have to look away to keep the flow going.

Robin tears a strip off of the unbuttoned shirt she keeps around her. She forces a grin and blurts out reassurances through bared teeth, "So the good news is I'm pretty sure wooziness is not a common symptom of rabies. But, um, if you start having hallucinations or muscle spasms or you start feeling aggressive, like you wanna punch me or something then you just totally let me know, okay?"

"Robin."

"Yeah?"

He draws in a deep breath, his hold on me tightening. I have to suck in my lips and bite down on them so as not to make a sound. "I kind of wanna punch you," he confesses.

Nervous giggles escape her. "Sense of humour's still intact. That's a good sign."

More rips can be heard as Nancy forms some bandages out of the ribbed hem of her sweater. She takes Robin's place and glances between us. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Just do it."

Our arms lift to give her more access and the connection wavers. A breathless groan passes his lips. I readjust my hold and clamp my eyes shut. "Too tight?" she asks.