𝑽𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆, 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒐

Ozzy bit a bats head off, but I got bit by a bat

*Eddies POV*

Thinking back and knowing I hadn't run away from a fight was thrilling. On the other hand, getting attacked mercilessly by giant bats was not cool. It was very painful and I never want to experience that again. Dying a hero was a nice touch and being resurrected, even better. I kept wondering if I was alive, or if this was some sort of virus, like Robin was telling Steve when he got bitten.

There were so many unanswered questions, like how was Steve human, but I was a bigger freak than before?Was it because I died, or because a larger quantity of bats bit me? I'm not sure if I wanted to know, or if answers are what I needed. Right now I need assurance that I'm real and that my friends were here for me.

I was expecting the silence that followed my speech about my past couple of hours. They needed time to process that I'm alive and not dead. I know I'd be stunned if Chrissy came back to life looking like a vampire from an old horror flick, not that she'd look ugly, she could rock anything.

I was expecting interrogating questions, but when Robin finally spoke she said, "So when can we see the tail and wings?"

Embarrassment flared up again and I covered my face with my hand. Letting the redness fade from my cheeks I slowly stood and lifted my shirt, revealing not only bandages, but a tail that slowly unraveled itself from my waist. When it was completely unwrapped it wiggled back and forth nervously like it was attached my emotions. I felt their eyes bare into me as they watched my tail flick back and forth. I glanced around to make sure we were alone, satisfied we were, I looked back at them with an uneasy smile.

"Pretty metal, huh?" I joked, trying to laugh but coming out as a nervous noise from my throat. To be honest this would be pretty metal if the circumstances were different and if I knew how to reverse the effects, I thought.

Clearing his throat and brushing a hand through his hair Steve replied, "So-so uh you're alive huh?"

Valid response after all I told and showed them.

"Where're the wings?" Robin questioned.

Okay, valid once again. I attempted to lift my T-shirt over my head trying not to stretch and hurt myself even more. Closing my eyes and trying to concentrate under pressure was deeming difficult, after what seemed like hours, I heard the poof sound and open my eyes to see wings attached to the middle of my back. I stretched them out to their full length and heard something fall to the ground. I looked back to see Steve sitting crisscrossed and staring into the sky.

"So it's really you?" He asked.

"yup, it's really me big boy," I replied, trying to lighten the mood.

"So your still you but basically a vampire." Thank God for Robin, she started to laugh after saying that. I'm not sure if it was from shock or if she finally felt at ease from the stupidity of it all.

"You're going to have to break the news to everyone else," Steve said cutting off Robin's giggles and snorts.

"Yeah, well when the opportunity presents itself," I said back.

I'm not ready to show and tell again. But the sooner the better I suppose, like ripping off a bandaid. Mostly I'm scared of Dustin's reaction, I know he'll be cool with me and my appearance. But I can only imagine the heartbreak he's feeling, and me coming back to life and ruining his grieving might not be the best idea. Steve's right though, telling everyone soon would be for the best. There shouldn't be secrets, I don't want them to think I'm plotting against them.

I began to devise a plan with Steve and Robin to get everyone together at Eleven and Hopper's cabin tomorrow night. I've never had the opportunity to meet some of their other friends, so it's tomorrow night or never.

Robin suddenly gasped and shot from her seat at the table, "ohmygosh, it's already 5:46 Steve! We gotta get back to the school or people will be worried or suspicious."

She and Steve stood, but before they could leave I stopped them by asking about Max. I didn't want to bring up another bad memory but I needed to know if she was really gone.

"It's complicated. Her body's damaged, but somehow her heart is still beating." Steve said with a small smile and a head shake.

Relief washed over me and I waved goodbye.

*Steve's POV*

Do I believe Eddie's story? Yes, for the most part. It's one of the more believable things I've come across in life. I was scared shitless when I first laid eyes on him, but now I'm just glad he's back.

Running my hands through my hair I sat crisscrossed on the ground pondering what to say now that most everything was cleared up between us. We eventually agreed to get everyone, and I mean everyone, together at Els place tomorrow night.

"Hey Eddie, where are you staying?" I blurted out.

He hesitated. "I'm not sure, my uncle Wanes is usually gone for the night shift, but he's probably not working with Hawkins being in ruins. So I can't be there looking like- like a freak." He choked on the last couple of words as a sob almost broke the surface.

"Actually I think your uncle left a day ago, after he found out you, uh died," Robin whispered. "But isn't your place a little suspicious if someone saw you there?" She added

I looked up at him from my spot on the ground and saw grief pass through his face as he hung his head. Unfortunately, the only sane option for him to stay was my place. My parents hadn't come back from their business trip, despite their son still stuck in Hawkins which was in a state of emergency. Everyone else had siblings or family who didn't know about the upside-down and Eddie would probably feel safer if he knew no one else was home.

"What do you say you crash at my place? No one there but me and sometimes Robin." I told him.

I watched his eyes grow and fill with happiness as his mouth dropped open. "Well, don't just catch flies, what do ya say Munson?" I replied with a laugh.

He quickly shut his mouth but reopen it to stammer out, "Uh-uh yea that would be great, I mean Steve the hair Harrington inviting me to the party house, that's metal."

I almost ironically laughed at that, no one has come by my place for a party since I graduated. There was never time, considering my new jobs and babysitting the kids while fighting monsters. The three of us talked for what seemed like minutes, but suddenly Robin jumped from her seat and exclaimed it was already 5:46. We had been back here chatting for almost three hours.

Standing and brushing leafs from my back I heard Eddie from behind say, "what about max?"

I stopped, my heart aching in pain at the thought of the redhead. All I could tell him was she was alive but broken. 'To be honest, only her body's alive, who knows if her soul is still attached,' I thought. But my response must have satisfied Eddie because when I glanced over my shoulder he had a small smile playing on his lips as he waved goodbye.

"Robin, do you think he'll be normal again?" I asked as we walked through the football field and back into the school.

"Normal? Eddie was and will never be normal, he just has a new and unique physique. I wonder if he can I fly, I should have asked him." She declared.

She continued to talk to me as I drifted away into my thoughts. Sure Eddie was different from many people in Hawkins. His music and clothing style went hand in hand but he could shred a guitar like a madman. It's the thing that saved our lives in the upside-down, without Eddie's sacrifice, we wouldn't have made it out alive. I can't believe we left him in there, even if we knew he had no pulse, we should have taken the body to bury. If we had done that we might have helped him sooner, maybe delay the effects of his new additions.

It's too late to think about that now. The only thing we can do now move forward. We still needed to defeat Vecna, and maybe by doing so we could reverse his appearance.