Hearing a sharp gasp wake her up, squinting her eyes she looked over to Max before saying, "another nightmare?"
Following tiredly following Max to the kitchen she was as the girl took two aspirins out of the bottle before turning on the water and taking the pills. Gabby didn't know that Max's headaches were getting worse.
Hearing a police siren Gabby turned to Max, "Do you hear that."
Pulling Max to the front door and the two stand on the porch three police cars and a regular car rush into the trailer park. The two looked at each other confused as the cars stop in front of Eddie's trailer.
"Looks like that Munson boy's up to no good again." Susan while standing next to the two teens.
Seeing all the police officers get out of the car Gabby was confused to not see her father get out of one of the cars.
Walking down the steps the two watched slowly getting closer see the body of Chrissy on the floor just as an officer grabbed the two.
"Hey!" He yelled causing both girls to gasp.
"You can't be out here. Get back inside. Back inside. And Caps kid you get inside too." The two took one last glance at the trailer and hand in hand they rushed back toward Max's trailer.
"We need to get to Dustin's house like right now," Gabby says as the two sat in Max's room.
"Get dressed and let's go," Max says before the two quickly get dressed.
"Can I use your phone really quick?" Gabby asked causing Max to look at her confused.
Pointing to the phone, "Yeah it's over there."
"Picking up the phone she first called her house only getting the voicemail, handing up she called the Byers.
"Hello?" A voice ranged out.
"Hey, Johnny can you put Will on the phone?" Gabby asked.
"Yeah hold on." A moment went by before she heard her friend's voice.
"Happy birthday!" Gabby says happily.
"You remembered?" He asked shocked.
"Of course, I remembered March 22nd hey look I just wanted to call you to say happy birthday and your gift should be delivered today," Gabby tells him.
"Thank you, Gabby I love you."
"I love you too Will happy birthday again." She says with a smile before hanging up the phone.
"Okay let's go to Dustin's," Gabby says to Max. The two sneak to their bikes and they puddle away from the crime scene.
Ringing the doorbell and panting Dustin opens the door surprised at the two girls at his doorstep.
"We need to talk," Gabby says while Dustin let the two in and leads them toward his bedroom.
Pacing back and forth after hearing what his friends had to say, "Chrissy Cunningham? You're sure it was Chrissy?"
"Yes, in her cheerleader outfit that I know very well," Gabby says.
"Same thing she was in when I saw her with Eddie," Max told him.
"Did you two tell all this to the cops?" Dustin asked.
"No. No, but we... we can't be the only ones who saw them together. They stood out."
Continuing to pace he asked, "Eddie the freak with Chrissy the cheerleader?"
"Exactly. You know, his name's not in the news yet or anything, but I guarantee you Eddie is suspect one now." Max says causing Dustin to stop pacing.
"That's crazy. Eddie didn't do this and Gabby you know that. No way. No way."
"We can't rule it out," Max says.
"Yes, we can."
"Dustin!"
"You don't know him like we do, Max. Okay? When we got to high school, Lucas made all his sports friends. Mike and me? I mean, no one was nice to us. No one except Eddie and Gabby who stayed who even become a cheerleader stayed." Dustin tells her.
"Okay. Well, they said the same shit about Ted Bundy." Max starts causing both Dustin and Gabby to look at her crazy before she continued.
"Yeah, he's a super nice guy, but then he's murdering women on the weekend."
"So you're saying Eddie is like Ted Bundy?" Gabby asked chuckling.
"No, I'm not saying... I'm saying that we can't presume anything, okay? But it doesn't look good for Eddie." Max says nervously.
Sitting on the bed next to Gabby Dustin sighs before asking the two, "Why haven't you two told the cops this?"
"I... I don't know." They both said.
"You don't know?" Dustin asked while Max sits down on the bed next to Gabby.
"After we saw Eddie and Chrissy go in the trailer...something else happened." Gabby starts before reciting what happened to Dustin.
"Nothing that weird or anything. I mean... Eddie always drives like a maniac, and the power goes off at my place all the time. It's a piece of shit. But... This morning, I started to think back, and... I don't know." Max starts.
"The look on his face. He was scared, Dustin. Really scared." Gabby adds sadly.
"Maybe he was scared because, you know, he... he just killed someone, or... Maybe, um... Maybe be... because... I don't... I don't know, maybe..."
"Something else killed her," Dustin says causing the two to look at him knowing what he meant.
"But that's impossible. Right?" Max asked.
"I don't know. It should be. Only one person knows what actually happened."
"Eddie," Gabby tells them. The three quickly leave Dustin's room.
"Have you guys talked to anyone else?" Dustin asked as they headed toward the living room.
"No. I can't find Lucas or Nancy, my dad wasn't even at the crime scene and Mike's in..." Gabby starts.
"California. shit, shit, shit."
"Where you going?" Claudia asked.
"To see a friend," Dustin says as he opens the door max and Gabby head outside.
"You heard the news. It's not safe."
"We'll be careful. Thanks. Love you. Bye." He says before closing the door. The three-headed to their bikes and rushed to Steve and Robin's job.
Max, Dustin, and Gabby burst into 'Family Video'
"Hey, Steve. Dustin breathed out.
"You guys see this?" Steve asked looking at the tv with the news channel on, Gabby ignored his question. "How many phones do you have?"
"Someone was murdered," Steve stated, Dustin rolled his eyes. "How many phones do you have?" he asked.
"Two. Why?" Steve questioned, he looked at Robin who spoke up. "Technically three, if you count Keith's in the back."
"Yeah, three works." nodded Max, Dustin took his bag off and shoved it over the counter, knocking over the pile and his tapes as Dustin climbed over himself and sat at the computer.
"What are you doing, man?" Steve protested, Dustin sighed and began to explain that he was looking at their system.
"Setting up base of operations here," Dustin says.
"Base of operations?" Robin asked just as Max and Gabby walked around the counter and stood by Dustin who was looking up Eddie's friend's phone numbers.
"Get off."
"No, I need it."
"Need it for what?" Steve asked annoyed.
"Eddie's friend's phone numbers."
"Oh, Eddie." Steve sighed. "Your new best friend you think is cooler because he plays your nerdy game?"
"Yes," Dustin replied. "I never said that."
"Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around, but it's a Saturday," said Robin, attempting to clean up the mess Dustin had made. "It's our busiest day."
"Alright look, Robin," spoke Dustin, not taking his eyes off the computer screen. "I totally empathize, but this cannot wait until Monday."
"Oh, my god." Steve stepped back with his head in his hands.
"Calling Eddie's friends is an emergency?" Robin asked, Dustin, threw his hands up.
"Correct!" Dustin looked at Max and Gabby. "Can you fill them in while I do this?"
"Fill us in on what?" Robin asked, Gabby sighed and turned to Robin and Steve. "The police believe that Eddie might have killed Chrissy Cunningham."
"Wait, what?"
Max, Dustin, and Gabby were using up the three phones in Family Video trying to find Eddie's whereabouts. Gabby was on the phone with someone who had to be related to Eddie due to having the same surname as him.
"Yeah, yeah, I was just wondering if you'd seen Eddie or when was the last time you talked to him?" Gabby asked.
"Listen, kid, I can't remember and I don't care." the rude man said before he hung up on Gabby and she crossed the name out on the board.
Just as Gabby was about to dial another number, Max spoke up. "Hey guys, I might have a lead," she announced, Robin, Gabby, and Dustin turned to her.
"Seriously?" asked Dustin, Max nodded.
"Yeah. Apparently, Eddie gets drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there."
"That sounds promising," said Robin. "Where does this Reefer Rick guy live?"
"See, that's the thing. No one knows." Max replied.
"He's more of a... a legend than someone that people actually know."
"Well, that's helpful." Gabby sighed. "You know his last name?"
"I don't know that either." Max shrugged, Steve then cut into the conversation, "Bet the cops know the last name."
"What?" asked Max, Steve had his back to the group, "Cops."
"He's not wrong," Gabby said agreeing with Steve.
"I mean, listen, if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. Means he's in the system."
"The cops? Really, Steve? That's your suggestion?" Dustin asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Even if we did my dad wasn't at work or home," Gabby said.
"I mean, I just think they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on." Steve shrugged, and Dustin scoffed.
"You think Eddie's guilty, don't you?" he crossed his arms and came closer to Steve.
"Whoa." Steve gasped. "I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit. I just, you know, just don't think we can rule it out."
"That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve," Max told him, Dustin shrugged.
"And maybe we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time trying to find Eddie."
"Somebody has to attend to the customers." Steve defended himself, and Robin smirked. "Especially if they're babes, right?"
"Hey, not fair. Okay? I attend to all customers equally, babes and non-babes alike." Steve spoke just as a guy came in.
"We've got a very big selection in here. It can be super overwhelming for people."
Robin looked like she'd realized something at that very moment. "Yeah, it can be." she moved over to the computer and sat down.
"What are you doing?" Gabby asked Robin who didn't take her eyes off the computer.
"Maybe we don't need a last name." She began to type something on the computer and then a bunch of people with the name 'Rick' came up on the screen.
"Twelve Ricks already have accounts here."
"That's a lot of Rick's," spoke Max, Robin nodded.
"So, let's narrow it down." Robin clicked on the first Rick on the list. "Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo."
Robin spoke. "What are the chances our drug dealer has a family?"
"Not likely," Gabby replied, and both Max and Dustin shook their heads.
"All right. Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone." Robin chuckled lightly and the group shook their heads. "No."
"Okay. Rick Joiner, Mask, Footloose, and Grease."
The group shook their heads once again. "No."
"Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash." the group laughed.
"Definitely, no."
"Okay. Rick Lipton. Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Cheech & Chong's next movie. Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams. Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke.
Dustin chuckled. "Bingo."
"Lipton?" Max asked, Robin, smirked. "Spelled like the tea. 2121 Holland Road."
"That's out by Lovers Lake, middle of nowhere," Gabby said.
Robin nodded. "It's a perfect place to hide."
Minutes later the group of five were rushing out of the store, Robin locking it up behind them. They all got into Steve's car and then began to make their way to Reefer Rick's.
It was dark out when the group arrived at Reefer Rick's house, they all had their flashlights out while Dustin rang the doorbell, when he got no answer he began to ring it rapidly and then began to knock.
"Okay. Well, that's settled. I guess he's not here. Steve sighed, and Dustin ignored him. "Eddie! It's Dustin!"
"Great," Steve muttered, Robin flashed her light through the window and so did Max and Gabby whilst Dustin continued to yell for Eddie and Reefer Rick whilst knocking on the door.
"Rick! Reefer Rick!" Dustin yelled.
"Don't scream that." Steve scolded.
"He's not there."
Gabby grabbed Max's arm and the two of them went over to the side of the house together, they noticed another building by the main house.
"Hey, guys?" Max called and the three other members of the group came over to the pair of them. Not even a minute later, they found themselves looking into what they now saw was a boathouse, they made their way to the door as Robin hesitantly opened the door shining her light in.
"Hello?" she questioned. "Anyone home?" Gabby followed in after Robin, then Max, followed by Dustin and Steve.
"What a dump."
With the wooden paddle, he raised it and began to smack the tarp on the boat. "What are you doing?" asked Dustin. "What are you doing?"
"He might be in here," Steve responded, smacking the tarp again, Dustin glared at him. "So take the tarp off."
"If you're so brave, you take the tarp off." Steve scoffed, Gabby took her attention away from the arguing two and turned it to look around the boat house, she noticed a table with a bunch of food and alcohol.
"Hey, look over here," Gabby said softly, she was joined by Max and Robin. "Someone was here." She told them.
"Maybe he got spooked, heard us, and ran." Robin joked causing Dustin to sigh. "Don't worry. Steve will get him with his oar."
"I know you think you're being funny, but considering the fact, everyone in this room has nearly died about a hundred times, personally, I don't find it funny in the slight-" before Steve could finish his rant somebody grabbed him from behind, grabbing him and shoving him into a wall.
Once he stopped moving, Gabby noticed the long dark hair which she knew belonged to Eddie Munson, he had something sharp against Steve's neck she was about to use her powers but Max signaled her not to.
"Eddie! Eddie! Stop!" yelled Dustin. "Eddie! Eddie!"
"It's me! It's Dustin and Gabby. This is Steve. He's not going to hurt you, right, Steve?" Dustin asked Steve.
"Right. yeah." Steve nodded.
"Steve, why don't you drop the oar?" Gabby asked, Steve did so and Eddie tightened his grip on Steve.
"He's cool. He's cool." Dustin reassured Eddie. "I'm cool, man. I'm cool."
"What are you doing here?" Eddie asked you could hear that he sounded scared.
"We're looking for you," Dustin replied softly.
"We're here to help," Robin added.
"Eddie, these are our friends," Gabby told him.
"You know Robin, from band." Robin began to pretend to play the trumpet.
"This is our friend Max. The one who never wants to play D&D." Max sent a grin and a small wave.
"We're on your side. I swear on my mother. Right, guys?"
"Yes. Yes. We swear. On Dustin's mother."
"Yeah, on Miss. Claudia." Gabby agreed while nodding her head.
"Yeah, Dustin's... Dustin's mother." finally Eddie let go of Steve who grunted as he was released from Eddie's grasp causing them to breathe out a sigh of relief.
Eddie steadied himself, he looked traumatized and he sat down.
"Eddie..." began Dustin. "We just want to talk." Dustin held out his hand, but Eddie flinched.
"We want to know what happened," Robin spoke,
Eddie sniffled. "You won't believe me."
"Try us," Gabby spoke, Max nodded, and Eddie looked down to the ground and began to tell the group.
The group just listened in. "And her body, uh, just lifted up into the air and, uh... And she just, like, hung there. In the air. And her bones... Uh, she..." Eddie whimpered at the thought. "Her bones started to snap. "Her eyes, man. It... It was like there was something like, inside her head, pulling. I... I didn't know what to do, so I... I ran away. I left her there." Eddie scoffed. "You all think I'm crazy, right?"
"No. We don't think you're crazy-" Dustin began, Eddie cut him off. "Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds."
"We're not bullshitting you," Max spoke, Robin nodded. "We believe you." Eddie exhaled and shook his head.
"Look..." Dustin looked to the group behind him, mainly Gabby who nodded in approval to tell him about her.
"What I'm about to tell you might be a little... difficult to take." Eddie nodded. "Okay."
"You know how people say Hawkins is... cursed?" Dustin questioned. "They're not way off. There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours."
"Like ghosts and shit?" Eddie asked, Gabby chuckled.
"There are some things worse than ghosts," Gabby said.
"These monsters from this other world... we thought they were gone. But they've come back before. That's why we needed to find you."
"If they're back again, we need to know," Max spoke, and Robin nodded.
"That night, did you see anything? Dark particles, maybe?" Gabby asked nervously, Eddie shook his head.
"It would almost look like dust, swirling dust." Dustin described, and Eddie shook his head.
"No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh... or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn't move. Like I said.. like she was in a trance or something." As Gabby listened to them speak all she felt was a throbbing headache and fear like back at school.
"Or under a spell." nodded Dustin.
"A curse," said Eddie.
"Vecna's curse," Gabby added.
"Who's Vecna?" Steve asked.
"An undead creature of great power," Dustin replied
"A spell caster," added Eddie.
"A dark wizard." Gabby continued.