Natural 20 - Eddie x OC

3 - Terrors

A clock. I could hear it. It was ticking rhythmically. My eyes fluttered open and I was stood inside the hospital. Except everything was empty. Not a person was in sight. The only thing I could sense was that my father was nearby. Stepping forward, my sneakers squeaked across the linoleum flooring. I flinched at the sound even though I knew I'd made it. Something was off. This dream felt too real. Continuing to walk down the corridor, it seemed as though it was endless. Each door was a repetition of the first and I started to run, desperate to find the exit but it never came. Out of breath, I paused and read the label posted by the ward door.

Harold Wakeford.

Shooting up in my bed, I felt sweat seep across my skin. I scrambled for my bedside light and switched it on. All the shadows in my bedroom melted away and I slowly felt my heart slow back to normal. Unfortunately, my mind was still racing. I needed a hit. Rolling out of bed, I delved into my school bag and pulled out the weed that I'd bought from Eddie earlier. I rolled it, snatched my lighter into my hand and opened my bedroom window. With great ease, I swung out and onto the top of the porch. Stars glittered in the pitch black sky, only street lamps illuminating the road below. Lighting my toke, I took a long drag and tried to relax. I'd never dreamt about dad this much before. Why was it all happening now? My peace was shattered by the sound of a van approaching. I watched it bound up the hill and then pull over in a rushed manner by some bushes just before the start of my estate. Perplexed, I soon realised that it was Eddie's van and sure enough, he soon fell out of the door and onto his knees on the side of the road. At first I was amused, he'd obviously taken something a little too strong. But then I heard him wretching and vomiting.

'Eddie!' I called out but it seemed like he couldn't hear me. Concerned, I put out my cigarette and lowered myself onto the front lawn via my mum's rose trellis that creeped up the side of the house. I made my way over to where he was profusely vomiting. 'Eddie? Are you okay?'

He seemed startled by my presence and immediately tried to back away from me as he hurled.

'What happened? Did you take something?' I quizzed, stepping into his space as he shuffled away.

'C-C-C-Chrissy...' He finally managed to stammer and my blood ran cold. I'd never heard Eddie sound so afraid of anything in my life. His skin was pale, eyes wide with fear as though he'd seen a ghost.

'Chrissy? What happened to Chrissy? Does she need an ambulance? Did you give her something and she had a reaction?' I wrapped my arms around myself nervously. Something was wrong. Really wrong.

'I-I-I think she's... she's d-d-d-dead.' He whispered the words, stumbling over each letter and my eyes grew wide.

'Dead? Come on Eddie, I'm sure she just passed out or-'

'Her eyes were sucked out of her head Beth!' He lost his temper for a split second before cowering again, his ringed fingers gripping onto himself tightly. I didn't know what to say or do. A part of me insisted he had to be high on something but there was genuine fear hidden in his expression and I didn't know what to do with it. Without thinking, I reached forward to him and took his ice cold hands into my own. The touch of my skin seemed to bring him down for a second and I could feel him trembling.

'Eddie, why don't you come inside? You're in shock and maybe lying down will help?' I searched his eyes for an answer and he eventually slowly nodded. That was enough for me. Keeping a grip on one of his hands, I lead him back to my house and pointed at the trellis. 'Do you feel okay to climb this?' He paused for a moment before nodding silently and proceeded to follow me up the vines and onto the top of the porch. As we reached my window, I placed a finger to my lips and slipped through the open hatch. He followed, landing in my room and immediately looking like he needed to vomit again.

'I-I-I-' He started to try and speak under his breath and I had to cover his mouth with my palm.

'Shhh. If my brothers or mum hear you, I'm fucked. We can talk under there.' I pointed at my duvet and tugged him to the bed. We clambered underneath like a couple of kids having a sleepover and sat in the pitch black. Eddie's hands fumbled in the dark and found mine, immediately gripping onto them again. 'Eddie, you're safe here. Just breathe.' I reminded him even though I couldn't see his face. He shakily started to inhale and exhale as my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark that enveloped us. 'What happened to Chrissy?'

There was a long silent pause as he tried to find the words. I could see the events replaying through his head over and over, his eyes bouncing backwards and forwards like a ball on a tennis court.

'She came to my trailer- my uncle's trailer. She wanted.. she wanted something strong. I went to my room to get it and when I came back she was...' He trailed off and started to shake again.

'Eddie, calm remember? Just tell me what happened.'

'She was having some kind of fit or seizure.. shit I don't know.. I tried to shake her awake but I think it made it worse because she started floating-'

'Floating? Like jumping up and down?'

'No, no, no. Floating, like levitating in the air. And then her arms and legs, they just snapped. Her jaw went all slack and her eyes.... They just got sucked away... I didn't know what to do, I just ran. I ran so fast and now she's just left there alone and I don't know what to do and-' He caught a glimpse of the expression on my face. A look of utter horror and disbelief. 'And you don't believe me.' He dropped my handhold and ripped away the bed sheet.

'Woah! Eddie, I'm hearing you out! It just sounds-'

'Insane?' He yelled and I flew forwards, clamping my hand over his mouth. We waited a beat, staring at one another. I could feel his hot breath seeping from his nostrils against my hand at a rapid pace. The coast was clear, nobody heard him.

'A little bit, yes. But if you say that's what happened then I believe you. Stranger things have happened in this damn town.' Slumping back onto my bed, I ran a hand through my hair. Eddie leaned back against the wall and slid to the floor. 'The police will look for you Eddie. You were the last person to see her alive. You're a prime suspect.'

'I know.' His voice was quiet and timid, eyes tinged with fear. 'I don't know what to do.'

My gut plummeted at the sight of him so downtrodden. I'd never seen him like this before. Resolutely, I beckoned him to me and he begrudgingly scooted over on his butt to the edge of the bed and allowed me to pull him up next to me.

'Let's make a plan in the morning. For now, you need to get some rest.' Gesturing to my bed, he raised his eyebrows.

'Uhh.. are you sure?'

'Yeah. Isn't like we're gonna snuggle or anything.' I laughed quietly, plumping the pillows and lying down.

'Can I change? It's not exactly comfortable to sleep in jeans.'

I nodded and watched as he stood up with his back to me and removed his shirt. Tattoos littered his skinny torso, the black line work prominent on his pale skin. He used his heels to take off his sneakers, unbuckled his belt and let his jeans fall to his ankles before kicking them off, revealing his tight black briefs. My cheeks flushed red and I turned my gaze up to the ceiling as he flopped down next to me.

'What are you looking at?' He tried to follow my eye line and I coughed awkwardly.

'N-nothing! Just thought I saw a bug.'

'A bug?' He questioned as I kept my eyes away from his body.

'How was Hellfire?' I quickly changed the subject and he seemed to relax a little more.

'Oh it was great. You know that kid on our team, Lucas? He was too busy being a traitor with God damn Jason to make it so his sister filled in and woooo-weeee it was such a great game.' He continued to chat on and on about the ins and outs of the campaign and I smiled lightly at each detail, my eyes growing heavier and heavier. Never did I think I would be lulled into a peaceful sleep by Eddie Munson talking about D&D in my bedroom.