Chapter Text
Prologue
“I love you man,”
“I love you too”
Dustin stayed with Eddie for what felt like an eternity. Waiting, hoping. Willing him to open his eyes. Yet as he sat there, clothing slowly becoming soaked by the blood of his friend, he knew it was futile. Dustin wondered how he would bring himself to leave Eddie behind. If only things had been different, if only Eddie had known what he was getting into, then perhaps things might have been okay.
“I’m so sorry Eddie, I’m so so sorry,” Dustin whispered brokenly. Tears blurred his vision as he looked around, hoping to see Steve, hoping that help would come, but no one was there. Dustin was alone. Eddie was gone.
Off in the distance Dustin heard a clock chime four times.
Max... Oh no MAX. Dustin was horrified as the earth began to shake. Max. Not Max too. He heard a disconcerting noise coming from the direction of Eddie’s trailer. Dustin barely scrambled back in time to escape being pulled into the rift that was tearing its way across the landscape. “SHIT EDDIE,” Dustin tried to throw himself back toward the body of his friend, but he was too late. Eddie had been consumed by the growing gate. Eddie's body evaporated, crumpling into the fold between dimensions as if it were never there.
Dustin screamed as his world tumbled down around him, for once the party was not victorious. This time, this time it felt like the end.