Chapter Text
Eddie ran through the forest, the very one that he'd spend a lot of his time in. Either because he was dealing to his classmates, escaping from assholes who thought because he wasn’t a cookie cutter loser like them they needed to beat him up for it, or just plain escape from the world.
Hawkins was his playground, he knew all the nooks and crannies of this small town, which helped his quality of life immensely.
But the problem was, this wasn’t the Hawkins he was used to. The sky was a stormy red and the forest was decaying; the roots moved and curled around him, trying to pull him down but he kept running, trying his best to stay on his feet. In the background, music blared, so he ran towards the noise. He ended up crashing to the ground when he accidentally stepped on one of the moving roots and multiple tentacles attacked. They wrapped around his arms and legs and pulled. He yelled, panicked, as he was dragged through the forest, the music growing louder as he was brought closer.
He was pulled into a clearing and he could see the trailer park, his trailer park. He fought and yanked, trying to free himself but he continued to be pulled until he heard the screech of bats. He yelled in panic seeing the bats grow closer, the roots continuing to hold him down while the bats attached their fangs to him and tore into his skin. He fought and screamed as he felt skin be torn away from his bone.
“Please!” He screamed, his muscles tearing as he tried to free himself. “Please!”
“I can save you,” a gravelly voice burst through the music. His vision blurred as tears fell rapidly down his cheeks, he was gonna die here. He was gonna die! “I can save you.”
In the distance, he could just make out a moving figure, red and brown, a giant claw hanging by its knees. The tearing and biting ceased as the figure ended its approach next to his head.
“V-Vecna?” He muttered through the blood pooling in his throat, in pain, blood rolling down the skin that wasn’t ripped and torn.
The figure grinned, the best he could anyway, and he lowered his heavy gaze down to Eddie, who felt his life slipping away.
“Let me save you,” the creature growled, his hand extended for Eddie to take and for a moment… for a moment he almost did, to make the pain go away, if it wasn’t for the bright light in the distance. His watery brown eyes darted away from Vecna’s offering to the light.
“Wake up.”
A voice drifted in from the light, a soft and sweet smell wafting in his direction. It soothed the pain, it calmed the thundering in his brain and it completely tore his attention away from the boogeyman still trying to get his attention.
“Hey, wake up. You’re okay.”
Eddie’s eyes snapped open, his body jolting in fright and he groaned in pain feeling his skin pull. He grit his teeth against the discomfort.
“Are you awake?”
He shifted his head, until his roommate came into his view. She was sitting up in her bed, a book in her lap but her eyes were on him and full of concern. Her brown eyes roamed over him and for a split second, he thought they helped soothe the pain away. But that was impossible, a look couldn’t do that.
“Yeah,” he whispered, pained. Her eyebrow furrowed like she didn’t believe him but she didn’t say anything else, but she kept her eyes on him which made him feel relief. “What’s your name?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.
A small smile lit up her face. “Marcy,” she answered.
“I’m E-” Right, he wasn’t Eddie, he was Joseph… Joe… Joey Harrington. Steve’s cousin. “I’m Joey,” he said, after a moment of trying to decide which version of that name he liked the best.
Marcy’s eyebrows rose, and he could see mirth and disbelief warring on her face but she didn’t say anything except, “Nice to meet you Joey.”
She laid down, her book forgotten and instead she turned on her side to face him, a hand tucked under her head. Eddie appreciated the comfort; his sleeping mind was always trapped in a nightmare and though he could feel the pull of a healing sleep, he didn’t want to go back there, not yet. He would hold out for as long as he could.
“How did you get hurt?” he asked, a ploy to keep himself from drifting away. Marcy took in a shaky breath and he could see the memory reflected in her dark eyes.
“I don’t remember a lot.” She rubbed her forehead. “The concussion. But we were coming back to Hawkins, my friend and I were helping my brother haul some stuff home from college.” She smiled fondly. “He likes to get a jump on packing during Spring Break, and we weren’t far, but then… then, my car started shaking and at first I thought it was my car, she was pretty old,” she joked, as she chuckled humorously, her lips turning into a frown.
“The ground just started splitting open and it happened so fast that I almost didn’t see it, so I swerved and lost control and we ended up in the woods. I think I hit my head and other stuff,” she said, waving her hand towards her plastered up leg. “I don’t remember much after that. Apparently, my quick thinking kept us from dying. Regina, my friend, came out with a cut on her forehead. I took the brunt of the damage.”
“Shit,” Eddie mumbled. “I’m sorry.”
“For what? You didn’t do it.”
Maybe we did, we didn’t stop him, he thought bitterly.
“What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, how did you get hurt?”
“I don’t remember,” he said automatically. He couldn’t tell her the truth, that he was meant to be bait. That he chose to stay and fight instead of running away like the coward he is; that he stayed because he wanted to give the others more time in the eldritch Creel House, just to become a chew toy by about 100 demon bats. Marcy rolled her eyes and shifted to lay on her back, her eyes on the ceiling. Eddie felt the loss of her eyes.
“If you say so,” she said, her tone sharp.
“Are--are you mad?”
“No,” she snapped. Eddie felt warmth poole in his stomach as he realized that she was angry he didn’t tell her what happened to him. He didn’t know why but that was kind of cute.
“You are,” he laughed. Marcy cut her eyes to him before looking away again. “Hey.”
He waited until she pushed out a breath, and turned her head to look at him again.
“I just don’t, I don’t think I can say right now. But if we make it through this-”
“Yeah, sure. I thought we were bonding, Joey .” He wondered why she stressed his name like that. “But if you’re not gonna share then-”
Knock! Knock!
The door cracked open and a round face slightly blocked by a baseball cap peaked through. Marcy pushed herself up, grabbed the headphones from her side table and glared at Eddie as she put them over her curly hair.
“Saved by the bell,” she said, her lips curling as she opened her book. Eddie blinked as Marcy shut herself off from him as Dustin Henderson, followed by others, walked into the room.
It was nice to see that his friends cared enough about him to drive an hour to Evansville just to see him, especially with the condition of Hawkins. He would assume that the Freshmen’s parents were keeping them on short leashes. Dustin walked in, a goofy grin on his face, Harrington and Robin came in behind and to his surprise Mike Wheeler and a girl with buzzed hair. They walked closely together, her hand held tightly in his.
“Mike Wheeler,” he croaked, his throat cracking as he tried to raise his voice over a low volume.
“Hey Ed- Joey,” he corrected, his dark eyes darting to Marcy who wasn’t paying them any mind. “Damn, you look like shit.”
The group laughed, including Eddie whose laughter whittled into a pained cough. Eddie rubbed his throat and asked for water, Mike passed him a bottle after popping the top.
“Who’s this?”
The girl clinging to Mike, stood up straight, her round brown eyes sad and she awkwardly smiled but he could tell that smiling was the last thing she wanted to do. Mike turned to her, a soft close lipped smile on his face.
“This is El,” the girl waved just as awkwardly as her smile. Eddie knew that Marcy had her headphones on but he wasn’t sure if there was actually music playing or if she was doing that thing teenagers do when they pretend to have music playing just to be able to freely ignore people, particularly their parents. He’s done it to Wayne when he’s in a mood, and even though he always felt bad about it afterwards, Wayne didn’t deserve his shitty attitude.
“Oh, El ,” he said, stressing her name. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” He reached his hand out for her to shake it and after an encouraging nod from Mike, she slipped her hand in his. Eddie motioned her closer, she leaned in and he whispered. “The girl with the powers.”
Her eyes widened for a split second. Many emotions passed over her face in quick succession until she seemed to relax. Even then, she still seemed sad.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to him before slipping back in her place next to Mike, who wrapped his arms around her with a gentle squeeze.
“What’re you sorry for?”
“That I failed,” she muttered. Mike touched his lips to her temple and Eddie frowned. He knew she was the one they depended on when it came to defeating these eldritch terrors and considering what Red was going through, she must have felt responsible. “That all of this is my fault.”
“Don’t say that El,” Mike cooed but it seemed like she wouldn’t believe him no matter what he said right now. He whispered soft words to her and she nodded, her eyes clenched shut before she turned to press her face into his boney shoulder.
“Uh,” Dustin started, his eyes glancing between the two and Eddie. “Well, I’m gonna change the subject…”
“Please,” Steve said with a heavy sigh, his eyebrows raised to show how awkward he felt at this moment.
“Have you guys told Wayne about me?” Eddie asked, cutting Dustin’s next comment off. Dustin blinked, surprised, then he glanced at Steve and Robin who both looked away. Eddie noticed the exchange and tried to sit up more. “What? Does he think I’m dead or…?”
“We haven’t talked to him at all. I didn’t think you-wanted-us-to-do-that…” Dustin said, his voice tapering out at the end. Eddie looked at everyone, all of them had concern on their faces, except for El, who looked far away.
“I don’t want him to think I’m dead.”
“But is it smart to tell him now?” Steve asked. He folded his arms and sighed. “I mean think about it, what if in all this… these earthquakes, the police ask him if he’s seen you? Do you expect him to lie? Can he even lie?”
“All Munsons can lie,” Eddie muttered, his eyes flashing as he thought about his childhood and what his father taught him.
“We can bring him here,” Mike suggested. Eddie’s eyes shifted to him and he could see compassion in his face. He was probably the only one not looking at him with pity or concern like everyone else. That’s why Mike Wheeler was his favorite.
Eddie pondered that for a moment. Bringing Wayne here? He looked down at himself and pain registered through his synapses and he decided he didn’t want him to see him like this. So he shook his head.
“No, I don’t want him to see me like this.”
“Okay,” Steve said with an exhale and a nod. “We won’t tell him.”
“But it’s gonna be hard,” Mike added. “He’s been at the gym-”
“Because the trailer’s gone,” Eddie muttered, his eyes focused on his lap. The gate was already an eyesore but now… everything they’ve ever owned… just… gone.
“Yeah and he’s been hanging missing posters,” Mike finished. Robin nodded her agreement and Eddie blew out a heavy breath.
“Shit, well….” He didn’t really know what to say. Honestly, he felt like this last, however long it’s been, he’s been way more speechless than he’s ever been. Chrissy, Patrick, Vecna… demon bats… of course Wayne was worried about him and hanging up missing posters. He hadn’t seen Wayne since he left for school that Friday morning before his entire life changed. Wayne didn’t deserve this but Eddie didn’t want to make things worse. But what was worse? The missing posters or dealing with a fugitive, no matter how innocent?
Lost in his thoughts, he barely registered Robin’s nervous energy bubbling out through her rapid fire ideas of what to do. Clearly they’d been thinking alot about him and all of this. He really wasn’t worth this much worry. He liked the attention, but the worry? It kind of bristled.
“We need to come up with an actual plan,” Robin rasped. Harrington rolled his eyes just to lift his hands in surrender at Robin’s expression mere seconds later.
Eddie tried to follow along as they all shared ideas but their voices waned. Dustin and Harrington arguing every other word, Robin trying to control them, Mike interjecting every so often with an idea and to poke holes. The only one not paying attention was El, the Mage . Instead, she was watching Marcy who continued to read. Just as soon as he thought that Marcy was completely unaware of her admirer, she looked up. Eddie straightened, as he didn’t want to be caught watching her too.
Marcy smiled at El and after a moment of uncertainty, El returned the smile then detached herself from Mike, apparently taking Marcy’s smile as an invitation. Mike glanced at her, his expression questioning and to Eddie, it seemed they were so attuned to each other, that just a look from her allowed him to turn his attention back to the three stooges.
Marcy pulled her headphones down around her neck to welcome the quiet girl, her expression dark in confusion.
“I like your hair,” came El’s blunt greeting. Marcy stuttered and a small smile tugged at Eddie’s lips. That was cute. She reached up and touched her fingers to her thick curls with a smile that he couldn’t quite decipher but decided he liked, crossed her face.
“O-oh? Thank you, I like yours too.”
“It’s not very pretty,” El said in response, reaching for a length that was no longer there. Clearly, her buzzcut wasn’t by choice.
He could relate.
Growing up, his mom took care of his hair and of him. His hair would curl around his ears, similar to Mike’s just a little shorter. When she died, he demanded that Wayne cut all of his hair off.
“Why boy?”
“What’s the point? I’m not gonna do it myself. Not the way she would.”
“But your ma would want-”
“It doesn’t matter what she wants, she’s not here now is she Uncle Wayne?”
“It was time she liked to spend with you. Lizzie wouldn’t want you to give that up.”
“That’s stupid. Here.”
“No.”
“Shave it.”
“No.”
“Fine, I’ll do it.”
After he took Wayne’s electric razor to his hair, he felt like shit after. He felt like shit for not cutting his hair when his mom lost all of hers. He felt like shit for buzzing it off when his mom took such pride in how he looked, even if they didn’t have a lot of money. But she was gone, he was 12, so why would he care? Why should he care? Al Munson was in and out of their lives, Uncle Wayne was always working and his mom did the best she could.
“He’s not even listening to us, are you Joseph ?”
Robin reached over and tapped the top of Eddie’s head, slightly ruffling his curls, his bangs flopping against his forehead, pulling him from his thoughts. His vision focused and he realized he was still watching Marcy and El and he hoped that it wasn’t very long.
“What?” he snapped, no actual bite in his voice, waving his hand to push Robin away.
“See?” Robin groaned, throwing up her hands. “I just brainstormed an entire plan and you’re not even listening. It was amazing.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “You guys should meet Marcy,” he said, hoping to shift everyone’s attention from him. It worked, because upon hearing her name, Marcy looked up from her conversation with El, seemingly surprised to see the rest of them looking at her.
“Everyone, meet Marcy,” Eddie rasped.
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting- hello everyone,” she said with a slight wave. Her eyes flicked to Eddie for a moment, her eyebrows knitting. The others took the bait and made introductions.
“Are you from Hawkins too?” Mike asked, standing slightly behind El. Marcy nodded.
“Born and raised.”
“You go to Hawkins High?” Steve asked, hands on his hips as he stared at her. Marcy wanted to say ‘We graduated together last year Steve’. She wanted to say ‘I’ve been in a few of your classes in the past Steve,’ but she decided not to.
“ Went to Hawkins High. I graduated last year,” she said lightly. Her dark eyes were amused as Steve’s eyebrows furrowed and he gaped a little.
“Wait? You did? How do I not know you?”
Eddie couldn’t help the little laugh that escaped him, Dustin and Mike both rolled their eyes and Robin slapped his chest with the back of her hand.
“You didn’t know me and I sat behind you for an entire year.”
“It’s fine,” Marcy laughed. “I’m not offended or anything, why would you know me?”
There was a little part of Eddie that was glad that Harrington didn’t know her. The feeling was fleeting but it was there. Hawkins is a small fucking town and he always believed that everyone knew everyone but that clearly wasn’t true. Or at least it wasn’t true of popular kids who everyone else knew but they only knew those in their own bubble. Harrington was no exception.
In what Eddie assumed was Harrington’s attempt to make up for his lack of remembering a classmate, he asked her if she was okay.
“Eh, I’m fine. It’s just a concussion,” she shrugged. Steve’s eyes widened comically at her nonchalant answer. Eddie smiled, relaxing back against his pillow. Tiredness was beginning to rush over him like a tidal wave.
“And a cast?” Steve asked, pointing to her cast covered leg sitting atop the blankets. Marcy shrugged again, leaning back against her pillow.
“It doesn’t hurt right now,” her lips twisted into an amused smile. “All the painkillers. Besides, your friend over there is in worse shape than me. Save your concern for him.”
“I don’t want any concern,” Eddie rasped, struggling to sit up to accentuate the point.
“Too bad,” Robin snapped. “We’re concerned, get over it.”
Eddie wanted to fight back, he would have fought back, but he was too tired. He sagged back against his pillow as best he could and relented… even if he was doing it angrily.
The group stayed for about an hour. Marcy was officially introduced to everyone and she met them all with gentle smiles. Surprisingly, El made herself comfortable at the foot of Marcy’s bed, with Mike hovering behind her in close enough range that whenever she reached for him, he was right there. Dustin’s energy was boundless, as usual.
“Everything’s just really shitty right now,” Dustin said animatedly. Marcy nodded along. “The gym has been taken over as a shelter.”
“They have different jobs people can help out with,” Mike added. “I haven’t been yet because my mom is being dramatic.”
“She has a reason, don’t you think?” Marcy asked, a smirk on her lips. “I mean, earthquakes in Hawkins? I’d be worried about my kids too.”
Eddie saw the way the others exchanged glances and he knew that Marcy saw it as well but she didn’t react in any way. Mike muttered out an ‘I guess you’re right’ to which Marcy nodded her head once in confirmation.
“Of course I’m right,” she said matter-of-factly. No one argued.
Robin mentioned how she was helping to make and pack sandwiches. “I’m actually starting to hate peanut butter,” her voice breathless after the speed of her one-sided conversation.
Harrington was helping sort through donated clothes and the Freshmen were taking turns staying at the bedside of Red, hoping she would wake up. Sinclair was there now.
The room fell silent. She was in bad shape, probably worse off than him. They probably all thought the same thing yet they were all here with him.
“How is Red doing?” Eddie inquired, his eyes low as he tried to keep up with all the new information. Them being here rejuvenated him for a time but he was beginning to feel tired again and could feel the pull of sleep. He wanted to stay in the loop, he wanted everyone to keep talking to keep him from drifting off… he didn’t want to go back there.
“She’s still… asleep,” Mike answered. “Lucas hasn’t left her side, as much as his parents let him anyway.”
“He sends his regards,” Dustin added.
“Send mine back for Red,” he whispered with what he hoped was a nod. His head felt so heavy that he wasn’t even sure it lifted from the pillow.
I don’t want to go to sleep, he thought. Because if sleep was going to bring pain and screams, then he’d rather stay awake forever.
“You okay man?” He thought he heard Harrington ask but he couldn’t respond. He didn't know how any of this hospital shit worked and he’s been out of it most times the nurses came to see him. So who knows what kind of pain med schedule he’s on. He’ll try to remember to ask tomorrow.
“I think you guys should go.” Marcy’s words drifted over to him and he felt comforted by her voice. He could hear their voices but they were distant, unintelligible to his ears as he was dragged back into dreams of red clouds and decaying trees.