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𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽: "𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚜, 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚒𝚝?"
╚═════ ∘◦ ミ ☾ ◦∘ ══════╝
WHEN MACKENZIE WOKE with a start the next morning, it was because of Dustin's walkie.
"Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the Banished, you there?" Eddie's voice rang out. "Dustin, can you hear me? Dustin?"
Mackenzie sat up, blinking blearily around the familiar room. After the events of the previous day, Mackenzie, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Steve had all gone back to the Wheeler's house, where Nancy and Robin had met them. It had taken quite some time for the five at the graveyard to pull themselves together. Max had then told them everything — how Vecna had showed her Billy before actually revealing himself to her, how she had run away, how she had stumbled across some red fog and such. It was clear that it was hard for her to talk about, so they didn't push her. At least she was still alive. That meant the world.
They all gathered around the basement to sleep. Mackenzie couldn't sleep for a long time — every time she closed her eyes, she would just see Max's floating body again. She was sure it would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Leaving the others to still sleep, Mackenzie rubbed her eyes and stood up from the spot on the floor, the hood of her Hawkins High sweatshirt still lifted above her head. She stumbled over to the walkie, which was resting on one of the tables.
"Earth to Dustin," Eddie said.
Mackenzie pulled up the antenna, trying to wake herself up. "Hi, Eddie. It's Kenz."
"Tate! Hey, um, I'm gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world."
"That would be really fucking stupid. Please don't do that. I'll get the others up and we'll go get you some food. Just stay where you are."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Eddie cut in. "Listen, um . . . can you pick me up a six pack?"
Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
"I know, it's stupid as shit, drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves."
She then looked back. However, the spot where Max Mayfield had once laid was completely empty. Mackenzie's eyes widened and her chest rose with panic. They had each taken turns watching over the redhead, making sure that Vecna wouldn't do anything to her again. And yet here she was, gone.
