CHAPTER NINETEEN
bad feeling.
"MAX, MAX. SERIOUSLY." Steve spoke sternly, following behind the girl persistently walking down the driveway. "Seriously, I'm not joking, okay. I'm not driving you anywhere." He insisted.
"Steve, if you think I'm going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, you're out of your mind." Max ranted. "So either take me where I need to go, or you're going to have to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute." She continued, trying to open the back door of the eldest boys car which she quickly found to be locked. "Open the door."
"Uh, no."
"I know a good lawyer." As the proceeded to have what appeared to be a staring competition, Lucas, Dustin, and Jennifer watched on in silence.
"Steve, if you don't drive her then I will. Which would you prefer." Jennifer finally spoke up, just wanting to support Max as best as she could without speaking the god-forsaken words of 'you'll be okay'.
Steve looked between the two girls for a moment before scoffing lightly. "Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst." He sighed as he pulled his keys out of his pocket.
The car was silent as they drove to Max's house, the younger kids sitting in the back whilst Steve and Jennifer sat in the front, music playing quietly over the radio. "Alright, this better be fast, Mayfield." Steve spoke as he put the car in park.
"Twenty seconds." She said as she got out the car, slamming the door shut leaving just Lucas and Dustin in the back.
Jennifer watched the girl walk inside, her heart rate increasing slightly as she went out of view. The girl knew she couldn't keep eyes on max twenty-four-seven, but she'd do the best she could; Steve sent her a quick look of concern which she either ignored or didn't notice. "That thing's got batteries in it, right?" Steve questioned Dustin, gesturing to the larger radio as he turned to look at the two boys in the back.
"I'm not even answering that question." Dustin sighed out, slightly shaking his head. "Yes, it has batteries." He said irritated, feeling the annoyed look Steve gave him.
"Yeah, I got it."
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AFTER A WHILE, JENNIFER GOT A SICK FEELING IN HER STOMACH, THE GIRL LETTING OUT A SOFT SIGH AS SHE TRIED TO SOOTHE THE ACHING. The boys stepped out of the car, Steve and Lucas leaning out their open doors as Dustin leant against the front bonnet, Jennifer staying inside. "Hey, that was longer than twenty seconds." Steve commented when they saw Max finally making her way over to them. As the girl neared closer to the car however, he noticed the uncomfortable, slightly scared look in her eye, tears beginning to well. "Hey, whoa, whoa. Are you alright?" He questioned softly.
"I'm fine. Just drive." Max said, though, the tone and shakiness of her voice said other wise. Once everyone was inside, Steve quickly started the car, Jennifer twisting her body to look at Max, a look of concern plastered onto her face.
"What happened in there? Are you okay?" She questioned. Max kept her face turned from the girl, looking out the window.
"Can we please just go?" Max reiterated, Jennifer twisting her body back, pressing her head against the head rest and letting out a worried sigh as Steve swiftly backed out and drove out of the driveway.
The drive was mostly quiet, the only words spoken being directions given by Max, leading Steve to wherever it was she wanted to go next. "Turn here." She spoke quietly, just loud enough for Steve to hear.
"Here?" Dustin clarified as if unsure of whether Max knew where she was making them go. Max softly nodded, not saying another word as Steve pulled into Roane Hill Cemetery.
As soon as she could, Max stepped out of the car, beginning to walk up the slight hill without saying a word to the others in the car. "Max?" Lucas called out, quickly opening his door and getting out leaving Steve, Jennifer, and Dustin in the car.
Whilst Max and Lucas talked outside, Jennifer sat in the front passenger seat, her shoes tapping the car floor whilst she fiddled with the letter sitting in her heads. All she wanted to do was open the thing. She wanted to know what Max had written, what she was thinking, how she felt, but she also knew that she had to respect her wishes. Upsetting her was the last thing Jennifer wanted to do.
As more time passed, the four occupying the car grew more anxious, Steve's hand eventually found Jennifer's, giving it a firm squeeze, feeling the anxiety emitting off of his girlfriend.
The older boy looked out his window, his eyes locked onto the red-headed girl he could just spot sitting upon the hill in front of her brothers grave. "All right, it's been long enough." He finally spoke out, swinging the car door open and jumping out, Jennifer showing no hesitation to do the same.
"Steve, just give her some time." Lucas said.
"I have, all right, Sinclair?" He spoke as he began walking up the hill, Jennifer close behind him. "I'm calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can." He finished.
As they reached Max, Jennifer took notice of the letter sitting in front of her, slightly crumpled with tear stains, the writing somewhat neat with a few things crossed out. "Max!" Jennifer called out only to receive no response.
"Time to giddy up, yeah?" Steve followed up. Seeing as he was slightly ahead of Jennifer, he was first to notice the girls eyes rolling into the back of her head, slightly twitching from time to time. He knelt in front of her, one hand resting on her shoulder as Jennifer went around to her other side, kneeling onto the grass. "Max? Max!"
"Max, come on, can you hear me?" Jennifer practically begged. "Look at me, Max!"
It didn't take long for Lucas and Dustin to join the two in calling out for Max, the girl remaining unresponsive to their shouts. "Please, Max! Come on!" Jennifer practically whined, begging for the girl whom she viewed as a sister to come to her senses.
"Call Nancy and Robin! Go get 'em! Call Nancy and Robin! Go!" Steve instructed Dustin, grasping tightly onto the collar of his hoodie before pushing him away.
Max wandered around the empty, foggy graveyard, the sky almost pitch black and her throat strained as she yelled out for help, her voice simply echoing through the cold air. "Lucas, please, help! Dustin!" She called. "Jen, help me!"
Meanwhile, Dustin rushed back up the hill towards the others where Max remained motionless, Max's walkman and cassette tapes juggling around in his arms. "Guys!"
"What is this?" Lucas questioned quickly, looking at the strange confusing array of items Dustin dropped onto the grass.
"What's her favourite song?"
"Why?"
"Robin said if she listens... it's too much to explain now. What's her favourite song?!" He yelled.
Jennifer hastily tucked her hair behind her ears, wiping her face roughly as tears began to form. "Uhm, the- the Kate Moss one." She said hurriedly, the others quickly digging through the small pile of tapes, quickly finding it. Dustin placed the headphones on Max as Lucas pressed play, the four of them eagerly calling out for Max once again as they awaited her reaction to the music.
The four fell back as Max began to lift up into the air, her face still emotionless as the others became more desperate. "Dustin, what's happening! Why isn't the music working!" She yelled, her eyes not leaving the orange-haired girl. "Max, please!" Jennifer screamed along with the others.
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THE ARMS RESTRICTING MAX TO THE PILLAR GOT TIGHTER, VECNA'S LARGE CLAWED HAND REACHING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO HER FACE. Max looked past Vecna, staring at the bright window behind him, seeing her own body hang in the air whilst Jennifer, Steve, Lucas, and Dustin desperately called for her from bellow.
Her mind ran with memories; memorise from just moments ago as well as well as from previous years that had passed. Her friends faces flashed in her mind, their voices and laughter echoing through her head. She saw her and El walking through Star Court mall, her first halloween with Dustin and Lucas, her and Jennifer's move nights that would almost always end with the two falling asleep on the couch.
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JENNIFER'S BOTTOM LIP TREMBLED, HER HEART RACING IN HER CHEST WHILST SHE LOOKED UP AT MAX. Her body shivered even though she wasn't cold, her eyes welling with tears as her voice became louder, wanting nothing more than for the girl above her to fall back down to them.
She did.
Lucas tightly wrapped his arms around her as she began hyperventilating, Dustin and Steve on her sides whilst Jennifer knelt in front of her, one hand resting on her knee, whilst the other caressed her shoulder. "I'm still... I'm still here. I'm still here."
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