Believe It Or Not (An Eddie Munson Story)

Concussed

My ears ring and it's difficult to open my eyes. I feel as though my head is caving in on itself. A single dangling light shines above my head and I blink against the bright contrast. The rest of the room is nearly pitch black and my breathing is labored, my throat sore as though I have recently vomited. My nose and face are throbbing and I wonder if something is broken. My whole body feels frozen. There is graffiti on the walls and I'm on a stripped mattress on the floor. The springs dig into my spine and I groan quietly, worried there is someone in the room with me that I can't see. 

I can't remember what happened or where I was before this, merely darkness and then this room. Eddie's face comes to mind and I close my eyes tightly, trying to control my breathing. The fear rakes through my body and I move to pull my limbs in on myself, but I can't. I realize that my ankles and wrists are bound in chains, keeping me spread out across the mattress. Tears spring forward and my chest rises and falls violently as panic rips through my being. I pull fruitlessly against my chains and they cling loudly, all caution thrown to the wind. My back arches off of the bed and my head continues to throb violently as I thrash around. I bite down on my lip to keep from outright screaming and I can taste blood in my mouth. 

I hear a door opening from behind my head and heavy footsteps approaching and I freeze. My heart continues to hammer fiercely in my chest as their stride grows closer and closer. 

"Well, look who finally decided to wake up," an unfeeling and familiar voice calls and my stomach dives even further into my body. I can't see Jason, but I know he is close and as he moves I can start to smell him, his strong cologne clogging my nose and making my already aching head, spin. 

"I was really worried I hit you too hard back there and all my fun was going to be spoiled," he says in a mock sad voice. "I'm glad you're literally just as hard headed as you are figuratively." 

My breathing is the only sound between us as he pauses to see if I'm going to respond. He is still out of sight, but I can tell from his foot fall that he is pacing now. He cracks his knuckles loudly and I flinch, making him chuckle. Bile crawls up the back of my throat, but I swallow it. 

"You see, I really hoped that I'd have a considerable amount of time with you. Considering the amount of hell you have put both Patrick and I through, I figured not dying right away could be the least you could do. I have a lot of bent up rage when it comes to what happened and I'd love to fully repay you." 

Jason's hands suddenly slam down on the mattress on either side of my head and he bends down, finally coming into view. His eyes are wild and blood shot and his hair is disheveled. He's got a five o'clock shadow and he drops his head so he is inches from me. I bite on my lip again and try to turn away, but the way he has be pinned makes it nearly impossible. 

"All of this could have been fucking avoided if you hadn't played hard to get. We all know you wanted a pass at Patrick and I, but you were too God damn stubborn to openly admit it. You're a lying, scheming slut and I am going to relish giving you exactly what you deserve. But first, I've got business with Chrissy to attend to. Maybe I'll let Andy or Chance play with you though." 

Jason pushed off the bed and walks out, his foot steps fading. I'm left hyperventilating and shaking, worry raking through me. His words spark a memory of the events from early and they trickle forward. I remember shopping with Chrissy for winter formal and hanging out with her in the fitting rooms. I remember joking with her about shoplifting and not getting a response. When I went to get dresses and see if she had wandered off again, the curtain behind me moved slightly. I remember a sharp pain on the back of my head before the world caved in. I vaguely remember the sensation of being tossed about, the sound of a car, the sensation of laying beside or pressed against another body, and Jason bickering back and forth with Andy and Chance. I don't know where I am though, I don't know where Chrissy is, and I don't know if anyone knows we are gone. I wonder if Jason was smart enough to take my things with him from the fitting room and I highly doubt it. He was probably so focused on getting us out of there, he didn't even bother to grab my bag or jacket off the chair. Peeking down at my bra clad chest, I roll my eyes. I mean he didn't even bother to grab my shirt. Men.  

Eddie's shirt. A tear escapes the corner of my eye and rolls into my hair as I think of him. I worry about him, even in the situation I currently find myself. Is he alright? I'm sure he is worried. If the salesgirl didn't notice anything, Eddie has definitely already notified Hopper by now. I'm sorry I didn't just call him at Steve's and tell him I was going to the mall, just to hear him one last time. 

I shake myself fiercely, doing my best to redirect my thoughts. I will not die here. I can not do that to Eddie. I can not leave him. I want to see his smile again, his beautiful brown eyes, his soft curly hair. I want to be able to tell him that I love him, at least once more and not in some stupid note, but from my own lips. 

I clench my jaw and I grip my chains in my hands, resolved to try to bare whatever these assholes have planned for me. If not for myself, then at least for Eddie. I will not let them take our future from me. They will not have the satisfaction. My resolve is set. That is until the first scream rings through the air. 

A chill runs down my spine and I can't breath as I realize what I am hearing is Chrissy. Her desperate screams split through the silence like a heated knife through butter. The sound makes me want to claw my own skin from my bone. I want so desperately to cover my ears and cower further into the mattress, but my chains forbid me. I hear Andy, Chance, and Jason yell and taunt her and her voice cracks as she pleads to be left alone. I can hear them hit her, the smacking sound almost more deafening then her cries. My heart completely shatters in my chest as tears burst from my eyes and don't stop. 

"You're pissed at me you coward pricks!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Leave her the fuck alone! Your beef is with me, then deal with me!" 

My voice is almost foreign to me as I continue to scream the same sentiment over and over. At first they just choose to ignore me, but after a while Andy stomps into my room with a cloth in his hand. He roughly grabs my chin and crams the cloth down my throat, nearly choking me before leaving the room. Silenced, I squint my eyes closed and try to focus on breathing. I'm not a religious person, but I start to pray as my fear grows and grows. Not for me, but for my friend. 

When silence finally falls, you would think I would have relaxed, but I only felt worse as true terror and grief ripples through me. I plea to whatever higher being that will listen that she isn't gone and if they have to take someone, please let it be me.