The One That Got Away

Chapter Eight

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When Eddie and Monica finally made it to the upside down, she was horrified at the scene playing out in front of them. Steve was on the floor, some bat like creature attempting to strangle him and two eating away at his sides.

"Steve!" She yelled, grabbing an ore which was lying on the ground next to her feet. She ran behind Nancy and Robin, her fight or flight instantly kicking in. All she wanted to do was kill these things before they killed Steve.

Nancy hit one of the bats at Steve's side, sending it flying across the floor before it flew off. Nancy and Robin worked together to kill the other two bats clinging onto Steve.

"Shit." Eddie muttered as two more bats began to swarm around them.
"Get it off me!" Nancy shouted to Robin as one of them clung to her back, Robin grabbing hold of its tail attempting to pull it from her back.

One of the bats came flying towards Monica, gripping onto her. She screamed, trying to get  it. She could feel it's claws digging into her skin. And then she felt it's teeth sink into her arm.
"Absolutely not!" Eddie yelled, grabbing the ore and batting it off her before stabbing it into the ground.

Steve managed to free himself from the bat wrapped around his neck, throwing it to the floor the same time Robin freed Nancy. Steve ripped the bat in two, panting, out of breathe.

"Steve!" Nancy and Robin sprinted over to Steve's side. "Are you okay?"

"Monica, you alright?" Eddie rushed to Monica who was attempting to piece the fabric of her top back together. She nodded, looking at the cuts on her arms. It was just a few scratches she thought to herself, taking a look at Steve who was covered in blood with flesh missing from his sides. "What the hell are those things?"

Robin was on the floor, shining her torch on the bat-like creatures. "Do you think these bats have uh, rabies?"
Everyone looked at her as she rambled on about rabies being her greatest fear and how Steve should definitely see a doctor.

There was a high pitched squeal and a small swarm of the bats flew down next to them.
"There's not that many," Steve spoke. "We can take them."

The five of them looked up to see the red sky full of the bats.
"You were saying?" Robin side eyed him.

"The woods! Come on!" Nancy shouted, before all five of them took off running towards the woods.

They ran deep into the woods, taking shelter under a bunch of boulders, hiding from the bats circling above their heads. Nancy ripped off a piece of her top to make her own bandage for Steve, which she carefully wrapped around his wounds. Eddie was sat tying the string of Monica's top back together while Robin tried to comfort Steve about him not having rabies, but it sounded like she was trying to comfort herself.

The shrieks from the bats could be heard, but they'd disappeared from above their heads.
"So uh, this place is like Hawkins, but with monsters and nasty shit?" Eddie asked.
"Pretty much." Nancy nodded, assisting Steve up.

"It's disgusting." Monica glanced around at the dull, dim version of her home town.
"Just don't step on any vines, alright. It's a hive mind." Nancy told them.

"A what?" Monica asked. It's almost like they kept forgetting her and Eddie had never experienced this before. These words made absolutely no sense.
"It's all connected. Step on a vine you're basically stepping on Vecna." Steve explained, his hand clutched to his side. Monica helped Eddie step over the vines that covered everything in sight. "Careful." She spoke softly, guiding him over to her.

"Hypothetically, if this is Hawkins, just without the people. Could we not go to the station for like, guns and grenades? Whatever we need to blow up the bats guarding the gate?" Robin asked.
"I highly doubt Hawkins PD have grenades, Robin." Steve rolled his eyes.

"We don't have to go all the way downtown for guns. I have guns in my bedroom."
"You, Nancy Wheeler," Eddie started "Have guns, plural, in your bedroom."

"Full of surprises isn't she." Robin exclaimed.
"Well then let's go. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to." Monica started to set off walking.

There was a loud rumbling sound and the ground suddenly started to shake beneath them. Steve pulled Robin and Nancy towards him, covering the three of them under the rock.

Eddie grabbed Monica, wrapping his hands around her waist as they were thrown to the floor. Her heart was racing. She was so incredibly scared, she didn't know what everyone else was feeling. Were they all feeling this scared?

The ground stood still, but the silence was filled with snarls and shrieks from the monsters of the upside down.
"So guns sound like a pretty good idea to me." Eddie spoke sitting up.
"Yeah, me too." Monica nodded.

Monica realised how close her and Eddie were, she was practically sat on him still holding his hand. "Sorry." Monica stood up, feeling her cheeks turn red with embarrassment. Eddie let out a small smile before the five of them followed Nancy further into the woods to her house.

Robin and Nancy led the way while the other three followed behind.
"How you doing over there?" Monica asked looking to Steve. "Not bleeding out or any symptoms of rabies?"
Steve let out a chuckle. "Not yet, but I'm okay, for now. How's your arms?"

Along the way, Monica had been ripping off pieces of her skirt for Eddie to wrap around her arm to stop the bleeding. Her cuts were deeper than she first thought and her bite had started to bleed more. "Oh, they're nothing," She shrugged. "You're the one who was nearly eaten alive. Hey! we can be bat bite buddies!" she grinned at him.

Steve smiled at her before Robin called him over, leaving Eddie and Monica trailing behind.
"You okay?" Monica asked, noticing Eddie had been quiet for some time, only muttering the occasional "thank you" every time she handed him a piece of her skirt.
"Yeah, I guess," He nodded his head. "Just uh, taking it all in."

Eddie had been so busy running, he didn't even have time to process what was happening. What was happening in Hawkins and upside down Hawkins. He was so grateful Monica had decided to stay with him, he would've gone batshit crazy if she hadn't. He liked her company.

Steve returned to the two of them, telling Monica that Robin and Nancy wanted her. She smiled and then hurried to the two girls. Eddie realised it was the first time in nearly three days they'd been apart. He was getting used to having her around. He almost missed having her by his side.

"Thanks for helping save my ass back there by the way." Steve spoke, breaking the silence.
"Well, I was helping Monica, but I guess you were there too." He joked.

"So you two are like, friends now?"
"I guess you could say that," Eddie replied with a small smile. "She's kind of got me through these last few days."

"Just make sure you look after her, alright?"
Eddie nodded. He wasn't quite sure on the relationship between Monica and Steve. He'd seen them walking around school together a few times and he was sounding awfully protective of her. But at the minute, so was he. Plus Monica was adamant Steve was not her boyfriend. He tried not to let it play on his mind.

"You know, Henderson told me you were a badass. Insisted on the matter in fact."
"Wait, Henderson said that?" Steve asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"Oh yeah. Kid worships you dude. And uh, I guess I got a little jealous Steve."

Steve just looked at him, letting out a small laugh.
"I guess I just couldn't stand the fact that Steve Harrington, actually a good dude."

"Guys, we're almost there. Come on!" Nancy shouted at the two boys behind.

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