The night in Hawkins was so silent it seemed to hold its breath. You walked along the path behind the woods, the one that led near the lake, trying to clear your head. These last few months had been stressful, after everything that happened at the Starcourt Mall, the battle, the return to normalcy, to classes, to exams, to people... The world was completely oblivious to the anguish of knowing that a dark world was living beneath its feet... or rather, upside down.

But halfway along, you heard a noise: a breaking branch, a muffled whisper, something that didn't fit.

"Hello?" You asked softly.

No one answered.

You took another step... and then you saw him. Hidden among the trees, huddled together, trembling, his clothes stained, his eyes wide like those of a cornered animal: Eddie Munson.

"No... don't come any closer." He said, his voice breaking, instinctively backing away.

But you didn't move immediately. You looked at him calmly, with something that wasn't fear but concern. You know him, of course you know him, he's the metalhead Dustin gets along so well with at high school. Not that you've talked much, mind you.

"Eddie… What happened?"

He gritted his teeth, as if holding back tears was too much of a struggle. His breathing was rapid. He looked like he'd run, seen something impossible… or both.

"I don't know," He whispered. "I… I didn't touch her. I didn't do anything. I swear I didn't… I don't know what that was…"

He ran his hands through his hair and shook his head hard, desperate.

Your heart skipped a beat. There was no way you could pretend you didn't see him devastated. Not like the loud, defiant Eddie everyone knew… but a boy on the verge of collapse, genuinely scared.

"Uh… calm down," You said, slowly approaching him. "I'm here for you, okay? I'm not leaving."

Eddie looked up. There was something in his eyes he'd never shown anyone: pure fear. Real fear.

"They're going to blame me." He murmured. "Everyone's going to say it was me. And I... I don't know what the hell happened. I don't know what... what it was."