Bloody Negatives {Stranger things}

Chapter Thirty-Five

《Chapter Thirty-Five》
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"This is a horrible idea," Tally stated confidently as he watched Eddie's fingers dance around the trailer's wires.

"This is a fantastic idea," Eddie disagreed, sticking out his tongue slightly as he focused.

"We're all going to get arrested," Tally groaned, falling into the passenger seat dramatically.

"Only if they catch us," Max murmured under her breath with a smirk.

"That is a bad mindset to have," Tally whispered in what he hoped was a loud enough way to get through to Eddie.

Steve shrugged with a half-joking smirk. "At least if we get arrested we'll all die in a day or two anyways."

"Steve," Nancy scolded sharply as Tally moaned again, hitting his head against the dashboard repeatedly. "Tally, don't do that."

As the others all discussed Eddie's hotwiring abilities, Tally sat there, head pressed against the cold plastic, trying to stop himself from passing out.

Then, all at once, the car was moving and Tally was thrown back against the seat, almost getting whiplash.

"Holy shit!" he yelped as Eddie and Steve quickly switched positions, putting Steve behind the wheel. "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!"

He must have been letting his absolute terror show on his face, because Nancy forced him to stand up and demanded that he go sit in the back with the others. He nodded rapidly, shakily making his way towards one of the trailer's tables, across from Max, who's eyebrows were raised with an emotion that maybe could have been concern.

She pulled her headphones off, resting them on her neck and smiling awkwardly. "You good?"

Tally blinked twice, feeling the skeptical expression creeping across his face. Was he good? No, probably not. So why did he nod?

Max leaned over the side of her seat to look at Nancy, who was completely absorbed in a conversation with Steve. Something in Tally's stomach twisted. Then, Max put an empty coke can down on the table between her and Tally, a determined expression engulfing her features.

"What's this?" Tally asked, nudging the can with his index finger, wondering if there was something special about it.

"You want to practice your powers, right?" Max asked, her voice low enough that not even Erica, who was sitting at the table across from them, could hear her. "Go for it."

Tally glanced back at Nancy again. "She said no."

"She suddenly decides everything for you?"

"She might shoot me."

Max laughed, and Tally felt good. Before everything in his life had gone spiraling completely out of control, he'd liked to make people laugh. Laughing was good.

"Just try, alright? Fighting Vecna... we're going to need all the help we can get," she said, her laugh disappearing, her face falling grave and serious.

Tally knew why she had been so stone-faced lately. She was scared. So was he. He hadn't told anyone, but his nosebleeds had been growing more frequent. His headaches had been almost unbearable. Every time he closed his eyes, nightmares swarmed his head.

It was like nothing could help him now. Not even Kenny Loggins.

He looked down at the empty can. It wouldn't take long to just try. He'd done it before. He knew he could do it again.

He rested his chin on the table so he was eye-level with the bright red can. Refusing to blink. Refusing to move. Refusing to breathe. He would stay there until he did it.

He could practically hear the way Max's muscles tensed.

How'd he done it last time? He didn't quite remember. Focus + Intent + Emotion, right? That was the magic formula? Easy enough.

Tally locked his eyes, letting the gears in his head turn as he tried to stir up the anger he didn't to do this.

What was he angry about? Everything. He was angry about Chrissy. That he hadn't saved her. He was angry about Jason. That he'd lost his best friend. He was angry about Vecna. That he was doing such horrible things. He was angry about Nancy. That she might get hurt.

Most of all, he was angry about himself.

That it had to be him.

That the rest of Hawkins was at home right now. Or lounging in the city pool. Or hanging around empty parking lots with their friends. They were all living such normal lives. Tally wanted to go back to normal, but he couldn't. Because it was him that Vecna wanted to kill. Him that had developed these insane abilities that he had no idea how to use. Him that he was absolutely terrified of.

That was why he was angry.

"Tally," Max whisper-gasped as Tally's eyes came back into focus. He hadn't just crinkled the can like last time.

He'd crushed it.

He looked up at Max, who was smiling. He smiled back.

The mound of cheap metal sad there uselessly, and Tally felt as if a million pounds had been lifted off his chest.

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