Head Over Heels for Eddie Munson

Ch21: Its a War Zone

"Check this out," Eddie pointed to an ad in the magazine, "the war zone. I've been there once, it's huge. They got everything you need for, uh...well uh, killing things, basically." I stood in the corner of the room, while the rest gathered around the table. I looked towards Max, but all I could see was Billy, I turned towards my shoes. I thought of ways I could kill Vecna, watching and rewatching that day in '79 when he had killed all those children, but not finding a clue. I heard the distant voices of Eddie and Robin, but was too deep into thought to actually care what they were saying. "Normally I'd agree but, we need the weapons, so I think it's worth the risk, right Lori?" Nancy turned to face me, I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but is it worth the time?" Dustin asked me then to the group, "It'll take all day to bike there and back."
"Who said anything about bikes?" Eddie said, looking towards me and smiling. He was going to steal a mode of transportation and I knew it, he knew that I knew it. I sigh and lean against the wall behind me. "...but it'll do," Eddie's voice became clearer as he approached me, "Hey Red, Lori, you gotta ski mask or a bandanna, something like that?" I shook my head, not having anything on me that could help. I looked towards Max, who painted a small smirk on her face. The three of us went into her room and Eddie and I watched as she pulled out a mask from her closet. I laughed as she held up a Micheal Myers mask, showing it to Eddie. "Don't think I'd make a good serial killer, Williams?" Eddie asked, nudging my shoulder with his arm. He put on the mask,"I look good, don't I?" I smiled, lifting my head and hitting the wall behind me. I covered my face with my hands as Eddie said, pointing to himself, "You know I look badass in this." He starts laughing and so do I as he walks up to me and places his hand on one side of my shoulder. "Oh, Red, this is so stupid," Eddie said taking off the mask, his big innocent shining right at me.
"I thought you were pretty badass, Munson," I replied, staring straight into his glowing eyes.
"Oh did you, now?" He whispered loudly. I watched his face, examined it, I was speechless at the way he looked at me. The way our breathing patterns synced up and our eyes fell into each other. His face grew closer to mine, inches apart. His hand making its way towards my cheek, but pulling away as Max cut the incredible amazing silence,"Oh, get a room, you two!" Max pushed through and left the room, shutting the door behind her loudly.
My heart nearly popped through my chest and my breathe became heavy. Eddie slowly lifted and backed away, putting the mask back onto his head. "Let's go steal us a trailer, Williams," He said to me, opening the door for me and allowing me through first. "Was I supposed to just move on from that?" I thought to myself. All together, we walked outside the trailer, and ran to the other side of the park. Eddie pointed to the trailer he wanted to steal, two people sitting outside of it, "That's the one." I walked towards it, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "Whoa now, Williams, easy. We have to be stealthy." He put on the mask and pulled me towards the back of the trailer. Amongst all the chaos, I forgot that I left my shoes at lover's lake, my rolled up white tube socks dirty with blood and mud. I walked carefully, watching my step, squeezing Eddie's hand whenever I tripped. He felt up and down the sides of the targeted trailer, landing on and opening a small window. Letting go of my arm, he jumped in through the window and slid through, taking off the mask. He stuck his head out of the window, "That was suffocating," He stuck out his hand to me, "Williams?" I grabbed it and he pulled me in through the hole with surprising ease. He held onto my waist as I stuck my legs into the trailer, falling onto him. He flew back onto the seat, my body on top of his, my shins cut by the window. "Sorry," I breathed into his chest as I pushed myself off of him. Luckily, nobody had gotten in to see it, but if I had waited one second more, Steve would have witnessed the whole thing. Eddie jumped up behind me and whispered into my ear, "Lock the doors." I ran up and locked the front door as he sat in the front seat, "Come here." I watched as he took out the wires underneath the steering wheel, a set of wire cutters in his mouth. "How did you learn how to do this?" I asked him, watching the way he so easily cut specific wires. "Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire," He replied as I watched his fingers connect two wires, "Now, I swore to myself I wouldn't wind up like he did, but now," and he looked at me and laughed, "I'm wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh, I'm really living up to that Munson name." He looked at me deeply when he mentioned the Munson name, turning back to the wheel in front of him after the uncomfortable eye-contact, slightly smirking. Steve and Robin walked up behind us, interrupting our conversation. "Uh, Eddie, I'm not sure I love the idea of your driving," Robin mentioned and I chuckled, thinking back to the car ride on the night of Chirssy's death. Eddie watched me with serious eyes as if he were offended by my reaction, but eventually said, "Oh, I'm just starting this sucker. Harrington's got her. Don't y'a, big boy?" And the car sparked to ignition, making all of us jump at the loud sound coming from the back.

We all smiled at each other as the car revved and bounced. "Hey! Open this door!" Came from a voice outside, our expressions becoming scared as Steve made his way into the front seat. Eddie, Robin and I walked over to the dining table while Steve screamed, "Everybody, hang onto something!" He stomped on the gas before I could sit and I was pushed over by the force of the car. I fell backward right into Eddie's lap, the back of my head resting on his leg. "You alright there, Lori?" He smiled, holding in the laughter and I sat up, apologizing. "Shit, they look pissed," Dustin yelled from the back, everyone bobbing up and down over the bumpy roads
"I mean it's not every day you lose your house and car in one fell swoop," I held onto the back of my seat, trying not to fall again. We swayed from side to side as Steve went up and down mounds and turned suddenly out of the park. We all calmed down as the trailer reached the road and steadied.

We were on the road for hours, but silent the whole time, except for a few words shared between the younger kids. I guess we never had time to take it all in, never a break to let this shit resonate with us. After an hour, I got too tired to stay up thinking about what I could do to beat Vecna. I had thought of self-sacrifice or offering myself up for everyone's safety, joining him and then betraying him, killing him with weapons, or killing him with my power. Though, as I thought through each way, followed each path, someone ended up dying. I let go of my face, resting in my hands, slamming my head on the table. I was cold, my cuts hurt and would probably be infected, I was scared out of my mind, I felt useless, but, worst of all, I was tired. I leaned back and closed my eyes, putting my right foot up on the chair and holding my right knee close to me. My head leaned to one side as I drifted off, making its way to Eddie's tired, but stressed shoulder. And as the car ride went on, his head slowly started making its way towards me and he also drifted into sleep. His head rested on mine and his body leaned into me.

A sudden jerk woke us up, "Wakey wakey, lovebirds," Dustin pushed me as he walked by and Eddie's head fell off onto the table. "What the hell, Henderson!" He cried as Dustin closed the front door. I groaned awake and wiped my face, yawning. We watched as everyone but Lucas and Dustin walked into the store, Eddie climbing over me, "No, no, no, no. I suggested the store, I should go in." Dustin laughed, pointing at him and looking at Lucas and I. "Yeah, sure. And risk people seeing you....buying murder weapons!" I have to say, I was pretty bummed when I found out I wasn't allowed in the store, but it was for our safety. It's a war zone out there.

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A/N: Yall I had an amazing plan this week to get 3 stories out, but my teacher gave me a research project and now I am screwed. This chapter is interesting, it isn't as poetic and meaningful as I'd like, but it isnt bad so...I hope you enjoyed. Comment anything you want, I won't judge, and lemme know if you want anything changed or added. Also lemme know if ur hating it, I wanna make this the best experience for the readers. Love yall lots, see you soon. XOXOXOO