Breathe ⭐️ Reddie

06

Richie had been sitting in the dark in the back of the van for an hour since Eddie left him alone. After about thirty minutes of being ignored, Richie stopped whining and laid on his side, ignoring the pain in his wrists and the throbbing of his head.

It wasn't as hot in the van as it had been in his home. In fact, the vehicle actually had air conditioning and didn't smell like alcohol and blood.

The car continued to cruise along for another fifteen minutes before Richie felt it slow down to a stop.

"That was a quick six hours," he called out to no one in particular, although he hoped Eddie heard his sarcasm. He didn't hate Eddie in the slightest, but wished that he wasn't being held hostage.

"Shut up, Richie," he heard Eddie call.

Then, the same small figure climbed behind the curtain with a dark scarf.

"We're at an empty rest stop, but the rule is you can't leave without the blindfold on," Eddie said.

"Why?"

"Because if you know where you are you might try to escape and map your way back home and turn us in. We don't have time for that bullshit."

Richie chuckled. "I was kicked out and you seriously think I'm heading back? Where's the trust, Eds?"

"Rule Number One of the real world Richie," Eddie said, leaning in to whisper in Richie's ear, "is that you can't ever trust anyone. Now do you wanna sit back here and wait or do you want to walk around for a few minutes?"

Richie rolled his eyes but nodded. He winced a little bit as Eddie secured the scarf around his eyes, as his head was still throbbing.

Richie heard the sound of the back doors to the van opening and Eddie tugging his arm to help him climb out.

Richie still wasn't afraid. The fear that he had felt vanished as soon as he heard Eddie speak and laugh at his joke. However, Richie still wasn't all for being blindly dragged along with a group of people wearing ski masks and blindfolding him whenever he wanted to leave their van.

No, Richie was planning to escape. Eddie didn't scare him, but he definitely didn't want to stay and be taken to some random place against his will.

"Eds, I have to pee," Richie whined.

"Then pee," Eddie said.

"I can't. My hands are tied. Can you untie them for five seconds?"

Richie heard Eddie scoff, but he sounded more exhausted than annoyed. Then, Richie felt the pain that had stabbed into his wrists fade, the scratching from the rope disappearing.

Eddie grabbed onto his arm and tried to guide him, but Richie immediately shoved him off.

He ripped off the blindfold, ignoring the pain in his head and the aches all over his body. He saw Eddie attempt to grab onto him, but years of dodging beer bottles prepared him for that.

Richie sidestepped Eddie easily, who fell to the ground. Richie tried to adjust to the heat and light outside as quickly as possible in order to find a place to run. He felt dizzy, but knew his only way to escape was to run.

So, he ran.

His eyesight, blurry as it was, adjusted slightly and Richie saw a growth of trees around a hundred yards away from him. He just had to make it there and Eddie wouldn't be able to find him.

"Richie! Stop!" Eddie yelled, leaping up from the ground and sprinting. "Stan! Bev! Mike!"

Richie turned his head and saw three bodies following him. Huh. He could've sworn there were four voices in the van...