Stranger (Eddie Munson)

pt: 48 H-U-R-T

I took a little...break. :) School's out, so that's a relief. This chapter is a little short, but it really doesn't need to be long anyways.
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I hear faint sounds. Gentle, quiet sounds like when you speak to a baby. I haven't opened my eyes and it's already bright. I try and wiggle my fingers. I feel a hand in mine. I slowly open my eyes. They feel like they were glued shut. The brightness takes me a minute to adjust to. I slowly bring my hand to my eyes. They feel weird. Soft, but damp.

"Hey, Ellie," the nurse says in a cooing voice, "how are you feeling?" I give her a thumbs to the middle. I don't feel like shit, but I can't just walk out of here. My eyes travel around the room to see who is in my hand.

Oh my god. Eddie.

I reach up with both of my hands. He leans down and I hug his neck. I'm so incredibly happy he's here. I try to smile at him, but it hurts. I see Max sleeping in the corner. "I will let you rest for an hour or so, then run some tests to see where you are in recovery." The woman smiles. "Ellie?" Eddie asks me, "can you tell me who did this to you?" I open my mouth to tell him. 'Jason! It was Jason! Put him in jail until it rains lava on all of Earth and swallows him whole.' However, nothing pours out of my mouth but a screech. I bring two fingers to my lips, in shock. "She may not be able to talk for a few days." The woman says. I point to her clipboard. "Do you want to write it?" she asks. I nod swiftly. She hands me a blank sheet of paper and a crayon. I never knew holding an object I've been using since I was five could be so challenging. I had to put my index finger on top of the crayon to keep it steady as I wrote, J-A-S-O-N. "Jo 5 on?" The nurse looked to Eddie. He picked it up and studied it. "I think it says...Jason." Then he looked down to me and I nod. He drops the clipboard and storms out of the room.

The clash of the clipboard on the floor woke up Max. The nurse left the room, and it is just the two of us. I touch my neck and it's only now that I realize I'm wearing a neck brace. She grabs my hand. "Oh, Ellie!" Max kisses my forehead. "Are you okay? Cold? Hot?" "H- haii,"  the 'I' in hi squeaked out due to my voice, so it was just a, well, squeak. I want to scream. I want to talk! Max opens my mouth a little, "your throat is all red. You probably shouldn't talk until it's healed." I furrowed my brows together. Max senses my anger. She picks up the clipboard and crayon and sets it in my lap. "Jason," she reads the paper, a tear forms in her eye. "Ellie, did-" a sharp inhale "he didn't-" I wipe her tear and nod. I grab the crayon and try to scribble a word. H-U-R-T. Max thinks for a minute. "You hurt?" I nod, then shake my head no. I point to Jason, then to hurt, then to myself. Max nods, "he hurt you." I point to me, then hurt. "And you're hurt." I nod. I start writing down a bunch of letters and Max is watching me. She eventually gets restless and scans my skin, looking at bruises. There's a cast on my right hand. (Luckily I'm left handed.) Some type of bandage is on my left knee. "You know everyone is outside right now?" She brushes her fingers through my hair...or what's left of it. I smile up at her.

I've written the entire alphabet, and I want to tell Max so much. I touch her lips. D-O. I wait a moment. N-O-T. Another. B-E. Wait. S-C-A-R-E-D. "You're making me nervous." Max rubs her hands together. L-O-O-K. Pause. A-T. Pause. B-A-C-K. "Your back?" She points. I nod and try to lean forward. She lifts up my shirt and instantly gasps. "OH MY GOD, ELLIE! WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?" She drops the shirt and takes a large step backwards. W-H-I-P. Max starts crying and runs out of the room.

I don't remember falling asleep, but when I woke up everyone was there. I think they moved me to a bigger room. Nancy, Lucas, and Mike were all asleep on a small couch. Robin was at the edge of my bed, Max right behind her. Steve had his head in his hands. Dustin was waiting impatiently by the door for someone who wasn't there.

Where's...Eddie?