Nyctophilia 🌪 Reddie

xiii

The past couple of days were not easy on Richie or Eddie. They didn't show it in their moods, choosing to stay optimistic (mainly Richie with Eddie keeping his mouth shut because he told Richie he wasn't capable of optimism) and continuing to run and get away from the base.

They didn't steal a car or do anything that would bring them unwanted attention, but they seemed to receive it anyway. People didn't recognize them, but they earned weird looks and glances from people they passed by while they walked through the streets of the city of Lexon, Oregon. It was a small, central city, and everyone seemed to know each other. It blew Richie's mind how a whole government base could be hidden on the outskirts of the quiet place and no one seemed to know.

The morning they woke up in the hotel, they grabbed a quick breakfast from the lobby and checked out, knowing they had to keep on the move. Eddie told Richie they needed to find a train and get out of the state; they needed to get back to the east coast where they could find someone to help them.

They managed to find a train and hide their appearances until they were on board. They kept it up until the next day, when they took a train from Idaho to North Dakota.

That's where their troubles began.

They were sitting side by side, Richie dropping his head onto Eddie's shoulder and falling asleep. They had been on trains, switching between them and waiting for nearly a day, so they were both exhausted.

Richie had barely drifted off when the television on the back of the seats in front of them popped up with a breaking news story.

The audio echoed through the train, and Eddie immediately woke up Richie. He knew they'd be on a wanted list sooner or later, but he certainly wasn't expecting it to happen the next day.

"Richie," Eddie had whispered, pointing at the screen.

Richie opened one of his eyes, then shot up when he saw the screen. Their pictures were on it, along with their names, ages, and where they were last seen.

Eddie sunk down into his seat as the audio blared loudly overhead.

"Just in: breaking news. The events in which a secret organization launched weapons and murdered over two thousand innocent citizens are some that we as a country, as a world will never forget. The country has been working on our recovery, putting those involved in the attacks behind bars."

Richie pulled his hood over his head and leaned on Eddie once again, eyes trained on the screen. He felt Eddie grab his hand, shaking with nerves.

"As time passes, these attackers have seemingly resorted to their restless, savage ways. Two of the primary suspects involved in these events have escaped government custody. It is unknown where they've gone or what their plan is, but they are lethal suspects who will not hesitate to kill. If you see either of these suspects, call the number listed below."

The intercom shut off, leaving everyone on the train in a stunned silence.

"Well, folks, we're safe in here," the conductor said, standing at the front of the train in their car. "I'll be walking by asking for your tickets. Our next stop is in roughly an hour, about one hundred miles into Montana in the city of Rezington."

The conductor began to walk down the aisle and take tickets.

"Richie, give me your glasses," Eddie snapped. They had gotten Richie a new pair before they ever boarded the trains, but they looked identical to the old ones.

"Why?"

"You look like the same person without them, I won't. We need to disguise ourselves until we get to that stop." Eddie said, putting on Richie's glasses and switching spots so Eddie was sitting closest to the aisle.

The conductor came up to them, and took a confused look at Richie and Eddie. He asked for their tickets, eyes still narrowed, before walking away.

"Should've let me do an accent," Richie mumbled with his arms crossed.

"And get ourselves sold out quicker?"

"My voices are so believable!"

"No they're not," Eddie argued, even though he was smiling. It must've been the adrenaline and just barely getting away with their disguise.

"Okay, Spaghetti," Richie said through a yawn, laying his head on Eddie's lap. "I'm going to try to sleep until we get to this town, so wake me up if someone tries to kill us or something."

Eddie smiled and ran his fingers through Richie's hair, untangling any knots he came across. God, he loved that idiot.

•••

When they came to the stop, Eddie hastily woke up Richie. They grabbed their bags and started to walk toward the exit, when the conductor stopped them.

"I thought you boys were on until North Dakota?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

"We were, but my friend here is feeling really sick, so we're gonna get a hotel and wait until he feels better. Wouldn't want to vomit on the train," Eddie said, grabbing Richie's arm and trying to push past the conductor.

"I know who you two are," the conductor said.

Eddie stopped in his tracks, feeling Richie tense up in his grip. Lots of people in their rows had stood up, eyes wide.

"Who would that be?" Richie asked, trying to pulled off a confused look.

"You're two of the killers. My sister and her family died in the explosions," the conductor said, glaring at the two.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eddie said, walking toward the exit. He ignored the scared and confused murmurs around them, opening the door to the train and hopping out.

"HANDS!" someone yelled.

"Fuck," Richie whispered, lifting his hands.

It seemed as though they had be recognized and someone called ahead to the next stop. They were surrounded by soldiers with their weapons all pointed at the two boys who had just gotten off the train.

"Drop the bags," another soldier yelled.

Richie tossed his bag at his feet, Eddie doing the same.

They were surrounded, handcuffed, and blindfolded. Even though they couldn't see, both began to fight back, realizing they were being separated.

"Stop fighting," someone whispered into Eddie's ear, and he instantly stopped. He recognized that voice.

"Stan?" he asked, only to feel the person holding him tighten his grip as a warning.

"Keep walking," Stan whispered. "We're going to run, but we need to wait for the signal."

"What's the signal?"

Loud booming sounds filled the air, and Eddie felt his blindfold and handcuffs being pulled off and a gas mask being pressed on his mouth and face. There was smoke in the air all around them, his only guidance being Stan holding his hand and pulling him along.

He watched as dark figures, which he assumed were the soldiers, passed out around him, clearly infected by the gas. Eddie's eyes burned from their brief exposure before the mask was put on him, so he closed his eyes and allowed Stan to lead him. He stumbled up a set of stairs before he was pushed into a seat and had something buckled across his lap.

Shaking surrounded him before a loud searing sound. Everything seemed to crash down on Eddie at once as his gas mask was pulled off and he saw his friends. Eddie looked around, trying to focus before the room seemed to sway and darkness engulfed his vision.