Love And Hellfire

Chapter 5: Max

"Is this really the time to be eating?" Nancy observed as Eddie filled yet another bowl full of cereal, topped it with a mixture of milk and syrup and began to feast. "That's your second bowl in 10 minutes."
Speaking with a half mouthful of food, Eddie simply replied "I eat when Im nervous okay? Lock me up Wheeler."
Rolling her eyes, Nancy began to pace the cabin once again. Her boyfriend, older brother of Will Byers, Jonathan kept watch through the shutters.
"Still no sign of Robin." He reported. "Perhaps they both went home."
"Yeah, or to the police station!" Nancy scorned Jonathan's simply ridiculous notion. In her mind, this was as serious as it could get under the current circumstances. "I knew this would happen, i told robin-"
"Perhaps the cops finding out, wouldn't be so bad after all." Eddie suddenly interrupted, much to the surprise of the others. Dustin looked at him in disbelief.
"Are you crazy?" Dustin sniggered. "There is no way the law getting involved would be good for any of us, especially you!"
Eddie shrugged, scooping yet another mouthful of food with his spoon. A small drop of milk ran down his chin, to which he wiped it off with the sleeve of his sweater. Nancy's expression was that of utter disgust. She often wondered why she chose to hang around with young boys, soon to be men. For the most part it was simply..... gross.
"Well, that chick didn't seem to keen on me now did she?" Eddie referred back to his earlier run in with Avila Buckley. The gang continued to wait anxiously for Robin's return, and hopefully some answers.
"Perhaps because the first impression you gave her were your hands around her neck?" Steve pointed out. Both Eddie and Dustin threw him the look of disappointment. "Just saying dude." He continued. "You can't blame the poor girl for being scared."
"Exactly!" Dustin agreed. "She was scared! Give her a few hours to calm down, we invite her into the group then we-"
"Invite her in?" Nancy stopped the conversation dead in its tracks. She was more frustrated than ever. "We barely know that girl and you want to tell her everything?! There's no way that can happen!"
"Well she is Robin's cousin..." Steve reminded. Yet another statement, quickly shot down by the wrath of Nancy Wheeler. No wonder her brother Mike just stood back and observed, he'd learnt from experience not to get involved.
"That means nothing!" Nancy declared. Turning to face Eddie directly, she asserted the very harsh truth upon him.
"Eddie, alive or dead you're still wanted as a murderer in Hawkins." She reminded him. "That girl we met today, cannot know anything. We cannot trust her, for all we know she could be working with the government to try and bring us all down."
Eddie listened with a heavy heart. He knew she was right. Slowly moving his spoon around the, almost empty bowl, he appeared sad. His eyes were void of hope and light.
"Your best and only hope is to stay here, with us." Nancy added. "If Robin comes through like i hope she will, then you'll never have to see that girl again."
"Yeah okay." Steve however, was not so easily swayed. He stormed off towards the door in search of Robin, muttering "Great plan Nancy, really!"
With that, Steve left.
"Well, that's our cue." Mike also declared, tapping Will by the arm, who began to gather their notebooks, bags etc. One by one the group began to disperse, eventually leaving just Eddie and Dustin behind. Leaning forward, Eddie planced his now empty bowl on the coffee table infront of them both, before holding his head deep in his hands.
"What a crazy day." Dustin joked, looking at his watch. "And its not even 10am!"
This kind of silly humour would usually amuse Eddie. The last 2 weeks alone in the cabin had made him more grateful for the small human interaction he did get, even if it came in the shape of Dustins poor jokes. But not today.
"Hey." Dustin placed a calm, reassuring hand on Eddie's back, patting it slowly. "It's gonna be okay."
Eddie simply shook his head. "I don't think so man." He admitted, looking up from his heavy grip, Dustin noticed the tears flooding his eyes. "Someone could have really got hurt today..."
"But they didn't!" Dustin reassured him. "Yes, Avila may be angry now.... but if she's anything like her cousin, she'll soon come around! We'll be laughing about this in a few days...."
"But I could have killed her, Dustin. I don't even know the girl and i could have taken her life like that!"
A simple snap of his fingers, and Eddie's head landed straight back into his hands. He sniffled for a while, Dustin continuing to pat him on the back.
For a moment or two, they both sat in complete silence, gathering their thoughts. Dustin hated the silence, he saw it as a complete waste of time and life. Silence was there to be filled, life was there to be lived. No holding back. Suddenly, he had an idea.
"You say you don't know her..." He said to Eddie. "Would you like to know her?"
Eddie looked up at Dustin, speechless. For the first time that day, he had no answer. His thoughts, were unclear.