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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: HUNT THE FREAK
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DANNY WAS SURE it had all ended when Eleven closed the gate last summer, bringing peace to their town. However, the manner of Chrissy's mysterious death suggested otherwise — an ominous reminder that the danger was far from over. It revealed a complexity beneath the surface, more intricate and unsettling than a giant monster from another dimension. Danny managed to steady his trembling nerves and hold himself together. It also helped that Reefer Rick's house had good weed, which he'd stolen that morning. Steve scolded him sharply, but Danny, feeling defiant, flipped him off in response.
They had tried calling Lucas that morning to inform him of the situation, but there was no answer. Danny guessed he was still with the basketball team. They came to Eddie's hideout early the next morning, having gathered some supplies to hold him over for a few days while they figured out how to help him and clear his name. Upon entering the boathouse, Danny and the group startled Eddie, who jumped up defensively before recognizing them. They greeted him while holding grocery bags full of food and other items. Dustin was the first to say hello. Danny walked over to a table lined against the wall, sat down, took out his rolling papers and weed, and started rolling a few joints for himself and Eddie to help them both stay calm.
Eddie sighed in relief and started digging through the grocery bags. He grabbed a box of cereal, tore it open, and immediately stuffed his face. He let out a short moan, eyes closing as he savored the cereal. Clearly, he hadn't eaten in a while.
Dustin took a seat across from Eddie and cleared his throat. "So -- uh -- we got some good news and some bad news. How do you prefer it?"
"Bad news first, always," Eddie replied through a mouthful of cereal, his tone flat.
"All right, bad news," Dustin said, nodding soberly. He took a deep breath before beginning. "We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you. Also, they're -- uh -- pretty convinced you killed Chrissy."
"Like, a hundred percent kind of convinced," Max added with a grim look.
"Yeah, man, you're kinda fucked," Danny said, voice low as he finished rolling his first joint. "Like royally."
"And the good news?"
"Your name hasn't gone public yet. But if we found out about you, it's only a matter of time before others do. Once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you," Robin explained. Danny realized the good news was also mainly bad -- really, there was only bad news. He didn't think Eddie deserved any of this. Eddie had witnessed a traumatic death, and now he was being blamed for it by cops who didn't understand what was going on.
