✓ | FLOW ( eddie munson )

six. meeting the family

veda henderson

          The sunlight seeping in through my open window hit the white substance perfectly. My neck was free from my hair as I lay upside down on my bed, my feet held up by the window seal situated just above my pillows, my arms in the air holding up a small bag of my poison as if it were my child. 

   Looking at it like this, its small size and quantity, it seems silly how my happiness and sanity depend on such a small thing. 

   "Veda!" I hear Dustin's voice dragging out my name, his footsteps somehow pounding on the carpeted floor as he neared my door. My heart dropped, realising I had about three seconds before he burst through my door without any further warning. 

   Quickly, I spin around on my bed, diving towards my pillows and tucking my stash away under the freshly washed linen. With my socks in the air, face in my pillows and hands stretched out underneath them, I hear the sound of my door swinging open. "What are you doing?" He giggled.

   "Lounging around in my own bed," I reply, turning around on my back and pushing myself to sit up on my blanket covers, crossing my legs as I met his eyes. He was standing still in the doorway, now wearing a new hat on his head with the words 'thinking cap' on and a lightning bolt. It was pretty cool, I can't lie. "Why are you bursting into my room on a Saturday morning, dusty-bun?"

   "It's three in the afternoon," He informs, pressing his lips together in a straight line. Veryfying this, I turn to my alarm clock neatly placed on my nightstand to see it was, in fact, the afternoon. "It's also Sunday,"

   "Okay, smarty pants. It's Saturday still in some parts of the world," I defend, turning my attention away from the mini clock and back to my brother. 

   "Actually-"

   "Dustin," I warn, growing annoyed with his constant corrections. He always made me so frustrated, especially since every little thing I said he'd correct. Sometimes, I hated having a nerd for a brother.

   "Yep, sorry," He agrees, inviting himself to walk on over to my desk chair, situated right in front of my vanity. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to our big d&d game on Friday two weeks from now. It's gonna be the Cult of Vecna-"

   "I'm flattered, Dustin. But, I have therapy then, remember?" I remind, looking at him with a raised eyebrow and small smile. I'm surprised he forgot considering he made such a big deal about me going in the first place. Personally, I think I'm medicating my symptoms quite well and don't need another doctor telling me about how I have 'PTSD' as if they know the whole story apart from what I let them know. I saw his bright smile dim every so slightly, the sight making me feel guilty as if I had just thrown a shoe at him. "I can try to stop by afterwards?"

   And just like that, the light in his smile returns. "You better. I want to see the look on your face when I destroy those punks!"

   "Wow, what team spirit you have," I mock sarcastically, watching him as he stands up from my chair and walks out of my bedroom, leaving my door wide open. Typical. 

------------

          "Eddie!" I shout, banging on his trailer door without a care in the world. I'm proud of myself for figuring out the way to his home myself, nothing but a bike and backpack on my body. Usually, when I come here it's in Eddie's car while I'm still high so the fact that I retained any directional information is impressive. 

   Moments before my fist hits the door, it's quickly ripped open away from my reach. The sudden loss of contact caused me to fall forward slightly, my closed fist colliding with something much softer and much more fragile. My jaw drops significantly, so far that I swear I almost felt it dislocate, my eyes opening so wide my eyelids hurt.