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𓆩♡𓆪
NIGHTFALL SURROUNDS THE TEENS as Dustin drags them through the forest. Trees keep tricking Brooke into thinking she's seeing shit. Sometimes when she looks too deep into the forest her brain will display the Demogorgon they once saw. The bullshit that started it all.
"This kid won't slow down," Eddie scoffs. "Welcome to my life," Steve tells him. Dustin stops for a small second, staring down at his compass before setting off again. "Oh my God," Penelope says, throwing her hands up when Dustin leaves them again. "I think we're getting close!" Dustin says, a mere inch away from stepping into Lover's Lake. "Watch your step, big guy," Eddie pulls him back.
Brooke and Paisley move themselves towards the front. The open lake spreads out in front of them for miles which means the portal is definitely in the lake. "You're kidding me," Brooke sighs. "I thought these woods were familiar," Eddie says. Stella cocks her head back, "Oh, you're familiar with Lover's Lake?" Everyone turns to her, surprised at her jealous tone even though she's said for months that Eddie is just a hookup. "People hook up here too?! Gross," Danny scoffs, shining his light into the dark lake.
"This is confounding," Dustin says.
"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max questions. "Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way," Nancy suggests. "Only one way to find out," Steve says.
Paisley stares into the darkness of the lake, "Alright, but, we have no boat or anything to get in the water." Eddie sucks on his teeth loudly and spins on his heel to face Paisley, "We do, Slora. We do have a boat."
"Where?" Paisley raises her eyebrow. "How do you think I got here?" Eddie carefully walks along the shore, the group following him until their lights land on a boat covered in a tarp. It doesn't look very big and Brooke doubts it'll fit everyone which means they'll have to split up. Which she really doesn't like because it means more than likely she'll be split from the kids and her brother.
Steve and Eddie shimmy the boat down the shore, harshly placing it in the area they were just in. The boys place themselves in the boat first. "I'll go first," Robin says, ignoring Steve's helping hand and using the boys' heads as leverage. "That works too," Steve comments. Paisley steps up next and before either boy can even put their hand out, Robin puts hers. Steve hides the teasing smirk on his face when Paisley takes Robin's hand with a soft thank you.
Next is Nancy who is helped by Eddie and then Penelope who only takes Nancy's hand, swatting Steve's away. Brooke and Stella stand on shore now, knowing there's only room for one more of them. The two girls glance at each other a few times awkwardly. Stella sighs, "Brooke, you go. I'm just gonna—weigh it down."
Brooke frowns, "Don't say that. Seriously. But, I will go and I'll keep an eye on Eddie. I promise." Brooke is scared her promise will become empty and she'll feel mass amounts of guilt for not protecting someone she and Stella both care about once again. Stella smiles for a second, "Yeah, I trust you." The words mean more than Stella will ever know. Brooke smiles back and takes Steve's hand, making sure she's very careful as she sits down.
