Chapter Text
Standing in the center of the circling bats, the excuse of a shield that’s only a lid to a garbage can with spikes, he stands knowing that he will probably not make it out of this situation alive, but whatever it takes to give the others more time. He wouldn't call himself bait; more like that he saw all of this happen, and now he is here to end it. For Chrissy, for Dustin, for Steve, for anyone who saw him not as a sadist cult leader who killed innocent kids for his own twisted fun, for people who saw him as a nerd, a freak, and DND fanatic. For just being himself.
He's always been like this, and he will sacrifice himself and die like it.
He didn't know what the bats looked like from far ahead, but if he were to guess, they probably looked like a tornado. A twisted tornado. He raised his shield and spear as a few of the bats started charging at him. A lot of them hit his shield, dropping dead instantly, but he knew they wouldn't give up. They attack from up, down, left, and right. Dodging them wasn't a problem; it was just knowing what their next move was.
Then, out of nowhere, one of them managed to take him down, his body hitting the concrete hard, and pain shooting up his entire body. But mostly his head. It couldn't have been a concussion because he knows what those feel like. Pain struck his head for a few seconds until the same bat wrapped its tail around his neck to keep him down, while two others went right for their defenseless prey.
After Steve got attacked by these things, he couldn't imagine the pain he felt. Now he did, and it was excruciating. It seems like only the three bats attack while two others hold his arms down, trying to weaken him and then kill him for the others to feast. He tried to move, get out of the bat's grip, but they were strong.
Great, this is how he was going to die.
Knowing people hate him for something he didn't do. What about the people who believe him? What would happen to them? Would they move on and forget, or would they remember and fight? He knew one person who would continue for him. Dustin. It hurts to think about the kid right now. He knew he would be grieving if he died, but for how long, and would it destroy his ego? Hopefully not.
But just as the pain started, it stopped. Did he just die? His eyes still worked as he looked around, the same dark sky with red lightning flashing. The bats still swirled around him. So what was going on? His ears started to pick up something not too far from him. A loud banging sound. Loud sounds attract the bats. But who was making those loud sounds?
"COME ON YOU RABIE SHITHEADS!" Dustin's voice echoed through the dark world.
God dammit, Henderson!
The bats let out a loud screech, and a lot of them that were circling Eddie went flying straight for Dustin. Eddie couldn't tell how far away Dustin was, but those bats were quick. Now, Eddie had a new mission in his head; he couldn't let Dustin get attacked or killed by these things.
The bats that held him down seemed distracted by the loud noises. Even the ones that were biting him didn't bite. Eddie tried to get out of their grasp, but they were still too strong.The banging in the distance seems to fade. Was it too late?
No...it couldn't be...
Dustin has dealt with this world for almost three years now; he couldn't die or give up like that...
But he has never seen these bats before; this is the first time, and they sure were quick...
No, he couldn't be dead.
He can't be dead...
No
No..
No...
No...!
NO...!
The pressure in his head worsened, but it wasn't a pain feeling, more like a fuzzy feeling. A zap, or maybe an electric feeling? He's felt this "pain" before, but it has never been this bad. It only came when he was desperate to get something or wanted to save someone he deeply cared about. Dustin was a person he cared for, and he could die due to his idiocy. His breath began to quicken; he was weak and helpless. Losing a chunk of blood on both sides. The banging sound was still in the air...until it stopped...
Screeching from the bats up in the air, Eddie noticed how many had left the circle. His heart sank. Was Dustin truly gone now...?
No
No
No
No...!
No...!!
NO...!
NO...!
NO!
That pressure in his head loosens, and Eddie squeezes his eyes shut. A force in his hands starts to evolve. He imagines holding the pressure in the palm of his hand, taking it from his head to his fingertips. It feels almost natural to do so, like using a muscle he hasn’t used in a while.
He’s not sure this will do anything. Perhaps this is just some pre-death hallucination that his mind has conjured up as a last-ditch survival effort, something to ease his inevitable death and make him feel more useful. Even knocking on the Reaper’s door, Eddie Munson still tried.
With a ragged cry of his own, he slams his hands down and lets the pressure go.
"NO!!!!" Eddie screamed at the top of his lungs; the thought of Dustin being dead triggered him, and something powerful inside him woke up.
★🎸ִֶָ.🦇་⋆｡ °⋆
Dustin stood a few feet away from where the attack was happening, tears in his eyes, but he was determined to make sure that both of them were getting out of here. His leg hurts like a bitch, and he is going to make Eddie feel so bad about it. He is sure of it! He used his homemade spear to hit anything close to him, making as much noise as he could.
Something dark comes flying at him from Eddie’s location. Dustin scrambles back with a yelp, his bad leg buckling under him immediately, and he crashes to the ground. He notices how more start appearing in the dark sky.
Oh shit...
He stops banging on random things and prepares his spear. He knows it won't kill all of them, but a few will do. He can't stand, so all he does is hold on to his spear tightly and pray for some miracle. His eyes are shut tight as he looks away for just a second, expecting one of them to hit the blade, but nothing comes. Not even a slight nudge.
His eyes open slowly, and he turns his head. He expects to be greeted by them about to hit the spear, but the sight he sees shocks him. They're stuck in place, stuck in the air. They screech and flap their wings quickly, an attempt to start moving again. But they were stuck, trapped behind some strong force. As Dustin saw this, it reminded him of one person...
Eleven...
He looked around, not seeing the girl anywhere. But when he looked over to where Eddie was, he saw something he never would have expected. Eddie was surprisingly standing up, fists clenched, and was glaring at the bats that were going to attack Dustin. The bats that were originally surrounding Eddie were on the ground, not moving. Nothing really happened just yet; the bats continued screeching. Either it was from pain or just anger that they were stuck.
Dustin looked back at Eddie, and he swore that he saw his nose running red.
No way...
After half a second, Eddie quickly snapped his head to the left, and all the bats dropped down to the ground, dead. Dustin stares in disbelief; that was one of the actions Eleven did when snapping someone's neck or bones. And Dustin sure did hear bones snap before the bats fell to the floor.
"Holy shit," Dustin said out loud.
★🎸ִֶָ.🦇་⋆｡ °⋆
The world is still; the only sound Eddie can hear right now is just the ringing in his ears. He releases his hands, and the electric force finally leaves his body. His mind is too clouded to know what just happened, but whatever he did, he feels free. But finally, reality kicks in, and he feels lightheaded. Eddie sinks down to his knees, and Dustin nearly hops on one foot to get to him.
“Eddie!”
Eddie almost falls to the ground out of sheer exhaustion, but Dustin catches him just in time,
"No, no, no, no, stay awake, stay with me, man!" Dustin says, his voice cracking every word.
Eddie's breath is quick; it was starting to get harder and harder to breathe, "Head..." he mumbled, "hurts..."
"I know," Dustin pleaded, "Seeing what just happened to the bats..." He felt like continuing, but it seemed like Eddie didn't even know what he did.
Did he get possessed by Vecna? No. Why would Vecna kill his own creations that were on his side? So, technically, there were no other theories to point at besides...
Dustin looked down at Eddie's left wrist and spotted how his watch was covering where the number could be. Eddie has never taken off that watch, besides the time they were at Skull Rock, but when he did, he pushed his arm further into his sleeve. Like he was hiding something. AND, his watch was broken...why was he still wearing it...?
Eddie lifted up his arm weakly and wiped away the blood from his nose. He stares at it for a second, looking confused. But after another few seconds, it looked like he was just brushing it off like nothing had happened. He was weak from blood loss, but he was still conscious.
"Alright...come on, get up," Dustin said, trying to help him stand up. He was desperate, but also cautious. This whole place was a hive mine; if one or more creatures get attacked, the more show up. "Come on, we have to go. More will be showing up soon!" Dustin continued, voice cracking again.
"Give me a minute..." Eddie replied, exhausted.
"NO TIME!" Dustin cried.
Eddie sighed with annoyance; even during a moment like this, he was still very annoying. Dustin Henderson is a stubborn little bastard, but Eddie couldn't help but smile just a little at the child's effort. But even being in a lot of pain, lightheaded, and exhausted, he weakly started to stand up. He really thought that he would die right here. Shockingly, not yet.
"Your trailer isn't that far, we can make it!" Dustin exclaims
Eddie groans in pain for a reply, but he knows they aren't far. He was literally just spinning in circles on that bike a few minutes ago. But even though they are both in a lot of pain, they still walk. But like Dustin predicted, more creatures started emerging from the shadows. A demo-dog cuts its path and growls at them. They both backup as the creature starts slowly getting closer. Dustin could tell it wasn't Dart; he wasn't even sure if he was still alive.
What was taking Steve, Robin, and Nancy so long?!
Before Dustin could even react, the demo-dog started charging at both of them. Its flower head opens up wide and is ready to snap! But then it stopped, it was in the same stuck stage the bats were in. It moved, but not at them. Its mouth kept snapping open and closed, roaring at the two of them. Dustin tilted to the side a bit, realizing that Eddie almost fell to the ground but continued to stand. When Dustin finally looked at him, his left arm was outstretched, hand raised, and finger slightly curled.
Yep, this was definitely some Eleven type shit here.
Eddie held it in his grasp for a few more seconds. He looked like he was in a lot of pain doing this, and there was an urge to pass out. But finally, he let go. With a loud yell, he threw it far away from them. He collapsed to his knees again after that, blood pouring from his nose again. Dustin couldn't tell if he was aware of what he was doing or if it all just happened when it came to being in danger.
"Eddie...?" Dustin said, quietly now.
"What...the hell...just happened...?"
Dustin wanted to reply, to explain his theory to him. But after much effort of trying to stay conscious, Eddie's eyes were heavy, and they finally shut. Dustin grabbed onto him, not wanting him to fall on one of the vines. He was still breathing...but when will he wake up?
"Jesus Christ..." Dustin mumbled.