𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐈𝐒𝐇// 𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐗𝐎𝐂

𝐱𝐥. ✭ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀

JUNE, 1978; EDDIE

Background Music
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-Back to the Old House by The Smiths-
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My ballpoint pen scribbled across a page of binder paper. I did not speak. I couldn't.
I couldn't move my tongue to tell her anything.

Especially since that freak day that occurred a couple of weeks ago. That day when it rained like cats and dogs and Jason Carver tried to drown me and Chance bashed his head in with a rock and I kissed her on the cheek and on her stubby little nose. Instead of speaking, I wrote, pouring myself into my writing.

Dear Chancie,

Hey, what's up? How you doing? I'm good, thanks for asking. I can't seem to say this crap out loud but I think somethings wrong with me. Like I think you should take me to the hospital.

All of a sudden whenever I look at you I feel all weird. My stomach gets all warm and my chest hurts. I think I have like weirditis or something like that. I need to get checked out by a doctor.

Anyways what I'm trying to say is that things are all different now and I don't want them to be. I wanna be your friend. We're best friends and I don't want anything to change that.

Not this weird disease I have or how you're starting to look different or how you suddenly got lots more freckles. When did you get all pretty by the way? When am I gonna get to look all pretty?

I'd like to end this by saying that I'm probably gonna die because I feel sick around you and I'm sorry because I don't wanna die. I wanna be your friend. Hopefully I'll get better soon.

From, Eds

"Eddie!" Chance burst into my room, all giggles and sunshine. Her strawberry-colored hair was done up in pigtails. "Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!" My fist closed over the paper, wadding it up. I instantly shoved it deep into the front pocket of my shorts. "Look! I found it!"

She jumped onto my bed, tackling me. Spilling over with laughter, Chance pushed a yellowish flyer onto my chest. I flipped it over, smoothing it out so I could read it.

Hawkins young actors wanted for a production of...

Little Women!

"I don't get it." I frowned, turning my head sideways. "What did you find?"

"What I wanna do right now." Plucking the paper from my hands, she clutched it close to her chest. Breathlessly, she added. "What's really really inside me." Her eyes were squeezed closed. My best friend was glowing radiantly.

"Little Women...what is that?" My voice lilted. Confusion still had its teeth in me. Why in the world was she that ecstatic?

"It's a play, Dummy!" Chance ruffled my hair, using her palm to smush it down. She was so playful, filled to the brim with liveliness.

"I know that," Rolling my eyes, I propped myself up on my elbows. "but I mean...what does- what does it have to do with you?"