His heart was pounding. Dustin was helping hook up all of Eddie’s amps getting ready for their part of the plan. He’d been in The Upside Down before. He knew how creepy this place was. Having Eddie here did make it better. Steve was too busy being the hero to see how much Dustin was shaking inside. He was scared to death of what was about to happen. Vecna was calling all the shots in this dungeon and they were heading off into the inner bowels of hell with weapons at the ready.

The signal came from Erica. It was their turn for their Phase of the plan. Dustin looked at Eddie and Eddie looked back at Dustin. Dustin hit the tape player and hunkered down for a clear view of what direction the demobats would take. The first notes came and all bets were off. Dustin was even more in awe of Eddie than before. The way his fingers danced across the fretboard of the guitar was like a Master should. The raucous lyrics sung by James Hetfield tore through the Upside Down along with Eddie’s playing. Dustin couldn’t help but bang his head right along with the whole thing the entire time. It was a beautiful sight to behold. It was far better than anything he’d ever seen or ever would see as the years would eventually pass from this date. 

It was almost as though some of the powers that be joined in to make the concert even more metal that Eddie or Dustin imagined. Shots of red lightning lit up the skies behind Eddie as he was playing. It was better than any fireworks display on any Fourth of July than he had ever seen in the entire 15 years he’d been alive thus far. Dustin forgot himself for a moment until he heard the squeaking sounds of the Demobats as they took quite visible notice of what was happening.

Dustin shouted his countdown to Eddie as the music continued. It was like Eddie was in another world up there. Something was happening to his friend when he saw this all start to happen. Music was a powerful tool in terms of reaching the human psyche. Dustin knew this himself. He was watching it unfold right before him the longer Eddie played. No matter what happened Eddie was going to be Dustin’s hero from this point forward. As soon as the song was over, they ran for all they were worth to get inside the trailer itself.

They slammed the door shut using everything they could to keep the Demobats outside that were slamming into the trailer from coming inside and getting them. The path back to the real world couldn’t be invaded by Demobats chasing them, so they had to stop it there. They were bait but nobody needed them to die when there was so much at stake. Dustin felt his heart thundering in his ears as the monsters kept slamming against the doors and the walls of the trailer. His eyes were wide and his voice went up an octave because of the depth of this fear. Dustin was a scared kid in a nightmare world. They had a plan. They were supposed to stick to it. He remained behind Eddie clinging desperately to his jacket. If he let go of the jacket, then this nightmare would have more of a real feel to it. As long as Eddie was with him, everything was going to work out for the best. It had to

The screaming head of the Demobat that poked through the vent made Dustin scream so loud he’d be hoarse for days. Eddie sprung into action with the makeshift shield with the nails they’d made before they came into this hellhole calling these monsters to them. “You don’t have any more vents do you?” Dustin asked Eddie with a frenzy in his voice and terror in his young eyes.

Eddie jumped forward and slammed the other shield into another vent. “GO ON! Get OUT of here!” He pushed Dustin toward the sheet that hung down from the ceiling that led to the real world. The boy didn’t have to be told twice. Dustin pulled himself up on that sheet rope far better than any of those stupid ropes in gym class for that damn Presidential Fitness Test. He failed that year after year, but fortunately his other grades back in elementary school made up for that time and time again.

Safely back in the real world, he started to call through to Eddie. “EDDIE! COME ON EDDIE!” Dustin’s heart sank when he saw the sheet rope fall back on his end. Eddie had cut the rope and it fell at Dustin’s feet. “EDDIE NOOOOO!” He shouted.

It wasn’t going to end like this. Dustin backed up and took a running leap. Fortunately the trailer was small enough that he was able to reach the opening to The Upside Down with a single leap. He didn’t know where he got the strength, but the little pudgy kid that had a fondness for donuts and Little Debbie Fudge Rounds was pulling himself through this hole like he was Indiana Jones climbing out of a pit of rats. The force of gravity pulled him on through to The Upside Down where he landed flat on his back on the bare floor. Eddie had moved the mattress because he obviously thought that Dustin wouldn’t come back for him. The pain that shot through Dustin’s lower back and legs made him curse a few more times with words he’d never used before and since.

Dustin was physically hurt from the fall. He was running as fast as he could but with each step he took his pain was damn near unbearable. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes He could see Eddie from where he was. Eddie was surrounded by Demobats. They were all attacking him. Eddie was losing.

By the time Dustin reached him, the Demobats had all fallen down visibly dead for some reason. None of that computed to Dustin. Eddie sacrificed himself not only make sure that Steve could get his chance at taking out Vecna, but so that Dustin could be safe. “EDDIE!” He kept screaming the prone rocker dungeon master’s name as he lay there on the ground barely moving. Dustin’s cheeks were wet from tears by now, but he didn’t care. He just had to get to Eddie. Nobody deserved to die alone.

Dustin finally arrived just as the lights of life were starting to fade from Eddie’s dark eyes. “I didn’t run…” He whispered to Dustin as the boy cradled his head in his lap. “I didn’t run…”

The boy was blubbering by now barely making sense. All he knew was that his heart was shattered. “No.. Come on Eddie. We just need to get you to the hospital.” He was rocking back and forth with Eddie’s head in his lap.

“No…” Eddie told him. “...Don’t change…promise me…” Eddie told him. Dustin held desperately to Eddie feeling the muscles of the injured young man loosen at the moment he slipped away. Dustin clung desperately to Eddie just crying and not giving a damn who saw him.

He had no idea just how long he’d been there when he felt Nancy’s hand on his shoulder. Her soft voice reached out to him just as her gentle touch had. “Dustin. It’s time to go. Dustin..?” She rubbed his shoulders in an attempt to soothe the boy who’s heart was totally destroyed. They had to get back and see if Max was okay. One death was more than Dustin could handle. Who knew growing up would be such a bitch?
 

"Never Change Dustin Henderson. Promise Me."