✓ | flow ( eddie munson )

twenty-three. on your a-game

veda henderson

                Eddie doesn't waste a second before launching himself over and out of the boat. He only pauses to reach his hand out for me to grab, yanking me out of the boat and to the wall under the window. 

    From this angle, I can't tell what's going on outside to freak him out this much. Maybe, the thing freaking him out wasn't actually outside, it was a deflect for the scary thing being inside; that kiss. 

    Almost as if he can read my mind, his wide eyes turn from the window to me before he points outwards to the walkie-talkie on the other side of the room, gesturing for me to retrieve it. 

    I begin to stand up but before my aching knees can even begin to straighten, he yanks me back down. He then uses his hand--palm facing the ground--to slowly lower his hand, signalling silently for me to stay low. 

    The walkie-talkie isn't far, I reach it within seconds of crouch-walking and instantly toss it to him. He grabs it flawlessly which is unusual for him. Before I have time to think too much about it, he gestures me back over to his side while lifting the device to his lips. 

    "Dustin, you there?" He almost hisses into the speaker. The sight outside the window made my heart drop.

    Chrissy's boyfriend and his goons are outside, dressed in dark clothing and each carrying a weapon in their hands. Luckily, they first make their way up to the house on the hill instead of the boat house we are currently hiding inside.

    "Since when was there a house there? Why the fuck did I sleep in a boat?" I whisper more to myself.

    "Hey, Dustin! You remember me right? I'm here with your lovely sister and we are screwed!" Eddie almost yelled the last word into the walkie-talkie. It isn't hard to figure out how stressed he is from his demeanour alone. "Hey, if anyone is there, I really think we might be in a bit of trouble here,"

    I reach over and snatch the walkie-talkie from his grasp, pressing the button and raising the mic to my lips, "Dustin? You hypocrite, answer!"

    No response. How typical. Dustin's the one constantly preaching about staying in contact and using the walkie-talkies yet he's off in fairyland somewhere and forgot to bring his own device with him. 

    "Anybody!" Eddie yells into the walkie, snatching it back from me. He becomes frustrated quickly and bangs the device with his hand. 

    "Hey, calm down," I reach out, placing my hand over his. "I know this is scary but we've faced bigger and badder things than Jason Carver. But, if you freak out, you're not going to be on your A game, okay?"

    He looks at me, thinking deeply to himself.  He nods slowly, eyes trained on mine. 

    What I would give to be able to step into his mind and see his thoughts for myself.

    "Speaking of being on your A game," I continue, reaching into my front pocket and pulling my little bag out. I quickly open the bag that I've been rationing since Eddie gave it to me and take a single hit, breathing out in ecstasy as I do so. "Woo, am I ready to kick this little shit's ass," 

    Before I have a chance to stand up and charge out of the boat house, Eddie grips my arm and yanks me back down to the ground with him. "Maybe not the best idea to run out there all coked up," 

    "Yeah, you're right," I say to myself, looking down and shaking my head. My untamed dark hair swishes against my neck, annoying me to the point I reach back and messily tie it up in a ponytail. "So, what's the plan?"

    "I thought you had one?" He questions.

    "That was my plan, Muffin," I admit. 

    "You gotta stop using that," He grunts, his voice raising a few octaves as it does when he gets flustered. He pushes himself off the wall and runs over to the other side of the boat house all while crouched down. I sigh before following him over to a hidden corner of the boat house where we can stand.

    His knuckles turn white from the force he's using to grip the walkie-talkie, whisper-yelling my brother's name down the line to no response. "If your plan is to wait for my dweeb brother to answer our calls for help, we might as well go with my plan," 

    "Got any better ideas, V?"

    I pause for a second, reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "We could just wait it out?"

    He looks at me for a second before bursting out in quiet laughter, "That's a good one,"

    "No, I'm serious," I reply, rolling my eyes at the grin stuck on his face, "Those knuckleheads have more steroids in their system than I have drugs in mine. They're probably too dumb to check here,"

    "Except for the fact that he thinks I murdered his girlfriend and kidnapped you!" He shrieks like a girl, leaning forward as he pushes his hands to his chest as if that would make his point stand taller. 

    "But, you didn't and I'm a witness to that. That's if they even come in here, which they won't," I argue, looking up at him to try and rationalise. It's a horrible plan, I know. But, it's looking like our only option. 

    "When they walk in here and see you're fine, they're just going to think you're an accessory to the freak!" He responds, desperation clear in his tone. 

    "They can think what they want, they're not cops," I scoff. 

    "No, but the cops might be more inclined to believe the town's golden boys over someone with drugs in their system," He points out. I cuss under my breath, realising he's right. No matter the fact that I would be telling the truth, the drugs in my system immediately make me an uncredible witness. 

    "Well, our only option at the moment is to just wait it out," I voice, watching as he screwed his face up in annoyance. "I know it's not the best plan but I'm running out of other possibilities,"

    "What are we supposed to do while we wait huh? Crawl around on the floor hoping they don't see us?" He asks sarcastically, bending his knees slighting and moving in a way that shows me he was mocking the idea of us crawling. 

    I grin and hold my hands up towards him, making my voice sound weird as I speak "Oh my god, we can totally gossip and paint each other's nails-" He pushes my hands away from him causing me to laugh. "Why don't you come up with something?"

    He doesn't reply, instead, looking down at my lips before meeting my eyes again with a cheeky grin. He quips his eyebrows up quickly in a suggestive manner, all without uttering a word.

    "No," I dead-pan. If before in the boat was the wrong time, then now couldn't be worse. I reach up and gently tap his cheek with my palm "You're very cute for trying,"

    "Naww," He mocks as I brush past him. The action proves to be difficult given the tight space we're in as I move to leave our hideout. I crouch instantly, moving to where the window overlooking the house on the hill is situated. 

    "Now, we wait,"