PUPPET MASTER, eddie munson

v. the hunt

"So, what's our plan?" Molly asked, sucking on her fingers as she finished the last of Dolly's cheeseburger. The hungry girl glared at the road, hardly pleased with the long car ride and her best friend's appetite.

Dolly had promised her fries but Molly didn't stop whining until Dolly had given up her cheeseburger as well. The only thing she managed to save for herself was the strawberry milkshake. Thankfully, Molly's allergy to the fruit had saved Dolly from passing out.

"I have my dad's machete in the bag," Dolly muttered, eyes widening when her eyes caught sight of a run-down house. She quickly parked on the side of the road, about 100 feet from the house before looking over to see Molly's horrified expression.

"Just to be clear, I am not chopping up Eddie Munson to pieces," Molly declared, pointing an accusatory finger at an annoyed Dolly. Dolly rolled her eyes but nearly screamed when Molly pulled out a revolver from her windbreaker jacket pocket.

"What the fuck! Give me a warning next time," Dolly cried out, fully leaning back against the car door in an attempt to get as far away from the gun as possible. Molly giggled at her friend's reaction, slightly wiggling the gun in her hands and fully cackling at Dolly's terrified yelps. "Molly, I will punch you in the gut so hard you'll taste that cheeseburger for a second time."

Molly shrugged, putting the gun away and rolling her eyes when Dolly pressed a hand to her chest in an attempt to catch her breath. The girls sat in silence for a minute, occasionally glancing at the house nervously. Neither had talked about Chrissy yet, the name hanging over them darkly. The tension was thick, neither girl able to look at the other as they recalled the reason they had come here. If Valentina really was hiding Eddie in that house, they'd be coming face to face with a murderer. They were here to kill someone.

"Maybe we should just... call the cops," Molly uttered, looking away from the house and choosing to focus her glance on her trembling hands. Dolly followed her gaze and let out a shuddering breath before shaking her head.

"No way. If we call the cops and my sister is in there with him, they'll arrest her for being his accomplice or some shit. They'd say anything to get another 'alien' in a cell," Dolly remarked sadly, acknowledging the reality of the situation. Living in Hawkins was a privilege that a lot of her family back in Mexico didn't have but still, Dolly's life here hadn't been sunshine and rainbows. Molly's hadn't either, so when she looked up and saw the defeated look in Dolly's eyes, she sympathized. She placed a hand over Dolly's, smiling sadly when their eyes met before her face hardened.

"That's not going to happen, Dolly," Molly promised, grinning when Dolly nodded in response. The girls got out of the car, and Dolly quickly got her weapon and a thick jacket from the trunk while Molly surveyed the house. Together, they started walking together, a silent understanding between them.

As they walked, Dolly tucked the covered machete in her jeans and slipped into the thick, brown jacket. It was her dad's, his familiar scent of firewood and liquor surrounding her. Dolly closed her eyes, trying to remember the reason she was here. The reason they were both here.

If not for them, for Chrissy. She was the reason they were here and they refused to leave without answers.

Dolly and Chrissy refused to leave without justice.

...

When they approached the house, it was eerily quiet. The girls stayed close to each other but remained completely silent, wanting to be completely alert and aware of their surroundings. The forest that surrounded the house only heightened the tension.

A maze of trees surrounded them, tall with deep green foliage creating a dark, eerie atmosphere. The aged bark creaked as the wind blew, the sound blending in with the occasional bird's song. The air was crisp, and with every breath, Dolly could smell the moss of the lake and the moist grass underneath them. The girls approached the house, maneuvering through the tall, itchy weeds and keeping an eye out for any sort of company.