MELANCHOLY [S.T. B. Hargrove]

55

"There's too many at Watergate," Nancy exhales once the bats pass.

I peer out from under the rock then back into our little cubby. "Watergate?"

"Dustin," Steve grunts. "His name for the gate."

"The one at Eddie's?" I ask.

"The what at who's?" Eddie questions.

"There's another gate?" Nancy asks me.

"At Eddie's. It's how I got in."

"And what about you? We like.. saw you die," Steve points to Billy.

"Felt like it, too," Billy mutters.

"Mind Flayer switched places. The Billy we saw wasn't the real him but their minds were linked and the real Billy was trapped here," I simplify the explanation. "But, we can talk more about that later. We need to get out of here first."

"So there's a portal thingy at my house like there is under Lover's Lake?"Eddie recalls.

"I didn't even know there was one under Lover's Lake," I admit.

"Why would that be?" Robin asks.

"Oh.. shit.." Steve whispers.

Attention is turned to him as he slumps over.

"Steve," I call, grasping his arm before he hit the ground.

"I'm fine," he assures weakly.

"No. No, you're not," Nancy argues. "You're losing blood."

Nancy and I help Steve lean against the rock.

"Can you keep watch while I try and patch him up a little?" Nancy asks.

"Sure thing," I agree.

Steve and I hold onto each other as I walk around Nancy, then let go. Billy follows behind me.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Billy asks.

My chest clenches and I fight the smile. "No. No, I'm fine. Are you?"

Gently, Billy places his hand on my lower back. "I'm all right. Just my chest is all."

I hear Steve hiss in pain and wince.

"What the hell is he doing?" Robin asks, pointing to Eddie who was climbing a rock.

"Why does he do anything he does?" I scoff. "Hey, Eddie? What are you doing, bud?"

"Looking.." he answers. "So.. this place is like Hawkins but with monsters and nasty shit?"

"Pretty much," Nancy says.

"Why don't you come down before you like.. fall?" I ask.

"Good idea," he agrees, easing back to the edge of the rock.

"And watch out for the vines!" Nancy calls. "It's all a hive-mind."

"It's all a what?"

"All the creepy crawlies around here, dude," Steve speaks up. "They're like one or something."

"You step on a vine, you step on the whole place and all the sons of bitches know where you are in here," Billy helps out.

"Step on a vine- you're stepping on a bat, you're stepping on Vecna," Steve finishes.

"Vecna.. Max," I gasp. "Is Max okay? Does she know you're here?"

"Max? What's wrong with Max?" Billy asks.

"New baddie. We call him Vecna," I clarify. "He's.. he's got this hold on Max."

"Hold? What, like some kind of Mind Flayer curse?"

"Well, he also has you under that curse," Steve reminds. "Where's your Walkman?"

"I don't think music works here. It's literally his backyard, so I don't think there's a trance I can be snapped out of."

"Great. All the greater reason to get the hell out of here," Robin quirks. "If this place is just like Hawkins but without people.. does that mean we can like raid a police station for guns and grenades to blow up those bat things that are guarding the gate."

"Sorry, but can we backtrack to what the hell this curse is?" Billy asks.

"Later," Nancy pushes it aside.

"I have my gun, but I'm low on ammo," I say, taking my gun out. "It wouldn't make a dent in the bats. We need more."

"Well, we don't have to go all the way to the police station for guns. We can go somewhere closer and safer."

"Your house," I note. "You still have the two pieces?"

"You? Nancy Wheeler have guns, plural?" Eddie asks. "In your bedroom?"

"A Russian Makarov and a revolver," Nancy says.

"And where are the kids?" I ask.

"Waiting by the lake last we saw," Robin answers.

Eddie flings his vest at Steve who was whispering to Nancy. "For your modesty, dude."

"Okay, so we get more guns," Billy notes. "Then, do we circle back to the 'Watergate' or the one in this freak's trailer?"

"The kids don't even know that we're stuck. We should circle back to Watergate," Nancy decides.

A thunderous boom shakes the ground.

Eddie barely manages to catch Robin, though they still fall to the ground. Nancy bumps her back into Steve and they lean against the rock. Billy and I slump over each other's holds in a hug of sorts to stay standing through the shaking.

Once the rumbling is over, I grasp Billy's bicep and look to the other four. "Everyone all right?"

Billy's hand rests on my lower back as he looks up to the sky. Screeching bat-things were circling the area.

"We're good," Nancy breathes as she and Steve stand up straight. "We're.. all good.."

"So, guns seem like a pretty good idea to me," Eddie comments.

Robin looks over her shoulder at him and nods in agreement. "Yeah.. me, too."

I exhale sharply and my hand on Billy's back falls around his waist.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Steve asks, turning on a flashlight.

I pick up my bag and toss it around my shoulder. Billy and I fall in step behind Steve with our arms still wrapped around one another tightly. Then, Nancy follows. Finally, Robin and Eddie.