Wrapped Around Your Finger - Eddie Munson

Chapter Seven: The Nightmare

It was nearing midnight by the time we got back to Eddie's trailer. He pulled in on the dirt roads of the trailer park. The faint sounds of Kate Bush playing from someone's trailer filled the relative silence of a Hawkins night. Eddie took my by the hand as he led me inside and went into the bathroom.

"Does it make me look tough?" He asked, referencing his forming black eye.

"Very tough." I said sarcastically, "You did break Jason's nose."

"They deserved it for putting their hands on you." He grumbled, washing his own dirtied hands in the sink. "What is that? Are you hurt?" He pointed at an old scar on my right arm.

"Oh, that? Honestly, I forget it's even there it's so faded now. I got a bad burn when I was a baby from a candle." I shrugged, brushing it off.

"Good, it wasn't one of those assholes." He huffed.

"On that note, let's not being any of this up to my dad, ok?" I said, "He'll go on a rampage and leave Hawkins without a basketball team."

"I wouldn't mind that."

"Eddie, seriously, you can't say anything."

"My lips are sealed, Princess." He smiled and wrapped his arms around me.

We stood like that for a moment before Eddie pulled away. I was about to protest when suddenly he captured me in a heated kiss. His right hand came up to cup my face as his left wrapped around me and pulled me closer to him.

Before I realized it, we had ended up in his bedroom. We detached, catching our breath. His room was messy to say the least. His walls were covered in metal band posters, he had some questionable comics laying out next to a bottle of... lotion. Nice choice in material, Eddie. The centerpiece of the room was the deep red electric guitar hanging on his wall.

"Those stains... I don't know what those stains are." He sputtered, following my gaze to his guitar. "Oh this? That's my pride and joy." Beaming, he walked over and plucked the guitar off the wall. He strummed a few chords.

"Rainbow in the Dark?" I asked.

"Good ear, Princess." He paused a moment before speaking again, "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming around, for being a friend, introducing me to your dad and getting to see someone like me that's older was pretty cool. I don't know. I guess you moving here makes me feel less alone, less like an outcast. It's not like I l mind being one or think it's a bad thing, but it's nice to not be the only one, you know?"

"Well, you're welcome Eddie. I'm glad I'm not the only one around here either. I honestly didn't think things would go well when I move here, I was surprised Chrissy even spoke to me. Finding you, her and the guys, it made this move worth it." Eddie set his guitar aside and in one fluid motion I was on top of him in his bed.

Exhausted bliss, that's all I could describe it as. A sheen coat of sweat covered both our skin as we lay together. His hands drew lazy patterns inn my back as I twirled his hair between my fingers. Too Young to Fall in Love played faintly from his stereo, the only other sounds out panting breaths. The wind blew in through the window, assaulting my hot skin with the cold air. Eddie pulled his sheets up to cover us both as he planted a kiss on my forehead.

I was back in Boston, sitting in my mother's hospital room. The sound of monitors beeping made me flinch as I was reminded of how much pain my mother was in. Dad had left the room for a moment to speak with the doctors. My mother turned her head to look at me.

"Hannah, don't cry." She spoke softly, I didn't even notice I was crying.

"I don't want to lose you mom." I sobbed, my voice the same as when I was a child.

"Then why didn't you do something?"

"What?" I blinked.

I looked up at her and the room around me seemed to change. The once white walls were greying, long black vines climbed the walls. There was some sort of dust floating through the air. The lights flickered in pattern, Morse code? I should have paid more attention in History class.

"Why didn't you do something? Why didn't you run to get your dad when the monitors went off? Why did you let me die?"

"No, no, I didn't let you die." My voice changed slowly back into my own.

"You wanted me to die Hannah."

"No! No that's not true!"

"Admit it. You didn't run to your father because you wanted me gone." The memory faded out, a clock chimed.

Everything was red as far as I could see. Grey clouds loomed in the sky as strange creatures flew overhead. I looked to my left, a large old house stood tall before me. Was I still in Hawkins? How did I get here? I heard a loud screeching noise as the creatures started to circle above me. I rushed into the dilapidated house, not wanting to wait around and see what those things want.

The house was practically condemned. Wallpaper peeled from the walls, floorboards were missing, doors hung loose on their hinges. The familiar chime of a grandfather clock grabbed my attention. The time was frozen at 9:27. I wanted to look around the first floor of the house, but my legs moved on their own to the stairs.

I ascends the staircase, going all the way up to the attic. I nearly screamed at what I saw. Some weird, fleshy monster was suspended from tentacles in the middle of the attic. It's eyes were shut, like it was sleeping. I gagged at the sight of its writhing flesh and exposed muscles. It's eyes snapped open at the sound.

"You." It's spoke, it's voice deep and guttural. "I did not know you would return to Hawkins so soon, my child. You are not meant to be here yet, but do not worry. You will join me soon enough."

I bolted upright from my nightmare, my heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. I gasped for air as my trembling hands tried to steady myself. Eddie grumbled and rolled over, swinging his arm over to lay across me. He opened his eyes when he couldn't find me and sat up with me.

"Hannah, are you ok?" He looked at me concerned, reaching out to touch my arm.

"Yeah I just had a really bad nightmare is all." My voice shook as I spoke.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He spoke hesitantly.

"No, thank you, but no. There's some things I'd rather not think of anymore. I just didn't bring my meds with me and need to take them, I didn't think missing a dose for a few hours would still be that bad."

"Does this happen regularly?" He asked.

"It used to, but I've been in this medication most of my life and it keeps it at bay." Eddie smiled sadly, pulling me into his arms as I held back tears. I would tell him about my mom eventually, but now I just wanted to be content with him.