The Freak and His Queen [Eddie Munson x Chrissy Cunningham]

Eddie the Banished

Trigger/Content Warning: Mention of suicide, violent death

Eddie was thoroughly shaken by what he'd seen earlier that night, but driving was helping to clear his head. The feel of the crisp night air rushing through his open window was a relief.

When she'd been ready to go home, Eddie had driven Chrissy across town and dropped her off at her house. Her perfect house in its perfect neighbourhood, just like he'd imagined. She'd been quiet most of the drive. When he'd thought she'd been about to start crying again he'd put his hand on her arm, gently, and that seemed to have calmed her down. At least it had elicited a shaky smile from her. He hadn't been able to think of anything else to do. His own mind had been reeling — from what he'd seen, what she'd told him. He'd believed her. Her fear was too real, too big to ignore, but he hadn't known how to help her.

When he'd stopped his van up the street from Chrissy's house he'd been afraid to let her out of his sight, so he'd insisted on walking her to her door. She hadn't complained. When they'd reached her doorstep she had turned to him. "Thank you, Eddie," she'd said, and then she had hugged him, quick and hard.

"You're going to be ok," he'd told her. It had felt like the right thing to say. She had smiled bravely and gone inside.

"You're going to be ok, Chrissy," he murmured to himself as he drove, now. He had to believe it. He was going to make sure of it, somehow.

***

On his way home Eddie stopped at the gas station just outside of the trailer park. It was late and they were probably closing soon, but the lights were still on. He filled his van up and went inside to pay. Eddie recognized Heather Robinson standing in one of the aisles of snacks when he walked in. "Hey," he said, glancing at her briefly. It was her dad's gas station and she was usually hanging around in the evenings. Eddie looked but didn't see Heather's dad. Probably in the office doing end-of-day work, he thought. Heather was watching the store until it was time for them both to go home.

Eddie went up to the counter to pay and waited for Heather to come and help him. He didn't notice that Heather hadn't responded to him. That she hadn't moved from where she'd been standing when he walked in. It wasn't until the lights started flickering wildly and he turned around that he saw something was wrong.

Heather was still standing in the aisle where he'd first noticed her and her eyes... They were glazed over with a milky film, just like Chrissy's had been. Her eyelids fluttered rapidly.No, Eddie thought. Not again. "Heather!" he yelled. He took two steps towards her. "Heather! Wake up!" But she didn't wake up. Instead, she started to rise slowly into the air and as Eddie watched in shock, her feet left the floor.

"What?" Eddie gasped. Heather floated above the ground, her head tilted back as though she was looking at something above her. Suddenly, her whole body slammed violently against the ceiling.

"Jesus Christ!" Eddie fell backwards, hitting the ground hard. He stared up at Heather. Heather who lived in the trailer park a few doors down from him. Heather who was two grades below him in high school and liked to read in the cafeteria at lunch. Heather who everyone felt sorry for because her mom had committed suicide last summer, leaving her and her dad alone, devastated. Why was this happening to Heather?


Eddie heard an explosive crack and watched in horror as Heather's arm broke and bent at a hideous angle. More terrible cracks as one by one her legs broke, then her other arm, her jaw. Eddie felt like he might be sick. His stomach lurched and his mouth went dry. Heather's eyes started oozing blood and when they popped, Eddie screamed. He screamed and scrabbled to his feet and ran out of the station as fast as he could. He couldn't think. He could only run. He jumped into his van and peeled out of the lot, speeding down the deserted road. Heather. Poor Heather. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He had to get away. He had to hide. 

Author's Note:

Heyo! I listened to a podcast today interviewing Joseph Quinn (the actor who plays Eddie) and I learned his favourite ice cream flavour is pistachio.

What do you think Eddie's favourite ice cream flavour would be? My guess is birthday cake. Although maybe he'd be embarrassed to admit it?

Thank you for reading Part 4!