𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

046

As Nancy asked her question Dustin's frantic movement catches my eye, and clearly Steve's as he asks him, "dude what are you doing?"

"AH HA!" His sudden exclamation answers the question as he begins frantically pointing at his compass, "I thought- for a moment, that I was wrong, leading us in the wrong direction but no! I wasn't wrong!"

"Oh Dustin it's ok if you were-" I start but he cuts me off, "but it wasn't!" In response I throw my hands up in surrender, as if to say, ok, ok!

"My compass was!" The proclamation fills the group with confusion as several eyebrows raise, most uncaring.

"Faulty equipment who cares you're still wrong!" Steve taunts him like an older brother, finding it clearly annoying that this topic has continued instead of being dropped.

Suddenly, they're explaining electromagnetic fields and how they can effect compasses, something to do with the rift being stronger?

"In English please?" I speak up, Robin following in agreement as she states, "yeh I must've missed that class." We do a dorky high five that's quickly judged by the younger boy and as well as Eddie who looks at us like we've grown two heads.

"Not to agree with tweedle dum and tweedle Dee here but I also don't know what you're saying," the metalhead speaks up, pointing lazily at me and my best friend as we scowl at him in reply.

Steve shakes his head in confusion, for once agreeing with the nerdy man.

"Oh for god sake-" the elder wheeler girl runs a frustrated hand through her hair, "they're saying it points to the gate!"

"Ohhhhhh!" We all let out at once.

Dustin smiles, "Yes, to put it in simpler terms," he begins to frantically explain more, "so that means there's a smaller gate-"

"A snack size gate! Cute!" My interruption causes him to glare before carrying on, "yes, thanks Ruby- a snack sized gate-" his sarcasm isn't lost on me,

"If it's a gate causing this disturbance, which I hope it is, we'd have a way to vecna! And a shot at freeing Ruby and Max from this curse." We both shift uncomfortably, from the corner of my eyes, I see Robin's smile from earlier drop once again.

"Not to be a bummer but isn't Eddie still a wanted man?" Max speaks up, still playing with the sleeves of her jacket as Lucas watches her intently, fingers stretching as he clearly holds back from reaching a hand out to comfort her.

"Yeah we can't just go for a fun little hike in the woods Dustin." I nod at Steve's agreement, "and it's not like we can slap a fake moustache on Eddie and pretend he's someone else."

"This could be the key to saving all of you!"
The kid brings two hands out dramatically, as if addressing a royal, "what say you Eddie the banished?"

Eddie shifts in the corner, eyes barely looking at anyone. For a moment i realise the differences in our situations, Eddie has to live with what's happening, at least my curse would bring me the relief of death the metalhead in front of me doesn't have the privilege of right now.

"I say... you're asking me to follow you into Mordor." The analogy brings a smile to my lips, always a flare for the dramatics, "which if I'm totally straight with you.. I think is a really bad idea."