Cloaked Heart - Eddie Munson

26. Gnomes and Dorks

Wayne sat outside on the benches drinking beer and reading a newspaper I brought this morning with me while I cleaned up the place a bit. My mind was going feral as I tried my best to get my mind off of things until 3:00pm came around. I went over to Eddie's bed room finding him sprawled out across the bed hugging the pillow next to him sleeping soundly as I grabbed the bag with the lock. 

"Hey uh Wayne?" I asked as I climbed down the stairs and walked over to him, "do you have any tools?" I asked showing him the lock before my eyes widened as he gave me a weirded look. "Are you changing our door lock?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows as he grabbed the lock. "Uh yeah higher security ya know? Didn't you hear? Someone broke into Gabriella's trailer," I chuckled nervously, "who's Gabriella?"

"She's uh she's not important, but it's really really really important I change your locks 'cause well - they'll you know, they can break in easily, and you don't want that happening now, do you?"

"No no of course not,"

"Right so where can I get those tools, huh?" I asked nudging his arm with my elbow, a wide yet terrified (of him smelling something fishy) smile on my face as the man looked at me as if I escaped the psych ward. Although... it's not far off. 

"Uh there's a toolbox just under the sink," 

"Great okay thank you," I smiled again walking away letting out a breath I wasn't even aware of holding. "Now that was close."

I stood at the door looking at the box hopelessly as I tried to find instructions, "why is it in Chinese?" I squinted my eyes as if that would help me understand the weird yet fascinating symbols others might call letters. "So there's Chinese, German AND Slovenian, but no English? Well that's great," I continued talking to myself. 

"How the hell?" I looked at the door which was opened just a little bit since I had managed to remove the old lock. "Okay, how about," I placed the lock onto the door biting down onto my lip with concentration, "yep just like that," I kept it in place as I bent down trying to grab the screw driver and some screws only for the lock to slip from my hand. "Jesus Mary Joseph, have some mercy on me will you?" I opened up my arms as I looked up at the semi-cloudy sky. 

I heard a low chuckle emerging from behind me only to be met by Wayne, "you okay?" he asked climbing up the stairs, newspaper nudged under his armpit and empty glass bottle in hand. "Not exactly," I snickered scratching the back of my neck. "Let me help, I don't want you changing locks only for it to be less secure," he smiled as he walked inside and placed his things on the kitchen counter. 

"Your father ever taught you anything like this?" he asked as he grabbed the lock, "not really, he normally just brings people to do them or my uncle," I explained. 

"Your uncle from here or?" He tapped on my hand indicating that he wanted the screwdriver, I obliged and handed it to him as I bent down to his level and tried to look at what he was doing.

[A/n: again I don't know how this shit works, use your ImAgiNation :p]

"Ohio,"

"You have any cousins?"

"Only one, my dad has no siblings. My mom had one little brother and he has a little girl I think she's six now," I smiled back as Wayne turned his head for a second to smile.

"Do you miss it? Ohio, I mean," he said trying to keep the conversation flowing.

"Only memories and mom," I replied fiddling with the hem of my shirt. He nodded. "have you always lived here?" I asked.

"Hawkins, yes. This trailer, no," he chuckled shaking his head.

"Ever thought of leaving this place?" I continued as I recalled Eddie saying that he'd want nothing more than to leave this, and I quote, "hellhole but not the metal kind, this is the bad kind like you can actually feel yourself melting from the burning sensation of judgment and lack of opportunities."