After a few minutes, Steve was able to find a big empty field.
Julia carried Melody on her hip and with her free hand, grabbed a red can of Kerosene Fuel.
Nancy opened the door and got out first. There was determination in the girl's eyes; she wasn't scared of anything. Julia admired that.
They all got out with their supplies. They worked with a partner to make a different weapon.
Eddie and Dustin were hammering nails into trash can lids.
The Sinclair siblings were making spears with knives and tree branches.
Nancy and Max were on the far left side.
Steve, Robin, and Julia, with Melody, stayed near the RV.
The door of the RV was wide open. Julia sat on the last step. Melody sat on the grass between Julia's legs. Melody was pulling on the long grass, and her extended legs were moving like windshields on the ground.
With his left hand, Steve was holding a glass bottle, and with his right hand, he was holding a funnel.
Carefully Robin poured the gasoline in. Having the glass filled with gasoline Julia stuffed a white piece of fabric inside the bottle. She kept it out of reach from Melody's curious hands.
Steve grabbed another bottle as he said, "It just doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense," Robin asked him, confused. "That was Dan Shelter. He graduated, like, two years ago," he responded.
Julia didn't know Dan very well. They had a class together her senior year, but that was it. Julia didn't know why he was the topic of conversation.
"So," Robin asked, not sounding interested. "So he's in college. Which means he was visiting on spring break. Fast Times was returned, like, I don't know, a week ago?"
Hearing more about the conversation, Julia was able to connect the dots. The discussion was about Vickie, a girl in Robin's band class. Also known as Robin's current crush.
"Unless she's got some horndog brother we don't know about." Steve looked at Robin. "Which is possible," he added quickly.
"Or she's just really into Judge Reinhold?" In his own way Steve was trying to make Robin feel better. He was sure Vickie was into girls. He was thinking of a reason why Vickie would be dating Dan.
Robin, on the other hand, didn't want to hear any of it. It wasn't the first time something like that had happened to her. She didn't have a lot of luck in the lady department.
She shook her head "Steve," Robin said, getting the attention of Steve.
Robin looked tired of the conversation. "I don't care. I don't understand why you do either with everything that's going on. Marshmallow doesn't even care." Robin pointed at the young girl who was trying to grab the empty can of Kerosene Fuel. Julia moved the can in a fast motion before Melody even noticed. Hearing her name, the baby looked up at her friend. "Ah ah," she responded.
"See, and honestly, this feels like a perfect time for that little pull of the rug because...in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low." Robin looked back at Steve. "Yeah. I get it, but I still have hope," Steve said as he passed her another bottle.
"Not everything has a happy ending," Robin said gloomy. Julia looked up at Robin and said, "Robin, I'm sure you're going to find someone great. If Vickie is not the one, someone else will come and will make you feel so loved." Robin smiled fondly at Julia.
"Thank you, but I'm not talking about love. I have this terrible, gnawing feeling that." Robin stopped pouring the gasoline into the funnel. "It might not work out for us this time," Robin said, sounding sad and defeated. Julia had never heard her talk this way. Robin was always talkative and optimistic.
Steve glanced at Julia and then at Robin, "You think we shouldn't be doing this?" Robin poured the gasoline again and said, "I think we're mad fools, the lot of us, but." She let out a sigh and looked out to the field where everyone else was.
Eddie and Dustin were playing with their new shields, and they were pretending the tree branches were swords. Nancy was practicing her aim. The Sinclair siblings were making sure their spears were secure enough.
"But if we don't stop him, who will? We have to try, right?"
Steve nodded, "Yeah." Steve lifted the bottle, "To killing Vecna." A small smirk appeared on Robin's face. She grabbed a bottle that was near her feet. "Slash Henry," she said. The pair looked back at Julia. Robin moved her eyebrows up, gesturing to the other bottle near the RV.
Getting her drift, Julia picked up the bottle away from Melody and said, "Slash One." The three bottles clicked together as they touched.
Danger was near, and it was becoming more clear to Julia. Soon they were going to face Vecna. There was no time to turn around and walk away. She has to do it; she has to fight. Her daughter needs a future without Vecna in it. There needs to be a future free of monsters for her future children. This was her time to be brave to leave her doubt behind.
The sun was going down when they finished making the weapons. They cleaned up their mess and went back inside the RV.
While everyone was already inside, Julia stayed a few extra seconds outside on the empty field with Melody. Both girls enjoyed the breeze as it hit their faces.
Steve walked up to her and stopped when he was only a few inches away from her. He looked down at the ground and moved his feet, pushing a few pebbles around. "Julia, I'm taking you and Melody home," he said quietly but loud enough for Julia to hear him.
Julia turned her whole body around "what," she asked, confused. She wanted to make sure she had heard Steve right.
"It's not safe for you or Melody."
Julia took a step closer. "It's not safe for anyone." Everyone was putting their lives at risk, not only them.
"Julia, you haven't been to the Upside Down. It's dangerous. It's better for you to stay here with Melody," he tried to reason with her. He didn't want to put her in danger; he wanted her to be far away from it. The only thing he wanted was to have the two important people in his life safe. Its his responsibility to keep them safe.
"I know it's a dangerous place. Look what happened to you." She pointed at his neck, the reddish line display still on his neck.
"Every single time we get separated, you get hurt, and I'm not doing it again this time." She shook her head. He got hurt several times, but he always came back to her. What if this time is different, and he gets badly injured he doesn't make it out alive? She would never forgive herself for it.
"I'm not going to be calm if I stay at the house knowing you're out there getting yourself killed." She had made up her mind. "I'm going, and I'm fighting alongside you."
The fear she felt moments ago was gone, and it was replaced with a feeling she was not familiar with.
He pushed his hair back with both of his hands. "Julia," he said, frustrated.
"I'm not staying," she said firmly, looking back at him.
"We both go to the Upside Down, or we don't go at all." Those were the two options she settled on, and she knew which one he was going to pick even though he didn't agree.
"I can't lose you," his voice cracked at the last word. After she gave birth to their daughter Steve saw all the blood, and Julia was unresponsive; he thought she was gone forever. That image had not left his mind. The thought of losing her forever would completely break him.
They were both worried for each other. They both want to keep each other safe.
She couldn't promise him nothing would happen to her. Anything could happen to them once they go to the Upside Down.
She walked up to him and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close to him.
"We will be fine," she said hesitantly.
"We will watch each other's back," he added reluctantly.
Everyone in the camper was quiet; they knew what was ahead.
Steve was driving, and Julia was sitting next to him. Melody rested quietly on her lap. The young girl had been quiet for the last few minutes before she was more active.
Nancy and Robin were sitting next to each other.
Max and Lucas were in the back. The young boy was concerned for the redhead. He had tried to come up with other ideas to not put her in danger, but Max had made up her mind.
Erica, who always had something to say, was lost of words, and sat quietly behind the driver seat.
Dustin and Eddie were across from Robin and Nancy, both boys were trying to come up with a conversation to lighten up the mood, but nothing seemed to work. They knew they couldn't joke around.
Some of them didn't even realize it, but it was the last time they would all be together. The atmosphere was gloomy as they made it to their first stop, the creel house.
Steve stopped the camper and parked right outside the house.
Erica opened the door. Lucas and Max got up from their seats and made their way to the front.
"Be careful," Julia told the pair.
They both look back at the older teen. They nodded at her "you too," Lucas said.
The three of them were standing outside the house. They were the start of their plan.
Steve drove to their second stop, Eddie's trailer. To not draw attention to the RV, Steve parked a walking distance from Eddie's trailer.
They were all ready to go, but Nancy wanted to remind everyone of the plan.
Nancy stood up and looked at the others. "Okay, let's go over the plan one more time," Nancy said. "Phase one," she said.
"We met Erica at the playground. She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready," Robin answered slowly.
"Phase two," Nancy said, holding two fingers.
"Max baits Vecna," Julia said, looking at Steve, who nodded, "He'll go after her, which will put him in his trance," Steve said next to Julia.
Nancy nodded, "Phase three."
Dustin answered, "Eddie and I draw the bats away," he pointed at Eddie, who was standing behind him. Eddie smiled and hugged him from the back.
"Lastly, phase four."
"We head into Vecna's newly bat-free lair, and...flambé," Robin said, holding the glass bottle that she had filled with gasoline.
"Nobody moves on to the next phase until we've all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what," Nancy said firmly.
"Got it." They all agree, understanding.
The group got out and followed Nancy. No one was outside, everyone was inside their trailers asleep, not having a clue of what was going on, not knowing that a supernatural monster wanted to destroy their homes and kill them.
They quickly made their way into Eddie's trailer. Steve turned on the lights, and the trailers looked the same as they left it. Steve is the first one to climb the rope.
"Be careful," Dustin said as Steve began to climb. "Thanks buddy," he answered.
Once he was on the other side, he effortlessly did a flip, landing on his feet. In the upside down, Steve moved the mattress the same way they had it in their normal Hawkins.
First they tossed all the weapons through the gate; once Steve moved them out to the side, the others climbed.
Robin helped Nancy climb the rope by giving her support on her feet and slightly pushing her up. Nancy landed on the mattress, Steve assisted her, and they moved to the side, waiting for Robin.
Eddie and Julia were the last ones to climb the rope.
Julia stood in front of the rope. She looked up and saw the white mattress and the head of Steve poking out.
She took a deep breath and looked back at Eddie. He was already looking at her with a sweet smile. "Can you hold her while I climb," she asked.
"Uh, sure," he said, sounding hesitant. He carried Melody while Julia began to climb. The baby was intrigued with the older teen's hair, but her little brain remembered his rings and looked down at his hands that were secure around her. She moved her hand down, trying to get them.
Eddie chuckled lightly, seeing the young girl. In uncertain moments like this, the girl was able to put a smile on the teen. A fear he had slowly drifted away.
"You can pass her to me," Julia said, looking down at the pair. She was halfway up the rope.
"Oh, right." Eddie stood on top of the mattress and lifted up Melody's small body toward Julia.
Julia held her daughter and lifted her up. On the other side Steve waited for his daughter.
"Ready," Steve said from the upside down. Julia counted until three and let go of Melody.
The young girl laughed when her father caught her. Steve hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
Dustin padded his back and said, "Good catch."
Once the mattress was unoccupied, Julia let go and fell down on the mattress, her body bouncing. A smile spread on her face as Steve helped her get up.
Once Eddie was with them, they were ready to go.
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞
𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢, 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚅𝚎𝚌𝚗𝚊, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑, 𝙸 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝, 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜. 𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍, 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝙸 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚝.
𝙼𝚢 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙼𝚛𝚜. 𝙷𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚛 𝙼𝚛𝚜. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚛, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚛𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟼𝟺, 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚘 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎🫠
𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎💜