Angelica "Freak Two" Munson

Chapter 25

Eddie screams again, louder this time, slamming his fists against the arm of the couch. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Fucking shit!" 

His voice echoes through the dark trailer, bouncing off the walls like a cruel reminder of his failure. 

His hands shake uncontrollably as he wipes at the tears streaming down his face. 

The shadows seem to press closer, pinning him to the spot.

 He's never felt this powerless before. 

Not with school bullies, not with Mom, not even when life itself seems to be against him. 

But this... this is different. 

This is real. 

Angie is out there alone, hurt, and he's the one who drove her to it.

He drops his head into his hands, trying to steady his breathing. 

The memory of her face as she stormed past him comes back in vivid detail—the red of her cheeks, the tears streaking down her face, the glare of fear mixed with fury in her eyes. 

She wasn't just angry; she was terrified, and he couldn't protect her. 

His chest tightens, and he feels like the walls are caving in around him.

"I... I failed her," he whispers, voice barely audible, cracking under the weight of guilt. 

He rocks slightly back and forth, each movement a feeble attempt to hold himself together. 

He closes his eyes and pictures Angie as a little girl again, sitting on the floor of some stranger's trailer, crying uncontrollably while he, just a kid himself, tried to comfort her. 

That tiny, helpless version of his sister—the one he swore to protect—feels so far away and so close all at once.

The promise he made to that woman, the one who had helped him care for Angie all those years ago, hits him like a lightning bolt. 

He remembers her words vividly: "Don't ever be afraid to protect and love your sister with all your heart. Make sure she knows it, too. Don't ever let her forget it." 

He promised, even as a small boy, that he would never let Angie feel unloved, that he would be her shield no matter what. 

And now... now he's failed that promise for the first time.

He stumbles to the phone and dials Uncle Wayne's work, his hands trembling so much that he has to press the buttons multiple times. 

"I... I need to speak to Wayne Munson right now," he blurts out. His voice is sharp, panicked, desperate. "It's urgent."

The line is long, and Eddie paces back and forth in the trailer, listening to his own ragged breaths. 

Each passing second feels like an eternity. 

When Wayne finally answers, Eddie can barely get the words out. 

"Uncle Wayne... I really messed up."

Wayne's voice is calm, steady, grounding. "I'm sure it's not as bad as you think, Eddie. What happened?"

Eddie swallows hard, tears threatening to spill over again. 

"Angie... she—she tried to leave. I—I wouldn't let her. I grabbed her bike... and I think her punch broke my nose." He chokes on the words. "And now she's gone. She's out there, Uncle Wayne. I... I don't know what to do."

Wayne's tone shifts immediately, alarmed. "She's gone? Eddie, is she okay?"

"I... I don't know! She took off on her bike, going south... away from town. I drove her off." His voice breaks completely. "I'm a terrible brother, Uncle Wayne. What do I do?"