You Lie All The Time [S.Harrington]

chapter sixteen

"Not to be a wimp, bu can I sit in the car for this visit 'cause this is gonna totally and royally suck" Robin asked Nancy, who was now driving everybody to where Eddie was staying to deliver him some food.

"It'll be fine." Nancy sighed.

"I just can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again." Explained Robin. "I really, really can't."

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better." Steve spoke up with a Pringle in his mouth. He lifted the six pack of beer into the air. He sat in the very back along with Susie and Dustin.

"That's what my mom does." Max mumbled from a seat ahead. Lucas gave her a sad look.

"Why don't we just give it a trial?" Suggested Robin. "Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah, and we found Vecna. Only, the bad news is that he's in that other, darker, much scarier dimension that we told you about, and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him." She rambled.

The group listened in quietly. They stared at her as she continued to speak incessantly.

"Like, he's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And, no, no, I know that you're already screwed, but now you're like doubly, triply screwed." She finished.

"Wait, wait. Maybe we don't put it like that." Lucas spoke up.

"You think?" Susie sighed.

"We're one step closer to finding Vecna." Said Nancy. "That's what we say. That's what's important."

"See, Robin? A positive spin can make all the difference." Steve mentioned.

"Uh-huh." Robin rolled her eyes.

"Oh shit." Nancy muttered. Everybody stared ahead, noticing a bunch of cars and people gathered around Reefer Rick's house, along with some officers.

Nancy stopped the car, and everybody got out. Quietly, they snuck around the back until they reached the police tape. They listened in on Officer Powell's report to the News Station.

"As many of you know by now, the Roane County line received a call, uh.. a little after midnight...reporting a homicide here on the lake." The officer informed. "Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney."

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, having recognized the name as someone on the basketball team.

"His limbs...his body, it was disfigured...There was an eyewitness on the scene..." Continued the officer. "We have also identified a person of interest." He lifted up a photo of Eddie. "Eddie Munson."

"More great news." Susie commented sarcastically, looking back at the group, who all shared the same worried look.

"We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."

"Oh man." Steve exhaled. "This is not good. This is really not good."

Suddenly, Eddie's voice was heard over Dustin's walkie talkie. "Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?"

Dustin panicked and reached for the device. "Eddie. Holy shit." Dustin whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Nah, man. Pretty goddamn far from okay." Eddie responded.

"Where is he?" Asked Robin.

"Where are you?" Dustin repeated into the walkie.

"Skull Rock. Do you know it?" Eddie inquired.