Chapter Thirty-Seven:
S
ame Old Shit
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。
"Bald Eagle, do you copy?" Dustin asked, raising the radio to his lips. "Bald Eagle, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you copy?"
"Yes, I copy."
"Oh, thank fuck." Ramona sighed in relief, resting her folded hands on her head as she leaned into Steve for support.
"Call sign?" Dustin said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Ramona rolled her eyes, shaking her head as the boy messed with the man.
"Bald Eagle." By the tone of his voice, he was clearly unimpressed and very annoyed.
"Please repeat." Dustin pressed, glancing up at Ramona who gave him a thumbs up.
"Bald Eagle!" Murray shouted, "This is Bald Eagle!"
"Copy that. Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What's your twenty?"
"We reached the vent." He answered, "I'll contact you when I need you... Until then, silence."
"Roger that, Bald Eagle. This is Scoops Troop, going radio silent. Ten-ten, over."
"He's gonna hate children by the time we're done with him." Ramona joked, a cough leaving her lips as she raised her hand to gently rub her bruised neck.
Steve nodded in agreement, his eyes softening as his eyes danced over her battered appearance. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Ramona nodded her head, reaching up and resting her hand on his cheek. She patted him firmly twice, a smile replacing the frown as he grimaced. "Of course, estúpida."
"Hey!" Steve whined, "Stop calling me stupid."
"Oh, my God!" Erica exclaimed, causing Steve to turn to her with a panicked expression.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Erica shrugged, looking up from her nails. "Just that you're finally learning."
~~
"The stars are pretty tonight." Steve whispered, his attention focused on Ramona as she gazed at the sky above. Robin scrunched her nose up, rolling her eyes at the puppy-dog look he was giving Ramona. Ramona hummed in agreement as he scooted closer. "But I think you're-"
"Scoops Troop, this is.. ugh, this is Bald Eagle." Ramona sat up quickly, excited to finally have something to do after the agonizingly long time in between junctions. Steve groaned, grumbling under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet."
"This is what?" Dustin asked, looking towards Erica for a confirmation.
"The fourth junction." Erica answered as Ramona crouched beside her, glancing at her boyfriend as he began to pace back and forth.
"All right, so, if memory serves correctly-"
"Which it will." Ramona interrupted, her voice croaky as the adrenaline began to die down and the pain once again set in.
"This is right after the My Little Pony thesis." Dustin said as Ramona and Robin shared a strange look.
"We went left, so he has to go right." Erica said to herself.
"Right!" Dustin shouted in agreement before lifting the radio to his mouth, "Fly right, bald eagle. Fly right!"
"Roger that, flying right." Murray answered as Ramona stood up, brushing herself off before walking over to stand beside Steve. She inhaled slowly, trying to ignore the pain shooting through her throat after every word.
"What's the My Little Pony thesis?" Robin asked as Ramona crossed her arms, glancing over Steve as he focused on something in the distance.
"Don't get him started." Erica grimaced at the memory, shaking her head.
"Get him started? Just tell me." Steve and Ramona shared a look as Erica and Robin began to bicker back and forth.
"Something... doesn't feel right." Ramona trailed off, her eyes trailing over the town's skyline. Her gaze landed on the mall and her heart sank at the flickering iridescent lights. "Definitely not right."
"Hey, guys?" Steve asked, calling the attention of Erica, Robin, and Dustin.
"Oh, shit." Dustin swore, shaking his head as he scrambled towards the radio. He frantically lifted the speaker to his mouth, holding down the button to speak. "Griswold Family! This is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? I repeat, do you copy? Over. Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? Over! Do you copy?"
Ramona jumped at the staticy wailing sound cut through the radio before an eery silence fell over them. "Mierda."
"Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Please confirm your safety! Griswold Family! Please confirm your safety! Are you en route to Bald Eagle's nest?"
Ramona's heart rate increased in her chest as Dustin continued to shout for their friends at the mall. His voice became muffled as she shakily pushed herself onto her feet, sharing a look with Steve.
"Where are you two going?" Erica shouted to them as they took off towards the direction of the mall.
"To get them the hell out of there!" Steve shouted in response. "Stay here! Contact the others!"
"Keep each other safe!" Ramona strained her voice, grimacing from the pain spiking.
"Shit." Robin swore, glancing at the kids crouched by the radio before ultimately deciding to follow.
"Robin!" Dustin shouted, causing her to pause. He picked up another radio and tossed it to her, "Stay in touch!"
"Got it!"
"To the car." Ramona ordered, pointing at it. "Now."
~~
"Fucking drive!" Ramona groaned, anxiously tapping her foot on the floorboard. "Jesus Christ, Harrington! You drive like my grandma! Descansa en paz."
"I'm trying my best, Garcia!" Steve shouted, turning towards her as he sped down the highway.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ramona rolled her eyes, "Go faster! Fucking zoom-zoom, you know?"
"We are not doing this right now!" Robin groaned, rolling her eyes as Ramona snapped her fingers. "We have more important things to focus on! Focus on saving their asses. Holy shi.."
Robin's voice trailed off as they pulled into the mall's empty parking lot. The area was eery compared to the bustling mess of crowds and unreachable parking spaces it was during the day. It sent chills down Ramona's spine to see it so barren. Ramona pulled her gaze from her boyfriend to find out what stopped Robin's sentence so short. She almost regretted looking the second she did, her heart sinking at the thought of her friend's dying in the hands of a possessed Billy.
"Steve.." Ramona whispered, her eyes widening in fear as her gaze landed on Billy's car speeding towards her best friend. "Steve!"
"Brace yourself." Steve muttered, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. His knuckles became white from how he held it. He glanced over at Ramona and then back at Robin to make sure they were both buckled up and holding onto something. Once this was confirmed, he pressed his foot on the gas pedal, lowering it towards the floor.
Ramona squeezed her eyes shut as the car sped towards Billy's wrecked one. She muttered prayers under her breath in Spanish as she tried to calm her breathing. A yelp escaped her lips as the cars collided.
"Oh, thank God!" Ramona mumbled, leaning over and planting a kiss on Steve's cheek. "Thanks for not killing us.
"Are you two okay?" Steve asked, out of breath as he looked over at Ramona. Her eyes were wide in shock as she shook her head.
"Ask me tomorrow?" Robin suggested.
"Absolutely not." Ramona shook her head, her throat tightening at the sight of the humungous creature crawling to the tip of the mall's roof. "Not okay."
The sound of a car honking brought her out of her trance on the creature. She turned her head to the source, a brief feeling of relief hitting her at the sight of her best friend.
"Get in!" Nancy shouted, gesturing to the car wildly. Ramona scrambled out of the front seat, nearly tripping over her own feet. Steve and Robin followed on her tail.
"Glad you're alive." Max spoke as Ramona opened the door and got in.
"Yeah? Me too." Ramona croaked, scooting over to make room for Steve and Robin.
"Go, go, go, go!" Lucas spoke frantically as Steve slammed the car door shut. Ramona breathed out a sight of relief, resting her head against the cold car window as Jonathan stepped on the gas in an attempt to escape the creature's claws.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
{ A/n: its been a while I'm so sorry :( }
{ Translations: Stupid, shit, rest in peace }
{ Edited: No }