Hell on Earth

Chapter Eighty Six - Forever

Cynthia's teeth clenched as she looked at the wound in leg. It was bad. It was really, really bad. She grabbed the tear on her shirt and ripped a piece of her fabric. She tied it around her knee. Cynthia used the trailer to support herself and stand up.

"Cynthia," Dustin ran up to her. He was limping.

"Dustin," Cynthia wrapped her brother into a hug. "You're okay."

"It's Eddie," Dustin looked up at her.

Cynthia didn't need him to say anything else. The Henderson siblings limped over to the place where Eddie was. Cynthia's heart dropped when she saw Eddie laying on the ground.

"Eddie!" Dustin said as he collapsed next to her. "Eddie!"

"Oh my god, Eddie," Cynthia collapsed as her leg gave out. She crawled over to Eddie. She draped herself across Eddie's chest. She held Eddie's cheeks in her hands.

"Eddie," Cynthia tried to get him to look at her. "Eddie!"

"Oh God!" Dustin said as he looked at Eddie's wounds. "Oh God, Eddie."

"Bad, huh?" Eddie looked between the two siblings.

"No. You're gonna be fine," Dustin said. "Just got to get you to a hospital, okay?"

"You going to be fine," Cynthia pursed her lips. She was trying to hold back tears. She could feel Eddie's blood seeping out of his wounds and onto her shirt. "You have to be okay, okay."

"Okay," Eddie sounded tired. "All right. All right. I think, I think I just, I think I just need a second, okay?"

"Okay," Dustin said.

"We can take all the time you need," Cynthia brushed the hair out of Eddie's face. She tried to ignore how ashy and pale he looked.

"I didn't run away this time, right?" Eddie smiled at her and Dustin. He looked so content with that.

"No. No. No. No," Dustin said. "You didn't run."

"You are a hero, Eddie," Cynthia smiled sadly. she could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes. "You're a goddamn hero."

"Dustin, you're gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay?" Eddie said. It sounded like he was struggling.

"No," Dustin shook his head. Cynthia could see that Dustin was about to cry. "You're gonna do that yourself."

"Nah, man," Eddie shut that down. "Say, "I'm gonna look after them." Say it."

"I'm," Dustin was struggling to get the words out. "I'm gonna look after..."

"Good," Eddie smiled at him. "'Cause I'm actually gonna graduate. I think it's my year, Henderson. I think it's finally my year. I love you, man." Cynthia could see tears start to rub down Eddie's face. Cynthia couldn't hold back the tears. They were started to pour down her cheeks.

"I love you too," Dustin cried.

"Cynthia," Eddie turned to look at her.

"Hey, Eddie," Cynthia tried to put on a smile for him.

"My girl," Eddie smiled at her. He tried to lift up his hand to cup her cheek, but he was too weak.

"Yeah, I'm your girl," Cynthia cried.

"You'll always be my forever," Eddie's voice was quiet. "I'm sorry I can't give you forever."

"We still have time," Cynthia struggled to get out the words. "We still have our summer trip then college then the rest of our lives. We still have forever."