Chapter 45

Sofia and Robin loved to gossip. A habit that’s recent to the shorter girl, since it was one of the things she didn’t like about Cher: she was always gossiping. But now it’s fun, especially because she can tell Robin anything without any type of judgment. 

And so, they were talking as quietly as they could while gossiping about Will and Mike.

“We’re so right” Sofia whispered, confident that their hopes were real.

“I hope we are and that Mike is super gay for Will or else he’ll be heartbroken” Robin whispered back, leaning closely against her girlfriend’s ear.

“I think he’s too scared of ruining the friendship… I’m just scared he’ll put his entire self worth in this and that if nothing happens he’ll just hate himself forever” Sofia whispered.

“Oh, yeah” Robin whispered, before adding “He can’t truly love anyone if he doesn’t love himself first”.

“You’re so poetic” Sofia whispered back, earning a playful shove by Robin. 

The two girls smiled and walked in silence for a little bit, before the taller girl decided to speak to Will. She carefully backed up and Sofia realized right away what she was about to do, so she let her, and walked slightly ahead of Will and Robin.

She couldn’t hear it all, but still got a hang of it. Queer Yoda strikes again. It’s so beautiful to be comfortable in your own skin. It’s so beautiful to accept it. To not be scared.

When interrupted, Will and Robin bursted out in laughter. It was sweet, and Sofia smiled too. That’s when they reached the exact place, or in other words, the dick.

Slowly, the children started to show up. Sofia wondered what the fuck was happening. How did she get here. Why did she help translate that russian code.

She smiled as Robin interacted with one of the girls. The beginning of a baby fever perhaps. But why even think of that while the idea of Robin dying could still come true.

Sofia held on tighter to the sleeves of the sweater she was wearing, the one that smells like Robin but also like her room.

When water started dripping to the tunnel, Will and Mike climbed the ladder to try and stop the leak. Sofia and Robin shared another look.

“Lucas, we’ve been spotted!” Mike later yelled from the bathroom. Hearing that, Joyce ordered the others to take the kids. 

Robin and Sofia got a hold of three kids and started running. Robin first, then the kids, then Sofia. 

They finally reached the exit near the Squawk, and so they climbed out of the tunnel. Sofia was last, Robin’s hand lingered for longer than it should’ve.

Murray was there, waiting by the truck. He opened the back, got in and the three helped the kids in. 

“All right. Okay, let’s have some fun, huh? This is gonna be great, huh? Okay. Let’s get our seat belts on, hmm? Safety first. Come on. Time’s awastin’… Pretty comfy, huh?” Murray said, too loudly, in a rush.

Sofia glanced at the boxes inside. She knew Murray occasionally got Jonathan weed – too overpriced, hence why she never asked for some. But could there still be some left? She’d kill for a joint right now.

“Robin, Sofia, Lucas, do you copy? Over” Erica said through the walkie-talkie, snapping Sofia out of her thoughts.

“Copy. It’s Robin” she replied, after pulling the antenna with her mouth.

“We’ve got a problem here at the MAC” Erica said, concentrated.

Sofia put her hand over Robin’s and pushed the walkie closer to her. “What is it?” she asked, a sense of urgency hitting her, feeling like something’s wrong.

“They got the rest. The military, they have them” Erica answered.

Shit, Sofia whispered. What do we do now. Where the fuck is Dustin. Her hand still on top of Robin’s. The two girls looked at each other in worry.

They debated about going back. Sofia didn’t want Robin to go, it was dangerous. God, she wanted to disappear. But they didn’t have much time to debate, because as they heard a loud thud, Erica spoke again: “We are under attack. I repeat, we are under attack”.

That made Sofia’s blood turn cold. But it only got worse when three portals started opening up. Just like the one that Steve drove through. She thought about jumping onto one of them.

“We gotta go. We gotta go!” Murray yelled, voice filled with urgency.

“I’ll stay with the kids” Sofia said, straight away, though her brain didn’t even register it. She just thought that Robin might try to do it, and it’s far more dangerous. She can’t lose Robin.

“What?!” Robin yelled, as Sofia entered the truck and prepared to close it. That wasn’t a part of the plan. Why is she doing that.

“Go!” Sofia yelled back, closing the truck. She hear the doors closing and Murray trying to start the truck.

“What’s going on?” one of the kids asked, scared.

“Just a little setback, but we’re going now. Hold on tight, yeah?” Sofia said, trying to keep her voice calm, wondering why the fuck they weren’t on the move.

She took it as an opportunity to go through the boxes.

The truck started, and she held on tightly to the shelves and the wall as they sped up. A box fell over her foot, she cursed like hell. The kids were yelling.

If there was a time not to be stubborn, it’d be now. But Sofia knew that if she survived this, she’d need a joint.

In a few seconds she found a box of cigarettes. She opened it, then smelled it. Definitely weed but mostly tobacco. Better than nothing though.

Finally, she got in the compartiment with the kids and closed that door. She sat down. Her heart was beating like crazy. Breath so irregular. 

It slowed down. The truck, as well. Sofia assumed something had happened, something good and to their advantage. She hated not knowing, but she hated the tension between her and Murray more, so she was glad she wasn’t sitting next to him.

But right then, they started to speed up again. 

Loud thuds came from the side of the truck. Shit, shit, shit. The kids were yelling again, it was impossible to calm them down because she wasn’t calm either. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want Robin to die.

Then, a louder thud from the top. 

A second later, the demogorgon’s nails carving through the top of the truck. Sofia screamed so loudly. No matter how soundproof that was, Robin heard it either way.

Then Murray started swerving. Left to right, abruptly. The monster’s nails still there. Sofia put her seat belt on, but that didn’t keep her in place.

The truck turned around. 

That compartiment was padded, but not the door. The belt was loose. When the truck flipped, Sofia went flying, and hit her head on the door.

A moment later, Robin was able to get out of the truck. Murray was unconscious. But she was thinking about the kids, and mostly Sofia.

Her head throbbing, her heart beating in her mouth, she walked to the top of the truck, now close to the ground, now bursted open.

She was heartbroken at the sight of the portal closing, the kids missing. They had failed.

However, her eyes wandered right away in the search of Sofia. And she was there, next to the door, unconscious too.

Blood on her forehead. A bump forming. Robin examined her closely, now kneeled next to her girlfriend, looking so fragile and so small.

“Sof, Sof…” Robin said, not too loud, not too quiet, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Sofia didn’t reply. The sight of her blue eyes was Robin’s only wish. Eyebags miserable, the blood just makes her look so weak. 

She’s not weak. Robin brushed her sleeve against Sofia’s forehead, wiping the blood.

She dragged her out of the truck, hoping the fresh air could help her wake up. She leaned her against it, and covered her with her jacket.

Just as she started to stir awake, an alarming sound came from behind them. Robin turned around to face a bigger nightmare.

And just as the demogorgon prepared to kill them, Sofia finally opened her eyes. She opened her eyes and thought This is it, this is how it goes. This is how Robin dies, how she gets taken from me. Maybe I can die, too.

It was cold, but she hoped to get colder if Robin did too.

Yet, just as the monster was about to attack, it started to float up. It was floating, and its bones started to snap. To snap like Cher’s did.

And then it fell to the ground, dead. 

Robin let out a huge sigh, followed by a whimper. When she turned around to check on Sofia, she was crying. Subtly, but she was.

“Are you okay?” Robin asked, voice full of relief, rushing towards her girlfriend. She bent down and hugged her tightly. The two were shivering, their embrace strong.

“Ask me tomorrow?” Sofia asked back, a strong headache, but Robin in her arms. Her girlfriend still alive, somehow. 

Robin didn’t let go. Sofia almost couldn’t breathe in her arms, but she didn’t let go. It was warm now.