𝙂𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙧 - ᴍᴀx ᴍᴀʏꜰɪᴇʟᴅ

Chapter Thirty-Three: Gates

After that, they all met back up with Robin and Nancy, and they were all driving to see Eddie.

"Not to be a wimp, but can i sit in the car for this visit? 'Cause this is gonna totally, and royally suck." Robin sighs, "It'll be fine." Nancy responds, staring at the road as she drives. "I just can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again." Robin says, "I really, really cant." She adds, making Ava frown.

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better." Steve says, his mouth full, and lifting up a beer pack that was for Eddie. "That's what my mom does." Max sighs, making Ava turn to the redhead. "You can be pretty bold sometimes." Ava says, gently nudging Max's shoulder with hers, making Max smile at her. "Why don't we just give it a trial run?" Robin offers.

"'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, and the gates closed, so we have no way of getting to him. He's entirely shut off to us, so basically, you're screwed.'" Robin says, Ava barely understanding because of her rambling.

"'And no, i know you were already screwed, but now you're like, doubly, triply screwed.'" Robin adds, "Wait. Maybe we don't put it like that." Lucas says from beside Ava, "'We're one step closer to finding Vecna.'" Nancy says, "That's what we say. That's what's important." Nancy adds. "See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference." Steve says, biting into a chip. "Uh huh." Robin says.

"Oh shit." Nancy says slowly, noticing a group of people around where they were going, all of them getting out of the vehicle. "The Roane county line received a call. A little after midnight, reporting a homicide here on the lake." The deputy says, making Ava's mouth gape open and turn to Robin, who gives her a shocked face back. "Officer Callahan here, and myself arrived first on the scene." The deputy adds.

"We made our way to the shore of Lovers Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me." He says, "It was there that we found the victim, an eighteen year old senior from Hawkins High." The deputy continues, "Patrick McKinney." He establishes the name, making Lucas and Ava look at each other. "Isn't that someone on your team?" Ava says, making Lucas nod.

"His limbs.. his body, it was disfigured.." He continues, making Ava furrow her eyebrows. "We have also identified a person of interest," The deputy says, bringing up a photo. "Eddie Munson." He says, making the entire group turn to each other. "Oh, man." Steve breaks the silence, "This is not good, this is really not good." Steve says, "No fucking shit." Ava sighs, throwing her arms up in defeat for Eddie. Everyone knows Ava gets negative at times like this, so Max takes Ava's hand into hers for comfort.

"We are going to answer as many questions as we can. Two o'clock at town hall, where anyone fron the Hawkins community is welcome. But right now, i've gor work to do, and i appreciate your understanding." The deputy says, as he walks away, the crowd starts shouting questions, no answers coming from the deputy. "Dustin, can you hear me? Ava?" Eddie says through Dustin's radio, the boy picking it up.

"Eddie, holy shit. Are you okay?" Dustin asks quietly, "Nah, man. Pretty.. pretty god damn far from okay." Eddie response, voice breaking slightly. "Where are you?" Dustin asks, "Skull Rock. Do you know it?" Eddie responds, "Uh, yeah, yeah, that's near Cornwallis and-" Dustin says, getting cut off by Steve. "Garret, yeah. I know where that is." Steve says, heading to his car.

"Hold right. We're coming, we're coming." Dustin reassures Eddie, all of them getting into Steve's car.

~~~