Lover's Lake | Eddie Munson

13

When Ann woke up the next morning, it was to the sound of the television in the living room.

Walking downstairs, Ann rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Mom? Why are you watching the news this early?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, honey." Her mother said, "somebody from your school got murdered. It's people from that trailer park again, and it shouldn't have been built in the first place." She exclaimed, upset.

Looking at the television, Ann furrowed her eyebrows. Behind the reporter who was talking about the situation, Ann could see police officers walking out of a trailer.

But not any trailer. Eddie's trailer.

Her blood ran cold, and she stood up straight. "Hey, mom? I was wondering if-"

Before she could say anything else, the doorbell rang, and her mother looked at Ann, gesturing towards the door. "Can you go get the door for me, hon?" she asked, looking back at the television.

Ann couldn't stop thinking about Eddie when she got to the door. Something had to have happened, and that is why he never called her back.

Turning the lock, Ann grabbed the door's handle and opened it. She looked up at the people on the other side and stood up straight when she was met with the chief and an officer.

"Uh, hello, officers?" Ann slowly uttered, dread pooling in her stomach.

"Ann Hopkins?" the chief said, looking at a piece of paper that he slid into his pocket after reading. "We have some questions regarding Eddie Munson, your boyfriend."

Ann stiffened and looked at the two men observing her and her reactions. "Sure. Can we talk outside?" she said, stepping on her front porch.

The two officers looked at each other before the man with the glasses cleared his throat, looking at Ann.

"Do you know what Eddie Munson was doing last night?" he asked as he pulled out a notebook from his pocket.

"He had a club meeting. It was taking place at the same time as the basketball game at Hawkins high." She responded, crossing her arms.

"Thank you. Do you know if Eddie and Chrissy Cunningham were friends? If they hung out often?" questioned the same officer.

"I don't know. I don't keep track of my boyfriend's every move. I'm busy with my education and duties." She told the two, squinting. "Why are you asking me about him and Chrissy? Did something happen to any of the two?" she asked the men back.

"Thank you for your time, miss Hopkins. Have a nice morning." Said chief Powell as he put his hand on his partner's shoulder and looked at what the man had just written.

Ann groaned, watching the cop car pull out of her driveway, running a hand into her blonde hair, a tangled mess.

"I swear to God, Eddie. What have you done now?" she whispered to herself.

Walking back inside and locking the door behind her, Ann made her way upstairs to her bedroom and got dressed, brushing the knots in her hair and throwing it up in a high pony.

"Mom, I'm going out for a walk," Ann said, putting on Eddie's old converses.

"Ann. Who was at the door earlier?" her mother asked from the sofa.

"Just some kids collecting funds for a school fundraiser!" she answered, quickly putting on a jean jacket over the crewneck she had picked up and threw on earlier. "I'm going out! I'll see you later!"

She quickly left the house and walked towards her mother's car, pulling out the keys she'd snatched from the hook in the kitchen as she left, "I'm sorry, mom."

She drove away and towards the trailer park, her Beatles tape acting as a soundtrack for all the horror scenarios her mind was making up as she made her way there. What if Eddie was sent to jail for something he didn't do. What if Chrissy had killed Eddie. They hadn't specified a gender, for all Ann knew.

Spiralling away, she parked on the street near the trailer park and walked the rest of the way there, standing outside the yellow police line that had been put up earlier.

The reporter was still there, and you could see journalists trying to interview people.

"You're Eddie's girlfriend, right?" some girl asked Ann, making her jump. She turned around and was met with Nancy Wheeler, accompanied by a shorter boy Ann didn't remember the name of.

"I'd like to say I'm Ann Hopkins first and foremost, but yes, I'm going out with Eddie." She said, putting her hands into the pockets of her jean coat. "And you're Nancy Wheeler."

"Yes, hi. I'm sorry about that; I do know you. I was asking if you were really going out with him." Nancy told the blonde, "I'm sorry if this is weird, but do you know if Eddie was with Cunningham yesterday?"

"I don't know anymore. Between the news and what I know and what people are telling me, I'm trying to figure out the same things you are." Ann replied briefly.

Nancy nodded and looked at the boy beside her before glancing back at the trailer. "Well, I'm pretty sure the police are looking for him, they're telling everyone to go home, so I wouldn't linger around for no reason if I were you."

"So, you have a better reason than I to stick around?" Ann asked, raising an eyebrow, "If you want to find stuff out, I'd ask Eddie's uncle if I were you. But don't be mean or pushy. He's probably going through a lot of stuff right now, be gentle with him." She replied, pointing to the man sitting at a table.

"that's an excellent idea, thank you, Ann," Nancy said, smiling at the girl. "I'll do that." She added, walking away from her.

"Hey!" Ann called out after the curly-haired girl. "Can you please tell me if you find Eddie? I'm worried about him." 

"*Author's note"*

this is a long one! i've been on a roll, i have a couple of chapters written that i'll try to edit later today, just after i do my homework... 

hope you guys enjoyed!! i love hearing what you guys think about the story! 

see you in the next one