Prisoner of Your Eyes (Eddie Munson)

Fourteen

"Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the Banished. You there?"

She was asleep through the whole car ride away from the cemetery, but she bolted upright the next morning when she heard the radio go off. Her hair was everywhere, and she picked a strand of it out of her mouth as she sluggishly lunged off the floor.

"Dustin, can you hear me? Dustin? Earth to Dusti-"

"Hey, it's me."

She could hear him smile over the receiver. "Hey, sweetheart. I missed your voice."

"I missed yours too. What's up?" She felt herself blush at the nickname.

"Um, I'm gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world."

"Oh, no, don't do that. Stay where you are, I'll try to get there soon."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, I hate to ask you this, um... Can you pick me up a six-pack? I know, it's stupid as shit, drinking right now, but a cold beer would help soothe my jangled nerves."

She looked over behind her, noticing both Nancy and Max gone from where they were sleeping. She figured that they must already be upstairs. "Um... yeah. Yeah, I guess so. I'll try, and if not, my dad has a stash he never checks. Steve and I take from it all the time."

"Yeah, alright. Whatever floats your boat."

"So, I'll uh..." she tapped the side of the receiver. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Can't wait."

She snapped the receiver shut, waking Dustin up. "Where did everyone go?" He was standing up, strapping on his backpack.

"Some, dunno, 'Eel House?' Max saw it, I don't know. Staying here?"

"I might actually go see Eddie. We're not too far from my place, I'll get my mom's car."

***

Mary-Jane pulled up in front of the garage, two more bags of groceries in her hands. She tapped the door with her foot, waiting for Eddie to open the door. He did, pulling her in for a kiss that she wasn't expecting, nearly making her drop the bags. She smiled and kicked the door shut, putting the bags in the corner. "How've you been holding up?" She asked, sitting on the floor. He shrugged. Before any more could be said between them, another vehicle pulled up, making her jump under a table. He peeked out of the window, ducking down. "Oh, fuck."

"What?" She hissed.

"Fuckin' Peter. I think."

"Oh, shit."

He scrambled to another window, peering out of it. Tension grew in her stomach, and it wasn't the kind of tension she liked. He fumbled for the walkie, ripping the antenna open. "Hey, Dustin? You there?" He snapped. "It's Eddie. You remember me, right? Hey, uh, if anyone's there, I really think we might be in a bit of trouble here, okay?" He paused. "Wheeler?" He smacked it. "Anybody?" His whole body was shaking, and he darted to another window.

Mary-Jane stayed curled up under the table, watching him throw the back door open as the group of boys came closer to the garage. He untied the boat, motioning at it. "Well? Are you gonna fucking sit there?"

"Won't it be easier for them to get to us on that?"

"I don't give a damn! Get in!"

She pushed herself out from the table, throwing herself in the boat, taking the oar that Eddie threw at her as he shoved the boat out into the lake. They rowed until she had to stop, arm sore. He turned around, looking out for them. "Are they... are they gone?"

She looked back now, seeing two people walk out of the garage. "Hey, freak? Got your girlfriend with you?"

"You're my girlfriend now?"

"Not the time, Eddie," she hissed, panic filling her brain. She wasn't a great swimmer, that was for sure. She had never won tread contests at the local pool.

"Where do you think you're going?" More people surrounded the lake now, ripping into the water. Eddie gently pushed Mary-Jane to the side, starting to smack the motor on the back of the boat.

"Come on! Just-come-on! You piece... of shit! Come on, gotta help me out here, man, come on!" She watched him panic, ripping at the motor's string as they got closer. He gave up, pushing past her again and grabbing his oar, tearing at the water more frantically now. They were so close, nearly hitting the back of the boat with their arms. She cursed up a storm as she rowed through the searing pain in her arm.

Eddie began to swing with his oar at the boys, shouting things at them. Mary-Jane stood, trying to steady the boat. "Hey, come on, let's go! We almost have them!" One shouted, waving his arm at the other. He was frozen in the water, barely treading. "Hey, Patrick! Patrick?"

The boy looked around, confused, then he shot under the water. Eddie froze. The boy was stuck under the water, bubbles rapidly shooting from the water. His friend shouted for him, struggling to stay above water.

Then Patrick shot out of the water.

Eddie tumbled out of the boat, sending Mary-Jane tumbling back onto one of the rows of seats. She looked out at the boy in the air. It was Vecna, no doubt. His bones snapped, one by one, then his jaw. Mary-Jane screamed bloody murder, crashing back into the water. She was dragged up by Eddie, who watched in horror as Patrick contorted in the air.

Patrick splashed in the water, snapping Mary-Jane from the horror. She began swimming to the shore, leaving everyone behind. She hit the ground running, not stopping until she reached Skull Rock, surely a safe space. She slid to the ground, hyperventilating.

That's what happened to Chrissy.

That's what happened to Fred.

That's what almost happened to me.