The Freaks - Eddie Munson

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Wheeler

We were lucky in that Steve didn't notice we'd left the same room moment apart. But what was noticed was how quiet Eddie and I were being towards each other. Max brought it up once, and I noticed Dustin asked Eddie about it.

"It's none of your business, Henderson. It's just like you said. Stubborn." I rolled my eyes as he whispered this, his assumption that I couldn't hear him.

"Asshole." was the answer I'd given Max, watching to see if he'd heard. If he did, he didn't acknowledge it. When I'd left the bathroom Dustin filled me in on the past few hours. Nancy and Robin had gotten a hit when they went to the library, and had gone to speak to the owner of the old Creel House.

"Creel House?" Eddie inquired. He knew what it was. We all did, but how it was related to Vecna none of us knew. Until Dustin explained.

"Back when the Creels lived there, his whole family was killed. He was blamed for it. Their bodies, when found, were the same as Crissy's and Fred's." he continued to explain that it was clear Victor Creel was innocent, and that Vecna had something to do with it. Nancy and Robin had gone to meet him and ask questions.

"So what do we do, just wait?" we all waited for an answer to Eddie's question.

"Yeah."

*

It had been 2 hours. We'd had a few updates from Nance and Robin, but as we sat and waited, we watched as Max wrote page after page of something. There was nothing but silence that filled the room. Steve, Dustin and Lucas sat on the couch, Eddie leaned against the wall his arms crossed, and I sat alone on the loveseat on the other side of the room. I watched as Eddie tapped his foot, the only sound filling the room. My eyes were locked on him.

Why?

I asked myself. I was pissed.

Am I?

Yes. I turned my gaze away as quick as I could when he turned towards me, his foot tapping stopping. Silence filled the room for a moment as I stared at my shoes, the silence breaking as Eddie collapsed on the loveseat next to me. My heart leapt into my throat as the creaking make a loud sound, his weight bouncing me up slightly.

A chuckle escaped him as he leaned back into the seat, bringing his hands up behind his head.

"I didn't invite you to sit." I muttered.

"My legs hurt." I rolled my eyes, tucking my feet up onto the couch, sitting as far away from him as I could manage.

"I don't bite, Wheeler." I turned to Eddie to find him staring at the ceiling, his hands still behind his head.

I wish you would.

His head turned towards mine and my heart stopped as if he could read minds. After Eleven, I didn't exclude anything from possibilities. Our eyes met, and I couldn't look away.

Shit.

He was making it really hard to hate him.

"What are you thinking about?" his whisper was surprisingly soft. I wanted to answer. Until-

"Maybe about...skinny dipping?" his hand rested on my thigh, "Or...bra straps?" I pulled away from him, not giving him an answer.

"C'mon I'm just messing with you, Wheeler."

Across the room I saw Steve staring in our direction. His eyes were locked on Eddie's hand resting by my leg.

"You should probably sit somewhere else."

"Really?" I looked up at him, his eyebrows furrowed. "Listen, I'm just messing with you, you don't have to get so sensitive."

"Listen, Munson." I sat up, giving my full attention to him. "The last 24 hours? They never happened. I thought you were a good guy and I let myself get carried away." he stayed silent, but didn't move. Giving up, I stood from the couch and leaned against the wall he had occupied not long ago. Within a few minutes, Max stood up from the desk and began handing out what looked like letters.

"For you." she handed an envelope to me with my name on it.

"Max, what the hell is this?" she shrugged.

"I just want to be prepared. Just in case he gets me."

"He won't."

"Just humor me. Don't open it unless I...die." the room went quiet as she made her way over to Eddie. I held back a laugh as she handed him a flash card sized piece of paper, with a few lines scribbled on it.

"Don't read it." Eddie saluted to her in reply, sliding it into his pocket. All eyes were on Max.

"There's one more place I wanna go. Steve? Drive me?"

*

It was the quietest drive. The trip was short, and we came to a slow stop by the graveyard 5 minutes from the trailer park. I wanted to comfort Max, knowing exactly why we were here, but chose not to speak. She climbed out of the car with a letter in hand, and we all watched silently as Lucas followed her out into the graveyard. I tried not to listen as they argued, Max storming away and leaving Lucas standing alone. He didn't come back to sit in the car, but instead wandered off to observe more headstones.

"Turn on some music." Dustin reached for the radio, but Steve smacked his hand away.

"Not right now." we all watched out the window as Max knelt next to one of the graves and pulled out the letter, opening it.

"It's not safe for her to be out there alone." Steve whispered.

"She'll be fine." Eddie reassured him. I looked over at Eddie, his eyes already locked on me. "I never said sorry." he whispered, barely audible.

"You don't have to whisper, we can hear you." Dustin said loudly. I rolled my eyes, unbuckling my seatbelt to relax into the seat.

Silence filled the car for a moment before I whispered back,

"I forgive you."

"Okay, it's been long enough." Steve opened the door and stormed towards Max, Dustin climbing out after him. 

I realized after a moment Eddie and I were alone. The silence was broken when I looked down at the seat next to me, noticing our hands were a few inches apart. He inched his hand towards mine slowly, looking over at me. Our eyes met, and I felt myself leaning into him, and he did the same. A thousand thoughts ran through my head as our lips almost touched, but I sensed Eddie stop, so I opened my eyes. His expression changed to horror as he looked out the window.

"Holy shit..." he whispered. I turned to see Steve yelling Max's name, shaking her like crazy.

"Vecna."