Hell on Earth

Chapter Eighty Seven - Loss

Readers,

Well, I know that last chapter was probably heartbreaking, but... you didn't think I was going to give up on Cynthia and Eddie, did you? There is a version of this story where Eddie and Cynthia get their happy ending. If Hell Turned into Heaven (https://www.quotev.com/story/15313774/If-Hell-Turned-into-Heaven/1) is an alternate ending and fix-it fanfiction of these characters' lives after Vecna. Enjoy this little world of happiness, and don't be too mad that I mad you all think that Eddie was actually dead.

-Queen of the Nerds

Cynthia didn't know how Steve was able to get her in the back into their world. What Cynthia did know was that it was a mess when they got there. Eddie's trailer was pretty much destroyed. The others went outside while Steve was dragging Cynthia outside. The entire trailer park was in ruins. It was as if the Upside Down had open up several chasms directly into their world.

"Oh god," Nancy muttered besides her.

"Lucas, Max, Erica," Robin had Dustin's walkie. "We're back in our world. Do you copy? Guys, are you there?" There was silence. Cynthia felt like she wanted to throw up. She couldn't handle this. "Do you copy?"

"I'm here," Erica's voice came from Dustin's walkie. "You all need to get to the hospital now."

"Erica, what happened?" Robin asked.

"It's better if you just get over here," Erica said.

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Robin said. She looked over at Steve. "You better drive as fast as you can."

They all got loaded into the RV. Nancy and Dustin sat besides Cynthia as she sobbed. Steve started the RV and was driving like a bat out of hell. Cynthia just wanted everything to be over. She just wanted to have her old normal life back. She wanted things to go back to the boring way they were before. Long before any the Upside Down had ruined their lives. She didn't even know if that meant her and Eddie would have been together, but it would have meant that he was alive.

Before Cynthia knew it, they were at the hospital. Cynthia suspected that Steve broke all the rules of the road to get here so quickly, but she really didn't care. She just felt numb and empty. Steve got her up and carried her into the hospital. Cynthia looked all around when they entered. The hospital was flooded with people. Whatever had happened had caused massive ripples throughout Hawkins. The chasms and earthquakes had shaken the town of Hawkins to its core.

"I need help," Steve yelled. "My friends are hurt!"

"What seems to be the issue?" a nurse appeared in front of them.

"Well, the boy behind me is limping," Steve said. "We think something might be broken. Her leg is bleeding. It's really bad. Please help her. Please help him."

"The boy looks fine just shaken, so he'll have to wait a while," the nurse explained. Cynthia could feel the nurses' gaze of her. "Her on the other hand... I need a wheelchair and someone to clean and bandage this wound."

Cynthia didn't know where the people had come from, but suddenly she was getting set in a wheelchair and wheeled away. She was vaguely aware of promises and reassurances, but it didn't matter to Cynthia. Nothing else mattered any more.

Cynthia was brought to a makeshift hospital bed. Someone cut away her pants just above the knee. They looked just a bit horrified at the wound in front of them. They grabbed the disinfectant and started to put it all over Cynthia's leg. She was somewhat aware of the sting. Cynthia was just so checked out, she couldn't even react. She was officially in shock. The kind person bandaged up her leg. They walked away and just left Cynthia alone with her thoughts. Well, what little thoughts she could collect. Her mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once. It was too loud and too quiet. Everything was a contradiction and nothing felt right anymore. All she could do was try and piece together everything that was happening.

After a while, the nurse (it had to be nurse) came back up to Cynthia. Cynthia took the time to actually see the person in front of her. It was an older woman with kind green eyes.

"All right, dear," the nurse was clearly trying not to cause her anymore distress. "I'm going to have to ask you to move. We need this bed for another patient."

"Okay," Cynthia nodded as she got up. "Um, do you know where the people I came here with are? There's a boy with really nice hair and two girls. They're all decked up in army gear."

"I do remember seeing those people," the nurse said. "I believe that they are on the third floor in front of one of the rooms that are in the west wing."

"Thank you," Cynthia whispered as she moved past the nurse.

Cynthia made her way through the hospital. She was able to see that she was still on the ground floor. People were everywhere. Some were crying, some were screaming, and some were just trying to find the people they loved. Cynthia guessed she was the third party. Cynthia headed to the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. When the doors closed, she was the only one there. It was surprising. And quiet. Cynthia was glad for the few moments of peace. Then, the doors opened and it was right back to reality. Cynthia looked at the map of the floor that was in front of the elevator. She saw the direction that said west and headed there. She had been walking for a few minutes when she saw Lucas pacing and the girls sitting outside the door. Lucas didn't seem to notice anyone else in the world. He was completely zoned out.

"Cynthia," Nancy said as she looked up. She ran over and pulled Cynthia into a hug. "They took Dustin to get his leg x-rayed. Steve is with him right now." Cynthia didn't say anything. Nancy wiped a tear off her cheek. "Hey, I'm here, Cynthia. I'm here."

"What happened?" Cynthia asked. "Max has got to be in there. That's the only reason why Lucas is pacing and we're all sitting here. What happened?" Cynthia started to cry and hyperventilate.

"It's stupid, Jason Carver's fault," Erica said. "From what I was able to get out from Lucas on the way over here, he broke Max's walkman. He wasn't able to give her the music." Erica looked down. "The first responders who got there said all of her limbs are broken, she's blind, and that she actually died before she came back."

"Cynthia, it's not good," Robin's voice was quiet. "We overheard the doctors talking when they left. They don't think that she's going to make it through the night."

Cynthia's legs buckled and she fell into Nancy's arms. Nancy caught her and lowered both of them to the ground without injury. Cynthia started to cry some more. She didn't think that was possible. She didn't think she had anymore tears left in her. Then, she screamed. It wasn't a horror movie screech. It was a scream that was filled with rage, sadness, and emptiness. It was haunting. It was real. It was the only thing that Cynthia could do.

The world had taken so much from them, and they had given without question. They were the ones who risked their lives when no one else could. They were the ones who put their lives on the line for Hawkins that no one would thank. And what did their sacrifice get them? Nothing. Well, it got them loss and pain and suffering. All that Cynthia could was scream and cry because she had already given everything she could. The world had sucked her dry, and now all that was left was a hollow shell.