✓ | flow ( eddie munson )

nineteen. way of the kong

veda henderson

          The sun directs its light towards my eyes, causing me to lift my hand in an effort to shield my face from the harsh brightness. Much to Dustin's protest, I had climbed out of Steve's babysitter-on-the-go car and joined them at the picnic table situated in the middle of the trailer park. 

If I had to come back to this horrific place, I wanted to be a part of the situation. For some reason, no one wanted to acknowledge the fact that I had some sort of direct connection to this thing. But, I couldn't ignore it, not when I could feel him whenever he was close and could feel what he was doing to those poor kids. 

Fred. That was the name of the other kid, the one I helplessly watched die the same way Chrissy did. 

Fred and Chrissy. Chrissy and Fred. 

   "So you're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the upside down?" I hear Nancy question from behind me. My back is currently facing the group, my eyes too focused on the Munson trailer. 

"If the shoe fits," Steve confirmed

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse," Dustin throws ideas out, waiting to see if anyone has anything to add. "Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the mind flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know,"

"I know," I interrupt, feeling frustrated with his ignorance, "It's more than that Dustin. He's stronger than the mind flayer and it's ritualistic. It's not just a fun little hobby. The mind flayer is nothing compared to him. If anything, he built the damn thing!"

"How do you know this?" Nancy quizzes, looking at me with millions of questions floating behind her curious eyes. 

"I've seen it. Both times. He wants me to watch what's happening I just don't know why he creates these... these portals, but everything is so calculated," I ramble, noticing how something flicked in Dustin's eyes at the word 'portals', as if it were the clue he was looking for. 

"Doesn't make sense," Nancy shakes her head in disbelief.

"Does it ever?" I reply. 

"It's only a theory," Dustin tries to reassure Nancy. It's hard to miss the underlying tone in his voice that suggested a double meaning, one he seemed to want to keep to himself. 

"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense," Nancy clarifies, thinking to herself. "I mean, why them?"

I look down at the wooden table, trying to comb through my brain for anything I might have seen at the events. After all, I was the only one other than Vecna that was present at both times. 

"Maybe they were just in the wrong place?" Dustin suggested, sounding unsure of his answer himself. Knowing my brother, he likes to be sure about things and link every piece of the puzzle together which is why he continues, "They were both at the game,"

"And near the trailer park," Max nods. 

"We're at the trailer park," Steve reminds with slight fear engulfing his tone. "Uh, should we maybe not be here?"

I swallow, looking around the land with caution. Being here so close to what happened to Chrissy was enough, but to think that this park is what's causing people to be chosen... I couldn't think about it without the feeling of wanting to vomit. 

"Fred started acting weird the second we got here," Nancy unhelpfully informs the group, her words only adding to the heaviness on my chest.

"Acting weird as in?" Robin fishes for more.