Stranger Than Fiction

Chapter Seven

(April 6, 1986)

The next night we had the first official Hellfire Club meeting since Eddie died. We added Will knowing that Eddie would have invited him. Dustin sat down on Eddie's throne and we all tried to control our emotions. He set up his barriers and began to speak.

"Welcome back everyone. Eddie, I hope I do you justice." I held his hand and he began, "Vecna, the powerful wizard, defeated one of our own. Eddie The Banished, who proved himself to be a Bard of the highest order." He points to Gareth, telling him that he and our group are walking through Hawks End when we see a shadow in the distance. "He is coming towards the group, you put yourself in front of Maniya Mahdar (me).

Eddie The Banished requested in his last moments that we protect her so to fulfill his wishes you all stand in front of her. But then, you feel a hand on your shoulder. Maniya is walking past you towards the figure. As the light hits his face you realize it is Kas, the wielder of the sword of Vecna. Kas raises the sword, worried that he's going to kill Maniya"

Dustin points to Gareth, "you push her aside and stand face to face with the bloody hand himself. However, instead of killing you, he turns to Maniya and kneels before her. Laying the sword at her feet. For you my lady, he says." I smiled, knowing that's exactly how Eddie would speak.

We're all listening intently to Dustin, leaning in towards him..... "What?! Why does she get the sword? This is bullshit!" Mike blurts out.

I roll my eyes, "it's just a game dingus...." Mike glared at me, I sighed....

"Yeah this isn't fun anymore, so uh... you guys have fun... I'm going home." I get up to leave.

Dustin stopped me, "no, just because Mike wants to be a baby doesn't mean you have to leave."

Mike stood up, "It's fine, I'll go, just because Eddie's dead doesn't mean she gets to be the hero...." he said, grabbing his jacket.

"Mike! Sit down and shut the fuck up! Dustin was doing this as a tribute to Eddie for me, if you want a tribute of your own maybe do something other than bitch and complain." Everyone's jaws dropped.

I held Dustin's arm, "Gareth can you give him a ride home? I just don't think I'm ready to play for real again. I'll see you when you get home, have fun", pulling him in for a hug and waving at the guys.

I was trying not to let my emotions get to me on the way to my car, once I was inside I sat there for a moment. All at once, every emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. "Eddie!...... Eddie!...... goddammit, son of a bitch, mother fucking bullshit. Why?? Why did you take him from me?" I screamed crying and hitting my steering wheel. I hurt my throat from screaming so loud. My eyes hurt, the tears were pouring causing my nose to run.

(Tap, tap, tap) I jumped and looked up expecting one of the guys to be knocking on my window checking on me. There was no one there, I did the thing only dumb asses in horror movies do and I got out of the car.

"Hello?" I said sniffling, there was a light fog across the parking lot of the school. "Look if you're here to kill me, just do it. I don't care anymore. I don't want to be here anymore, I have nothing, just fucking kill me!!!" I screamed at the darkness.

<Flashback>

I'm sitting in Ms. O'Donnell's class, senior year. Eddie sat behind me. (Tap, tap, tap) he was tapping on my chair.... I tried to ignore him but he kept tapping. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote "what do you want?" On it.

Passing it behind me, he took it. I heard scribbling followed by (tap, tap, tap). I reached back to grab the note.

"Hi.. :)", I shook my head and put my hand around the leg of his desk, (tap, tap, tap). Once we started dating we did it to say "I love you" incognito. That became our thing, when we were at school or somewhere where it would be deemed inappropriate to show pda we would tap on each other's chair, arm, hand, leg, whatever we could get to.