•••
Harper looked around, her eyes were full of tears and her head was pounding. She quickly reached down and flipped over the mattress to make way for a chair.
"What are you doing?" Dustin asked, his voice broken and full of tears.
Harper set the chair down loudly, "I'm going after him." She said before turning towards the boy, "Give me a boost, and don't follow me." She grabbed Dustin's arms, "I will come back with him."
The boy looked at Harper with fear in his eyes, his eyebrows were raised and his bottom lip was jutted out as he tried to hold back his tears. He quickly reached out and tackled Harper in a hug. His grip was tight as if he didn't want to let go.
"Promise me you'll come back." He sobbed into her shoulder, "Please, promise me."
Harper nodded, tightening the embrace as she rested her chin on his head, "I promise."
Dustin pulled away and stepped behind the chair, he readied himself for Harper to make her way up. Harper let out a nervous breath before hopping up on the chair, she stepped on the back of it which was steadied by Dustin and grabbed onto the entrance of the gate while hoisting herself up. Dustin let go of the chair and pushed her feet up, successfully pushing her through the gate. Once the gravity shifted she fell to the ground, landing on her leg and letting out a pained yell.
"Sh*t! Harper are you okay?" Dustin called up to her nervously.
Harper pushed through the pain, "Yeah! I- I'm fine! Just make a new rope!" She pulled herself off the ground. She limped over to the door of the trailer and pushed it open, painfully dragging herself down the stairs, "EDDIE!" She called out, using her spear for support. Harper looked around frantically, "Eddie!" She called out once more. The sound of the demibats filled the air as Harper rounded the corner calling out for him again. Her eyes widened as she saw a swarm of bats in the not-so-far distance, "EDDIE!" Harper called out, running as quick as her broken leg could take her.
Harper heard Eddie yell out as the bats dragged him to the ground they tore into his flesh with their teeth. One had its tail wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply. The girl dragged herself into the swarm, stabbing at the creature forcing Eddie to the ground. She cut off its head, causing it to go limp before turning and grabbing one of the ones eating his flesh and ripping its tail from its body. A few bit at her body, cutting into her skin.
Suddenly the bats all dropped to the ground.
Harper dropped down to her knees and lifted up Eddie's head so it rested on her knees, "Oh God, Eddie." She breathed looking over his wounds. Eddie looked up at her, the adrenaline rushing through his body not letting him understand the seriousness of his wounds.
"B-bad, huh?" He asked, glancing up at her.
She shook her head, moving his jacket to the side to look at the wounds, if she got him to a hospital in time he would be okay, "No. You're gonna be fine." She let the tears fall from her eyes freely, "We just gotta get you to a hospital, okay?" Harper nodded.
"Okay." Eddie nodded.
Harper nodded, lifting his arm over her shoulder, Eddie winced probably feeling the pain kick in, "All right. All right." She breathed, trying to lift him.
"I think I just... I think I just need a second, okay?" Eddie asked, leaning back down.
"We don't- Eddie I need you to get up." She paused, her free hand resting on his cheek, tears dripping from her face, "Okay?"
Eddie coughed, blood dripping from his mouth, he sent the girl a sad smile, "I didn't run away this time, right?" He asked, looking for Harper's approval. Eddie clenched his jaw, trying to force away the pain.
Harper shook her head, "No, no, no, no." She let out a sob, caressing his face with her thumb, "You didn't run." Eddie's smile never wavered.
"Tell Dustin to look after those little sheep for us, okay?" Eddie asked, grabbing onto her arm.
"No, you're gonna do that yourself." Harper cried.
Eddie shook his head, "Nah... please, tell Dustin to look after them." He paused, letting out another cough, "Cause I'm actually gonna graduate..." Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared up at the girl, "I think it's my year, Harper." His breathing grew shallow, "I think it's finally my year."
Harper bit the inside of her cheek, "Eddie..."
"I love you, Harper."
Tears began to run more freely down her face, "I love you too, Eddie." She inhaled sharply seeing more tears fall from Eddie's eyes, "Dammit." Harper murmured before deciding that they had waited long enough, "I'm getting you to the hospital."
"Harper- just leave me," Eddie begged.
The girl pulled him off the ground, a sudden rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, "Like hell, I will." She said while beginning to drag the two of them toward Eddie's trailer. She pushed through the pain of her leg and pulled herself into the trailer, the gate was growing smaller and smaller by the second, "DUSTIN!" She called out seeing his curly hair pop out from under the gate.
"Holy sh*t!" He cried, "I've got the rope! Get him up here!" Dustin called out, throwing the rope through the gate, "COME ON!" Harper pushed Eddie up first, he was completely silent, she hoped Eddie had just gone unconscious. Dustin grabbed Eddie's arms and pulled him through the gate. Once the two were out of the way Harper grabbed the rope and pulled herself through the gate, making it through at the last minute. The gravity shifted and Harper fell onto the mattress.
"Get him to the hospital." Harper breathed, laying flat on the ground, the pain had finally caught up to her and she couldn't move, "Get him to the f*cking hospital."
Dustin nodded, wasting no time to pick up the phone and call an ambulance. Harper let herself drift off, not able to stay awake due to the pain.
•••
Harper sat up quickly, remembering the tenseness of her situation. She accidentally put pressure on her leg and winced. The girl looked around quickly, seeing herself in a hospital room, she was sitting in a chair near a bed. A man in a white coat, probably a doctor was standing right in front of the bed. He turned towards the girl.
"Ah, Harper O'Brian. Sorry, you must be confused, waking up in a weird place." The doctor spoke calmly, "A little boy named Dustin called us, we rushed the ambulance as soon as possible to get both of you here. Your injuries were minor, only a fracture to your ankle, but the boy was definitely a case." He paused, "I've never seen injuries quite like his, but they were treatable." Harper's eyes widened.
"He's okay?" Harper asked hopefully.
The doctor nodded, "Thankfully yes, but if you had waited any longer he would have been dead." He gestured to the bed behind him, "Sheriff Hopper came in here and told us the boy was cleared of all charges... just so you know." The doctor turned towards the bed, "He's asleep right now but he had specifically asked for you, so we decided to make an exception to the time limit on the visitor rules." The doctor sent Harper a small smile, "We have a vending machine down the hall and water too. And uh... another group asked for you, in the next room over, someone named Max Mayfield?" He waved his hands in front of him, "Anyways I'll leave you to it, okay?"
The doctor sent her a small nod and turned around, making his way out the door and leaving Harper in her seat. She stood up, trying to put as little pressure on her leg as she could, the brunette girl hobbled over to the side of the bed, she pulled the chair over with her, and sat down.
Eddie lay in the bed, his chest rising and falling with every breath. He was in pain. Clearly. But he was alive. Harper reached out towards his outstretched hand and grabbed it carefully, he wasn't wearing a shirt because his wounds were wrapped, they had basically wrapped his entire torso which was all she could see, she assumed his legs were wrapped due to where the bat bites were.
His hand twitched breaking Harper out of her thoughts, "Harper?" Eddie mumbled, lifting his head slightly, he opened his eyes wearily and looked down at the girl next to him.
"I'm here Eddie." She smiled, softly caressing his hand.
He chuckled slightly which lead to him coughing in pain, "These drugs are good..."
Harper laughed at his comment, "You're probably doped up on morphine... and maybe laughing gas." She looked up at him, a soft smile on her face, "I'm glad you're okay Eddie." She suddenly remembered, "Oh, you're cleared of all charges!"
Eddie's eyes widened and he sat up slightly, wincing in pain, "Sh*t. I'm free? No longer Eddie the Banished?" He asked hopefulness filling his slightly slurring voice.
Harper nodded, "No more Eddie the Banished." She smiled, "There is only Eddie the Praised."
"Eddie the Praised and Harper the Noteworthy." Eddie smirked, bringing back a previous conversation, "Harper..."
The girl's attention was brought to his face, "What is it?"
"Thank you." He paused, "For saving me... maybe this really was my year." Eddie looked into Harper's eyes, "I don't know what I'd do without you." His eyes never left her's and his grip on her hand tightened, "God- I love you." It just spilled out, he didn't intentionally say it, even though he meant it, he was hoping to save it for a better time, but whatever drugs he was on were really clouding his brain.
A small chuckle erupted from Harper's mouth, it was beautiful and definitely not what he expected, "I know Eddie." She smiled.
"You do?" He asked, confused.
"Yeah." Harper caressed his hand, "You told me when you thought you were about to die." She explained, knowing not that it wasn't just the drugs, "I love you too Eddie Munson."
His face flushed slightly and he looked down at their hands, "Can-" Eddie thought about it for a second before finally saying what was on his mind, "Can I get that kiss now?"
The girl in front of him wasn't used to seeing him so flustered, he was usually so confident and prepared for what he was about to say, "Yes Eddie... you can get that kiss now." She stepped up and leaned forward over the bed. Eddie's eyes were locked on her before drifting down to her lips, they were slightly parted as she leaned forward. Eddie painfully reached his arm up and rested it on the back of her neck, pulling her face towards him.
Harper pressed her lips against his, Eddie was hesitant at first before leaning more into the kiss. It felt blissful, a moment the two had been waiting for since the first time they met. Harper placed her hands on either side of Eddie's face, pulling herself closer and accidentally putting pressure on his wounds. Eddie winced causing Harper to pull away.
"Sh*t. I'm so sorry Eddie." Harper apologized, causing the boy to let out a strained laugh.
"It's okay... Maybe we should save this until I'm not in excruciating pain." Eddie waved his hand and gestured to himself.
The girl in front of him agreed, "Probably a good idea." She stood up from her place, "Max is in the room next to yours, I'm gonna go check on her okay? And I'll tell Dustin you're awake."
Eddie nodded, "Can't wait to see that little butthead." Harper sent him a smile before walking towards the door of the room. Eddie's eyes were drawn towards her leg, seeing a splint on it. He frowned, knowing it was probably his fault, but he brushed it off knowing that she would be okay.
Harper stepped out the door and limped into the next room over, "Max?" She called out, opening the door. The girl was laying in bed next to her were the younger teens. They seemed relieved, but there was also a hint of sadness in their eyes. She stepped into the room and turned to Dustin and Mike, who she just now noticed were there, he must have gotten back from spring break, "Eddie's awake." Dustin and Mike shared a relieved look before running out of the room. She walked over to Max's bed, the girl had slight scarring under her eyes, "What did the doctor say?"
"She'll live..." Lucas looked up at Harper, "But she won't be able to walk... and she is completely blind."
Max was sleeping right now, "I'm sorry." Harper breathed before turning around, noticing that there was someone else in the room. It was a girl with hair shaved down to her head, "You must be El." Harper assumed, sticking her hand out towards the girl, "I'm-"
"Harper." The girl interrupted her, "I know." Instead of shaking Harper's hand, she gave her a hug, leaving Harper to stand there in shock, "Thank you for taking care of my friends." Eleven mumbled into her shoulder.
Harper placed her arms on the girl's back before they both pulled away, "Of course."
•••