[ The morning ]
Eddie blinks a few times as the sun was shining through the trees, it didn't take him long to realise Aura was no longer in his arms. He shot up confused looking around, they fell asleep together, arm in arm. Where could she possibly go?
"Aura?! Aura?!"
Eddie screams through the trees, but no response. He grips his hair in a state of panic as his eyes start tearing up. He begins running for his life trying to find Aura but eventually he makes it to forests edge and stumbles upon a construction site, he notices a walkie talkie and took that opportunity to sneak up and grab it before running away. He runs back into the forest and starts to jam the buttons to get a better signal.
"Dustin, can you hear me?! Wheeler?!"
Eddie calls into the speaker. Dustin speaks back in response.
"Eddie? Are you guys okay?"
Eddie voice quivers as he begins sobbing.
"Aura is missing"
"What do you mean Aura is missing?"
Dustin raises in voice in panic.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S MISSING?!"
You could just hear Steve's voice in the background screaming.
"She was with me and we slept, the morning arrived and she was gone.. Dustin I'm about to lose my shit.."
His voice breaks.
"Okay okay okay, calm down.. where are you?"
Dustin asks.
"Skull rock, you know it?"
Eddie asks, his hands shaking.
"Yeah yeah we know it, hold on okay? We're coming!"
Dustin reassured Eddie and straight after he lost signal, dropping the walkie talkie Eddie covers his face with his hands.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
"Can't admit you're wrong, you butthead-"
Steve and Dustin were startled when Eddie jumps off a rock and walks towards them, his eyes red and in a state of panic, he looked like a mess. Dustin runs up to Eddie giving him a hug, Eddie returns it as Steve walks closer. Dustin slowly backs out of the hug as Steve and Eddie now were standing in front of each other.
"If you left her behind Munson I swear-"
Eddie instantly cuts him off.
"I would never fucking leave her behind all i've done since we've been in hiding is protect her, this morning she disappeared..."
Robin, Nancy, Max and Lucas walked towards them not long after with worried looks on their faces. Robin looks around folding her arms.
"Anything?"
She asks, Max hits pause on her music, her hand shaking as she listens needing to know where Aura was.
Dustin, Eddie and Steve shake their heads at the same time. Nancy walks up to Eddie trying to get some answers.
"Where could she possibly go? Why would she just leave you like that?"
Eddie takes a deep breath closing his eyes for a brief moment trying to remember everything that happened.
"She was having nightmares.. I woke her up and she had like a nosebleed.. she was doing fine before that... after that dream she was more terrified of her surroundings-"
Eddie notices everyone looking at each other, it's like they all knew something he didn't. Max looks down closing her eyes as she shakes her head. She couldn't believe Aura was another one of Vecna's victims. It made both of them.
"What? What is it?"
Eddie asks in panic. Max looks up at him folding her arms.
"She's got the curse.."
Eddie takes a step back letting out a fake chuckle.
"Cursed? No- no way.."
He puts his hands up in defence.
"It starts with a headache, turns into nausea.. then you get nosebleeds.. hallucinations that follow.. and if you hear the chimes, you're screwed"
Max tells Eddie. Then it got him thinking, he caught her spaced out a lot, like she was hearing things he couldn't.
"Everyone Vecna targets, has something in their life.. something that's hurting them"
Lucas adds.
Dustin shakes his head.
"Aura blames herself for the loss of her parents, she's holding onto that guilt, she's an easy target"
"This can't be happening right now"
Steve sighs sliding his fingers through his hair in panic as he starts pacing back and forth. After a short while they spoke about finding the gate, Eddie didn't want to leave Aura behind if she was in the forest somewhere but they had to do this now. If there was any hope of her showing up it would be to kill Vecna. So they all followed the plan and went out to Lover's Lake. By the time they got there the night came by.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
When the compass showed Nancy what she needed to see she puts her hand up and Eddie and Steve stop rowing. Steve stood up and took his shirt off, Steve was going to go dive in and see if he could find anything. Once Steve dove into the water everyone else sat in silence waiting for his return. After a short while he returns, swimming to the top and gasping for air, startling everyone else.
"I found it guys! It's down there!"
Steve states holding onto the side of the boat, everyone sighs in relief.
"Dustin, you're a goddamn Einstein, Steve found the gate!"
Robin clicks the walkie as she speaks. Just when Steve was going to jump up into the boat something pulls him down as he disappears into the water. Everyone screaming for Steve but there was no response, Nancy didn't think twice as she stood up.
"Wh-what are you doing?!!"
Robin tries to stop her but it was too late, Nancy already dove in.
"GOD DAMN IT!"
Eddie screams after her. Robin slowly sits on the edge of the boat looking at Eddie.
"No no no- what are you do- she said wait!"
Eddie puts his hand up trying to encourage her to stay.
"Yeah, I heard her.."
Robin says softly.
"But friends don't leave other friends behind.."
She whispers before diving in.
"No- don't you- FUCK! GOD DAMN IT, SON OF A BITCH-"
Eddie screams having a meltdown as he spins in circles on the boat, realising he's all alone now he has no choice but to jump in.
"God, this is so stupid, this is so stupid shit shit shit-"
He dives into the water after Robin.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
What seemed like for hours, Steve, Robin, Nancy and Eddie were walking around in the upside down after a battle with the bats, Steve was injured but he seemed to be okay for now, Nancy bandaged him up with a fabric of her shirt. They were trying to figure out how to get out of here. When Nancy mentions she had guns in her house, they were making their way to the Wheeler house. They all walk together side by side until they heard a familiar voice from behind them.
"Eddie?"
Aura breathed out. They all turn at the same time, wide eyed they look at her. Aura was standing there, her jeans shredded half way, bruises and cuts all over her arms and legs. The similar bat mark Steve had around his neck when the bat strangled him, she had the same. She was exhausted, she could barely stand. It looked like she was fighting for several hours.
"Oh my god Aura!"
Robin calls out, Eddie instantly runs to her before she could lose her balance and instead she falls into his arms.
"Hey hey hey, I've got you.."
Eddie whispers, just as he does another earthquake hits. Steve catching Nancy as they both fall to the ground, Robin holds onto the tree as Eddie falls on his back making sure Aura has a safe landing on him.
"Guys we need to get into the house, we're almost there I can see it.."
Nancy calls out. Everyone stands up once the earthquake stops, Eddie picks up Aura bridal style as they all walk towards the house, Aura leans into Eddie's chest closing her eyes. Now this didn't feel like one of her hallucinations, it was real and she was relived they were there to save her, she felt safe in his arms.
Once they got into the house, Eddie sat on the floor, everyone helped Aura lay on the floor with her head resting on Eddie's lap. Every single furniture was covered in vines. Everyone leans around her as Nancy lifts her top up checking for any deep wounds. Aura looks up at Eddie as he flashes down a smile at her.
"You're going to be okay.."
Steve and Robin both look at each other, by now they were convinced something was going on between them. Nancy then notices a bite mark on her thigh, Robin offers to rib a piece of her top to cover the wound. As they do that Steve leans closer caressing Aura's shoulder.
"How did you get here Aura?"
Aura looks over at Steve.
"I.. I woke up and I was hearing voices again, it's like I was in trance and I was following the voices without wanting too you know? My body just took over, next thing I know is I got sucked into a hole near a tree and I fell down here..."
She took a deep breath wincing a little as Nancy tightened the wound.
"Sorry.."
She apologises, Eddie caresses her hair as she continues to speak.
"Then I was fighting with bats but somehow I scared them off and since then I've been on the run, making sure those stupid damn bats wouldn't find me.. I thought they were going to eat me alive.."
Robin, Nancy and Steve all look at each other.
"If Aura was Vecna's victim would the bats killing her make any different to Vecna? Would he still gain what he needs from her or would he need to kill her himself?"
Robin asks. Nancy shurgs.
"Maybe the bats knew and that's why they didn't want to hurt her, or maybe it wasn't time yet, who knows"
Aura looks at Eddie.
"What are they talking about?"
Nancy stands up.
"Right the guns.. Steve.. Robin.."
Steve and Robin both stand up and follow Nancy upstairs leaving Aura and Eddie alone for a little. Eddie looks down at Aura.
"You're next Aura, Vecna is after you"
Aura looks at him with fear in her eyes shaking her head.
"No.. no I don't want to die.."
Eddie shakes his head.
"No no no.. hey listen to me"
He cups her cheeks in his palms.
"You are not going to die, do you hear me? I won't let him take you.."
Aura starts tearing up as she nods slowly, she raises her hands up and places them over Eddie's.
"You're my world, Aura Hopper"
"As you are mine, Eddie Munson"
She smiles as he leans down slowly and places his lips against hers kissing her softly, she kisses him back, he breaks the kiss as he traces his thumb across her jawline before leaning back up. It was in this moment, looking into each other's eyes they were in love. It was more than just sex, they felt the chemistry between them and every time they looked into each others eyes, the chemistry only grew stronger.
After a while Robin, Nancy and Steve came back downstairs, Nancy explained to Aura and Eddie about the guns and how they don't exist because they are in the past. Not realising Steve wondered off, suddenly he starts screaming.
"Dustin?!! Dustin!!!"
Everyone looked at each other. Robin puts her hands on her hips.
"He's got something from that bat bite for sure, he's going insane"
Robin walks into the other room and followed by Nancy. Aura looks at Eddie.
"Go, I'll be fine here"
Eddie nods helping her sit up before standing up and follows them. Whilst they were all in the other room, Aura could faintly hear their conversation, stuff about finding a way, morse code ect, but to Aura it felt like mumbles. Darkness was clearly lurking around her, she could feel it. She slowly closes her eyes taking a deep breath.
"You won't take me.."
She whispers to herself, trying to keep herself sane. After a while they start rushing back.
"We need to head upstairs to the bedroom.."
Nancy calls out as they follow her. Eddie stops and looks at Aura, she softly smiles at him.
"I'm okay Ed, I'm not going anywhere.."
He smiles back.
"Just checking.."
Before he runs upstairs following the rest. After a while they come back down, Steve and Eddie both help Aura stand. They all manage to bike it to Eddie's trailer, once they got there they ditch the bikes outside and they all walk into his trailer seeing the pulsing red gate above them on the ceiling.
"I think there's something in here.."
Robin whispers as they notice something jabbing inside trying to break free. The gate rips open startling everyone, when they walk closer they look up noticing the kids on the other side waving at them.
"Holy shit, this is trippy"
Robin states as everyone nods agreeing with her. The kids threw a handmade rope through the hole, landing on their side. Robin tugs on the rope looking back at everyone else.
"Guess I'm the guinea pig"
She shrugs and begins the climb, falling back to the real world on the other side. Nancy when next and followed by Eddie. Steve and Aura look at each other, Steve refused to go next because he didn't want to leave her behind, he puts his arm up guiding her to go next.
"After you.."
Aura smiles as she slowly nods.
"Okay, I guess I'll see you on the other side.."
Steve nods smiling.
"Other side.."
Aura holds onto the robe and begins to slowly pull herself up, climbing and climbing she manages to fall through the hole, but she didn't fall onto the mattress. She kept falling and falling through darkness.
"You can't run from me Aura.."