Against all odds || Stranger Things 4 | Hellcheer

Chapter 9

Eddie feels the blood draining out of his face as fast as Chrissy's kiss brought it up. Carver is zooming toward them with a red face and clenched fists. She's already pushing Eddie away, urging to go.

"I'll hold him off. Please, just go!"

He doesn't need to be told twice, having little hope on his chances of winning a fight against the captain of the basketball team. He jumps in his van and hits the throttle. In his side mirror, he can see Chrissy lifting her hands towards her boyfriend. He hopes she won't get in too much trouble because of him. More importantly, he hopes she will still want to see him afterwards.

On the way home, he wonders what kind of nightmares can scare her so badly. He still hasn't completely ruled out the possibility that she might be or have been abused...He clenches his hands on the wheel, realizing he might as well have left her alone with her abuser right now. She wouldn't be the first girl to be forced into doing stuff she doesn't want by one of those douchebags.

But even with that thought in mind, he can't find the courage to turn around and face Carver. Bitter with self hatred, he hopes for Chrissy's parents to come back soon from church.

*

Chrissy fears for a second that Jason is going to hit her. Not that he ever did it before, but he looks so angry! Yet, all he does is demand an explanation.

"We were hanging out, he gave me a lift, that's all."

"Since when do you hang out with that freak? Has he done something to you?"

Before she can tell him how absurd he sounds, her parents car slows down and enters the driveway. Josh busts out and says excitedly, "Have you heard? A student from Hawkins High was killed last night !"

There's a confusing moment where everyone seems to be talking at the same time until her mother unexpectedly saves her from dealing with Jason's jealousy.

"Your mom is worried sick dear, you'd better go home. I can't believe they won't tell the name of the victim. Every single parent who hasn't got their eyes on their child must be worried sick."

Jason has no choice but to oblige. He leaves with an intended stare toward Chrissy. She knows they'll have to finish that conversation at some point, but right now she couldn't care less. She has a very bad feeling.

On the news, the reporter is standing in front of the highschool, rambling about the events of the night. A student was killed in the editing room, in front of two other teenagers, while they were having a late night meeting for the school's paper.

Josh taps her arm and speaks in her ear: "I hear someone say the body was crumbled like a broken puppet. Their eyes were gone! They say it's some sort of satanic ritual. There's stuff like that happening all over the country."

"We do not spread nonsensical rumors in this house," intervenes their mother.

Chrissy shivers and excuses herself. In the bathroom, as she rubs off her nail with polish remover, the feeling of last night resurfaces. She can't tell why, but she knows. It got him. The monster got him...

*

Eddie learns the news when he meets with the boys for band practice at Gareth's place. They talk about it before they start to play - but not before Eddie shows off his nails - because Jeff shared a few classes with Fred. Saying they have friends in common would be a stretch but he was able to have more information than what was on the news.

For instance, Nancy Wheeler and Tina Brown were in the room when it happened and although they were asked not to, Tina is already telling anyone who wants to listen what happened.

"It's crazy, dude," says Jeff. "Apparently Fred was snapped like a twig and his eyes ball blew up! She said there was no one else but the three of them. He just suddenly levitated and bam! "

"Jesus Christ, man", snigger Eddie. "What were they smoking down there?"

"You think she's lying," asks Gareth.

"I think she likes the attention! I mean, come on, that's a bit too much, even for me."

"The rumors of satanic ritual are already spreading," points out Jeff. "My mom heard it at the store.".

"Well guys, I hope you have good alibis for last night," teases Eddie," cause they'll be coming for us!"

"Yeah? What yours would be, then," asks Gareth with a sly smile.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," smirks Eddie.

*

Chrissy stares at the phone, trying to convince herself that Eddie will not hang up on her the second she starts talking about a monster that kills people in their dreams. She should have told him everything earlier. She wanted to...but the more time they spend together, the more afraid she is of losing him.

She takes a deep breath and dials in the number, mindlessly tracing Eddie's handwriting on the paper.

"Yeah?"

Her resolution sinks, this isn't his voice. She stammers a little as she asks if Eddie's here and the answer buries her last hopes.

"No, you missed him by a few minutes. He went to his rearsall I think? Can't tell you where, though."

"Oh...okay, sorry for bothering you."

"No worries."

She hangs up and stares at the wall, feeling empty. It was probably foolish of her to think Eddie would always be available for her. It's even foolisher to wish she knew the names of the members of his band so she could try and find him.

When the phone rings, she jumps so hard she drops it. It's Ana, and from the urgency in her voice, this isn't good.

"Girl, where have you been? Jason is going mental, saying you're under some sort of influence. That Munson is the one responsible for killing that guy from the school paper."

"Ana, slow down! What are you talking about?"

From the other side of the wall, she can hear her brother chanting "Munson the killer!".

"Josh! Get off the phone! Ana, where is Jason?"

"Still at Benny's, I think. I was there earlier, they've been working themselves up about that Hell club, or whatever. Dean started it, saying someone like that had been arrested for murder in another state. They're talking about hunting him down."

Chrissy's heart is pounding, this can't be good!

"Hunting who down?"

"The freak!"

"Eddie?!"

There's a short silence on the other end of the line, before Ana says.

"Look, I don't know what you've been up to these last two days, but I'm pretty sure you're the only one who can talk Jason out of it before he does something really stupid."