Cloaked Heart - Eddie Munson

23. Menace

I sat on my bed waiting for Eddie to arrive, he did say he'd arrive within an hour and I spent at least forty five minutes going to Family Video and coming back. I continued revising physics for over two hours, constantly looking over to the clock and calling over to Eddie's trailer asking Mr. Munson if he'd stopped by.

I started getting worried, drug exchanges never took this long but he does occasionally spend awfully long hours over at Reefer Rick's after he'd give him his supply. I showered and changed into a loose crop top and some shorts and slid under my duvet covers, placing my back against the headboard and reading the very first chapter of Howard's End by E. M. Forster. Looking over to the clock for the millionth time it marked 10:00 pm, meaning that Mr. Munson had already left the trailer to work his night shift, I called again. The phone beeped into my ear in a rhythmic tone until it cut off, no one was home. Eddie wasn't there. My eyes started getting heavier after I reached almost half way through the book, I looked hopelessly over to the clock again, 12:00am.  Great. Where the hell is he? I looked over to the switch beside my door, cursing at myself for breaking my nightstand lamp, I stood up and turned it off, trying my best to walk back into my bed without tumbling over the mess on my floor. 

I tried staying up, laying my head on my pillow staring at the popcorn ceiling, the sound of the heavy rain and thunder didn't help since it often made me feel more relax but this time it made me worry, worry about Eddie being outside in this horrible storm. Maybe he slept over at Rick's or maybe he just got really high. I tried listing the possibilities not allowing myself to think about the bad things that might also happen. I started dosing off and waking back up trying my best to keep my eyes open with hopes he'll magically turn up and crawl into my bed, my eyes then closed shut not even realising I drifted into sleep. 

***

I heard some tapping on the window and I groaned trying to block out the dripping sound of the reminiscent rain drops that were left after it had stopped raining. I twisted around in my bed trying to blur the sounds with the pillow next to me placing it on top of my face and almost suffocating myself with it. The tapping got louder almost as if someone was knocking on the window. I jolted up in my bed, realising who it might be. I threw the sheets off of myself onto the empty side of the bed, and almost sprinted over to the window above my drum set, I turned the latch around opening the two doored window and adjusting the curtains to reveal the person behind them.

Eddie sat crouched, resting his arms on his knees as his eyes glistened in the moon light staring back into mine, "Eddie where the hell have you been?" I asked worried grabbing his freezing, wet hand and helping him through the window trying my best to make sure that his feet don't hit the cymbal, only to fail miserably. The crash cymbal came into contact with Eddie's left leg as he placed his other foot onto the carpeted floor making a loud clashing sound, "shit," I mumbled holding onto the cymbal to stop it for making more noise, while still holding onto Eddie's hand with the other as he found his balance. 

He still hadn't uttered a word. It was pitch black and I could still only see a black silhouette, his eyes piercing into mine. I walked over to my door and flicked the switch on my back towards Eddie, "what happened?" I asked turning around, "holy shit what happened?" I asked my eyes widening as I saw Eddie standing in front of me. He looked terrified, his eyebrows furrowed together and nostrils flared as he clenched his jaw. His shirt was bloodied and ripped, half the pins on his beloved denim vest were missing. Blood and scars covered his face, his left eye was swollen, and his neck was stained with a hand print as it began to bruise. His hair was in a tangle, sticking to his injured face, caked in dirt.

I ran over to him and cupped his face lightly as he looked down at me, his eyes watering, "sorry I'm late sweetheart," he whispered, his voice cracking trying to smile.