Angelica "Freak Two" Munson

Chapter 78

Angie snores softly in Steve's lap as the crew rests in Mike's basement. It had been an incredibly long day, and most of them hadn't slept in at least 24 hours.

"Hey, Dustin,"  His voice rings out in the quiet, "this is Eddie the Banished. You there?"

Nancy squirms on the floor, startled awake.

"Dustin, can you hear me?" he attempts again, "Dustin... Earth to Dustin."

She sits up, nudging Angie.

"Hey, it's Nancy." she replies, shoving her a little harder, "Angie. Angie, wake up."

"Wheeler. Hey. Um, I'm gonna need a food delivery, like really soon, unless you want me going out into the world."

"No, no, don't do that."

She sits up groggily as Steve stumbles underneath her.

"What? What happened?" he rubs his eyes open, looking at Angie with a concerned gaze and swiping her messy hair behind her ear, "Are you okay?" 

She doesn't reply as Nancy faces her.

"It's Eddie," she mumbles, throwing the cerebro in her face.

Steve groans as Angie leaps from the couch, snatching it out of her hands, "Eddie?"

"Hey, sis," He smiles, "Nice to hear from you."

"Is everything okay?" she runs a tired hand through her hair, moving away from the sleeping bunch, "Did something happen?"

"No, no, everything's good. You know, other than the fact that starvation is gonna get me before the cops do." Eddie jests.

Angie sighs, only mildly amused, "Just stay where you are, and we'll be there as soon as we can, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he stammers, "Oh, and, uh, sis?"

"Yeah, Ed?"

"Can you, uh, pick me up a six-pack while you're out?" He jokes, beaming on the other side of the radio, "I know it's stupid as shit to be drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves."

Angie chuckles, trying not to wake the others, "I'll see what I can do."

"You're the best."

Nancy's irritated whispering catches her attention.

"Aren't you supposed to be on Max watch?" she questions, shaking Dustin awake.

"Hey, Ed, I've gotta go," she scrambles, "But I'll see you later--"

"Wait, Ange--"

"Love you." she mutters quickly, turning to the others.

"Where is she?"

"She's right there," Dustin mumbles, pointing to where he thought she was, "...A second ago. I swear I just dozed off for..." he hesitates, checking his watch, "an hour."

Angie dashes upstairs, trying to remain calm. Nancy and Dustin are quick behind her.

They pause, taking a deep breath as they spot her sitting at the dining room table with Holly. 

"Morning, guys," Mrs. Wheeler beams, approaching from the kitchen, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's good," Nancy replies as Max flashes them a smile.

"I think it's so sweet that you guys are sticking together like this." she announces, placing another pancake on the stack.

"Could try sticking together at a different house for a change." Mr. Wheeler mumbles, not near as impressed as his wife.

She glares at him, turning to Angie and Dustin, "You know, you're welcome here anytime."

"Totally," Dustin grins, "You're like family."

Angie glances at the stack of pancakes, "May I?"

"Absolutely," she hands her a plate.

"Yeah, why not?" Mr. Wheeler scoffs, "Take us for all we're worth."

"Okay, we will." Dustin replies, tossing a couple of pancakes onto her plate.

She douses them with syrup and carries them back downstairs.

"Hey," she whispers, sitting next to Steve's sleeping figure and running a hand through his hair, "It's time to wake up, sleeping beauty."

He shifts beside her, his eyes fluttering open, "Hm?"

"It's time to wake up," Angie reiterates, looking down at him, "and Mrs. Wheeler made pancakes." she mumbles, "I brought you some."

Steve sits up slowly, sealing her lips with his own, "You're the best."

Angie smiles, recalling Eddie's message, "We're gonna have to make another trip to the store. Eddie called this morning, and he's running out of food."

"Okay, we can do that," he replies, taking the plate from her lap.

She nods, leading him upstairs.

The others surround Max as she sits at the table with pictures scattered in front of her.

"Is this what you saw last night?" Angie asks from behind her.

She shrugs, "I mean, it's supposed to be. I thought it'd be easier to draw it out than to explain it, but... not so much."

Nancy pulls a picture closer to her view, "Is that...?" she question falls short, looking at what is supposed to be the bodies of Chrissy and Fred.

"It was like they were on display," Max explains, "And then there was this red fog everywhere. It was like a dream-- a nightmare."

"You think Vecna's just trying to scare you?" she asks.

She turns, facing Angie, "With Billy? Yeah. But when I made it here... I don't know, something was different. He seemed surprised, almost. Like he didn't want me there."

"Maybe you infiltrated his mind," Dustin suggests, "He invaded your mind, right? Is it that big of a leap to suggest that you somehow wound up in his?" He grins, getting excited, "Like Freddie Krueger's boiler room."

"Freddie Krueger?" Holly asks, her interest piqued.

"He's a super burned-up dude with razors for fingers. And he kills you in your--"

"Dustin," Steve calls, his expression showing him that the discussion isn't appropriate for someone her age.

He shrugs, immediately apologizing, "Sorry. It's just a movie. It's not real."

Nancy shakes her head disapprovingly.

Dustin returns to their conversation, "Just... think about it. What if somehow you unlocked a backdoor into Vecna's world? Like, maybe the answer we're looking for is somewhere in this incredibly vague drawing." He lifts it into the air, scanning it.

"Where's Will when you need him," Angie jokes, her voice low.

"Yeah, no shit," Max sighs, "But I tried them again this morning and it's the same busy signal."

Nancy snatches the drawing from Dustin, lifting it to her eyes, "Is this a window?"

"Yeah,"

"Stained glass with roses?"

"Yeah," she grins, "See? I'm not so terrible after all."

Dustin grimaces, not so sure.

Nancy sits up, "Yeah, well, it helps that I've seen it before."

She begins folding the papers, placing them together. Tracing the new outline, she reveals it to them.

"It's pieces of a house," Angie tilts her head in consideration.

"Not just any house," Nancy corrects, putting the door in the opening, "It's Victor Creel's house."

She stands, clearly excited.

"Where are you going?"

"To wake the others,"