chapter seventeen:
❛ saving max ❜

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The car's engine sputtered as it came to a stop in front of the cracked pavement of the Hawkins gas station, the dim light from the sign flickering as if it were fighting against the weight of the night. The air smelled of gasoline and the musty scent of old, forgotten things. Wren had hardly spoken the entire ride back from Lenora Hills. He kept his eyes on the window, his face partially obscured by the dark shadows of the car's interior. His mind was clouded with thoughts of what had just happened-of the mission El had sent him on, of Max, and of everything that had gone wrong since he arrived in Lenora Hills.

The driver didn't say a word when the car rolled to a stop. He simply unlatched the rope binding Wren to the seat with a rough yank. The knots were tight, but the man's hands were efficient. Wren didn't flinch or resist. He could've snapped the ropes and teleported anywhere in that moment. But instead, he sat there, quietly observing. It wasn't worth it to break free yet. There were more important things to focus on.

"Get out," the driver grunted, his voice low and mechanical, as if he had delivered this line a thousand times before.

Wren hesitated, then slowly slid out of the car, his boots crunching against the gravel. He felt the weight of the night in the air around him, the stillness of the gas station pressing in on him. No one. Not a soul. The lights flickered again, casting a cold, sickly glow over the scene. The hairs on his neck stood on end, his instincts tingling. The quiet was unnerving. He was alone.

With a glance over his shoulder at the driver, who was already pulling away from the curb, Wren took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for just a moment, the world around him suddenly feeling vast and open, yet suffocating at the same time. And then, in a blink, the familiar tingling sensation spread across his skin-the air around him shimmered-and he was gone.

The world around him twisted and folded in on itself as the familiar weightlessness of teleportation took over. A moment later, Wren found himself standing inside the Mayfield residence, the comforting scent of home filling his lungs. His heart pounded, his breath coming in sharp gasps as the adrenaline from his brief trip lingered. Hawkins. He was home. But it didn't feel right. There was something off about it. A tension in the air that he couldn't quite place.

He quickly scanned the house, his eyes darting over the familiar furniture, the worn carpet, the quiet hum of a refrigerator in the distance. No one was there. The house was empty. Wren moved quietly through the hallway, the floor creaking beneath his feet. As he approached the front door, his breath caught in his throat.

He knocked, three quick raps, and waited. There was a shuffle from inside the house, and then the sound of footsteps, echoing from the other side of the door. Wren felt the gnawing anxiety creep up again. The door swung open to reveal Aunt Karen, standing in the threshold, her expression softening when she saw him. But then, her brow furrowed in confusion, and the concern in her eyes deepened.

"Wren?" she asked, voice laced with surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Lenora Hills with the Byers. Where's Mike?"

Her eyes flicked over him, scanning him for signs of exhaustion, stress, anything that could give her a clue. Wren's stomach twisted. She could always see through his lies-he couldn't let her see through this one. Not now.

"I... I didn't feel right being there," Wren said quickly, his voice sounding unnatural, forced. "It just didn't feel like the right place for me. So, I... I decided to come back here. I felt off, you know?"

Aunt Karen looked at him for a moment longer, clearly unconvinced, but she said nothing. She opened the door a little wider and stepped back, allowing him inside.

"Where's Mike, though?" she asked again, the confusion still clear in her voice.

Wren's heart raced. He knew she wouldn't stop asking until she got an answer. He needed to redirect her focus. Fast.

"He... he's fine," Wren muttered, trying to keep his tone casual. "He's still with the Byers. I just needed to come home. It's... I don't know, it's just better this way."

Karen's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't press him further. "Well, if you say so," she muttered, but her voice held a thread of doubt. "You'll have to tell me more about it later. But... have you seen Max?"

Wren froze for a second, the mention of Max sending a jolt through him. His body tensed. He could feel it-the worry, the urgency building in his chest again. The reason he was here. El had sent him back to Hawkins for a reason. To save Max. But there was something... something wasn't right.

He quickly shook his head. "No. I haven't seen her. I was going to try calling her."

Wren's eyes landed on the old telephone mounted on the wall, its wires tangled and worn from years of use. It was the same one they'd used when he was younger, before everyone had their own cell phones. The receiver still hung on its hook, waiting.

Karen took a step toward the kitchen, but Wren quickly moved over to the phone, his fingers brushing the receiver. His heart hammered in his chest as he dialed Max's number, the familiar digits seeming to burn on his fingertips. It rang, over and over, until finally, the line clicked.

"Mayfield residence," a flat voice answered.

Wren's stomach dropped.

It wasn't Max.

His chest tightened as his frustration built. "What the hell?" he muttered under his breath, the words coming out sharper than he intended. He slammed the receiver back onto the phone with a loud clang.

"Shit!" he cursed, pacing back and forth, his hands shaking. The urgency inside him only grew. Where was Max? He couldn't just stand around waiting. He couldn't.

Karen stepped back into the room, her face full of concern. "Wren? What's going on? Who were you calling?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

Wren's eyes darted around the room, his mind racing. He knew where Max could be. His thoughts were sharp, cutting through the fog of his confusion. "She... she might be at Billy's grave," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Karen.

Aunt Karen froze, her face draining of color. She knew the place-Billy Hargrove's grave, a location that had haunted the family for years. Karen swallowed hard, her expression a mix of sorrow and realization. "She could be," she whispered. "God... I should've known."

Wren didn't wait for her to say anything else. Without another word, he darted toward the door, throwing it open. "I'm going," he said, his voice clipped with urgency.

"Wait, Wren-" Karen called, her voice rising with panic, but it was too late. He was already gone.

He didn't hear her calls as he sprinted into the cold evening air. His footsteps echoed in the streets of Hawkins as he made his way toward the cemetery, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel it now, the urgency pressing in on him. El had sent him here for a reason. Max needed help. He had to find her. He had to make sure she was okay.

He didn't know what he was walking into, but one thing was certain: he wasn't going to let her face it alone. Not again.

Wren sprinted into the Hawkins Cemetery, the chill of the evening air biting at his skin as he weaved through rows of gravestones. His breath came in sharp gasps, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest. The eerie silence of the cemetery was broken only by distant shouts, and his eyes locked on the source of the commotion.

There, near a gravestone, he saw Max, her body rigid and convulsing violently as she sat upright on the grass. Steve, Lucas, and Lucy were huddled around her, their panicked voices blending together. Lucy's hands were tangled in her hair, tears streaming down her face as she shouted something Wren couldn't make out.

Nearby, Dustin was perched on top of Steve's BMW, his supercom in hand, yelling instructions into it. The sight hit Wren like a punch to the gut.

"Holy shit," he muttered, his steps quickening. His voice carried through the still air as he waved his arms. "Dustin!"

Dustin whipped his head around, his face a mix of shock and desperation as he spotted Wren running toward him. "Wren?!" Dustin shouted, jumping off the car and meeting him halfway.

"What the hell is going on?!" Wren demanded, his voice shaky with disbelief as he doubled over to catch his breath.

Dustin didn't waste time on questions. "How the hell are you back-? No, not important right now. Max's backpack! We need it! Max needs music!"

"Music?" Wren asked, his confusion evident, but Dustin was already pulling him toward the car.

"Robin said it might pull her out of it! Just help me find her favorite song!" Dustin exclaimed as they yanked open the car doors and began tearing through Max's backpack. Cassettes spilled out onto the seats and onto the ground as they frantically searched.

Arms full of mixtapes, they sprinted back to the gravestone, where Steve, Lucas, and Lucy were still desperately trying to wake Max. Wren dropped to his knees on the grass, dumping the pile of tapes in front of him.

"Wren?!" Steve, Lucas, and Lucy shouted in unison, their voices laced with shock and confusion.

"Not the time!" Wren snapped, fumbling through the pile. "I'll explain later!"

Lucy grabbed his arm, her voice trembling. "Wren, what is going on? Why is Max-? Why is she like this?"

He ignored her, focused entirely on Dustin's frantic shouts.

"What's her favorite song?!" Dustin yelled, his voice rising in desperation.

"Why?" Lucas demanded, his voice cracking as he held tightly onto Max's arm.

"Because it might save her!" Dustin shot back, grabbing Lucas by the shoulders. "What is it?! What's her favorite song?!"

"Running Up That Hill!" Wren shouted, his fingers finally finding the right tape. His hands shook as he shoved the cassette into the Walkman, hit play, and slid the headphones over Max's head.

The haunting melody of Kate Bush filled the headphones, but Max didn't react. Her body remained rigid, her eyes squeezed shut as if fighting something they couldn't see.

Lucy threw herself against Wren, wrapping her arms tightly around him and sobbing into his shoulder. "Wren, I'm scared. What's happening? Please, just tell me," she begged, her voice barely above a whisper.

Wren's heart twisted, but he couldn't lose focus now. "It's-It's too hard to explain, Lucy," he stammered, holding her with one arm while keeping his eyes on Max.

Suddenly, Max's body began to rise into the air. Gasps filled the cemetery as she lifted off the ground, her arms outstretched, her head thrown back unnaturally.

"Max!" Wren screamed, panic overtaking him. He broke free of Lucy's grasp and rushed toward her, only for Steve and Lucas to hold him back.

"Don't touch her! We don't know what's happening!" Steve warned, his voice tight with fear.

Dustin waved his arms frantically. "Keep talking to her! She can hear us!"

"Max!" Wren yelled, his voice cracking. "It's me, Wren! Come back to us! Don't listen to him! Fight it!"

Lucy, still crying, clung to his arm but didn't stop him this time. "Wren, what's going on? Why is she floating?!"

"Just trust me!" Wren snapped, his eyes never leaving Max. "Max! Please! You're stronger than this! Don't let him win!"

For a heart-stopping moment, Max's body hung motionless in the air. Then, with a gasp that echoed through the cemetery, her eyes flew open, and she plummeted back to the ground. Lucas caught her just in time, cradling her trembling body in his arms.

"Max! Max! Max!" The group shouted her name, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of relief and panic.

Lucas held her tightly, tears streaming down his face. "It's okay. It's okay," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you."

Max coughed weakly, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I'm still... I'm still here," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Wren felt his knees buckle, and he dropped down beside her. Tears pricked at his eyes as he pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't ever do that again," he choked out. "You're my best friend, Max. I can't lose you."

Max managed a weak smile, leaning into his embrace. "I'm still here," she repeated, her voice stronger this time.

Around them, the group exhaled collectively, the weight of what had just happened sinking in as they clung to the fragile hope that the worst was finally over.

The basement of the Wheeler residence was dimly lit, as always, a small lamp on the side table casting a warm, flickering glow across the room. The group had gathered there, seeking refuge after the chaos at the cemetery. Max lay on the old couch, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as she slept, her headphones still on, the faint sound of Running Up That Hill just barely audible.

Wren paced back and forth, running a hand through his messy hair. He couldn't sit still. His adrenaline was still pumping, and his mind was racing. Dustin, Steve, Lucas, and Lucy sat on the floor in various states of exhaustion, while Wren's eyes darted between them, trying to make sense of what he'd just witnessed.

"Alright," Wren said, breaking the silence. He stopped pacing and turned to face the group, crossing his arms. "Someone better start talking. What the hell just happened back there? Why was Max floating in the air? And before you start, let me tell you something crazy-Jane sent me back here. Yeah, Jane. She told me Hawkins needed saving, and she said I needed to save Max. So, someone please explain what I just walked into!"

Dustin perked up at the mention of Jane, his nerdy excitement bubbling over despite the situation. "Wait, wait, wait-Jane? As in Eleven?!"

"Yes, Dustin. Jane. I call her Jane because that's her name," Wren said impatiently. "She sent me back, but she didn't explain half of what I just saw. So start talking!"

Dustin adjusted his cap and leaned forward, his voice lowering into an intense, almost theatrical tone. "Okay. You're gonna want to sit down for this."

"I'm good," Wren shot back, waving him off.

"Fine, your call," Dustin said. "So, what you saw back there? That was Vecna."

"Vecna?" Wren raised an eyebrow, the name sounding ridiculous to him.

"Yes, Vecna!" Dustin exclaimed, as if it should be obvious. "He's a super-powerful entity from the Upside Down. Think dark wizard, mind flayer lieutenant, evil incarnate-it's all connected! He's been targeting people with trauma, getting into their heads, and then, boom! He kills them. Chrissy Cunningham? Dead. Fred Benson? Dead."

"Wait. Hold up," Wren interrupted, his eyes narrowing. "You're telling me that some demon wizard guy killed Chrissy and Fred?"

"Yes!" Dustin replied, waving his arms.

"Holy shit," Wren muttered, running a hand down his face. "And you've been dealing with this how long without telling me?!"

"Not the point right now!" Dustin retorted. "Max was his next target. We saved her, but he's not done yet!"

As Wren tried to process this, Lucy, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looked like she was seconds away from hyperventilating. Her face was pale, and her hands trembled as she clutched her knees. "This... this can't be real. What the hell is the Upside Down? What even is Vecna?"

Wren noticed her spiraling and immediately knelt down beside her. "Hey, hey," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Breathe, okay? You're safe. I'm here. I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you."

Lucy's wide eyes met his, and her breathing slowed, though her hands still shook. "I-I just don't understand. I was visiting my dad at the grave, and I saw Max there. She was just... staring. Like she wasn't even there. Then I saw Steve's car, and I screamed for them to help her. I thought she was having a seizure or something! And now you're telling me there's another world? And wizards? And monsters?"

"I know it's a lot," Wren admitted, his voice steady. "Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it too. But you're here now, and you're with us. We'll figure this out together, alright?"

Lucy nodded hesitantly, her gaze flicking over to Max's sleeping form. "Is she really... okay?"

"She will be," Wren assured her. "Max is tough. Too tough to let some freaky wizard take her down."

Steve cleared his throat, leaning back against the wall. "Wren, I hate to break it to you, but things are only gonna get weirder from here. You're in this now."

"Great," Wren said dryly, standing back up. "First Jane sends me on some vague-ass mission, and now I'm apparently fighting wizards and monsters." He sighed heavily, looking back at Max. "She better be worth all this."

"She is," Lucas said firmly, his voice tinged with emotion. "She's worth everything."

Wren nodded, his resolve hardening. "Alright, then. Let's do this. But seriously, Dustin, you gotta stop explaining things like a nerd. Just tell me what's going on in plain English next time."

Dustin rolled his eyes. "Fine, but don't blame me when you miss something important."

"I'll take my chances," Wren shot back, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Despite the chaos, there was no way he was letting Vecna-or anyone else-take another person he cared about.

ASH SPEAKS!!

wren is back in hawkins!! lucy has joined the chaos... but will she live?

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)