Head Over Heels for Eddie Munson

Ch20: Already a Hero

The air was thick with smoke, a dark haze covered the open air. I looked beside me to Eleven, her mind was asleep. Billy approaches me, stepping over Eleven's body. A firework crashes and he falls, hovering over me in pain. Bright colors filled the dark, lighting up my bloodied body, tortured with injuries. I see the pain in Billy, his thoughts and feelings. I see his mother again, like I did before, on the beach. I reach out my hand and caress his face, using the touch to manipulate his thoughts, making him see what I saw. I pant in fear, "Seven...feet....You told her...the wave was seven feet." He stares down at me, but he no longer sees me, he's seeing a memory. A tear runs down both our exhausted faces, "You ran to her, on the beach," I say as the image pops into our thoughts, "There were seagulls. She wore a hat...with a blue ribbon. A long dress with a blue and red flower. Ye—yellow....sandals covered in sand, she was pretty." I could feel his pain, feel his heart changing, I could feel Billy again. It wasn't just the mind flayer anymore, Billy was shining through. I watched as he cried, distant memories flooding through his mind, "She was really pretty. Any you....you were happy." I wiped the tears from his face, bringing my other hand up to his cheek.

As another firework hit the flayer, he stood. I watched as the bloody flesh monster drew nearer, Billy refusing to step back. The roars grew louder, my head throbbing in pain with its screams. My breath shook with pure fear. A part of the flayer darted towards me, my bruised arms covering my face and my jacket torn, exposing cut flesh. "No!" Billy screamed as he jumped in front of me, taking the hit of the mind flayer. I watched as he screamed in pain, not doing anything. I watched as more of the mind flayer dispersed and shot into his body. I watched as he slowly faded away, his breath becoming shorter and slowly disappearing. I heard his heartbeat stop and saw his mind shut off. I didn't do anything.
———
"No, no, Lori! We are not gonna let you die!" Dustin screamed.
"Yeah, nobody is dying, Lori!" Steve responded as everyone else disagreed with my plan. What was the reason for me to live? To cause more pain to those I love? I watched as my parents died in the hallways of the lab, bleeding out on the floor. I didn't do anything then. I watched as Billy died, protecting Eleven and I from the mind flayer. I didn't do anything then. I wasn't even there when one of my closest friends died, snapped by Vecna in front of an innocent person. I didn't even do anything then. I am sick of always being late, or freezing, or being useless. I am sick of everyone suffering because I am not strong enough. Maybe, if I am gone, everything will just go back to normal. "I'm sick of running!" I let out, "I am sick of watching people die and not doing anything to help! I see them everywhere. Billy, my parents, Chrissy. I mean....they are....everywhere and....and I feel so guilty for what happened to them." I felt all their eyes on me, all except Eddie. Him and I were alike in that we both run away when things get hard or when we get scared. "We can't let you do this, man. I ca—We can't lose you," Eddie had his head in his hands, staring down at his shoes. I stand and walk out the door, slamming it on my way out. I sit down at a nearby table, picking at the dried blood on my knees.

"Hey," A voice approached, it was Eddie. "I know you want to be a hero, or something, but hold off on it this time." He sat across from me, leaning closer to me over the table. "You have to understand that....whatever you've seen...your parents, Patrick, Billy....Ch..Chrissy...that wasn't your fault.—Lori, you are the most amazing person I have ever met, you...you are already a hero. You...saved...me, Lori...you saved me." My eyes water with salty tears and I hold my breath, struggling to keep myself from crying. "Eddie, I...I am...so scared," my voice broke and hot tears stung my cheek. "What Vecna showed me....it was more than just Hawkins," I struggled to tell him the truth, "It was you...it was you guys. You, and Dustin, and Nancy, and Steve, and Max, and everyone.  And," my voice broke, "and...you were all..." I covered my face with my hands.
"Lori..." Eddie whispered, grabbing onto my wrist and pulling my hand away from my face, "Lori, he is just trying to get into your head. I promise, we will all be safe. I am scared to shit too, but.... I'll always be here for you when you need me most." He smiled weakly and waited for me to calm down, not saying anything, just staying there with me. And although we shared very few words, his presence alone brought comfort and safety. I got up after a few minutes, sniffling and combing through my hair with my fingers. "Hey, you alright, Williams?" Eddie ran up in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders, looking deeply and worriedly into my eyes. His big brown eyes gleamed in the bright sky. I nodded and smiled. "Come here," he pulled me into a hug, his body towering over mine with his arms wrapped tightly around me. He squeezed me tight and rubbed my back as I dug my face into his chest, allowing a few tears to escape. He swayed me from side to side as the hug continued, slowly swaying harder and harder, making me laugh as he pulled away with a big smile. "Come on Williams," He grabbed my arm, "I have an idea." He led me back into the trailer where we were quickly caught up on the plan the rest formulated while Eddie and I were outside. Eddie pulled out a nearby magazine and slammed it onto the table we all stood around.
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A/N: Yall its been so long IM SO SORRYYYY. but I have been writing nonstop and have a few chapters already written so I can start posting more often. I know that things have been slow in the story, but it will get more exciting I promise*wink wink*. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far, I rly appreciate and love all you guys so much. Feel free to leave any comments at all and Ill see u soon! XOXOXOXO