greetings from stardust / reddie

chapter 8

The drive to Vegas is a boring one. Eddie thought he was sick of seeing pine trees and rocks, but it turns out miles and miles of empty yellow sand is much duller.

Luckily he has a best friend hellbent on entertaining him. Richie has spent the last twenty minutes doing impressions of various people for Eddie to guess, and every single one has made him laugh. Even the really stupid ones.

"Ah Doc I just, I dunno what to do. She's my mom but she was so hot when she was young! What's a guy to do?"

Eddie snorts. "Marty McFly," he says. "And gross."

"Richie," Richie says sternly, starting a new one. " You are the bane of my existence, do you know that? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to sit and watch a pigeon try to digest a popcorn kernel."

"Stan," Eddie laughs. Then, hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia, he adds, "I miss him. All of them."

Richie smiles a little sadly. "Yeah," he says. "Me too. But they'll come visit, I'm sure of it. No one can stand being so far away from me."

Eddie rolls his eyes, but he's sure Richie is right. He knows he couldn't.

"Hey," Richie is looking at him, face soft. "Thanks for coming with me. Dunno if I ever said that."

You don't have to thank me, Eddie thinks. I'd follow you anywhere.

What he says is, "Of course. I know you'd be lost without me." He's trying for the easy confidence that Richie always exudes, but it feels unnatural, which makes him a bit embarrassed.

Richie just grins and looks back at the road. "Damn right," he says.

He turns the music up when that Guns N' Roses song from the diner starts playing. He sings along, dramatic as ever, and Dot barks from the back seat like she's singing too.

Eddie lays back in his seat and closes his eyes.

"He's got a smile that it seems to me, reminds me of childhood memories, where everything was as fresh as a bright blue sky."

The next time he opens his eyes it's because Richie is shaking his shoulder gently.

"Eds, look!"

Eddie sits up, looking to where Richie is pointing. In the distance he can see the Las Vegas strip, glowing bright against the dark blue of evening, like a strange oasis.

His energy picks up a little. He's excited, even if Vegas isn't his ideal vacation spot - it feels like they're finally somewhere. And California is just a few hours away now. Tomorrow they'll see the ocean. Tomorrow they'll be home.

It feels weird to even think; home is back in Maine, isn't it?

Richie rolls down the windows, sticking his arm into the wind as it whips through his hair, and he lets out a holler. He's grinning ear to ear when he looks over at Eddie, wanting to share the moment with him instead of only looking out.

No. Home is sitting right beside him.

The desert around them is suddenly replaced with city; hotels and casinos, each one more unique and extravagant looking than the last, with elaborate statues and fountains surrounded by colourful lights. The traffic is slow now, people milling about and crossing in front of cars. No one seems to be dressed for the same place. Loud music fills the car from one casino, ancient Egypt themed, complete with pyramids out front. There's a person dressed as Spider-Man handing out flyers and what looks to be a few paparazzi following a woman inside, her fur jacket looking bizarre in the summer heat.