slut [ eddie munson ]

013

After promising to return later, Talia had followed the four other teens out of the boathouse and slid into the passenger seat of Steve's car—much to the displeasure of Robin, who got stuck in the back with Max and Dustin.

An anxious silence had settled over the group as the car travelled down the road, none of them entirely sure what they were approaching.

Finally reaching the scene, Steve slowed the car to a stop and they all climbed out, eyes latched onto Nancy Wheeler, who was currently speaking to the police.

Noticing the group, Nancy subtly gave them a wave, a sad smile on her lips. Talia could tell her cousin was holding back tears.

Once the police were done speaking to her, Nancy made her way to the teens, eyes frantic as she fully processed Talia's presence.

"What are you doing here?" She asked her once she reached the car, not waiting for a response before turning to Steve, "what did you tell her?"

"What—why is it my fault?" Steve asked in disbelief, "how do you know it wasn't Dustin or...or Robin?"

"Because it's Talia," Nancy deadpanned, knowing that both Robin and Dustin would have no reason to speak to her cousin.

"Actually, it's kind of my fault," Max admitted sheepishly.

"But, I was already involved before they said anything, technically," Talia said, defending the younger girl.

"Yeah, she found Chrissy," Dustin explained, "plus her and Eddie have this weird thing going on that none of us really understand, so I'm sure she would have found him and gotten dragged into it even if we hadn't involved her first."

Talia scoffed, "it is not weird."

"Eh."

"Kind of is."

"It totally is," Steve said, turning to look at her.

"I knew it!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Okay, this is so not important right now," Talia whined, not liking the attention on her complicated thing with Eddie. The group all exchanged a look, silently agreeing with her.

"We should go somewhere else," Nancy suggested, glancing back at the cops.

"The trailer park isn't far," Max suggested, figuring that it would be the best place to go.

——————

"So you're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?" Nancy asked, after being filled in. The group had settled around a picnic table at the trailer park—Steve, Talia, and Dustin on one side and Robin, Nancy, and Max on the other.

"If the shoe fits," muttered Steve.

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a...spell or...curse. Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know," Dustin explained.

Max cut in, "All we know is that this is something different, something new."

Nancy shook her head slightly, "Doesn't make sense."

"It's only a theory," Dustin said.

"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean, why them?"

"Maybe they were just both in the wrong place? They were both at the game."

"And near the trailer park," Max said.

"We're at the trailer park," Steve said, feeling unease at the groups current theory, "uh...should we maybe not be here?"

"There is something about this place," Nancy said, all of the teens looking around anxiously, "Fred started acting weird the second we got here."

"Acting weird as in...?" Robin asked.

"Scared, on edge...upset."

"Max said Chrissy was upset too," Dustin put together.

"Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school."

Talia felt sick. She knew why Chrissy had been crying in the bathroom, Chrissy had told her she was getting better though.

"Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right?" Robin asked, "So, maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman—"

"Vecna," Dustin corrected.

"I don't know about you guys but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it—to the police or someone, at least."

A guilty look overtook Talia's face, "Maybe they did. Chrissy told me about these weird dreams she was having...but they weren't about some weird wizard. She said most were about her mom, and that she had them like all the time."

"What else did she say?" Dustin asked hurriedly, "Was there dark particles? Dust?"

"No," Talia said, uncomfortable, "we were drunk when she told me. I don't really remember much of what she said, she was slurring every other word anyways."

"I saw Chrissy leaving Ms.Kelley's office," Max said, "if you saw a monster, you...you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you. But, you might go to—"

"Your shrink," Robin finished.

The group moved quickly after that, formulating a plan and hurrying to Steve's car. Nancy slightly nudged Talia, catching her attention before discretely grabbing her hand and guiding the two away from the group, towards Nancy's station wagon.

"Woah. woah, Nance, Talia." The two girls ignored Steve, moving faster, "Tal! Nance! Where you going?" He jogged to catch up to them, Talia and Nancy begrudgingly turning around.

"Oh, there's just something I wanna check on first," Nancy said, hand still clasped in Talia's, and her feet still guiding them backwards slowly.

"Something you maybe wanna share with the rest of us?" Dustin asked hopefully.

"I don't want to waste your time. It's a real shot in the dark."

"Yeah, okay. Are you out of your mind? Flying solo with this Vecna creep on the loose?" Steve asked, "No, it's too dangerous. You need...you guys need someone to..." Steve turned to the group, tossing them the keys in his hand, "Here you go. I'll stick with Tal and Nance. You guys take the car, check out the shrink."

"I don't think you want me driving your car," Robin disagreed, hands tightly grasping the keys in her hand.

"Why?"

"I don't have a license."

"Why don't you have a license?"

"I'm poor," Robin excused.

"I can drive," Max suggested.

Steve automatically objected, eyes wide, "No, never again. Please, anybody but you. No."

Dustin made a face, looking as if though he was about to volunteer himself.

"No chance," Steve deadpanned.

"Come on."

"Alright, okay. This is stupid," Robin said, grabbing a walkie-talkie from Dustin's bag as she walked passed him, she shoved the keys back into Steve's hand, "Us ladies will stick together. Unless you think we need you to protect us." She joined the two cousins.

Talia cocked her eyebrow at him, a daring look on her face. When he said nothing, Robin laughed and walked off towards Nancy's car. Nancy bit back a grin before following, calling her cousin to follow.

"Be careful," Steve called, bothered by the fact that the three girls would be by themselves.

"Sure thing, daddy Harrington," Talia mocked, laughing.

"I think he's more of a mom, actually," Robin suggested, her own laughter joining Talia's when Steve made a choked sound.