landslide

iv.

「four」

STEVE HAD TO DRIVE Robin, Max, and Dustin home. They spent an hour with Eddie, only leaving when it became too cold for their spring attire. 

Robin was freaking out the entire ride home. She hadn't told her parents she would miss curfew, and they were strict about curfew. She would not quiet down. Granted, she didn't close her mouth about many things, so this was no different. She was just more hyper this time. Eliza was glad Robin sat behind her. 

Through the twenty-minute drive around town, first at Dustin's, they planned their next course of action. No one imagined they would be sending their spring break helping a new friend on the run from a murder conviction, when the murderer was possibly an interdimensional dark wizard who sucked out the eyes of their high school queen. Eliza certainly was none the more thrilled. 

Eddie desperately needed a food delivery. He needed a full rundown on everything that had transpired in Hawkins, starting at Eleven's appearance in the forest one rainy night. They had only been able to fill him in on the last year of knowledge. And maybe he needed new clothes. 

They didn't know how to work out the last part...

It wasn't until eleven when the Harringtons arrived home. It didn't matter when they got home. Neither of their parents were home; of course not. They had a trip for the day. It was their father's trip, technically. But his wife never let him leave on his own. Eliza couldn't blame her. No one in the family trusted him away from the house. 

Bowie ambushed them at the door. Eliza had to pause for several moments in the foyer, for he would not stop weaving in and out of her legs. He started hopping and lapping his tongue over any surface on her body he could find. 

"Bowie! Down!" Steve commanded. The dog faltered and stared over his shoulder at him. Steve commanded the dog to sit, which he obeyed with respect. 

Eliza sidestepped the pet and joined her brother in the kitchen. "Thank you!"

Maureen Harrington had left a note for them on the fridge. She advised them to clean out the fridge while they were gone instead of ordering takeout. The siblings silently agreed not to adhere to her requests. 

"When do Mom and Dad come back?" Eliza asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon." 

Steve checked the two new messages on the machine. Eliza perked up when Patrick's voice came through. He was worried about what happened at Benny's, and how he felt bad. He felt it was his fault for getting her in trouble. Steve turned to the next one, which was also him. He was worried about where she was, and if she heard about Chrissy's death. Her brother sent her a snarky glance over his shoulder, wordlessly teasing her. 

"Okay, okay. Go away." She grinned and gently pushed him away from the phone. 

She dialed his number, not expecting to get him at the hour. He answered on the second ring. It was very surprising to come from him. He didn't like picking up the phone. His mom was always the messenger between the two. He was angry as well, which was also unlike him. 

"Where've you been? I've been trying to get you for hours," Patrick demanded. "There's a murderer in town, Lizzie!"

Eliza leaned her shoulder against the wall and kicked off her shoes. "Sorry, hun. I was at Family Video all day, then we had some other business... sorry I kept you worrying."

He told her it was okay; he was just concerned. She wanted to apologize about Steve earlier, and she wanted to apologize for blowing up after the conversation with her father. But her words went other places.