We Are Good

Chapter Twelve

Eddie stood against the wall frozen in place, watching everything unfold in slow motion. Watching Richie's dad falling to the ground coughing out blood, holding his side that was bleeding uncontrollably. Watching Richie's look of shock and determination. Richie dropped the knife stumbling back a little, looking at his dad. He looked at his hands and then slowly lifted his head up to look at Eddie. Eddie stared back, relaxing his body up against the wall, pushing off to walk over to Richie. He walked around Mr. Tozier, sparing him a glance. He wasn't dead, but he would be soon if they didn't get him to a hospital. To be honest, Eddie didn't care if he died, not after what he's put Richie through. Besides, Richie was his priority right now, per usual.

"Richie." Eddie said cautiously, standing in front of him. Richie was looking at him, but not really. He was in his head, Eddie could tell. He looked back down at his hands out in front of him, staring emotionless. "Chee?" Eddie asked again, reaching out to put his hands on top of Richie's. Richie looked up at him, confusion written in his features. Eddie walked him back a few feet to the stairs and made him sit. He kneeled in front of him and ran a hand through Richie's hair. Richie was crying now, but Eddie didn't think he knew he was crying. Eddie didn't think Richie knew anything right now. "Hold on, alright?" Eddie asked resting his hand on Richie's cheek. Richie just stared at his dad lying on floor, who was now heaving. Eddie stood up, turning to him. He walked over to him, and knelt down. Why do I have to be such a nice person? Eddie removed Mr. Toziers hand from the wound, examining. Richie's dad kept murmuring things, something like "get away from me queer" but Eddie just ignored it.

"You should be fine to get up and walk yourself to the nearest hospital. It's not that deep of a wound, if you go now you'll live. Maybe this will be a wake up call. Don't come back." Eddie said standing. Mr. Tozier grabbed his ankle with his bloody hand, Eddie could've puked.

"I'll tell them what he did, he'll be taken away. Juvey!" He said, blood spilling out of his mouth as he laughed.

"I'm not so sure you will, Mr. Tozier." Eddie said kneeling down beside him again. Glancing at the knife next to his shoe, making sure Richie's dad saw him look at it. "You see, if anything ever happened to Richie, because of you..." he paused, picking up the knife spinning it in his hands. "Well, I would not be very happy. I know, I know I don't look like much, but I wonder what the police would think of the 5 different types of drugs you have underneath the fireplace?" Mr. Toziers eyes widened. "Oh yes I've seen the stash sir, so maybe, maybe you won't tell them that your child just went crazy for a second and decided to stab you. Maybe you'll say you got jumped down by alley 93, ya know, the one known for crime."

"You're rat." He said standing up slowly, walking to the door.

"Yes maybe. I believe another word for it is genius." Eddie said turning around, flipping him off over his shoulder, walking back to Richie once he heard the door slam. Richie was looking at him in awe.

"Drugs under the fire place?" He asked his voice squeaky.

"Well that was kind of a guess," Eddie said sitting down next to him. "I saw a corner of a plastic bag sticking out one day, I figured it was either that or some random storage you used for Christmas decorations." Richie just stared at him. Eddie grabbed his hands, examining them. Richie's right hand was bruised and swollen from punching his dad in the face and his shoulder was already staring to bruise, his stomach a little red, his hands red with blood.

"I hate him."Eddie said standing up, linking his hand in Richie's pulling him up the stairs to the bathroom. "Sit." He said pointing to the sink counter. Richie sat down his legs swinging a bit. Eddie went into the closet grabbing the first aid and some towels. He walked over setting his supplies next to Richie's leg. Luckily the sink was lower so Richie wasn't extra tall, they were eye to eye for the first time since 6th grade. Eddie stepped between Richie's legs, and took off Richie's glasses placing them on the counter. He warmed up a cloth and wiped Richie's face with it, slowly. Richie just stared at him, holding his hip with one hand. Eddie set down the cloth, moving hair out of Richie's face.