#day 013

cafuné— the act of running your fingers through your lover’s hair.

happy birthday Fashion Disaster Boy

013/26

013-365

Day 013: Lament.

Featuring Chief Jim Hopper and Eddie Munson.

Dustin Henderson, Wayne Munson, and El Hopper mentioned.

1,157 words. I wanted to do something with Hopper talking to Eddie, because my boy deserves to have a father figure who has been dealing with this crap for ages. So I wrote it! :) mentions smoking.

Eddie did what he always does, he ran away. He was discharged from the hospital a free man, but he did not feel it. He looks out at Lover’s Lake, and sniffs. There is no chance that even with the government hush hush that the town will ever stop hunting me down. He reaches into his jacket pocket, his hand shaking like the tremors that apparently rippled through the town when he was out after his battle in the Upside Down. He pulls out his pack of cigarettes and his lighter, and flicks it a few times before it lights. He puts the cigarette he yanks out into his mouth, and holds the lit lighter up to it, setting the end alight. “This town will never see anything in me except the Freak. I can't make my uncle go through with this witch hunt.” He sits down on a nearby fallen log, and stares out at the darkened lake. “What are you doing all the way out here, kid?” A gravelly voice says behind Eddie.

He jumps about a foot into the air, before landing in the ground and seeing a flashlight shining in his face. He lifts his hand to cover his face. “What the hell?” He mutters after regaining some composure. “Don’t sneak up on me, man!” After his eyes adjust, he realizes it’s the dead chief of police, Hopper. Or not dead, apparently as Dustin said. He shakes his head. “Why are you out here, man?” He asks, standing up and wiping the dirt off himself. “Could ask you the same thing, kid.” He responds, and Eddie sniffs. “I can’t reenter this town. Not really. They already saw me as a freak, would you look me in the eye and tell me that I am a good member of this community that they would welcome back with open arms and not pitchforks and fire?” Hopper sighs. “I can’t say much for Hawkins as a whole, but I have a lot of kids who have vouched for you. That makes me believe that you deserve a second chance.”

Eddie scoffs. “Second chance? I think I have already used up my second chance the moment I ran. I look as guilty as it comes!” He kicks a clump of dirt towards the lake, and it flies in with a plunk. Eddie’s body starts to shake, and he clutches his sides with a ferocity that made it seem like he was scared he’d fall apart. Hopper walks closer to him, letting out a sigh. “How did you become friends with these kids and get mixed up with this sh!t anyway, kid?” Hopper asks, looking at Eddie, who is trembling by Lover's Lake. “I didn't make friends with them. I just hung out around a group of people until they forgot they didn't know me.” The apparently not dead police chief laughs. “Well, you wouldn't be the first to be bonded in that way. You aren’t the first among us to be labeled a freak and treated differently.”

Eddie laughs with no real humor or merriment in his voice. “None of those kids were wanted for murder! None of those kids had even a fraction of bad apples in them! But me? Everyone has some gripe with me...” Hopper sets a hand on his shoulder. “You know why I am out here, kid?” Eddie frowns, and shakes his head. “Your uncle Wayne.” He clarifies, turning Eddie to face him. “After the doctors discharged you, he never saw you come home. He was worried about you.” He would be better off not worrying about me... And living his life free of ridicule and hatred. But I can’t just say that, can I?  “I don’t know if I can go back there.” He says instead, because that is also true. “Too many bad memories...” Hopper folds his arms, as if sensing that there was another reason he didn’t want to go back.

“Look, kid. I know you feel like the world is against you, and everyone you love is in danger because of that. But you know what you have now?” Hopper asks, and again, Eddie frowns and shakes his head. “You have a family that will fight to the teeth for you. People that love you unconditionally, and will help you if you let them.” Eddie swallows. “I don’t want them to be hurt...” He admits, avoiding Hopper’s all seeing eye. Hopper nods. “I know, kid. But take it from someone who closed themselves off from their feelings for so long. Someone who is old, and graying. You only have so much time with the people you love. Hold them tight, and never let them go.” He smiles at Eddie. “Fear may try to convince you that leaving or closing yourself off is better, but that will only succeed in hurting those who care about you.” Eddie rubs his arms, the chill of the evening air getting to him.

“I’m scared.” He says, and Hopper nods, giving him a shoulder pat. “We all are. It’s okay to be scared sometimes, because without fear, we cannot be brave. Fear drives us to do almost everything. But bravery is what pulls us to the other side. You can get there, so long as you are willing to try.” Something about the former chief’s words really comforts Eddie. Despite his gruff demeanor and his harsh voice, it was almost like a dad reading their kid a bedtime story. Like a lullaby to fall asleep to. Eddie grins, feeling a soft, nostalgic feeling bubble in his gut. “You would make a great dad.” Eddie remarks, and Hopper chuckles. “That’s because I am one. And my daughter is a superhero.” Wait a minute— “Wait, you're the El’s father?!” He says, and Hopper laughs. “Yes, I’m her dad. But she’s just a kid like you. Honestly, I think she’ll love to get to know you.” The nudge that Hopper was shoving at Eddie was not lost on him.

This was actually based off of snippet of a dream I had a couple days ago and thought it would be cool to kinda try and paint the picture.

A rather quiet day had come to a shattering halt when a rift appeared in the sky. It wasn't an uncommon sight but people were still cautious and curious. They started wandering closer to inspect it. A train horn echoed from the portal and caught people off guard, many bystanders turning to look at what it was. Before more people could get closer to examine, a man yelled, “Get out of the way!” That was the last thing heard before the explosion. It rang out for miles, causing the ground to rumble, buildings to topple and flames to engulf the wreckage.