Innocent | Eddie Munson x OC

Chapter 11

I slid down the main escalator system, following Steve and Robin blindly. I couldn't properly register the pain I was feeling by putting my leg through this, luckily. Somehow we managed to throw them off, and Steve practically lifted me over the counter of the pizza place before we all froze, holding our breath. Their stealthy footsteps were barely audible, and all I could hope was that Eddie would stay outside, where it was safe, and not come in through the employee entrance. Oh, and the fact I could die in the next few seconds if any of us let a single sound slip. Hell, if they found us, I wouldn't expect more than ten seconds of air. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this could be it- my chest heaved desperately. What had I even stepped into? Were these the Russians after all?

There was the faintest of whispers, and I spared a glance towards Dustin, finding his face perfectly mirroring what I presumed mine looked like. Good, at least I understood the situation clearly.

I was going to die here.

And then, in the most heroic and miraculous display I had ever witnessed, the car in the center of the court gave a horrific crash. In complete and utter shock, we each slowly rose to peek over the counter. Above us were a bunch of kids, all of them except Nancy Wheeler complete strangers to me.

What in the hell was happening.

Robin helped me limp towards everyone, in which I uttered a small "thank you," and continued to completely lose my voice. The other girl with a limp in this group had superpowers. Nancy briefly questioned who Robin and I were, in which I opened my mouth but someone else responded.

"She works at Camelot Music."

"So what's she doing here?"

Somehow the topic shifted back to the Russians, which apparently were a small part of a larger scheme. A scheme involving possessed people, all working as a hive mind to form one being. I snapped out of my trance, only the last part holding any relevancy to me. Not the hive mind, that was nonsense. But the possession.

"Possessed? Like, how?" I broke in, several confused faces turning towards me.

"Does she know literally anything about anything?" A shaggy-haired dude around my age asked in annoyance.

Steve made a face. It seemed as if he were the one who had now lost his voice.

"My- my mom. She attacked me, she seemed possessed-" I started, trying to lift my leg up as proof.

Nancy seemed concerned. "Mulch?"

"How did you know that-?" I wondered, feeling a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Suddenly our conversation was cut off by the sound of shrieking. We turned to find the girl with "superpowers" convulsing on the floor in pain. Someone eventually comes up with the bright idea of cutting something out of her leg- I didn't really understand most of anything going on, and I was beginning to feel sick. My leg was throbbing, my head was pounding, and it took everything in me to hobble over to a trash can to puke my insides out. So much popcorn, wasted. I felt a comforting hand on my back, and I turned, just to be jump-scared again by Steve's shattered face.

He rolls his eyes. "I get it, I look horrible."

I don't have the heart to banter with him- nor the stomach- continuing to empty it into the trash can.

"How much do you know?" Steve asked cautiously, rubbing soothing circles.

I manage to garble out, "about what?" before heaving again.

"So, nothing." He surmises, unimpressed- or maybe annoyed. I can't tell which.

"Look," I breathe, blowing a piece of hair from my view, "I snuck out one night, came back- my mom was literally shoveling mulch down her throat, with a big old side of gasoline to rinse it all down. Bunch of rats all around her, goop- really fun stuff."

"Then she broke your leg?" Nancy asked in concern, coming to stand beside me.

"No," I snipped, swallowing hard.

"Then I escaped, and she watched as some-vine-like appendage wrapped around my leg and tried to drag me right back to her. If Eddie hadn't been there, I would be dead right now. Or, well.." I trailed off.

"Like her." Nancy nodded. "She was trying to recruit you. The thing that we're being hunted by right now- she's apart of a large group of unfortunate residents sacrificed to bring it to life."

"Is.." I breathed, shakily, "...is she dead?"

Nancy looked to her boyfriend for help. He sighs, stepping forward gently. "I mean, technically, we don't know. But... it doesn't look good."

Tears pooled up, overflowing as I tried desperately to scratch them away. "But there's a chance?"

"Well, a small one-" Shaggy boy started unsurely, looking to Nancy for help.

"Jonathan." She urged in frustration.

He scratched his head in frustration. "Honestly? We don't think so. We have to take out the thing somehow, and she's apart of it. And we don't even know if she's alive as it is. These things, they turn into, like, this goop-"

"That's enough," Nancy whispered, eyeing my pale expression warily.

The entire group formed once again, going over the entire situation. I zone out. New people have joined in, but I pay them no mind. That is, until the large one suggests I get "to safety", pointing my leg out.

"I'm staying where I can help." I growled.

"Like hell you are. What do you think you're gonna help, hobble? You gonna hit them with your crutches?" He snapped.

"If there is a chance my mother can survive this, I will stay, and you can do nothing about it." I made eye contact with the stranger icily, daring him to challenge me.

But he didn't. The group split in three, Steve, Robin, Dustin and Erica off on another adventure- I was now in the hands of one Nancy Wheeler, who didn't even remember I went to school with her. We all fled to her car, and it's at that exact second that I spot Eddie, leaning against the bike rack, checking his watch. I let out a sob I had been fighting, getting over to him as fast as I could.

"Hey, did I miss the party?" He smiled mildly in confusion, peeking over my shoulder.

I crushed him into a hug, my crutches falling beside me. I was so tired of the damn things. His arms suspended in surprise.

"Woah, woah, woah, what's going on?" He soothed, finally returning the hug and smoothing my hair down lovingly.

"We do not have time to explain, you both need to get in the car before-" Nancy demanded, before cutting herself off as we heard a rumbling in the distance.

In the center of the parking lot were a pair of headlights, directly facing Nancy's car.

"What was that about the car?" I choked.

"Everyone back in the mall!" Nancy announced.

"What the hell?" Eddie breathed.

"No time to explain, we gotta go!" I exclaimed, limp-sprinting with Eddie's hand in mine.

I was scooped up effortlessly, instant relief flooding my leg. I wrapped my arms around Eddie's neck, squeezing him tight.

I hoped we both got out of this alive.