Be My Escape

Chapter Two

With a loud grunt, Billy landed on his side, immediately looking around at his surroundings. Where was he?

"Hey, sweetheart." Eddie's voice was behind Billy. "As much as I love being the big spoon here, you're kind of crushing my arm."

"Oh, shut up, asshole," Billy laughed, but sat up, freeing Eddie's arm. "But for future reference, I'm the big spoon." He stood, bending down to scoop the man up in his arms. He was even lighter when he wasn't on his back. "Do you know where we are?"

Eddie wrapped his arms around Billy's neck, returning the laugh. "We can switch. It feels good to be the little spoon sometimes." He looked around at where they were, bearing his surroundings. "I think we're back at Wheeler's house. When the gang and I were stuck in the Upside Down the first time, Dustin ripped open the roof here and made a gate. This is where we were able to get out." He looked up at the massive hole in the ceiling. "I wonder where they are, or if they miss me." He added the last part quietly, dejected, but Billy heard it.

Billy gripped Eddie tighter, giving him as much of a hug as he could while carrying the man. "I bet they're heartbroken." His voice was soft. He knew how Eddie felt. He wondered if anybody mourned him. Though he wasn't the nicest person in the world, he did try in the end to be better to his sister, to redeem himself. It may have been too late, though. He knew he missed Max more than anything. All he wanted was to see her again, to properly apologize to her. He did a lot of damage to their relationship, to all of the ones he had. But being alone in the Upside Down for nearly a year gave him a lot of time to reflect on the error of his ways, how he treated his sister, his stepmother, everything good in his life. He wanted redemption. He had hoped sacrificing himself for Max and her friends would make them hate him a little less. He can only hope.

Eddie frowned, watching Billy's face as the man was lost in thought. "Hey, ah, Billy? I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm already wanted for murder. I don't need breaking and entering added to the list, too. Think we can skedaddle now?"

"Yeah, sorry," Billy replied, looking into Eddie's eyes. They were the most beautiful caramel color, he just wanted to dive into them. "Let's go." He walked off the mattress and out the front door, careful to look out for suspicious neighbors or anybody that might call the police on them. As he closed the door with his hip, he noticed that he's been here before, years ago. They were down the street now, making a turn and making it out of the cul-de-sac and to the main road. "Which way to the hospital? I don't really remember."

"Swing a right and keep going. It's all the way down, a few blocks from here," Eddie mumbled, eyes closed as he rested his head on Billy's chest, "We have to make up a story. You were presumed dead and they can't know my name, or else the police will be involved."

Walking further down the road made it clear what had happened while they were gone. A massive fissure divided the road, stopping Billy in his tracks. He saw the devastation, the wreckage, and it made his heart sink. "What the hell happened here?" he whispered.

Eddie opened his eyes and saw the bodies, the ambulances, the ground split open. "Vecna did this. He had to have done this. Or, this was the result of the gang killing him. I don't know." His heart broke as he saw the town he grew up in, the town that hated him, broken, split apart in two.

Billy's pace quickened, making it to the hospital in record time. "We have our alibis," he leaned in to whisper in Eddie's ear, "I saved you from dying when that happened. I don't know you, I just saw you and decided to help by pulling you out."

Eddie gave a small nod, whispering in return. "I'll be unconscious. When I wake, I'm going to fake amnesia. I don't know what happened or who I am. That way, they don't get my name. They'll patch me up, they'll fix you up, and we'll be on our way. Got it?"