𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥 ; ᵂᶦˡˡ ᴮʸᵉʳˢ

vi ; The Dive

Upbeat music plays on the radio as Nancy drives, Robin at her side. Lucas and Max sit in the back seat while Dustin, Steve, and Ethan sit in the trunk. Ethan silently listens as the group talks about the current situation, explaining how Eddie is screwed.

"See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference!" Steve says, dropping chip crumbs onto his yellow sweater.

Ethan cringes, thinking, "No wonder you don't have a girlfriend, Steve, you eat like a pig" before listening to Nancy up front.

"Oh, shit," Nancy mumbles, slowly pressing on the brake pedal.

Ethan quietly groans, wanting to just go to bed at this point. The group all spilled out of the car and followed Nancy, trying to listen in to Chief Powell talking to the news station reporters. Must've been another killing.

"As many of you may know, the Roane County line received a call a little after midnight... reporting a homicide here on the lake"

Ethan shares a look with Dustin, Lucas, and Max, one of worry yet anger at the same time. He listens intently, seeing Lucas' face of absolute shock and numbness hit like a brick after hearing Patrick McKinney's name drop. Eth lays a soft hand on Lucas' shoulder, trying to show some comfort.

"His limbs... his body, was disfigured. There was an eyewitness on the scene, and we have also identified a person of interest."

Ethan's mind was now running a million miles an hour as Chief Powell held up a picture of Eddie Munson for the cameras to see. He wished he could run up there and make them all believe the truth, that the demon-killing spree wasn't caused by Eddie. If anything, it was his fault for not making sure the Upside Down was closed off one hundred percent for good. Eddie had nothing to do with this other than witness Chrissy's death. He didn't deserve to have his face broadcasted on the local news stations for something he didn't do.

"Oh, man," Steve whispers, "This isn't good. Really not good, " He says, looking down at Dustin, who clearly doesn't know what to think in the moment.

Lucas, Robin, and Max share a glance, trying to read each other. Chief Powell walks away after announcing his presence for any questions at the Town Hall at two o'clock. Suddenly, the walkie-talkie that Dustin had in his pocket starts blaring Eddie's familiar voice, looking for Dustin and even Nancy.

"Eddie, holy shit, are you okay?" Dustin asks, the group following his lead to properly hide behind the van they were using as cover.

"Nah, man" Eddie stressfully laughs, "Pretty... pretty goddamn far from okay"

"Where is he?" Robin asks, directing her words to Dustin so he'd ask the older friend. 

"Where are you?"

"Skull Rock. Uh, do you know it?"

"Uh, yeah, that's near Cornwallis and-"

Steve interrupts, "Garrett, yeah. I know where that is" He quickly walks back to the car, the others following, leaving Dustin to trail behind. 

"Hold tight. We're coming"

<~>

Somewhere in the woods, Ethan, as per usual, quietly listens to Steve and Dustin bicker about Skull Rock, walking slowly behind Max and Lucas, kicking up leaves and dirt as he walks. He saw the group trail off to the side, and now Lucas and Max were talking, which he didn't want to interrupt. He instead wanders far away from the trail, sending sparks through the dead carpet of leaves on the forest floor. 

He learned the trick long ago, but was still amused by it. 

He'd use his magical little fingertips to send a trail of fire through the leaves, kind of like those five metal balls you saw in typical movie bosses' office settings. The force and nature of the fire lead a little trail deeper and deeper into the woods, entertaining him like a little kid. It wasn't in a solid straight pattern, more zig-zagged as it led him further away from Skull Rock and his friends.