No Surrender | Eddie Munson

Chapter Fifty-Three: Fair Fight

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: FAIR FIGHT

A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL — BOB DYLAN/WALK OFF THE EARTH

Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you see, my darling young one?
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a black branch with blood that kept dripping
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleeding
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw ten-thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children

——————

"Steve says you need to hurry!"

"Yeah? No shit!"

"We're trying. We can't find anything."

Rooting around the various tapes and records spread out on Eddie's bed, I try to still the uncontrollable shaking of my hands. Robin turns to us with a fistful of cassettes. "Seriously, what is all this shit?"

He returns with yet another box from his closet. "What are you even looking for?"

"Modanna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles? Music! We need music!"

Snatching the Iron Maiden tape from her, his voice rises to a shrill cry, "This is music!"

I can't take it anymore. I throw the box down, my panicked gasps bordering on sobs. "I need— I need to go back."

"What?"

Their response does nothing. I'm already on my feet, sprinting back to the rope. My hands grab for it and I try to jump. The quivering of my body doesn't make it easy. Someone pulls on my shoulder and I try to shove them back and try again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?"

"The music isn't gonna work! I need to help like with Max. I need— I need to—" I can't get the words out. I can hardly think. All my focus is on Nancy, how I might lose someone else I care about. I can't do this again.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay. Shit. Shit! Fine!" Eddie helps to boost me up and I make another grab at the rope.

I don't get far before I hear Steve's voice again, "She's back! She's awake!"

My relief is stronger than I expected. Finally, after all of the stress that has kept me going through tonight, my body relaxes. I loosen my grip and let Eddie lower me back down again. Another sob escapes me and he presses a quick kiss to my forehead. "Sit down."

"What? No, I—"

"Sit down right now. I'll help her back through."

—

We stay in Max's trailer until the sun comes up. All the while, Nancy recounts the visions that Vecna showed her. She doesn't look at us once, her gaze fixed on a faded ring on the coffee table.

I want to reach out and hold her hand, to bring her some peace, make her feel safe again. She doesn't want to be touched. So I sit on the sofa. My hand in Eddie's, my head on his shoulder. I'm still shaking a little.

Now we know the truth. Vecna was Henry Creel — a ten-year-old boy who killed his mother and sister, had his own father blamed and incarcerated at Pennhurst Asylum. But he was also like me. He was from the lab. He was Number One. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.

"He showed me things that haven't happened yet," Nancy whispers. Her voice is hoarse, distant. She hunches in on herself, fingers locked tight in her lap. "The most awful things. I saw... a dark cloud... spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this... giant creature... with... a gaping mouth. And this creature wasn't alone. There were so many monsters — an army. And they were coming into Hawkins. Into our neighbourhoods. Our homes. And then... he showed me my mom... and Holly... Mike. And they— they were all..."