𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑷𝒀 - Dustin Henderson

022. The Dive

THE GROUP DROVE OFF TO SEE EDDIE AS HE NEEDED TO BE FED. "Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car? 'Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck," Robin pleaded

"It'll be fine," Nancy reassured her.

"I can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't."

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better," Steve mentioned.

"That's what my mom does," Max added.

"Why don't we 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," Cindy stared at the back of the girls head, with raised eyebrows.

"Well, when you say it like that, we're totally screwed," she sighed, leaning back in her seat, staring out the back window. Dustin and Steve had noticed how tense she had gotten, and glanced at each other worried.

Dustin placed his hand atop hers, rubbing his thumb along the top. She glanced back at him and smiled softly, interlocking his fingers with hers.

"Maybe we don't put it like that," Lucas said, trying to calm her down, noticing how worried Max had grown.

"We're one step closer to finding Vecna. That's what we say. That's what's important," Nancy says finally, shutting down the conversation.

"See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference," Steve teased.

"Uh-huh," Robin responds blandly.

"Oh shit," Nancy mutters, noticing the police cars and reporters out the front of Reefer Ricks house.

Nancy parks across the road and the group jumps out quickly, hoping not to find Eddie arrested. They ran around the side of a news van to get a better look and not to be spotted.

"As many of you know, the Roane County line received a call a little after midnight reporting a homicide 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. His body, it was disfigured..." The chief carried on talking to the camera.

"We have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward." He held up a photo to the camera. Cindy felt her heart skip a beat, shit. This is bad.

"Oh man. This is not good. Really not good," Steve commented.

"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." The chief said finally, walking off, ignoring the public's protest for more.

"Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?" Eddie came through on the radio.

They backed away to talk to him, "Eddie. Holy shit. Are you okay?" Dustin whispered into it.

"Nah, man. Pretty... Pretty goddamn far from okay," he responded, his tone laced with distress and panic.

"Where is he?" Robin asked Dustin.

"Where are you?"

"Skull Rock. Do you know it?"

"Uh, yeah. That's near Cornwallis and..." Dustin started but Steve interrupted, already heading back to the car.