Can't Get Use to Losing You- Max Mayfield

The Piggyback- Part 2

TJ turns around slowly not wanting to see the flayed version of Riley that Vecna tortures him with. He waits and waits for the chilling distorted voice of Riley, but it never comes. TJ eyes are still sewn shut not trusting the silence, though something catches his attention, hearing the soft sound of music coming from somewhere. Finding the courage he opens his eyes expecting and
looks around a wave of confusion hitting him.
"What the fuck! Why am I here?" TJ whispers out, bewildered as to why he's in the corridor of his middle school.

With a great amount of hesitance TJ puts one foot in front of the other beginning to reluctantly walk down the corridor. As he takes in his surroundings uneasiness fills him, realising that one minute ago he was holding Jason Carver at gun point, then Cassie confusingly appeared and now suddenly he's in his old middle school. TJ gradually gets further along the hall the music becoming clearer, "Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper I love you." TJ recognises it immediately as Dream a Little Dream Of Me, the beautiful song now haunting his every move as he steps closer to the gym doors ahead. He slowly opens them and looks around the decorations from the Snowball dance of 84, the night Max kissed him on the cheek.
Taking a chance TJ opens his mouth, "Max?"
"TJ?" He sighs in relief hearing Max's voice, he looks around the room frantically for the girl he loves but cannot see her.

"Max? Max, where are you?" TJ shouts, pushing through the streamers into the middle of the floor. Everything in him shatters when he hears the sound of her whimpering, he turns at the sound and on the other side of the hall Vecna has her pinned to the wall.
"Shit Max no! Let her go!" TJ screams, sprinting towards them. The second TJ reaches Vecna, the creature turns round and with a simple flick of his hand TJ finds himself trapped inches away from Max against the wall.

"Theodore Wheeler. I thought I told you what would happen if you tried to stop me again... I would kill you." Vecna taunts, smirking and enjoying the struggle of the teenage boy trying to get to his love.
"Please, please just let her go!" TJ hysterically begs.
"Sweet, sweet Theodore. Love is for fools and will get you killed. Look where you are now Theodore, nobody's coming to save you." Vecna jabs at the boy who is greatly distressed, he continues on looking between the two teens,
"You are brave Maxine. Much braver then your brother. But in the end...you are weak and fragile just like him. Like all the rest of them. And you will break." Vecna ridicules, staring deeply into Maxs soul.
"Max, don't listen, don't listen to him. He doesn't know you, not the real you.... He just sees the..."
Vecnas head snaps towards TJ who is silenced, "Theodore Wheeler, you are a bane to my existence. I warned you and now you must watch what happens when you anger me." TJ yells as Vecna moves closer to Max his hand/claw above her red hair.

No matter how much TJ wants to scream and fight he can't the power Vecna has on him right now is too strong. He is forced to watch as Vecna begins the process of 'killing' Max, TJ has no choice but to taste the tears that are falling from his eyes not being able to move as he cries out. TJ feels something shift and suddenly he slides down the wall to the floor, looking over and seeing that Max had done the same. He crawls over and takes the girl into his arms,
"How, how are you here?" Max asks, gripping onto him for dear life while trying to calm herself down and process what the hell is happening.
TJ however, is frozen watching as Vecna is floating in the middle of the room. Max looks over at where he is staring and sees a shaven head barefooted girl walking into the room.
"El!" TJ whispers in disbelief. The two teens sit watching the girl in shock as she holds Vecna in the middle of the room slowly turning the creature of a man towards her, "You!" Vecna groans out, distaste evident in his tone.
"Hi." El replies softly like butter wouldn't melt, but within the same second she violently launches Vecna through the bleachers.

El runs over to TJ and Max, TJ is guiding Max up by her waist to her feet, as El grabs her hands.
"Max, are you okay?" El asks.
"Huh?" Max responds.
"Are you okay?" El repeats.
"Yeah. Are you... are you real? Did I... did I make you?" Max questions feeling El's face completely confused at how TJ and now El are here.
"I'm real." El replies, grabbing Maxs hands in her own.
"How?" Max asks, still not believing this is true.
"I'm fine by the way guys thanks for asking." TJ scoffs, both the girls ignoring him.
"I piggybacked from a pizza dough freezer." El answers as if it is the most obvious thing ever.
"What!" Max exclaims, bewilderment taking over her face.