021 clock in the wall
Eden, Robin, and Nancy all ran into the Hawkins High School as quickly as they could. Dustin had radioed again saying something strange happened with Max and all Eden knew was she was not going to let that girl go through anything she didn't need to. Max deserved some peace and Eden wanted that for her.
So, when they finally found the red head, Dustin, Steve, and Beck were already with her. "Max!" Eden called, trying her best to slow to a stop as she pulled the girl into her. Max, though a bit shocked, hugged back. She'd never had a sister, but Eden somehow made her feel like she did.
"What happened?" Nancy questioned, as Robin and herself slowed their pace as well. The three found themselves in Ms. Kelly's office where the other four had been going through her papers. It was weird for Eden to be back in here already, off.
"I— I don't know." Max spoke, shaking her head. "There was this grandfather clock but then suddenly I was back in here." Max continued. "Where was the clock?" Robin questioned, not knowing what else to say. "Can you show us?"
Max nodded, slowly leading the group into the hallway. But Eden held back for a moment, eye catching the small paper with Ms. Kelly's handwriting on it. She picked it up and read over the words that popped out to her the most. Headaches. Nosebleeds. Nightmares.
And then she noticed that she was looking at a note Ms. Kelly had written for Chrissy. And next to it, one for Fred with the exact same symptoms. "What the hell." Eden whispered to herself, racking her brain for any reason that could make this all make sense.
Those symptoms, those issues, were the exact same ones Eden had been dealing with. They were the exact descriptions she'd given to Ms. Kelly herself during all of her recent meetings. She didn't understand how that was possible.
"Eden?" Eden turned around at the voice, seeing Steve waiting outside the room looking towards her concerned. "You okay?" Eden nodded slowly, placing the papers down again and going to move past him. But Steve grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Can we please talk?"
Eden sighed. "Not— right now. Max needs us and I don't want to keep them waiting any longer." The blonde girl moved out of his grasp, ignoring the tingling feeling in her fingers at the sudden lack of touch as she hurried back towards where the rest of the group was at the end of the hall waiting for the two. Steve sighed, following after her as she turned down a dead end with everyone else.
Max pointed her flashlight at the wall as she began to freak herself out. "It was here. Right here." Nancy scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion. "A grandfather clock?" Max nodded quickly. "It was so real. and then, when I got closer, suddenly I just... I woke up."
"It was like she was in a trance or something. Exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy." Dustin spoke. Max turned around after a moment, looking around at the group. "That's not even the bad part."
Eden grew more concerned as she looked at Max, worried for the girl. Well, until her attention was taken back behind Max. And that's when the ringing started.
Ring... ring... ring...
She slowly began moving forward, walking toward the wall cautiously. She shined a light towards it and that was all the confirmation she needed, she was seeing the same fucking clock Max had just seen. "Guys?" Eden questioned, voice wavering.
She turned back around just to get even more scared when none of the group was behind her anymore. "Guys? Guys! S-Steve? Steve! Anybody?" Eden screamed, moving in circles almost just to hopefully see someone.
"Steve?" She questioned again, once again trying to call out to the boy. She got no response. "Steve! Max? Robin!" Eden turned back to the clock in worry as it stayed there, continuing to ring.
"Eden..." A low voice called, echoing throughout the school. Eden felt as her whole body shook, turning around again just to almost fall to the ground at what she saw.
Now standing in front of her was none other than Heather Holloway, same outfit as the last night she saw her best friend. But from head to toe she was covered in sweat. Her clothes were dirty and bloody and her hair was slick. There were purple bags under her eyes that had never been there before and she was all around not the Heather Eden had always known.
Eden subconsciously moved her wrists towards her chest, stepping back as she tried to create space between her and Heather.
Eden felt as her whole body shook, unable to stop. She didn't know what was going on and could barely tell where she was. It was— it was Heather, but it wasn't. Not really.
Or was it... she couldn't tell. It all felt so fucking real but there was no way it was possible. Eden felt as her wrists began to burn as if they were tied down and she was struggling to break free.
"This isn't real." Eden muttered, shutting her eyes as tight as she could. Maybe she was just going crazy. Maybe she'd fainted and just had a crazy dream based on what Max had just been talking about. The only problem with that theory was how she was still standing up.
But Eden couldn't hear anything for a moment, no sound played besides her own thoughts which raced as if they had something to run for. Eden was completely and utterly terrified.
Now Steve, Steve was freaking the fuck out. He stood before Eden shaking her but to no avail. She wasn't responding and he didn't know what to do. "Eden? Eden! Come on wake up!"
The group had moved to go back to Ms. Kelly's room when Steve once again noticed Eden not following, but this time, she didn't acknowledge anyone when they called out to her.
He scanned her face for any sign to show him she could tell he was there, anything. But she just stood completely still with her eyes shut. "Eden, come on... wake up please." Steve begged quietly.
"What's happening to her?" Robin worried, standing off to the side of Steve in horror at the sight of her best friend. "I—It looks just like what was happening with Max. But why? It doesn't make any sense." Dustin freaked, worriedly watching his friend try everything he could to get the blonde girl back in her own body.
Max looked towards Robin, hoping one of them had an answer. "Was Eden seeing Ms. Kelly? Did you ever see her go in there or did she ever complain about headaches, nosebleeds, or nightmares?" Robin shrugged. "I don't— I don't know! Maybe! I mean I think she was seeing Ms. Kelly because of Heather, but, I don't know about the other stuff. We never... we never talked about it!"
And then Max's eyes widened. "The other night— outside of Liptons house Edens nose just started bleeding out of nowhere. I gave her something to help stop it but she acted like it wasn't a huge deal— like it had been happening a lot." Beck shook her head. "What does bloody noses have to do with her just standing there like a rag doll?"
"This doesn't matter right now! How do we get her back?" Steve freaked, hands cupping the blondes face. He seriously did not care at that moment for the why of what was happening, he just wanted to know how to help her. "I've already lost you once, please don't leave me again." Steve whispered to the girl so only she could hear it.
Eden suddenly gasped as she opened her eyes, now staring directly at Steve as he looked at her worriedly. She scanned his face and Steve only grew more worried when Eden didn't show a single sign of recognition towards him. It was like she wasn't even looking at him. She looked around freaked out just hoping to no longer see Heather in that way again.
Her hands began to shake as she continued to not really know where she was. She was disoriented and panicking. Steve moved his hands from her face down to her hands, cupping them in his as he worked to help her stop shaking as much.
"Don't crowd her." Nancy spoke, watching as Dustin was about to move forward to stand next to Steve. "Just— just let him handle it." She finished. "Hey, hey, hey. Look at me, okay? You're safe, you're okay. I've got you." Steve spoke lowly, smiling when Edens eyes connected with his for the first time in months, truly connected.
And she recognized who was standing before her.
But Eden just felt herself looking past him. It was horrifying, as if her vision was going past his eyes and all she could think about was Heather. She knew Steve was there. She— she knew it. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything or even really show him she was back.
"Eden I know you're in there, okay? I see you. I just need you to see me." Steve affirmed, moving one of his hands back to her face. Eden closed her eyes at the touch, leaning into it without thought. She took a few deep breaths in, feeling as the hurricane in her mind began to subside.
And just as Eden looked at Steve again, it all rushed onto her and she fully snapped back to where she was, calming down. "Oh— oh my god." Eden choked out no louder than a whisper, hands moving up to her mouth as she began to actually process what had just happened. It felt like a dream, or, nightmare. Like she was suddenly sleeping and couldn't wake up.
Her wrists continued to burn as if the skin was being tugged against all over again and she didn't know where that damn clock went when she looked back at the wall. "You saw it too, didn't you? You saw the clock." Max concluded. She knew the answer, they all did, she just wanted to hear it from Eden herself as well.
Eden nodded slowly. "I don't understand why." Max frowned. "I think I'm starting to figure it out." Nancy looked at Max, ushering for her to lead the way. "Let's head back into Ms. Kelly's room where you can tell us your thoughts and both of you can sit down."
Eden nodded, following Dustin, Max, Beck, and Nancy. "You okay?" Robin questioned. Eden nodded, lip quivering slightly as she looked back ag Robin. Robin immediately pulled Eden into a hug before she could say anything. Eden hugged back tight, taking in a deep breath. "Yeah. Just a bit freaked out but... I'm okay."
Steve moved past the two, figuring they needed a second. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he thought Eden wouldn't want him hanging around her for too long.
Eden watched slightly as he walked ahead of them, only looking away when Robin pulled away. She watched him leave for a moment as well, looking back to Eden. "You know, he was flipping out when you were just standing there. Was the first one to your side and everything."
Eden bit her lip, tracing her wrists a bit. "Really?" Robin nodded. "Yeah. He was really worried. I mean— we all were, but, I've never seen him that anxious before." Eden didn't know what to say to that. So, she didn't respond. Robin soon took Edens hand in her own, beginning to walk, wanting to catch up with the group.
Eden took Robins words in. He was really worried. She couldn't help the butterfly's that erupted in her stomach at the idea of Steve still caring about her, even if the last thing she wanted was to get brought back into him. She had to stay strong and stay away, even if he was making that basically impossible.
Even if it was killing her more to keep distance than it would for her to just talk to him again. But, this was definitely feeling like a start to a path Eden didn't know she wanted. Everything in her mind was getting mixed up and Eden didn't know what was worse... the possibility of getting her heart broken again or never getting the chance to find out.
All she really knew in the moment was that she never wanted to see that clock again.
AUTHORS NOTE!
big moment for the fic and one I've had planned for a while. sorry it's taken so long for an update to happen... I've been super busy with cheer ending, the school musical, college, and turning 18 on the 16th! :D
I am getting back into this fic again (as I am with a lot of them) and want to update more. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me during all of my breaks and thanks to anyone who is reading this now, old or new!