𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 | stranger things

thirty

There was a crowd of people surrounding Reefer Rick's house when they arrived with food for Eddie. The news station was there, as well as the police. They ducked away from the crowd and hid themselves behind a van, watching as the chief talked to the reporters.

". . . a homicide out 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 limbs, his body, it was disfigured. We have also identified a person of interest." He held up a photograph. "Eddie Munson."

"This is bullshit," Wren muttered.

"We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."

"This is not good," Steve said. "Really not good."

The chief said something about a meeting at town hall later that afternoon. As he walked away, the reporters started shouting out their questions.

"Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?" Eddie's voice came out of one of the walkie-talkies.

Dustin took the walkie out of the side pocket of Wren's backpack and clicked it on. "Eddie, holy shit," he whispered, walking away from the crowd, the others following. "Are you okay?"

"Nah, man. Pretty goddamn far from okay."

"Where is he?" Wren asked. "We need to find him before the police do."

"Where are you?" Dustin asked Eddie.

"Skull Rock. Do you know it?"

"Uh, yeah. That's near Cornwallis and—"

"Garrett, yeah," Steve finished. "Yeah, I know where that is." He hurried away, the rest of them following quickly behind him while Dustin told Eddie to hold tight and that they were coming.

****

Wren kicked a rock along the path as they headed to Eddie's hiding place. Here Comes the Sun played in her headphones. Each time it ended and moved on to the next song on her mixtape, she rewinded it so she could hear it again. She wasn't taking any risks.

Chrissy walked beside her. She noticed the crease between the younger girl's brows and the way she was picking the skin around her nails raw. She reached out and gently grabbed her wrists, pushing her hands apart. "You're gonna make yourself bleed if you keep that up, Wren," she said softly.

"I know," Wren mumbled. She reached for the string on her hoodie and decided to fidget with that instead. "I can't help it. I don't even know I'm doing it until someone points it out or I'm bleeding."

"Is there anything on your mind that you want to talk about?"

"Yeah." Wren frowned, her brows furrowing further when she noticed Steve lead them in a different direction. "Like how the boys are getting us lost. I don't think either of them have any clue what they're doing."

"None of us do." Chrissy shrugged. "And I'm not just talking about getting to Skull Rock, but the whole Vecna thing, too. How are we supposed to stop him? I have a feeling music isn't going to be enough."

"It won't be." Wren shook her head. "In the past whenever we've dealt with things like this before, we had Eleven to help us. She has— had psychokinetic abilities."

"Had?"

"They went away. And then she moved away."

"So, to put it simply . . . we're completely fucked," Chrissy said, sighing.