Another side

Chapter 22

We're driving over to Eddie's hideout with food and alcohol and Robin is freaking out. "Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this visit? 'Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck." "It'll be fine." Robin looks at Nancy from the back. "I can't stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't." "At least he can drink himself into feeling better." I roll my eyes at what Steve says. "That's what my mom does." I turn back from the passenger seat to look at Max in concern. 

Robin sighs. "Why don't we just give it a trial? Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh, yeah, and we found Vecna. Bad news is that he's in that other, darker, much scarier dimension, and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. He's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed." Lucas looks back at her. "Maybe we don't put it like that." I nod. "Yeah, maybe we tell him we're one step closer to finding Vecna." 

Nancy nods agreeing with me. "That's what we say. That's what's important." Steve looks at Robin. "See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference." She whacks him while glaring at him. "Violent." We're getting closer and Nancy and I curse. They're cops and people everywhere. We go over to the side so we can eavesdrop. "As many of you know, the Roane County line received a call a little after midnight... reporting a homocide here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick Mckinney." 

Max's eyes widen as she looks at Lucas. He must have known him. "His limbs...his body, it was disfigured. There was an eyewitness on the scene... We have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward." I look at everyone. "Well, shit." Steve nods. "Shit indeed. This is not good. Really not good." I tune back in to Powell. "You've got a lot of questions, and I'm going to answer as many as I can. Two o'clock at town hall, where anyone from the Hawkins community is welcome. But right now, I've got work to do, and I appreciate your understanding."

"Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?" We all turn to look at Dustin's bag as he brings his walkie out. "Eddie. Holy shit. Are you okay?" "Nah, man.  Pretty... Pretty goddamn far from okay." "Where are you?" "Skull Rock. Do you know it?" "Uh, yeah. That's near Cornwallis and--" Steve interrupts him. "Garrett, yeah. I know where that is." He starts moving towards the car and we follow after him quickly. We drive to the edge of the woods before walking the rest of the way. Steve and Dustin are arguing about directions. 

"Dude, I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way." Dustin sighs. "It's north. I'm positive. I checked the map." "You do realize that Skull Rock, it's like a super popular make-out spot?" "Yeah. So?" "Yeah, well, it wasn't popular until I made it popular." I gag before moving back to walk with Nancy and Robin. We change directions and I groan. Robin looks back and scoffs. "Oh my God, they're so adorable. I just wanna squeeze 'em, you know? If I'm permitted to see a silver lining in this end-of-the-world doom and gloom, it would be the rekindling of old flames that never should've been snuffed out." 

Nancy looks at her weirdly. "I didn't mean that as a hint or anything." Nancy nods. "Right." I look between the two of them. "But if I did mean it as a hint, would that be so terrible? To wish happiness for my friends?" "You think I'm not happy?" "I... I'm sure you are. It's just, the other day, I mentioned Jonathan and you flinched or winced or something like--" "I didn't flinch or wince." Robin nods. "Okay." "Jonathan and I are fine." "Got it." "We're good." "Right." "It's just... He was supposed to be here for the break, and then he backed out at the last minute for some vague, mumbly Jonathan reason. And, to be honest, I'm not that surprised because I've been feeling him pulling away. And I don't know if it's because we're 2,000 miles away or if he met someone new or what."