Against all odds || Stranger Things 4 | Hellcheer

Chapter 10

Eddie is so caught up in his guitar solo he doesn't notice the jeep coming to a sharp stop in front of the garage until the rest of the band stops playing. Carver steps out with three other players from the team and he didn't come empty handed.

As if to show he's ready to use his weapons, he smashes the side mirror of Eddie's van with his lug wrench as he passes next to it. Eddie takes a step back, gripping tightly on the neck of his guitar.

"What did you do to her, freak," shouts Carver.

There's no escaping it this time, he might as well make the most of it...

"Nothing she didn't ask for, man."

"Don't you dare speak about her like that!"

"Eddie," says Jeff, uneasy, "What's going on?"

"Lil' Jason here is confused as to why his girlfriend came to me for comfort rather than him."

"You've bewitched her," roars Carver before grabbing the guitar and pulling hard at it.

Eddie wasn't ready for it, expecting a punch. He tries to resist, but ends up stumbling forward and falling to his knees at Jason's feet. His guitar slides on the concrete, loose from her strap. By reflex, he reaches out for her, but Carver kicks him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him.

As he struggles to catch his breath, he can sense commotion behind him. It's not hard to guess what's happening : his friends are trying to help but are being held out. He barely manages to inhale a bit of air when he's being pulled by the collar. A knee meets his jaw, sending him back on his butt. He can taste blood in his mouth, and this is just the beginning. He should have seen it coming... 

*

Chrissy lied once again to her mother's face, pretending that Ana was picking her up so that they could join the rest of the cheers and write something for Fred's funeral. She might have felt guilty if she wasn't worried sick about Eddie.

But as she and Ana listen to a frantic Lucas who tries to figure out where to look first, the only guilt she feels is for not having sorted things out with Jason. They found him napping on a couch at Benny's, the others must have thought it would be funny to leave him there alone...Chrissy couldn't believe her luck when he revealed he and Eddie had friends in common.

"It's got to be Gareth's."

"Are you sure," insists Chrissy.

"Well, he plays drums so it's easier if he doesn't need to move his kit all around Hawkins."

"That's fair. Do you know where he lives?"

"I...think so?"

"Lucas! Please, this is important!"

"I know, I know! But I've only been there once."

"Just- Get in the car, you'll give us directions," declares Chrissy without asking for Ana's opinion.

She doesn't do this much, but today she's going to abuse a little of her position as head of cheers. The worst is that Ana says nothing about it, although Chrissy doesn't doubt for a second that she's being called names in her friend's mind. Ana is one of the girls Chrissy genuinely gets along with the most, but the reciproque might not be true.

The three of them drive through town, change directions twice but finally Chrissy spots Eddie's van parked on the sidewalk. Next to Jason's Jeep! Her pulse races. She had hoped she would find Eddie first, but luck has been on Jason's side.

Lucas curses from the backseat and Chrissy looks around to find out what he saw. She gasps and bursts out of the barely immobilized car as Jason lifts a lug wrench over his head. Eddie, his face covered in blood, cowers underneath him.