𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐲 | robin buckley

(28) everything after

EVERYTHING WAS A MESS. Sam found herself being pulled quickly from the mall, her legs stumbling beneath her as she stared at the shudders of helicopters landing that shook pieces of tarmac. Men in heavy army uniforms were running with loaded guns and shouting so loud that Sam's head became a jumbled mess.

Steve was dragged away immediately by a medic and it wasn't long until Sam found hands planted on her shoulders leading her to sit on the back of a brightly lit van. She lost Robin in the process but didn't get an opportunity to ask where she was while people were shining lights into her eyes and dabbing up her wounds, pressing on her ribs and asking if it hurt. Lifting her shirt and analysing the bruises on her stomach. All she could do was sit an endure it while she imagined her own bed, her cat, some food. God she was starving.

Lights flashed blue and red, more sirens joined them and Sam could see the spitting of rain falling down on them illuminated each time one of the revolving lights from the parked helicopters brushed over the mall parking lot. Sam winced whenever she felt someone touch her. She hated the unfamiliarity of their fingertips under confines of rubber gloves. She didn't want to be here anymore.

There were shouts as firemen dealt with the mess of the mall and Sam wondered how they'd possibly cover it all up. The secret Russian organisation, the dead monster corpse lying over one of their largest fountains. She thought of the dead body inside, of the large hole she'd seen ripping through reality just below them. Sam was breathing shakily as she felt someone place a butterfly stitch on her temple, a bandage around her ribs.

She was instructed to do a lot of things. Lift her arms, open her arms wider, tilt her face, drink some water, stretch her legs. It was strange, she watched those in her eye-line. She was waiting for the others to get back as the rain got heavier and started making noise against the tarmac.

Eventually Sam saw Joyce Byers, her youngest son running to engulf her in a hug. Murray was across the lot explaining what had happened to some officers, a very tired expression on his wilted face. She supposed everyone knew when Joyce looked up to Eleven standing on the other side of the parking lot. Everyone knew then as her eyes filled with tears and the girl let out an empty sob that Hopper hadn't made it.

Sam hadn't known him, she couldn't feel sympathy for a man she had never spoken to. Yet it hurt in a way, a bitter and numbing way. Sam had never been exposed to death before, not like this and now she'd seen someone brutally murdered in front of her eyes and seen the tragic misfortune of those left alive learning of the fate of their loved ones. It was a strange feeling, to observe.

"That's you done" one of the nicer medics spoke to her softly and Sam turned to her in surprise.

"Done?" She murmured.

"You might need to answer some questions before you leave"

"Oh" Sam stood up from the edge of the van on wobbly legs and slowly walked away from the bright lights of the ambulance as she looked around almost desperately. Her hands were shaking as she turned, rain dotting her face.

"Sam!" She turned to see Steve walking towards her. He still looked terrible. His face couldn't be fixed easily, she guessed it was the same with her own although they had cracked her nose back into place, it stung.

Before Sam could say anything to him, Steve hugged her. It was a very strange feeling, how fast they'd forged this connection of friendship and why it had happened. Regardless, when she hugged him back Sam felt as though Steve was an irreplaceable force in her life now. It was weird considering how much she'd hated him before but when she hugged him, it was as a friend and nothing less.

"We go back to normal after this?" Sam smiled as he let her go.

"Totally" Steve laughed, "wouldn't have it any other way... asshole"