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Fear was something Eddie had gotten used to over the years, starting with his father and then onto when he would deal. But this last week had taught him what true undiluted fear actually felt like.
Watching Chrissy had been the most terrifying thing he had ever seen in his life, it even beat getting eaten alive. But seeing her hang there, eyes white and then hearing every bone in her body snapping as she seemed to collapse into herself will be without doubt the fuel for his nightmares for years to come.
However, as Robin and Nancy peeled back his clothing, a new fear reared its head because they weren’t alone.
He watched the lights above him intently, fancy things that floated over the kitchen island, money obviously spent on the gold chrome, made to look flashy, made to show off how much money the Harrington’s made. So the bulbs used shouldn’t be cheap either. They wouldn’t flicker, and they would stay steady. So why, as he watched, did they flicker? It was only dimly, just enough that if he hadn’t been watching, he wouldn’t have noticed. But he had been, and now he couldn’t take his eyes off of them.
As he watched, he could hear the others talking but he couldn’t make out words and then even their voices disappeared and he felt as though he was falling.
It was odd how his brain seemed to shut down, how even as his friends started to clean him that he felt it all but he couldn’t react, as though his motor functions were just out of reach.
He then slipped totally into a void of darkness.
Gasping, he wrapped his arm around his waist, knees buckling, landing in shallow water, hissing at the sting, wanting desperately to push it away. But when he looked down, he wasn’t hurt, no bat bites, no blood, just his jeans and hellfire top. But the stinging remained, travelling over his body, and it continued to take his breath until it stopped.
Taking in a breath, he sat back on his knees and just breathed for a moment, letting himself calm before taking in the void he found himself in.
There was nothing thing to see other than the water and his reflection, there was no light source but he could see his hands clear as day, it was all together a surreal experience.
“Hello?” He called, his voice echoing weirdly around him.
“Steve?” He tried, knowing that Steve had been with him. He had felt him close by, and he could still feel him.
“Steve,” he yelled, walking forward but not feeling like he got anywhere.
“Eddie?”
“Steve,” he spun, searching for the voice.
“Hey, Zorro, look at me.”
“Where? I can’t see you,” Eddie continued to look around, moving through the water.
“Edward.” Eddie froze. “Get your ass back in this house.”
Breathing hard, he slowly turned, and before him was a cut of a memory. His dad stood in the doorway that had belonged to their home, but there was only the door frame, no house. His father was tall. He had always been tall, but Eddie had only been a young teen when Wayne had taken him in, so his dad would always be very tall in his memories.
Staring at his dad, he took a step back, his heart hammering in his chest.
“Now Eddie,” his dad said, stepping forward, and before Eddie could do anything, his father grabbed him, pulling him through the door.
The void disappeared, replaced by the house he grew up in.
“No, no nonono, this is not real.” Eddie muttered, stepping back till he hit a wall, his hands coming up to cover his ears as shouting filled the house. He was back to the day his mother left, the screaming had been intense, the sound of skin being hit harsh to his small ears and he was right back to being the small kid he had been at the time.
Closing his eyes, he slid down the wall, hiding his face in his knees as the screaming continued. He didn’t move, didn’t look up until hands grabbed his upper arms, pulling him up. Opening his eye’s he stared at his father in fear as the man glared at him.
“This is your fault, your doing, you should never have been born, should have had you aborted the moment we found out.”
“Mommy!” He screamed as his father shook him violently.
“She’s gone, do you understand? She’s gone. She’s never coming back.”
“NO, NO MOMMY PLEASE!” The hands holding him tightened before he was thrown to the ground. It resulted in his first broken wrist.
Gasping Eddie found himself looking down at his younger self as he cradled his arm, silent tears streaming down his young face.
“You have always been afraid.” Closing his eyes as he took a breath, Eddie slowly turned.
Vecna stood before him, and what a sight he was. Other than the bats, Eddie hadn’t seen any other monster from the upside down, hadn’t had a chance to even think about what they would look like. Vecna, though, was something straight out of a nightmare, all burnt skin, black blood oozing, but the eyes remained human, which made his appearance all the more distressing.
“You run, and you hide. You let your fear consume you.”
“No, not anymore. I fought them, and I killed them. Did you feel it? Did you feel them die?” Eddie had no idea where his confidence was coming from, had no clue how he was able to stand there solidly, with fear in his veins, but the determination not to run again was stronger.
“Puppets, all of them. Just like you will be.” Vecna sneered
“I don’t think so.”
“Really?” He was back in the void space, and the voice came from behind him. Spinning, he was stopped as a hand came up, pinning him in place without it touching him. Eyes wide, he looked at the being before him, his fear building yet again.
“You will not fight me.”
“Like hell I won’t,” he gritted out as it felt like something started to chip away at his mind. “I won’t let you.”
“You are week Edward Munson, you are nothing.”
“No, I’m not, I’m someone, I’m something.”
“You will fail.”
“No.”
“You already have.”
His eyes flew open and he practically fell from the island unit he had been put upon. He was alone and he knew he should know where he was but the pain in his mind was over whelming.
Getting up off the floor, he paid no attention to his body as it screamed at him to stop. He was so scared, and he didn’t fully understand why. He just knew he wasn’t safe.
Grabbing a knife from a knife block, he looked around and then paused as footsteps sounded, and a girl appeared.
“Eddie?” she said softly as she stopped dead.
Something like a growl found it’s way past his lips, and the girl slowly put down the box she was holding. As she stood fully taking a step forward, he crouched down, knife in front of him.
“Eddie, it’s just me, your safe, we are at Steve’s place.”
Nothing she said made sense to him. The pain just kept growing in his head, stopping him from knowing anything other than the fear and pain he was in.
As he pushed himself further against the wall behind him, two others appeared, the girl raising her hands at another growl he gave.
“Eddie, it’s us, your safe, nothing is going to hurt you.” She tried again, but it still meant nothing.
“You are nothing.”
Not taking his eyes from the girl, he didn’t notice the guy putting down his box till he spoke.
“Eddie.” The guy said, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Hey baby.”
Eddie frowned slightly, a memory trying to push itself to the surface.
“You’re safe. Like Robin said, nothing is going to hurt you, not here, we won’t let it. Can I come closer?”
Saying nothing, he just watched the guy as the voice in his head spoke.
“Kill him.”
“I...I can’t.” He said out loud, barely a whisper.
“Can’t what baby?” The guy took another step closer. And the thing in his head smiled.
“Kill him.” The command came stronger, and he felt it as his hand tightened on its own around the knife.
“He’s...it’s, can’t...can’t think.” He got out looking at the guy, a name forming in his head.
“Eddie, baby, he who?” A small frown marred the guys forehead.
“Steve.” The other girl hissed in warning.
Steve, he knew that name, it meant something to him. It was the name forming in his mind.
“Kill him.”
“He...it, in here.” Bringing his hand up to his head, he closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the increasing pain.
“Okay, okay, we can help. Get him out, but Eddie, please give me the knife.”
Opening his eyes as the guy took another step closer, he sighed slightly.
“Steve?” He whispered, memories crashing forward.
“Yeah, yes, it’s me. Baby, please put the knife down.”
“KILL HIM.” The voice shouted over the rush of memories, and Eddie felt his control slip.
“He...it says...no.” his attempt was lacking, and Steve had stepped aside easily, disarming him and pulling him against a strong chest in seconds.
“Kill him.”
“NO” Eddie screamed back in his mind, Vecna retreating but not leaving, giving Eddie full control, and with it came the pain of his body.
Tears silently fell as Eddie leant his head back against Steve’s shoulder. He doesn’t remember falling, but they were on the kitchen floor, Steve’s arms around his waist, hands splayed over areas not covered in blood-soaked dressings.
“Steve.” Eddie sobbed.
“I’ve got you. We’re safe, baby.” Steve turned his face into Eddies hair as he spoke.
“No Angel, we’re not.”