Hell & Back

Chapter Nine

"We're out." Steve yelled from the kitchen. Eddie was still sitting outside while Steve had gone inside to find more for them to smoke. "You're killing me, Harrington." Eddie said with a sigh, he walked into the house and sat down at the table. Steve was digging in the fridge looking for something to eat. He emerged with leftover pasta, that he proceeded to eat without heating up. "Quickest way to kill a buzz is to eat." Eddie said and than remembered hid stash was in his car. 

"Know how to get back to Lovers Lake? Through the woods?" Eddie asked and Steve looked over at him with a suspicious look "Don't get any ideas dude, my stash is in my van which is parked in the woods by the lake." Eddie said getting up. "What are we waiting for?" Steve said and started walking out the door still carrying the food he was eating. Eddie jumped up and followed him shaking his head.

Across town Chrissy, Nancy and Robin had just pulled up to her house. It was a white house with blue shutters and a matching picket fence. The door and porch were a dark wood and all the curtains were open letting in the sunlight. Everything was just right as always. She didn't listen to Nancy or Robin as they followed her onto the porch.

Chrissy took a deep breath and walked into the house, the door was unlocked so someone had to be home. She called out to her mom but go no answer, she heard voice though coming from the kitchen. Nancy and Robin followed behind her as the made their way slowly down the hallway. All she could think of was her mom causally chatting with Vecna over pie. It sounded absurd but at this point plausible.

When she walked into the kitchen it was her mom sitting at the table but not Vecna, Jason sat there and looked at her in absolute shock. She hadn't seen him since they were in the water, and watching his friends bones snap. "Chrissy?" Jason said in a shaking voice. He looked around to see who she was with and seemed relieved at Nancy and Robins presence. "You got away!" He continued loudly. 

"I was never captured." She said pointy. "I was staying at Nancy's, she was helping me study and I needed time away." She was trying hard to keep her voice steady. She wanted so bad to reach out to the hand that she had clung to but he wasn't here so she had to do this alone. "I just came home to stop the rumors and grab some clothes." 

"Clearly hunny, you look a complete mess. That hair and dark clothes, your shoes are ruined!" Her mother said getting up and picking at her clothing. She felt herself become a little protective of the clothes she wore. "But you should stay here, sweetie and work things out with your boyfriend." Her mom continued, she put on the fake smile she wore in public. "He's not my boyfriend." Chrissy said and began to turn away "And I am going back to Nancy's." 

Her mother stared at her wide eyed she had never spoken to her like that. Jason looked equally as shocked. He got up and took her by the elbow turning her around to face him. "What do you mean I'm not your boyfriend?" He said tightening his grin. "I have looked everywhere for you, been through hell thinking of what that freak was doing to you and you say not only you weren't captured but I'm not your boyfriend." 

"Your hurting me." Chrissy said trying to pull her arm away. "No, I don't want to be with you anymore." She was still trying to pull her arm away when he started speaking again. "I won't let you be a freaks whore. He has taken plenty to that trailer, your nothing special." He was trying to hurt her and it was working but she wouldn't let him see it. "I'd rather be a freaks whore than your girlfriend." She said and he released her.

No one said anything as she walked past Robin and Nancy and up the stairs. They gave her space to pack alone. She couldn't stop the tears that ran down, she didn't know why she was crying. She had been with Jason for three years and they were happy but it wasn't the same happy she felt now. She reached down and grabbed the pick necklace from under her shirt. She smiled down at it and sat down on the bed.

She looked over into the mirror, she didn't look the same to herself, all her features were the same but she didn't hold herself the same. Her rolled up jeans and tucked in Black Sabbath shirt looked like they belonged on not like she was hiding in someone else's clothes. She brushed her banged out of her face and let her hair down, the red and blonde fell around her. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the room. 

All the pain and fear was left in the bedroom. She didn't have to be afraid anymore, she had people who knew her now and they didn't want to change her. She was still smiling and playing with the necklace as she walked downstairs. "Ready?" Nancy said with a sweet smile. "More than ever." She said smiling back. 

The next stop was the police station. The plan was to stay that Eddie had offered to take her out on his friends boat since she was upset, than when Jason found out the boys swam out to get her since he was convinced that she had been kidnapped, and something in the water grabbed his friend and it also grabbed her which is why her ankles were cut up. She really hoped this worked. 

Steve led the way to the lake with ease. They talked about their parents and growing up around Hawkins, while Steve had been the popular ladies man Eddie found out they were pretty even with some girls as he just wasn't as publicized being a freak and all. Steve was still eating his spaghetti as they came to Eddie's van. 

He was surprised that it was still even here. He figured the cops would have found it but thankfully the hadn't. He had parked under two trees and covered the license plate and vin numbers with leaves and twigs so that someone just passing by wouldn't call it in, they would hopefully believe it had been abandoned years ago.

"Do you think they got me cleared yet?" Eddie said as he opened the driver side door. "Did they say which one they were doing first?" Steve said sitting on the ground. Eddie though for a moment and than shook his head. They didn't say, or if they did neither was paying attention. Eddie reached in and got the box and they headed to the water. 

"I wonder when the doors close, if there is like a time limit or if they are open as long as Vecna is alive." Eddie said as they smoked more. He was wondering how long it would be until he could actually go home and sleep in his own bed. Steve wasn't paying him any attention, he was trying to skip rocks on the lake, he wasn't very good at it. He was mesmerized for a moment until he notice that the water was bubbling. "Steve, stop." Eddie yelled jumping up. "Something is in the water." 

"Yeah a door." Steve said turning around and looking at him like he just said the dumbest thing. "Man, no. Look dude, the water is bubbling." Eddie said coming up beside him. "Oh that's not good." Steve said watching the water "Looks like it's breathing." Eddie had the sudden feeling that they shouldn't be here when a long black tail shot out of the water and wrapped around Steve's ankle. Eddie grabbed ahold of both his arms but the tail pulled them both towards the water. "Don't let go." Steve said almost begging.