After the incident, they went home to rest and compile every information they've got at the moment. The next day, they were all picked up by Nancy and drove to check Eddie.
"Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this 'cause this gonna totally and royally suck." Robin asks Nancy, "It'll be fine," Nancy spoke, "I can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again, I really, really can't." Robin added. "At least he can drink himself into feeling better," Steve spoke up, he was in the back.
"That's what my mom does," Max added, "why don't we just give it a trial? 'hey Eddie, uh, good news first this time, we got you Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested, oh yeah, and we found Vecna, only bad news is that he's in that other, darker, much scarier dimension and that gate's closed so we have no way of getting to him, like he's entirely shut off to us so basically you're screwed, and no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're like doubly, triply, screwed." Robin suggested.
"wait wait wait, maybe we don't put it like that," Lucas asked, "We're one step closer to finding Vecna, that's what we say, that's what's important," Nancy concluded, "see Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference." Steve spoke, "Uh-huh," Robin rolled her eyes.
"Maybe let's not talk about Eddie yea?" Dustin asked, "why? He's like our top priority," Robin asked too. "Well..." Dustin smirked as he pointed to Sylvie who was thinking, "what?" Steve whispered, Dustin raised his eyebrows, "are you saying that she actually likes him? And Eddie too???" Steve whispered, "mmmmmaybe," Dustin looked away.
"Hey Sylvie? Done thinking about your prince?" Robin chuckled, "hm? Oh, sorry, no I was just thinking about Eddie... not in a way you might be thinking but you know in a nice way because I'm worried aren't we all? heheh, yea no don't worry I was just worrying in a neutral way," Syvlie smiled.
"Oh shit," Nancy muttered, "what?" Sylvie asked, they all looked to see news reporter vans and police cars surrounding the house. Many people surrounded the area, they all get out of the car, "come on, this way." Nancy told, they al followed her. "The Roane County line received a call, a little after midnight reporting a homicide here on the lake," The police spoke to the news reporters.
The gang looked at what was happening, "a homicide?" Sylvie thought. "Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene, we made our way to the shore of Lover's lake about ten yards from that house you see behind me, it was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney." The police continued.
"His limbs, his body, it was disfigured, there was an eyewitness on the scene. We have also identified a person of interest," the police held up a picture of Eddie, "Eddie Munson, we encourage anyone with information to please come forward," "Oh man..." Steve muttered, "this is not good, this is really really not good." he continued.
The police finished his speech and all of a sudden, "Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler? Sylvie?" It was Eddie.
Dustin immediately turned on his walkie, "Eddie holy shit, are you okay?" he whispered. "Nah man, pretty... pretty goddamn far from okay," Eddie sighed, "where is he?" Robin asked, "where are you?" Dustin asked on the walkie, "Skull Rock, do you know it?" "Uh yeah, that's near Cornwallis and--" Dustin get cut off, "Garett yeah, I know where that is," Steve spoke up.
"Hold tight, we're coming, we're coming. "Dustin turned his walkie off, the gang then went off to the forest, going to Skull Rock.
"Dude, I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way," Steve spoke, "It's north, I'm positive, I checked the map," Dustin spoke, holding a compass and a map. "You do realize that Skull Rock is like a super popular make-out spot?" Steve asked. "Yeah, so?" "Yeah, well it wasn't popular until I made it popular, alright? I practically invented it." Steve explained.
"We're heading in the wrong direction," Steve huffed, "Steve, where you going?" Dustin asked, "stop whining, let's go trust me!" Steve went far up ahead, "Steve!"
"Ok, so apparently we're going this way now? I swear to God, if they get us lost," Max looked at Lucas who seemed down and worried, "hey, you okay?" she asked, "uh yeah, I'm fine, just thinking about Patrick, you know?" Lucas spoke. "yeah..." "I mean like, it's just like, why him? But then , I remember this one day, he- he came to practice with a black eye. He said he fell, but clearly he was lying. It's like everyone Vecna targets has something in their life," they paused walking.
"something thats--" "hurting them, haunting them." Max continued his sentence. "Yeah... I didn't really know Patrick so it was easy to just, look the other way, I guess. But I did know you, and I'm sorry I wasn't there," Lucas continued, "it's not your fault," Max spoke, Lucas shook his head, "no."
"I disappeared," Max added, "no, no, you didn't." Lucas spoke, "I just didn't look hard enough, okay?" he asked her. "But I see you now, I see you." he looked deep into her eyes, she did the same. Lucas really wanted to protect Max, with all his life, he loved her, he couldn't bare to be without her. Same with Max, she loved him, but she's trying to distance herself from him.
Robin notices them from behind, "oh my god they're so adorable, I just wanna squeeze 'em you know?" She asks both Nancy and Sylvie. "If I'm permitted to see a silver lining in this end-of-the-world doom and gloom, it would be the rekindling of some old flames that never should've been snuffed out," she added, Nancy looked at her, "I didn't mean that as a hint or anything," Robin added again.
"Right," Nancy said, "but if I did mean it as a hint, would that be so terrible?" Robin asked her, "to wish for happiness for my friends?" she asked, "you think I'm not happy?" Nancy scoffed, "I- I'm sure you are, it's just, the other day in the library, I mentioned Jonathan and you sort of flinched or winced or something like that," "I didn't flinch or wince," Nancy spoke, "okay," Robin nodded, "Jonathan and I are fine," "got it," "we're good."
"right," Robin smiled, they both nodded, "it's just, he was supposed to be here for the break, and then he backed out at the last minute for vague, mumbly Jonathan reason and to be honest, I'm not even that suprised. Because I've been feeling him pulling away lately and I don't know if it's because we're 2,000 miles away or if he met someone new or what and now I can't find out why because apparently he's blown up his family's house phone or something, so yeah, if the mention of his name caused a slight muscle spasm on my face, that's... probably why," Nancy ranted to the girls.
"Seems like a perfectly reasonable reason to flinch, wince, or something," Robin smiled, "besides, if he still doesn't explain himself, he might just get a talk with me," Sylvie chuckled, the other two girls chuckled with. "You said, 'the happiness of your friends' so does that make us friends?" Nancy asked Robin, "as in, officially?" she added, "uh, yeah, I... I mean, right?" Robin asks, "right," Nancy smiled at her.
"What about you Sylvie? Still thinking about your prince?" Robin joked, "haha, I'm just worried, people!" Sylvie huffed. "I mean, that night when you came to the boat house, Eddie stared at you like for a long while. He couldn't get his eyes off of you, there was a sparkle in them." Robin mentioned, "yeah, but maybe he was just looking at me because I was talking and he was scared and he teared up a bit, you know?" Sylvie added.
"I mean if he did like me, I wouldn't mind, I mean he's pretty cute, pretty nice I suppose, he's a really funny guy too... he seems so kind and sweet to his friends, and I mean - if he repays us, I think it should be us repaying him since we helped him in his situation, he deserves a break for this, it's really intense and stuff you know?" Sylvie continued.
Both Nancy and Robin looked at her, "no, no! I don't mean it as in I like him but you know, I just- I appreciate him for being a friend to Dustin, Lucas, and Mike you know? It's- It's nothing of what you think of," Sylvie nodded. "Uh-huh..." Nancy nodded, "I'm being serious!" Sylvie whined.
"I mean it's just that you seem 'annoyed' with a mention of him," Robin spoke up. "Well because I was worried, I'm scared something might've happened to him," Sylvie explained, "yeah, and it wasn't what happened the other night?" Robin asked, "what other night?" Nancy asked, "oh don't." Sylvie pleaded.
"Well, turns out - Sylvie asked Dustin if it be great to check up on Eddie because she's 'neutrally' worried for him. And then Lucas and Dustin pointed out on how Eddie and Sylvie seem to care for each other very very much, 'like magnets' just what like Dustin or was it Lucas who said it?" Robin smirked at Sylvie who was visibly red. "I-... shut up." Sylvie sighed, the two girls giggled.
"Oh, boom! bada bing bada boom, there she is Henderson, Skull Rock." Steve said as he went in the bushes to Skull Rock, "In your face man, in your stupid cocky little face." Steve went up the the rock, Dustin looked at his compass, "doesn't make sense," he spoke. "Yeah, yea. Even with it staring you in the face, you can't admit it, you just can't admit that you're wrong, you little butthead."
Something then went down from behind them, "I concur, you, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead," Eddie spoke up, "Jesus, we thought you were a goner," Dustin hugged Eddie. "Yea me too, man. Me too." Eddie said back.
"Hey Eddie," Sylvie smiled, "Hey... Sylvie," he smiled back. Nancy, Robin, Dustin, and Lucas couldn't help but hide a smirk.
"Here you go," Nancy gave him his supply of food, "thank you, Wheeler," Eddie grabbed it. "So, mind explaining what happened, with Patrick and all," Dustin asked. Eddie settled down and sat on the rock, "so?" Dustin asked, "yeah ok so, uhm - I was chilling in the boat house when all of a sudden Jason and his team started to look in the house, I tried to escape by using the boat but that got Jason and Patrick's attention, and uh - they swam to me but then Patrick started doing... what Chrissy did, and uh yeah, I swam back to shore." Eddie spoke.
"When I got to the shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh..." Eddie drank his six-pack that was now in a bottle, "my walkie was busted, man, drenched, so uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently, I ran." Eddie chuckled, "Do you know what time this was? The attack?" Nancy asked, "Yeah, no I know exactly what time it was," Eddie started taking off his watch, "my walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked," he threw to her his watch.
Nancy catches it and looks, "9:27," "Same time our flashlights went kablooey," Robin spoke up. "Which means what, exactly?" Steve asks, "That that surge of energy was Vecna attack Patrick," Nancy gives Eddie back his watch. "Well we're one step closer, we know how Vecna attacks." says Robin, "And where he attacks from" Lucas added, "so now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart," Max said.
"If he even has a heart," Robin says, "A stake? Is he like a vamp? Is he a vampire?" Steve asks, "It was a metaphor," Max huffed. "A bullet should work on him, right?" asks Eddie, "I say we chop his head off," Lucas added. "Yeah I say all of the above, but we can't do any of that until we find a way in the Upside Down," Nancy concluded. "We need El to get her powers back," Max nodded, "Everything was way easier, we had this, she had superpowers." Steve exhaled, "superpowers, yeah you mentioned her," Eddie said, "hey uh, Henderson's not uh cursed, is he?" he asks.
Dustin was behind them walking from side to side, looking at his compass. "Cursed? No, no, he's fine, mental? Absolutely." Steve nodded, "BOOM!" Dustin yells, everyone turns to him and jumps, "Dustin what the fuck?" Sylvie clicked her tongue. "BADA... BADA.. BOOM." He looks at Steve, "I was right, Skull Rock was north." Dustin smirked, "seriously? You're serious?" Steve asks, Dustin nods and smiles. "This is Skull Rock, okay?" Steve snickered, Dustin continues to nod, "You're totally absolutely 100% wrong, right now." Steve argued.
"Yes, and no." Dustin smiled, "oh my god," Steve sighed, "This compass worked correctly when we left the Wheelers', it was correct when we go in the car on curly but it started the further east we went, now it's way off, when I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong. The compass was." Dustin explained, "so? You're using faulty equipment, you're still wrong," Steve argued more, "except it isn't faulty," Dustin continued, "Lucas, remember what can affect a compass?" He asks Lucas, "an electromagnetic filed," Lucas said, "yep." Dustin smiled.
"I'm sorry I must've skipped that class." Robin says, "in the presence of a stronger electromagnetic field, the needle will deflect towards that power. So either there's some super big magnet around here, or..." Dustin smiled even wider, "there's a gate." Lucas smiled too.
"But we're nowhere near the lab?" asks Nancy, "but what if, somehow, there's another gate?" Dustin theorizes, "a gate that we don't know about, it'd have to be smaller, way less powerful." Dustin added, "snack-size gate," Robin says. "How? Why?" Steve asks, "no idea, all I know is that something is causing this disturbance and the last time we've seen anything like it, it was a gate, and I hope it is because then we'd have a way to Vecna and a shot at freeing Max from this curse." Dustin concluded as he walks away.
"Where are you going?" Steve asks, "hey hey hey hey hey!" Steve yells. "Eddie's still a wanted man, we can't just go hike in the woods," Steve says. "This little steel capsule might be the key to saving both Max and Eddie, what say you, Eddie the Banished?" All eyes turn to Eddie.
"I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if I'm totally straight with you, I think is a really bad idea. But uh, the Shire, the Shire is burning..." Eddie says, Dustin jumps in excitement, Eddie then stands up, "so Mordor, it is." Eddie agreed. They then headed to follow Dustin, "what is Mordor? Get your stuff, dude lets go," Steve says as Eddie grabs his drink and walkie.
As Sylvie was walking by, following Dustin, Eddie catched up to her. "Hey, so uh, heard you went to Pennhurst Asylum, the place seems very strict and harsh from what I've heard, are you uh okay? Did you get hurt by the guards or patients?" he asks, "oh? Uhm, no not really, we did have to run though after getting information from Victor, the director realized that we were actually students that have no correlation from being smart so they tried to put us in the office waiting for the police," she chuckled.
"Seems very rebellious of you, Sylvie." Eddie joked, Sylvie giggled "yeah, you haven't seen what I'm actually like when it comes to these stuff," she added. "Feisty, I see," Eddie smiled. "How about you? Have you been okay after, Chrissy y'know?" she asks, "uh not so great but at least I haven't lost someone special to me so," Eddie tilt nods, "oooh, who?" She asks, she had a feeling.
He looks at her, she looks at him too. They both share the same stare they had in the cafeteria. "It's... just someone I know. Someone my friends are very close to, she's just spectacular in general," Eddie chuckled. "Oh, ok... she seems very nice." She smiles, was it her? She hoped
"She is, very very beautiful too." He looks at her, Sylvie doesn't notice, "if I could only talk to her, but too bad I'm shy, besides - she might call me a freak since that is what I am." He adds, "hey, you aren't, just go up to her when it feels like the perfect moment and talk to her, tell her that you love her and want to spend time with her, cherish her too, y'know." She looks at him.
"I'll try!" Eddie chuckles. They look at eachother again as they walk, she had a tenderly loving look in her eyes whilst he had that loving yet confident look in his eyes.
"Glad to know you're safe, Silve." Eddie smiled, "glad to know you're too, Munson." She giggled. "I'm just glad you here, y'know. Not as in a weird way but like, I'm glad you're here because if I try to talk to Dustin it might seem like I'm just some weirdo with children as friends and I can't really chit-chat with Lucas since he's also busy with his girlfriend and I'm still mad at him at the championship and campaign so, yeah." Eddie said.
Sylvie chuckled softly, "glad to know you appreciate my company," she says. He smiles at what she had said. It was very quite nerve-wrecking to talk to one another, not knowing that they both secretly have this spark. He wanted to spill his guts and tell her but he's afraid she might get mad at him and reject him.
Sylvie and Eddie haven't talked to each other much ever since school so he tries to communicate with her to know more of her recently. "So uh, you live with your dad now?" He asks, "no actually, he is still busy with whatever shit he has, so I live with my aunt but she's a workaholic and she loves being on her work more than me," she chuckled.
"Well, I still live with my uncle, my dads still a criminal and my mom, well I still wouldn't wanna talk about her." He emphasizes his 'still's. "Just, don't tell anyone, I know how much of a gossiper you are."
"Don't worry, I won't." She chuckled softly. Eddie loves it when he hears her giggle or chuckle, it seemed like Heaven's approval. Her smile meant so much to him, it made him happy knowing that such a freak like him could make a popular girl like Sylvie to smile.
"God those two, they're so inlove they don't even know it!" Robin squeals, "wait so Eddie and Sylvie like eachother???" Steve asks, "no shit sherlock," Robin rolls her eyes, "shocking that they don't see the chemistry," Nancy chuckles, "its because they're hiding their love from one another! Oh my god people!" Robin huffs.
"What are they talking about?" Eddie asks, "hm?" Sylvie turns around to see Robin ranting about something, Steve looking tired, and Nancy smiling and nodding. "Don't know, maybe Robin's doing another rant that she always does," she giggles. "Yeah, maybe." Eddie nods.
"Aww, is older brother Steve jealous that Sylvie is gonna have another male-figure in her life?" Robin chuckles, "no, its just I'm worried for her, if she get another heartbreak I swear you two are dealing this, not me." Steve huffs. "You're such an older brother to her! So protective!" Robin jokes, "Robin, haha." Steve looks at her.
After hours and hours of finding, they finally arrive. Dustin was running to the location, following his compass. "Something's happening," he utters as he runs more, Eddie catches up "Dustin? Can you slow down? Dustin" Eddie follows as the others do so too. "I think we're getting close Dustin looks at them, and as before he takes another step, "watch your step big guy," Eddie grabs him by the hoodie.
"Oh man, you gotta be shitting me," Steve panted, "yeah, I thought these woods were familiar," Eddie said, "Lover's lake," Robin huffed. "This is confounding," Dustin commented, "there's a gate in Lover's lake?" Max questioned. "Apparently," Sylvie huffed, "whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way." Nancy supposed. "Yeah, only one way to find out." Steve looked at her.
The gang walked back to where Eddie left the boat, Eddie pulled out the tarp and revealed the boat. "Easy, I- I said easy man." "Sorry, dude." Eddie and Steve laid the boat down on the water. "Here you go," Steve extended his hand, "yeah, I'm just gonna do that. Thank you," Robin placed her hands on their heads and went in the boat, "okay," Sylvie huffed, "Yeah that works too - ow Sylvie not the hair!" Steve grunted as Sylvie gripped onto it, she was then in the boat, "sorry," she giggled.
Eddie then went in, same with Nancy, "good you got her," Steve huffed, "Wheeler," Eddie gently took her hand, "thanks," Nancy sat. "Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us" Eddie pushed Dustin back as he was about to go in the boat, "this thing holds four people tops, okay?" Eddie said, "It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max, keep an eye out for trouble." Nancy added.
"You keep an eye out!" Dustin argued, Nancy then gave Dustin a confused look, "it's my goddamn theory," Dustin added, "you heard Nance," Robin spoke, "who put her in charge?" Dustin asked, "I did." Robin smiled. "Compass," Nancy extended her arm, Dustin pouted and gave Nancy his compass, "hey there you go," Steve gave him his bag. As Steve pushed the boat, he got in as well, "you said four!" Dustin got mad again. "Sorry," Steve whispered.
"Bedtime at nine, kiddos!" Robin yelled from a far, Dustin flipped them off. "Miss you already!" Robin added as she stood up, "haha Robin now get down before this boat flips," Sylvie chuckled.
Minutes later, they were almost at the middle of the lake. "whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, slow down guys." Nancy said, Eddie and Robin then stopped rowing. The compass' needle was flipping out again. "Whoa," Steve muttered. "Guys whats going on?" Dustin spoke on the walkie, "come on talk to me, what going on?" Dustin spoke again.
"Uh, Dustin your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'aah!'" Robin answered. Steve, out of a sudden, starts to undress. "Steve what are you doing?" Nancy asks, "somebody's gotta go down and check this thing out," Steve uttered. "Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then it's gotta be me, no complaints, alright?" he asked.
"We were literally both in the swimming team," Sylvie huffed, "yeah, I'm not risking you." Steve smiled sarcastically, Sylvie rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm not complaining, I do not wanna go down there," Eddie says as he grabs a plastic bag to put in the flashlight, Steve was standing and he was undressing, taking his shirt off and all. Nancy couldn't help but look, Robin had a secret smirk up her cheeks.
"Hey, good luck." Eddie says to Steve, "thanks," Steve replied. Steve gave Eddie his shirt as Eddie was about to smoke a cigarette, Eddie opened his lighter to smoke but then Robin took the cigarette from his mouth, "gross," Robin says. "We don't encourage smoking in this boat trip," Sylvie smiled.
"Steve?" Nancy looks at him, "be careful," she says, Steve nods and jumps right in. And another minute of silence had begun, everyone had a worried look, especially Nancy. "After all of this, like after we get to clear Eddie and Max, can we go to that new diner across the school, I heard that theres like a huge ton of pancakes there," Sylvie said, "yeah, but not the time to talk about it," Nancy sighed, "just trying to break the silence," Sylvie muttered.
"Where we at, Wheeler?" Robin asks, "closing in on a minute," Nancy checked, "ok," Robin nods. Minutes later, it was still quiet, but then out of nowhere, Steve emerges from the water, "oh Christ!" Eddie exclaims, "I found it," Steve panted, "you found it?" Nancy repeated, "I found it, yeah I found it." Steve holds on to the edge of the boat, "Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein," Robin smiled saying in the walkie, "Steve found the gate." she added.
"It's pretty wild, it's more a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but still it's pretty damn big." Steve huffed, Steve then gets pulled down for a second, he looks down but notices nothing until he gets pulled again, "Steve!" Everyone yelled. "What the hell was that man?!" Eddie exclaimed, "Nancy, really what happened!?" Robin exclaimed too.
"Wait, wait, wait. You're not going in there, are you?" Eddie grabs Nancy's arm as she was about to dive in, "just wait here," Nancy says as she then jumps down, "No Nancy!" Robin exclaims. "Sylvie don't you dare!" Robin looks at her, "sorry folks, but I'm not risking their lives for a discovery." Sylvie jumps in without hesitation, "SYLVIE! NO!" she heard their screaming-mumbles in the water, she follows Nancy as they both discover the gate, they then went in.