Against all odds || Stranger Things 4 | Hellcheer

Chapter 20

It's the flicker of the lights that make Eddie let go of Carver, his raging anger washed away by a cold wave of fear as he turns on his heels, searching for Chrissy. To his relief, she doesn't seem to be having another vision. The black dude on the other hand...

"What the-" breathes out Carver who's still holding on to his t-shirt. "What are you doing to him?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake," shouts Chrissy. "For the last time, Eddie's got nothing to do with it!"

She grabs the third guy by the shoulder and shakes him. "What kind of music does he listen to?"

Eddie wants to get to the radio but Jason won't let go of him. He even flips him around and pins him against the wall, gripping so hard at his collar it strangles Eddie.

"You better stop it, freak!"

He punctuates his sentence with a blow of his knee in Eddie's crotch, then shoves him harder against the wall. Eddie tries to push him away, to move Carver's arms so he can catch his breath, but he's out of strength. Carver has that crazy gleam in his eyes as he growls, "Or I'll make you stop," and Eddie figures the guy might be mad enough to choke him to death.

*

Chrissy runs to the kitchen's radio and turns it on to some old folk song. She's about to ask Andy which station to put when she notices Eddie choking under Jason's grip. She lurches herself at her ex-boyfriend, screaming, "Stop it! You're killing him!" She grabs and tugs at his arm, in vain. Eddie's wide-open eyes are begging for help, his mouth gasping for air, his nails scratching desperately on Jason's wrists.

Panic makes her body tremble and she does something she never thought she'd ever do: she plants her teeth in Jason's arm and bites down as hard as she can. He yelps and yanks her away, letting go of Eddie who crumbles on the floor. Chrissy falls to her knees and cups his face as he takes deep breaths.

She expects Jason to push her away any second, so when nothing happens, she turns to him and freezes. Patrick is lifting in the air! Andy and Jason call out his name, but Chrissy knows he can't hear them. The music isn't working. His left knee breaks first. Chrissy hides her face in Eddie t-shirt and screams.

*

It's the sound that Patrick's body makes when it hits the floor that switches Eddie's brain back on with only one priority, getting himself and Chrissy as far as possible from here. He stands up, pulling Chrissy with him and strides outside. He doesn't bother getting their shoes or his bag, he just wants to leave.

"Hey," shouts the redhead girl, running from her own trailer with a walkie in her hand, "I heard screaming, what's going on?"

"Hop in," is the only answer Eddie can give her, too busy helping a trembling Chrissy to climb on his van.

The two girls squeeze on the passenger seat and he drives. He drives without knowing where he's going. It doesn't matter, as long as it's away.