Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 46

       Me and Dustin shared a look of worry as we looked over to Uncle Wayne with an awkward smile. "I'm sorry to cut this short, Mr. uh... Wayne sir but we have to go."

     Wayne's eyebrows lightly furrowed before he pushed past us towards the woods. "Not without my help you're not. That was my boy. I know it." We stood there in shock as we watched Wayne practically run towards the forest. "Come on now, we might not have much time!"

     Me and Dustin quickly nodded and followed close behind. There was no way he had gotten that far, right? I mean he was blind for Christ's sake and we weren't gone that long...I think. Why did he have to go into the woods? Did he go into the woods? Did they take him out of his house and bring him there? My mind was racing with all of the possibilities as another yelp let out.

     This time it was closer. We were closer to him...but where was he...?

     "EDDIE? WHERE ARE YOU, BOY?" Wayne called out like Eddie was a lost dog not a blind crippled man in the woods...but it didn't matter. At least he cared enough to try and find him as well.

    "OVER HE-" the voice got cut off to hear the sound of muffled sobbing. He had to be close. Where was he? How did he get this far without any help?

     Dustin cupped his hands over his mouth to try and extend his voice into the rest of the woods. "EDDIE! WHERE ARE YOU?"

      A yelp of pain came from up ahead of us. The voice was different. Was...someone else with him? Is it Chance..? He did say that he would wait until we weren't around to strike next...was this when he would? Was I overthinking this?

     "HE BIT MY HAND!"

      That confirmed it. Chance had Eddie...and what he was planning could not be good.

      As we ran closer, there was the sound of higher pitched sobbing before Chance yelled again "JUST HURRY UP! YOU'VE ONLY DONE ONE LETTER AND THEY'RE COMING, YOU STUPID BITCH"

    "I don't want to do this, Chance! I was just here to have some fun...not go to jail!" The higher pitched voice sobbed out.

     After what felt like eternity of running, we finally made it to see a girl shaking with a switchblade in her hand towards Eddie and Chance. Eddie was being held back by Chance as his shirt was lifted. There was blood on his stomach leaking from what looked to be the letter S.

     "Like what you see, Harrington?" Chance turned his head towards me with a devilish grin. I'd been spotted...but I wasn't exactly trying to be discreet.

     I turned my head over to the girl. She looked familiar. Maybe we had a class or two together at some point. Mascara was running down her face as her mouth contorted with every cry.

       I lifted my hands to show that I had no weapons with me and slowly started to walk towards her. "Look. I know we don't know each other that well...but I do know...you don't want this...just... drop the knife."

     The girl let out a quiet gasp before looking over at Chance who currently had Eddie in a choke hold before shaking her head. She knew what Chance could do to her reputation. Since Jason left, he was the most powerful man in school. He could make her life a living hell.

    "Hey...don't look at him." I slowly inched my way a little closer. "Look at me."

    The girl turned her head towards me again while her breath was starting to get faster. Any more of this and I was certain that she was going to have a mental breakdown.

   "We'll make sure he can't do anything to you. I promise."

     "THEY'RE LYING TO YOU, SAV." Chance shouted out as his grip on Eddie's chest got slightly tighter. Eddie let out a light yelp in pain from the sudden squeeze.

      "I'm not lying to you. I have nothing to gain from doing that. Just...give me the knife." I slowly held my hand out to her as her eyes met mine. "I promise we'll do everything we can to make sure your life is well after this."

     The girl's eyes slowly wandered to my hand before placing the blade into it. "Thank you, Sav."

     "I-it's Savannah." The girl hicked as she wiped her tears away.

     "Really touching...But you guys forgot one thing... I still have Munson here." Chance lifted up Eddie slightly off the ground "and there's nothing you can do about it."

     I saw something behind Chance quickly run at him. It all happened so fast. Suddenly Eddie and Chance were both on the ground.

     As I looked up, Uncle Wayne slammed his foot onto Chance's chest. "Think again, you cockroach."

     Dustin and I quickly raced over to the currently sobbing Eddie and pulled him close. Dustin pulling Eddie's face to his shoulder as I held onto his hand. "Hey...you're safe now."

    "I...I thought I was going to die." Eddie shook with every breath as he wrapped his arms around Dustin, letting go of my hand in the process. "I thought...I'd never be able to hear you again."

    Dustin lightly squeezed onto Eddie. "I'm here now...I'm...here now."