°🌟29🌟°

🌟CHAPTER 29🌟~°VECNA'S CURSE°~

*🌟Third Person's POV🌟*

"...many of the residents we spoke to voiced similar concerns to us. Grief, shock, disbelief, anger. Everyone wants to know the same thing: how can so many tragedies befall a once-peaceful town? All eyes are now on the police for answers. Is the new chief of police, Powell, in over his head? Or is he the very saviour this town needs? We'll be here the rest of the day right here on channel nine, where we'll keep you posted on all the latest developments. In the meantime, we recommend you keep your doors and windows locked tight. This is Beverly Moss, signing off for..."

The television clicked off, leaving a heavy silence in the Henderson living room.

"My heart can't take it anymore. It just can't," Mrs. Henderson whispered, her voice trembling as she wrung her hands.

Hailey placed a comforting hand on her mom's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. The woman managed a weak, grateful smile for her daughter just as the doorbell rang, sharp and insistent in the tense quiet.

Hailey got up, with Dustin close on her heels. When she opened the door, she found Max standing on the porch, looking as pale as a ghost, her eyes wide with a fear that was all too familiar.

"Chrissy Cunningham?" Hailey asked, her voice low after Max finished recounting what she'd seen the night before and the swarm of cop cars at the trailer park that morning.

"You're sure it was Chrissy?" Dustin questioned, pacing a frantic line across his bedroom rug.

"Yes, in her cheerleader outfit. Same thing she was wearing when I saw her with Eddie," Max stated, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

"Did you tell all this to the cops?" Dustin asked, stopping his pacing to look at her.

"No. But I... I can't be the only one who saw them together. They stood out." Max explained, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Eddie the Freak with Chrissy the cheerleader?" Dustin asked, the image refusing to compute.

"Exactly. You know, his name's not in the news yet or anything, but I guarantee you Eddie is suspect number one now," Max pointed out.

Dustin turned to look at her, his face a mask of disbelief. "That's crazy. Eddie didn't do this. No way. No way." He sank onto his bed, running his hands through his hair as he tried to wrap his mind around the impossible.

"We can't rule it out," Max insisted.

"Yes, we can!"

"Dustin!"

"You don't know him like I do, Max, okay?" Dustin's voice cracked with a rare intensity. "When we got to high school, Lucas made all his sports friends. Mike and me? No one was nice to us. No one except Eddie." The raw admission hung in the air. Hailey felt a pang of sadness; she'd known high school was hard for him, but hearing the depth of his isolation, and that it was Eddie who'd bridged that gap, struck a chord.

"Okay. Well, they said the same shit about Ted Bundy. Yeah, he's a super nice guy, but then he's murdering women on the weekend," Max countered, her tone pragmatic.

"So, you're saying Eddie is like Ted Bundy?" Dustin asked, horrified.

"No, I'm not saying that... I'm saying that we can't presume anything, okay? But it doesn't look good for Eddie," Max said, her frustration mounting.

"Wait," Hailey interjected, her analytical mind cutting through the emotional back-and-forth. She fixed Max with a raised eyebrow. "Why haven't you told the cops this?"

"I... I don't know," Max said, finally sinking onto the bed next to Dustin, her defiant posture crumbling.

"You don't know?" Dustin asked, confused.

"After I saw Eddie and Chrissy go in the trailer... something else happened." Max's gaze became distant, haunted. "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. The look on his face. He was scared, Dustin. Hailey. Really scared." She looked between them, her blue eyes pleading for them to understand. "Maybe he was scared because, you know, he... he just killed someone, or... Maybe, um... maybe because... I don't... I don't know, maybe..."

The words died in her throat, but the implication was clear as day.

"There's something else that killed her," Hailey stated, her voice quiet but certain, giving voice to the unspeakable fear they all shared.

Max looked at her, a flicker of relief in her eyes that someone else had said it. "But that's impossible. Right?"

"I don't know," Dustin said, his voice heavy with dread. "It should be."

"And Eddie is the only person who would actually know what happened," Hailey concluded.

The three looked at each other, a silent, grim understanding passing between them. The decision was made without a single word being spoken.

"Have you talked to anyone else?" Dustin asked, already shoving a flashlight and a walkie-talkie into his backpack.

"No. I can't find Lucas or Nancy, and Mike's in..." Max started as they hurried down the hall toward the front door.

"California," Dustin finished for her, a fresh wave of anxiety on his face. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Where are you guys going?" Mrs. Henderson asked, emerging from the living room, her face etched with worry.

"To see a friend," Dustin told her, not quite meeting her eyes.

"You heard the news. It's not safe," she insisted, her voice firm.

"We'll be careful. Thanks. Love you. Bye." Hailey said, pressing a quick kiss to her mom's cheek before ushering the others out and closing the door firmly behind them, stepping into the ominous Hawkins afternoon.

*~*🌟*~*

"Hey, babe," Hailey said, stepping cheerfully into the video shop with Dustin and Max right behind her. Her cheerful tone felt forced, a thin veil over the anxiety thrumming beneath her skin.

"You see this?" Steve asked, not looking away from the news broadcast on the store's TV, his thumb jabbing toward the screen.

Hailey's smile faded as she nodded. "We saw."

"How many phones do you have?" Dustin asked, getting straight to the point.

"Someone was murdered," Steve pointed out, finally turning to face them, his expression grim.

"How many phones do you have?" Hailey repeated, her voice firmer this time, backing her brother's play.

"Two. Why?" Steve asked, his gaze flicking between the three of them, curiosity warring with annoyance.

"Technically three, if you count Keith's," Robin chimed in from behind the counter.

"Yeah, three works," Max said.

Dustin swung his backpack off his shoulder and tossed it over the counter. "Whoa, what are you doing? What are you-" Steve started, but it was too late. Dustin vaulted over the counter, knocking a meticulously organized pile of tapes to the floor.

"My pile! No, no, no! My tapes! Dude." Steve's cry was one of genuine despair. He'd worked hard to make those piles perfect.

Hailey and Max exchanged a look before calmly walking around the counter to join Dustin by the computer, ignoring Steve's distress.

"What are you doing, man?" Steve demanded, gesturing at the mess.

"Setting up base of operations here," Dustin stated, powering on the computer.

"Base of operations?" Robin questioned; her voice laced with scepticism.

"Get off," Steve told the boy, his patience wearing thin.

"I need it."

"For what?"

"Eddie's friends' phone numbers," Dustin said, his fingers already poised over the keyboard.

Steve's eyes shot to Hailey, a silent, incredulous 'Is he for real?' written all over his face. She just gave a slight, helpless shrug.

"Your new best friend? The one you think is cooler because he plays your nerdy game?" Steve asked, his attention fully on Dustin now, a sharp edge to his voice.

"Yes. I never said that," Dustin retorted, not looking up from the screen.

"Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around, but it's Saturday. It's our busiest day," Robin said, her frustration clear.

"Guys, I promise you, this can't wait," Hailey stated, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Calling Eddie's friends is an emergency?" Steve asked her, his disbelief morphing into something closer to irritation.

"Correct!" Dustin said loudly.

"Want me to strangle them or you want to?" Steve asked Robin, turning his back on the three intruders.

"We could take turns," Robin stated flatly.

"Can you two fill them in while I do this?" Dustin asked the girls.

"Fill us in on what?" Steve asked, and just by the look in Hailey's eyes-that mix of dread and determination-he already knew he wasn't going to like it.

---

After Max relayed the grim details and Dustin gathered the numbers, they started calling everyone on the list. The air grew thick with tension, punctuated by the dial tone and hushed, urgent conversations.

Hailey, meanwhile, was shooting daggers at Steve with her eyes. He was turning on the Harrington charm full blast for every girl who walked in, laying it on thicker than necessary. She couldn't believe he was still this petty about the night before.

"All right, Doctor Zhivago. It's a double VHS. It's long, but that's because it's filled with action and romance, and a little bit of suspense," Steve said, all sweetly, handing the tape over to a customer.

"So, my boyfriend won't, like, totally puke when I bring it home?" the girl asked.

Hailey started snickering softly. Another transparent attempt to make her jealous had failed miserably.

"Uh, no. No. He's gonna... He's gonna love it," Steve said, his smile looking a little strained.

"See ya," the girl said, walking out.

The moment the door shut; his smile dropped. Max suddenly spoke up. "Hey, guys, I might have a lead."

"Seriously?" Hailey asked, her attention snapping away from Steve.

"Yeah. Apparently, Eddie gets drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there," Max told them.

"Sounds promising. Where does Reefer Rick live?" Robin asked.

"See, that's the thing. No one knows. He's more of a... a legend than someone that people actually know," Max admitted.

"Last name?" Dustin asked, phone pressed to his ear.

"I don't know that either."

"Bet the cops know the last name," Steve said, speaking up for the first time since being briefed. He leaned against the counter; arms crossed.

"What?" Hailey asked, staring at him in disbelief.

"Cops," he repeated. "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, hanging up the phone.

"I think they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on," Steve said, his voice reasonable but firm.

"He thinks Eddie is guilty," Hailey pointed out, her voice cold.

Steve quickly turned to her. "Whoa. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit. I just, you know, don't think we can rule it out," he said in defence.

"That's exactly what we're trying to do here, Steve," Hailey snapped, the use of his full name like a slap.

"And maybe we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to piss off my sister and more time trying to find Eddie," Dustin added, not looking up from his list.

"Somebody has to attend to the customers," Steve said, pointing a thumb behind him.

"Especially if they're from the female species, right?" Hailey asked, staring straight at him, a challenging eyebrow raised.

"Hey, not fair. Okay? I attend to all customers equally, babes and non-babes alike." He gestured vaguely at the store. "We've got a very big selection in here. It can be super overwhelming for people."

He was met with four identical, unimpressed stares.

"Yeah, it can be," he mumbled, looking down, knowing he'd lost this round.

The awkward silence was broken by Robin suddenly bolting upright. "What are you doing?" Dustin asked as she slid into the chair at the computer.

"Maybe we don't need a last name," she said, her fingers flying across the keyboard. She typed 'RICK' into the customer database. "Twelve Ricks have accounts here."

"Lot of Ricks," Hailey said, moving to peer over Robin's shoulder. Steve followed, his hand instinctively finding the small of her back-a silent peace offering. The touch, warm and familiar, made her anger flicker. Even during an argument, he couldn't help but be sweet.

"So, let's narrow it down," Robin said, clicking on the first one. "Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo. Chances our drug dealer has a family?"

"Not likely."

"All right. Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone," she read.

"No."

"Okay. Rick Joiner. Mask, Footloose, and Grease."

"Nah."

"Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash."

"Definitely not."

"No way."

"Okay. Rick Lipton." Robin's voice changed, reading the titles with dawning realization. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams. Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke."

"Bingo," she said, certainty ringing in her tone.

"Lipton?" Max asked.

"Spelled like the tea. 2121 Holland Road," Robin informed them.

"That's close by Lovers Lake," Hailey said.

The group looked at one another, the same thought dawning on all of them.

"Middle of nowhere," Dustin said.

"It's a perfect place to hide," Robin concluded.

The group didn't take any chances. Grabbing their things, they piled into Steve's car after Robin locked up the store, speeding toward the isolated residence of the legendary Reefer Rick.

Dustin was the first one up the porch steps, jamming his thumb on the doorbell. When no one answered, he began pushing the button more rapidly, his impatience growing.

"Okay. Well, that's settled. I guess he's not here," Steve said, already turning to leave, wanting to be anywhere else.

"Eddie! It's Dustin!" he yelled into the silent house.

"Great," Steve stated, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look, we just wanna talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help. Eddie!" Dustin yelled once more, his voice echoing.

"Shh!" Robin hissed, but it was no use. He rang the doorbell again, shouting, "Rick!" When that yielded nothing, he started banging on the door. "Reefer Rick!"

"Don't scream that," Steve said, looking around nervously.

"Rick!" Dustin yelled, ignoring him.

"He's not there," Steve pointed out, his voice tight with frustration.

"Reefer Rick!"

"Just... He could just be really high," Steve tried, a weak attempt to rationalize the silence.

While the boys argued, Hailey stepped off the porch, her eyes scanning the overgrown property. Something caught her eye-a faint light glowing from a dilapidated shed near the water's edge. Max noticed her focus and followed her gaze.

"Hey, guys?" Max called out, gesturing toward the shed.

The others quickly joined them, and they quietly approached the structure. Peering through the grimy windows revealed nothing, so they cautiously moved to the door.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" Robin called out; her voice hesitant as she was the first to step inside. The others filed in behind her, the group instinctively splitting up to look around.

"What a dump," Steve said after giving the cluttered space a quick, dismissive glance.

"Don't be rude," Hailey chided softly. He ignored her, grabbing an oar and starting to poke at a boat shrouded by a heavy tarp.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" Dustin asked.

"He might be in here," Steve said, continuing to jab the oar against the tarp-covered shape.

"So, take the tarp off," Dustin challenged.

Hailey rolled her eyes at the two bickering.

"If you're so brave, you take the tarp off," Steve shot back. Dustin, suddenly less confident, stayed put and let Steve continue his prodding.

"Hey, look over here," Max said to Robin, pointing to a table littered with papers and empty beer bottles. "Someone was here."

"Maybe he heard us. Got spooked and ran," Robin suggested.

"Don't worry. Steve will get him with his oar," Dustin quipped.

Hailey let out a short, amused laugh but quickly went quiet under Steve's sharp look.

"I know you think you're being funny," Steve began, his voice low and serious, "but considering everyone in this room has nearly died a hundred times, personally, I don't find it funny in the slight-"

He was cut off as a figure erupted from under the tarp, slamming Steve against the wall with a force that knocked the air from his lungs. A knife was pressed to his throat.

"Whoa!"

Everyone rushed forward.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Eddie! Eddie! Stop! Eddie! It's me. It's Dustin. This is Steve. He's not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?" Dustin pleaded.

Eddie's wild eyes flickered to Dustin, then to Hailey standing beside him. Some of the frantic energy left his frame.

"Right. Yeah," Steve grunted, utterly terrified.

"Steve, why don't you drop the oar?" Dustin asked carefully.

Steve hesitantly let the oar clatter to the ground. For a terrifying second, Eddie pressed the knife harder.

"He's cool. He's cool," Dustin said quickly.

"I'm cool, man. I'm cool," Steve groaned.

"What are you doing here?" Eddie demanded; his gaze fixed intensely on Steve.

"We're looking for you," Dustin said.

"Exactly, we're here to help you," Hailey stated, her voice calm and steady.

"Eddie, you've met my sister Hailey, and these are my friends. You know Robin, from band," Dustin said. Robin gave an awkward, mimed clarinet play. "This is my friend Max. The one who never wants to play D&D." Max offered a tentative, small wave.

"Eddie. We're on your side. I swear on my mother. Right, guys?" Dustin looked at the others, demanding their agreement.

"Yes. Yes. We swear," Max said.

"On Dustin's mother," Robin added nervously.

"Yeah, Dustin's... Dustin's mother," Steve agreed, his Adam's apple bobbing against the blade.

All eyes turned to Hailey, the only one who hadn't spoken.

"I'm not swearing anything on my mother's life," she said, her gaze locked on Eddie's. "But I'll swear on my own."

It took Eddie a full three seconds to process her words. Then, with a shuddering breath, he released Steve and stepped back.

"Jesus Ch..." Steve gasped, rubbing his throat.

Hailey was at his side in an instant, her hands gently checking his neck for any sign of a cut. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good," he said, taking her hand and pressing a quick, grateful kiss to her knuckles.

Eddie sank onto a crate, looking completely shattered. Dustin sat down in front of him, while the others formed a loose, sympathetic circle.

"Eddie... We just want to talk. Okay?" Dustin said calmly.

"We want to know what happened," Robin stated.

Eddie shook his head, trying to sniffle back his tears. He looked at the group, his expression one of pure despair. "You won't believe me."

"Why don't you try us," Hailey said. Her tone wasn't challenging; it was an invitation. Eddie looked at her and saw only sincerity. He decided to trust her.

"Her body just, like, lifted up into the air and, uh... and she just, like, hung there. In the air. And her bones... Uh, she... 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 explained through whimpers and ragged breaths. Hailey felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold shed. She couldn't imagine the horror he had witnessed.

"You all think I'm crazy, right?" Eddie asked into the heavy silence.

"No. We don't think you're crazy," Dustin said, his voice low as he processed the gruesome details.

"Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds!" Eddie cried, his fear twisting into anger.

"We're not bullshitting you," Dustin insisted.

"We do believe you, Eddie," Hailey stated with unwavering certainty. He looked at her again, and something in her steady gaze made him believe her. If only he knew the trust she commanded from everyone around her.

"Look, what I'm about to tell you might be a little... difficult to take," Dustin warned.

"Okay," Eddie said, though he couldn't imagine anything being harder to believe than what he'd seen.

"You know how people say Hawkins is cursed? They're not way off. There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours," Dustin explained.

"Like ghosts and shit?" Eddie asked, confused.

"There are some things worse than ghosts," Max stated quietly. Hailey placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.

"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," Dustin told him.

"If they're back again, we need to know," Max added.

"That night, did you see anything?" Robin asked. "Dark particles, maybe?"

"It would almost look like dust, swirling dust," Dustin clarified.

But Eddie just 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. It was like she... she was in a trance or something."

Dustin and Hailey locked eyes, the same terrifying thought dawning on them simultaneously.

"Or under a spell," Dustin said.

"A curse," Eddie muttered in dawning realization.

"Vecna's curse," Hailey stated, the name dropping like a stone in the quiet shed.

"Who's Vecna?" Steve asked, lost but seeing the grave recognition on the others' faces.

"An undead creature of great power," Dustin said.

"A spell caster," Eddie breathed, his D&D knowledge clicking horrifyingly into place.

"He's a dark wizard," Hailey stated, the truth settling over them. This time, they weren't dealing with a monster they could punch or burn. They were dealing with magic. And they might actually be doomed.

*~🌟~*