[𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢: 𝗩𝗘𝗖𝗡𝗔'𝗦 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘]

"HAVE YOU SEEN OR HEARD FROM eddie recently?" dustin spoke into the phone.

"eddie munson," max said as she also spoke into the phone, pacing around.

"when's the last time you talked to him?" dustin asked. "yeah, have you seen him?" max asked.

"okay. sorry to bother you." dustin said with a sigh, crossing out a name on the list.

"i really don't think he's at the arcade," sage said as she picked up the phone. "yep, i'm pretty sure," the brunette added on.

"reefer rick? no. does this reefer rick have a last name? i mean, it's kind of . . ." max asked as she continued to pace around.

"all right, doctor zhivago." steve said as she walked over to a girl around his age with a vhs. "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."

"so, my boyfriend won't, like, totally puke when i bring it home?" the girl asked. "oh, you . . . your boyfriend? uh, no. no. he's gonna . . . he's gonna love it. yeah." steve informed her.

the teen girl payed for the movie at the front where robin was then headed out the door.

"see ya,"

"yeah, see ya later," steve said, watching her walk off. "alligator,"

the harrington let out a sigh. "goddamn it."

sage hung up the phone after getting no lead onto where eddie was, but max then spoke up.

"hey, guys, i might have a lead,"

"seriously?" dustin asked, turning to look over at the red-head. "yeah. apparently, eddie gets drugs from some guy named reefer rick, and sometimes eddie crashes there." max replied.

"sounds promising," robin said. "where does this reefer rick live?" sage asked her girlfriend.

"see, that's the thing. no one knows." max told her. "he's more of a . . . a legend than someone that people actually know,"

"what about a last name?" dustin questioned.

"i don't know that either,"

"bet the cops know the last name," steve cut into the conversation, fixing up some tapes. "what?" max asked him. "cops," steve repeated. "mean, listen, if this reefer rick is actually a drug dealer, i guarantee you he's been busted at some point. mean's he's in the system."

"the cops? really, steve? that's your suggestion?" the henderson teen asked steve. "i mean, i just think they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on," the harrington teen replied.

"you think eddie's guilty, don't you?"

"whoa, whoa, i believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit, i just, you know, don't think we can rule it out,"

"that's precisely what we're trying to do here, steve," the red-head tells the harrington teen. "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." dustin informs his friend. "oh, well, somebody has to attend to the customers." steve says.

"especially if they're babes, right?" robin asks with a wink. "hey, not fair. okay? i attend to all customers equally, babes and non-babes alike." steve informs her. "we've got a very big selection in here, okay? it can be super overwhelming for these people."

"yeah, it can be," robin says, getting an idea in her head. the buckley teen turns around and goes to the computer. "what are you doing?" sage asks the buckley teen. "maybe we don't need a last name," robin tells the wheeler teen as she begins to type on the keyboard.

"twelve ricks have accounts here,"

"that's a lot of ricks," max comments.

"so, let's narrow it down," robin says as she clicks on rick alderman. "rick alderman's latest rentals are annie and dumbo. what are the chances our drug dealer have a family?"

"not likely," sage replies. "all right. rick conroy. sixteen candles, teen wolf, and romancing the stone."

"no," the four teens say.

"okay. rick joiner. mask, footlose, and grease."

"nah,"

"rick kimbrough. the blue lagoon and splash."

the five teens laugh. "definitely not,"

"okay. rick lipton. fast times at ridgemont high, cheech and chong's next movie, cheech and chong's nice dreams, cheech and chong's up in smoke."

"bingo,"

"lipton?"

"spelled like the tea. 2121 holland road."

"that's at lovers lake,"

"middle of nowhere," sage added in. "it's a perfect place to hide," robin said.

the teens gather their belongings, head out of the store, and into steve's vehicle.

"EL?" MIKE ASKED AS HE OPENED THE door to the girls bathroom.

"what the hell? get out!" a girl shouted, stepping forward as mike stepped back, walking away. the blonde girl puts her hands over the door so that way mike wouldn't get in.

"not there?" will asked the wheeler teen. "no. you should've told me she was having trouble." mike told the byers teen. "well, i didn't know they were gonna be here, mike," will informed him.

"yeah, but you knew she was having trouble for a year and didn't tell me,"

"i didn't know she was lying to you,"

"which is why you decided to be such a douche all day?"

"i wasn't being a douche,"

"you were,"

mike turned to look at will and stopped walking.

"you were. you were rolling your eyes, you were moping. you were barely talking. you basically sabotaged the whole day." mike told the byers teen. "well, she was lying to you, mike. straight to your face ever since you got here. and i've been a total third wheel all day. it's been miserable. so, sorry if i wasn't . . . wasn't smiling."

"yeah, whatever, man," mike said and turned around, walking away. "well, what about us?" will then asked causing mike to turn around.

"what?" the wheeler teen asked.

"you're mad that i didn't talk to you? seems like you made it super clear that you're not interested in anything i have to say."

"that's just not true,"

"you've called maybe a couple times and that was only when sage suggested you to talk to me. it's been a year, mike. sage has been the only one who's been keeping in touch with me. i always have to ask her how you're doing and she's sending me letters. meanwhile, el has a book of letters from you." will tells mike.

"that's because she's my girlfriend, will,"

"and us?"

"we're friends. we're friends."

"well, we used to be best friends,"

"then maybe you should've reached out more. i don't know. but why is this on me? why . . . why am i the bad guy?" mike asked the byers teen.

will didn't answer him.

"let's just . . . let's just find her. okay?" mike asked will then walked off. the byers teen sighs before following him.

the teens walk past the employees only door. inside the room, eleven was sat on the floor weeping softly as she wipes her face with a napkin. the byers girl lets out a sigh before hearing angela and her friends laughing.

eleven slowly gets up from the floor, walking over to the window, and moves the blinds to take a peek at angela and her friends.

"oh, my god, her face!"

"she looks like she shit herself,"

the group laughs as eleven closes her eyes before opening them, remembering what sage said.

"if they do anything, fucking strike at them,"

the teenager walks out of the employee's only room with a determined look as she walks over to the group of bullies.

"angela," eleven says she walks over. "uh-oh. look who it is." angela says with a grin.

"she looks upset,"

"you ruined my day,"

"oh no. did we embarrass you in front of your boyfriend?" angela asked with a laugh. "i want you to say sorry to me, and i want you to tell my boyfriend that it was just a joke and that we are really friends." eleven demands the blonde.

"or what? you gonna hurt us with your mean stare again?" angela asks, her hand reaching out in a mocking way before she giggles, putting her hand back down. "sorry you can't cry to teacher today. you'll just have to cry to your daddy instead. oh, wait. can't do that either."

the group gasps and laughs before walking off.

eleven clenches her jaw as she suddenly feels the need to do something to the blonde.

"strike at them," eleven whispers before stomping towards someone trying to put on their skate. the byers teen takes the skate and walks off with it, towards angela.

she fixes the way it's in her hand and calls out for the blonde.

"angela!"

angela and the group turns around before the blonde is struck with the roller skate to her face. the teen girl falls back with screams as her friends kneel down beside her.

"holy shit. angela, are you okay?"

"angela, hey. you okay?"

the two teens help angela sit up and then gasp at angela's injury. her nose was cut open and the blood was leaking quickly out of her cut. angela touches her nose and begins to sob.

eleven looks down at the roller skate, blood on the wheel. the byers girl then looks around seeing people surrounding the situation.

will and mike run in next to eleven, looking down at the injured blonde.

"oh . . . oh my god," will gasps.

"holy shit, el. what did you do? what did you do?" mike questioned his girlfriend.

eleven suddenly gets a flashback of brenner and the lab. kids on the floor in hospital gowns, blood everywhere as their bones were snapped.

"what have you done? what have you done?"

eleven shudders as she stares at angela sobbing before a tear escapes her eye.

STEVE PULLS UP TO A HOUSE WITH the teens and robin. it was nighttime already.

the five teens get out of the car and head over to the front door. dustin rings on the doorbell, but no one answers. he rings it again. then he begins to ring it rapidly.

"okay. well, that's settled. i guess he's not here." steve says before dustin knocks on the door.

"eddie! it's dustin!"

"great,"

"look, we just wanna talk, okay? no cops, i swear. we just wanna help."

robin flashes her flashlight at the window, seeing it she should get a look inside the house.

"eddie!" dustin shouts, hitting the door.

"shh,"

dustin rings the door bell again. "rick!" dustin calls out and bangs on the door. "reefer rick!"

"don't scream that," steve tells dustin. "rick!" dustin continues, ignoring steve.

"he's not there,"

max walks away from the group and sage looks over at where the red-head is walking.

"reefer rick!"

"just . . ."

"he could just be really high,"

sage moves away from the group, holding her flashlight tightly as she walks over to where max is. the wheeler teen stands next to max, looking out at where max's eyes are pointing at.

"is that a foot?" steve asks. "no, that's a shoe," the harrington teen mumbles once he realizes.

"hey, guys?" max calls out making the group walk over to where her and sage stand.

the five flash their lights to what seemed like a boat house. the group walk down over to the boat house, flashing their lights over the walls, trying to find a door to the house.

robin then finds a door and slowly opens it.

"hello?" the buckley teen calls out. "is anyone home?"

the five teens walk in the boat house together with their flashlights.

sage slowly wraps her arm around max's waist, keeping her close for protection as they walk around the boat house.

"what a dump," steve comments as he looks around. the harrington teen then turn off his light, grabbing a oar and jabbing it into the boat that has tarp over it. "what are you doing?" dustin asks the harrington teen.

after getting no answer he repeats himself. "what are you doing?"

"he might be in here," steve says as he continues poking the tarp. "so take the tarp off," dustin suggests to him. "if you're so brave, you take the tarp off," steve tells the henderson teen.

"and that, ladies and gentlemen, proves steve the hair harrington still has fears," sage mumbles. "i swear, wheeler —"

"what? what are you gonna do, huh?"

steve jabs his oar towards the girl and she dodges it with a smirk, making sure max doesn't get hit. the harrington teen tries again but gets stopped by dustin. the floorboards creek as steve continues to poke the tarp after getting a look from the henderson teenager.

"hey, look over here," max whispers to sage, flashing her light over wrappers. robin, hearing max, walks over to the couple. "someone was here," sage says, looking through the wrappers.

"maybe he heard us. got spooked and ran." robin said to the couple. "don't worry. steve will get him with his oar." dustin said sarcastically, motioning to the harrington teen.

"i know you think you're being funny, but considering everyone in this room has nearly died a hundred times, personally, i don't find it funny in the slight —"

steve suddenly gets cut off by eddie jumping out from under the tarp, attacking steve and pushing him up against the wall, a knife to his throat.

"woah, woah, woah, eddie! eddie! stop!" dustin shouts as the girls walk over to dustin. "eddie! eddie! it's me. it's dustin."

"this is steve. he's not gonna hurt you, right, steve?" the henderson teen introduces. "right. yeah." steve whispers.

"steve, why don't you drop your famous oar?" sage suggested.

steve drops his oar and eddie brings the knife closer to the harrington teens throat.

"he's cool. he's cool." sage said as she keeps a firm grip around max's waist. "i'm cool, man. i'm cool," steve whispers to eddie.

"what are you doing here?" eddie asks. "we're looking for you," dustin tells him. "we're here to help," robin adds in.

"eddie, these are my friends. you know robin, from band." dustin says, motioning to robin. "this is my friend max, sage's girlfriend. the one who never wants to play dnd." dustin then motions to the red-head.

max waves over at him. "and you know sage. eddie. we're on your side." dustin informs him.

"i swear on my mother. right, guys?"

"yes. yes. we swear." max says. "on dustin's mother." robin says. "dustin's amazing mother!" sage adds in. "yeah, dustin's . . . dustin's mother," steve also says.

eddie stares at steve for a moment before releasing him making steve grunt.

"jesus ch . . ."

the three teens sigh in relief as eddie backs up into the wall, slowly sliding down it.

sage slowly lets go of max and follows dustin, kneeling in front of the munson adult.

"eddie . . . we just want to talk," sage says softly as she reaches her hand out to him. eddie moves his hand back, his knife gripped tightly. "okay?" the wheeler teen whispers, moving her hand away from the munson adult.

"we want to know what happened," robin says as she kneels in front of eddie. "you won't believe me," eddie says with a sniffle.

"try us." max says from behind sage, hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.

eddie stares up at the red-head before looking over at sage and dustin.

"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 . . ." eddie whimpers, trying to speak. "her bones started to snap."

dustin and max glance over at sage, remembering she was attempting to say the same thing.

"her eyes, man. it . . . it was like there was something, like, inside her head, pulling."

sage winced at the memory. "i . . . i didn't know what to do, so i . . . i ran away,"

the group stares at eddie as he continues.

"i left her there,"

eddie glances at the group and scoffs at how their reactions look.

"you all think i'm crazy, right?" he asked. "no. we don't think you're crazy." dustin assured the adult. "don't bullshit me, man! i know how this sounds." eddie tells him.

"we're not bullshitting you," max says.

"we believe you," robin adds in. "i saw what happened to chrissy," sage said. "look, what we're about to tell you might be a little . . . difficult to take." sage said as she sat down next to dustin.

"okay."

"but first,"

the wheeler teen lights her hands on fire, her eyes glowing orange-red as her face begins to show cracks. the same color glowing through.

"you know how people say hawkins is . . . cursed?" dustin begins as eddie stares at sage in surprise. "y-your face . . ." eddie says as he points at sage. "i know," sage whispers.

"they're not way off," the wheeler teen then says as she puts out the fire. "there's another world. a world hidden beneath hawkins." dustin explains before sage begins to feel her head start to hurt. "sometimes it bleeds into ours." sage adds.

"like ghosts and shit?" eddie asks.

"there are some things worse than ghosts," max tells the munson adult. "way worse." sage mumbles, gripping her head. "we have the demogorgon, the mind flayer . . ."

"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 continues. "if they're back again, we need to know," max informs eddie, kneeling next to sage noticing how she's holding her head.

"that night, did you see anything?" robin asks.

"dark particles, maybe?" sage questions. eddie shakes his head in response. "it would almost look like dust, swirling dust," dustin clarifies.

"no, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh . . . or touch," eddie tells him.

sage lets out a gasp as she grabs her head, falling back a little. max catches her and furrows her eyebrows before seeing sage's nose bleed.

"what's wrong with her?" steve asks. "i don't . . . i don't know," max says. "sage? sage!"

sage gets a sudden vision of fred getting lifted up into the air. "keep talking. don't worry about me." sage says as she slowly gets up.

"y-you know, i tried to wake her, man." eddie continued, glancing at sage. "she couldn't move. it was like she . . . she was in a trance or something."

"or under a spell," dustin says.

"a curse," eddie follows along. "vecna's curse,"

sage lets out a scream and falls to her knees, grabbing her head as the visions of fred's bones snapping like chrissy's flash through her mind.

"sage!" max says as sage lets out a sob, sage's headache suddenly stopping. "woah, woah, who's vecna?" steve asks as he kneels down to sage.

"an undead creature of great power," dustin says as he turns to look at sage. "a spell caster," eddie adds in as he looks over at the brunette.

"a dark wizard," dustin finishes off. "what happened to her?" he asked.

"fred . . . fred, nancy's friend. he's dead." sage says with a sob as she brings a hand to her nose, feeling the blood. "his bones . . ."

"vecna got his second victim," dustin whispered before handing sage a napkin. "he's gonna get more," robin said as max holds sage close to her chest. "he needs to be stopped," sage mumbles, leaning onto max. "but i can't do it alone,"

"i need