𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒 • Robin Buckley

XXXVII: I LOVE YOU

author speaks
okay ignore what i said in my last chapter guys this isn't the end of part 2

Claudia put up her best fight. She got away from the vines a few times, but they were too strong now, there were two many. They pulled her against the wall, wrapping around her neck just as they did with everyone else.

She reached out, managing to grab Robin's hand, using all of her energy to squeeze it. This was it. She was dead. She was so, totally dead.

Seconds felt like hours, until the vines just dropped them. Nothing happened. They didn't do anything. They were just dropped. Claudia was quick to get to Robin, grabbing her face and looking at her neck for any bruises.

"You put up quite the fight," Robin said.

"Yeah," Steve agreed.

"I don't exactly agree with you trying to get to Vecna alone, and I know you didn't exaclty succeed, but that was really brave of you," Nancy said.

"Well, now I don't have to fight him alone," Claudia said, chucking Nancy her gun, "Phase four."

"Flambé," Robin said.

"Hey," Claudia whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Movie Friday? We could invite Max and Lucas, like a double date."

"Sure."

They walked up to the attic, and Vecna stood, or rather floated, surrounded by his tentacles. "I think you should do the honours," Steve said, handing Claudia one of the bottles, the cloth already on fire.

Claudia launched the bottle at Vecna, bringing him down. He detached form the tentacles and fell to the ground. He stood back up as his flesh sizzled. Robin lit another bottle and threw it, knocking him back again.

Nancy stepped forward, shooting bullets at him. It seemed that they had Vecna beat. He howled, trying to step forward again, but Nancy wasn't having it. She shot again, sending him flying out the building.

"Easier than I thought," Claudia said, "If only we knew that when he had Chrissy. Or Fred. Or Patrick. Poor them. At least we saved Max, though."

Robin, Steve and Nancy headed outside. Claudia was about to follow them out, before feeling something wet on her stomach. She lifted her shirt, seeing blood. She suddenly became aware of pain, pain that she hadn't noticed until now. She wondered how long the wound had been there, how she hadn't felt it. It was deep. Dangerously deep.

Robin, Nancy and Steve stared at the empty space where Vecna had landed. "Why didn't Claudia come down?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know," Robin said. Steve suddenly got a feeling. A bad, bad feeling. He ran up the stairs, followed by the two girls, and back into the attic.

"Hey, guys," Claudia said.

"Hey," Steve said, "What's up? Are you okay?"

"Any chance those vines have, like, sharp ends?"

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked. Claudia moved her hand, revealing the bleeding wound. "No, no, no, no," Robin said, running over and catching Claudia as she fell. Robin kneeled down, placing Claudia in her lap.

Steve froze. Nancy frantically looked around for something to help stop the bleeding. She attempted to rip her shirt like she had with Steve but, conveniently, it wouldn't budge.

Claudia felt herself choking, struggling to get words out. "I'm gonna die, Robin," she said.

"You won't! You won't, okay? I won't let you," Robin gasped out through heavy tears.

"Hey, it's okay. At least Vecna's dead, right?"

Robin wasn't so sure of that. "Yeah, yeah. He's dead. We killed him."

"I should've just done what Nancy said and let the vines take me. She's always right. I bet if I didn't beat them up they wouldn't have fucking stabbed me."

Robin let out a sad laugh. "You did a brave thing, though. I'm proud of you. You've came really far."

"I'll miss you."

"Don't say that! You're not gonna miss me because you're not gonna die."

"I'm getting real sleepy."

"Claudia, please. Stay awake."

"I love you, Robin."