I really wanted to have a WIP ready for Hellcheer anniversary week, but all Iâve got is a half finished outline that taunts me from my notes folder every time I open it up (to feverishly succumb to another bout of Eleverson brainrot). As an apology offering I present a piece I wrote last September called Right Side Up, which takes place about three days after Eddie escaped the Upside Down (because of course he did) and Vecna was defeated (because of course he was).
For a moment, she doesnât know where she is; sheâs curled in an unfamiliar chair, covered in a slightly scratchy blanket, and somebody nearby is quietly crying like a child, soft little brokenhearted whimpers theyâre clearly trying to suppress but which will not be held back.
Then she hears Wayne Munsonâs quiet, disbelieving voice gasping âEddie?â and everything comes flooding back. Theyâre in Eddieâs hospital room, Wayne sleeping on a little cot the nurses rolled in for him, Chrissy in a squeaky vinyl recliner tucked into the corner. They hadnât left him alone for a second, though it had been almost two and a half days since his surgery and heâd been unconscious the entire time. Now itâs the middle of the night and her neck aches from sleeping in the chair but none of that matters one bit, because Eddie finally, finally woke up.
âEddie, my boy.â Enough dim light spills in from the hallway that Chrissy can see Wayne get up from the cot and hurry over to sit on the bed next to Eddie, carefully gathering his weeping nephew into his arms. âThank the lord. Oh, my boy.â
âW-Wayne?â Eddie buries his face in his uncleâs chest, his next words coming out muffled, but in the quiet of the room Chrissy can still make them out. âI m-missed you so much.â
âI missed you too, son. I was so worried about you.â
âAm I⊠am IâŠâ Eddie falters. He sounds so weak. Breathless. âArrested?â
âNo. Donât you worry about that,â Wayne soothes, his hand stroking through Eddieâs hair. âSome fella named Owens took care of all that, you donât have to worry âbout police anymore.â
âI didnâtâŠâ Chrissy can see Eddieâs eyes, huge and luminous with tears, pleading, fixed on his uncleâs face. âDidnât k-k⊠I didnât k-k-killâŠâ
Wayne flings his arms around Eddie again, nearly crushing the boy in his embrace. âI know that, baby, dontcha think I know that? I know you wouldnât hurt anyone. Never thought for one second that any of that shit was true about you. I know you ainât never hurt anyone.â
Eddie makes a sound, halfway between a sigh and a sob, of pure relief. âDidnât k-k-kidnap⊠she needed⊠she neededâŠâ
âEasy now, darlinâ, take it easy, now. Everythinâs alright, we know you ainât done nothinâ wrong.â
For a moment, the silence is only broken by Eddieâs quiet sniffling and the starchy scritch of Wayneâs hand rubbing his back through his thin blue gown. Then Wayne speaks again, and Chrissy is surprised to hear a hint of laughter in his voice.
âAs if Iâd believe youâd do anything to hurt Chrissy Cunningham.â
Eddie groans. âDonâ make fun oâ me.â
âHow many songs you write about that girl? Reckon youâre up to twenty, now?â
Chrissy just barely manages to stop herself from sitting bolt upright. Songs? Eddieâs written songs about her?! When could he possibly have done that?
âStop it.â A pained grunt, as if it hurt when he shifted in the bed. âYou heard⊠if⊠if sheâs okay?â
Wayne laughs outright now, softly, but undeniable. âYouân ask her yourself in the morninâ, son, sheâs sleepinâ right over yonder.â
âWayne.â Eddieâs voice trembles. âPlease stop.â A pained moan escapes him. ââSânot funny.â
âDonât⊠donât make funâŠâ A sob catches in his throat. âPlease.â
âEd, I swear, I ainât makinâ fun of you. Chrissy is fine, and I swear to you she ainât left this room since you got here. Damn near sick over you. Sheâll be so happy to see you awake. I promise I ainât lyinâ.â
âNo,â Eddie moans. âNo. Not for me. M-mother wonât⊠let⊠let herâŠâ His breath hitches. âWayne?â
âLemme get the nurse. You had surgery, son, patchinâ up holes in your guts. Theyân give you somethinâ for the pain.â He presses the call button, then resumes gently rubbing his nephewâs back. Chrissy can hear Eddieâs uneven breaths, too fast and too shallow, even with his face pressed into Wayneâs shoulder.
Neither of them speak again until a nurse has come in, injected the pain medicine and flushed it through with saline, and checked Eddieâs temperature and vital signs. She wishes them both a good night and reminds them not to hesitate to ring again if thereâs anything they need. Chrissy smiles to herself, thankful for the nurseâs kindness.
âWas sheâŠâ Eddieâs voice is hesitant. âChrissy⊠sheâs really okay?â
âSheâs fine, son. Sheâs just worried about you,â Wayne replies, but to Chrissyâs surprise, Eddie starts to cry again. âI was scared,â he sobs. âShe needed⊠me to b-be brave⊠and I, and I w-w-wasnât.â
âThat ainât how she tells it.â Wayneâs voice is so loving, so comfortingly warm. âShe tolâ me you saved her life. Says youâre her hero. How dâyou like that?â
âNow whyâs that so hard to believe?â
Eddie sniffles. âYou know why.â
Chrissy doesnât know why, and she wants to. After how close theyâve grown over the last week, after everything theyâve been through together, why would Eddie think sheâd have anything but wonderful things to say about him?
âWell, I canât make you believe me.â Wayne gently eases Eddie back against the pillows as he speaks. âBut thatâs what she said. Anâ she sat here holdinâ your hand nâlookinâ at you like you done hung the moon just for her.â He pulls the blanket up to Eddieâs chin. âAnâ if I thought youâd be awake for moreân five more minutes Iâd go get her up soâs she could tell you herself.â
ââSâa nice story,â Eddie murmurs. âI like her.â
âI know you do, son.â
âSheâs⊠en⊠enchanting.â
Chrissy feels her cheeks flush warm, her eyes fill with tears. Enchanting? None of her cheerleader friends ever called her anything besides âniceâ or âprettyâ, empty clichĂ©s they all tossed meaninglessly at each other, and her ex hadnât even bothered with that for longer than she cared to remember. It was so like Eddie to give her the best compliment sheâd ever heard, when he didnât even realize sheâd heard it.
Wayne is chuckling again. âYou be sure to tell her that in the morning.â
âDonâ laugh. She⊠Chrissy.â Eddieâs words are definitely slurred now; the pain medicine is rapidly making him drowsy. âChrissy. Sheâs âmazing. Think I⊠love her.â
âI know you do, son,â Wayne repeats, barely louder than a whisper. He leans forward to smooth Eddieâs hair back from his face and gently kiss his forehead.
âYou too,â Eddie murmurs. âWayne. Love⊠Wayne.â
âI know, darlinâ. I love you, too. Go to sleep, now.â
âCourse Iâll stay. Got a bed for me right there. I wonât leave you.â
ââKay.â Eddie sighs deeply, then his breathing slows and Chrissy can tell heâs asleep.
Wayne stays seated at the side of his bed for a few more minutes before getting up. He stretches a little, his back cracking, then stoops to kiss his nephewâs forehead again before climbing back into his cot. In less than two minutes heâs softly snoring.
She slides from the recliner, slowly so it doesnât squeak, and tiptoes across the room to Eddieâs bed. She slips in carefully next to him, making sure to avoid the iv line, and snuggles close, resting her head against his shoulder and one hand on his chest, right over his heart. His eyes donât open, but his breath hitches and she can see his eyelashes flutter a bit. A moment later, his hand slides slowly up to cover hers.
Chrissy smiles, turning her hand to lace their fingers together. Eddie hums a small, contented sounding sigh from the back of his throat. His breathing deepens, slowing into the rhythm of sleep again, and moments later she follows him down.