The Freak

5. grandfather clock

I wake in a panic to the sound of frantic shuffling around the room. I have no clue what time it is and I hadn't even realized I fell asleep. After all of that monster, alternate dimension, wizard talk, I'm surprised I did. I was fully expecting to never sleep again.

I sigh and rub the sleep from my eyes, watching as Eddie peaks out of the window in a defensive stance. His eyes flicker back and forth frantically and he sighs when he realizes there's no one there. I roll my eyes at him because not only is he freaking himself out, but he's scaring the shit out of me.

With a loud bang the door swings open and I gasp, falling off the workbench that I slept on and stumbling to the ground. Eddie whips out his broken bottle and points it to the door where Dustin and the rest of the group stand. I groan at Dustin's jolly grin, still not fully awake yet as he bounces on his heels.

"Delivery service," He cheers, holding up two bags in his hands. I fall on my back with a sigh as I try to catch my breath from almost shitting myself just now. Dustin tosses us the bags and I crawl over to the boat, snatching whatever I grab first. I take the box of Cheerios and stuff my fist into it, shoving a handful of the cereal into my mouth. I haven't eaten since that Pop-Tart yesterday and I am goddamn starving. "So we got some good news and some bad news. How do you prefer it?" Dustin asks as everyone stands around us, watching as we stuff our faces with processed food like a circus act.

"Good news first."

"Bad news first, always."

Eddie and I speak with our mouths full at the same time, our sentences clashing. We look at each other with annoyed expressions because we can never come to a mutual consensus. I roll my eyes and wave my hands in defeat, deciding it in everyone's best interest if we don't start an argument.

"Fine. Bad news first," I cave in and take a swig of the Snapple that I found in the bag that I got my Cheerios from.

"We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro and they're definitely looking for you," Dustin says mainly to Eddie before turning to me, "both of you. Someone in the trailer park reported to the police that they saw you pacing around outside of Eddie's that night." I slap my face in anger with myself, knowing I should've just stayed in the fucking van. "Also, they're, uh, pretty convinced that you killed Chrissy," He points to Eddie who looks up with a terrified look in his eyes.

"Like, 100 percent kinda convinced," Max adds and I drop my head into my hands. After putting my trust in the group and noting that Eddie hasn't killed me in my sleep yet, I find myself believing that Eddie didn't do it. Yet, there is still the small patch of uncertainty that lies within me. It sends a sickening sensation to my stomach when I think about the fact that I'm hiding away with a convicted murderer.

"What about me? Do they think I was involved?" I ask frantically, knowing that it would shatter me if everyone thought I killed my best friend.

"They think you're dead," Dustin shrugs and my eyes widen, "that, or you were kidnapped by Eddie. You're more of a missing person than a suspect." I can't decide if that's good news or not, the world thinking I'm dead. I'm sure my mother is having a field day with all the attention she's likely getting right now.