Derry, Maine, 1989

October 31st, Halloween.

It's Halloween night, and everyone is in their costumes. Kids run around with their bags and baskets, collecting their candy to hopefully stash and eat until Thanksgiving comes around (or probably get a cavity). Lit pumpkins sit outside of houses decorated with orange and purple lights, fake spider webs, fake spiders, and other spooky things to draw in little trick-or-treaters. The smell of the crisp cold of autumn fills the chilly air along with rich chocolate and cotton candy.

Where were Eddie and Richie when this fantastic holiday is being celebrated? A Halloween party. Because they're, in Richie's words, "too old for trick-or-treating". So they're hanging around some random kid's house filled with rowdy teens in costume. Horror movies played in the living room, but nobody was watching them. Either making out, smoking, drinking, or just talking loudly. Eddie, having not much of a plan for his costume, went as a homemade ghost, the one with the sheet and the eye holes cut out. It made him feel more hidden, since he doesn't like much confrontation with other people. God, he hates social anxiety. Richie, on the other hand, is a vampire. He has the fake fangs and blood along with the black and velvet cape.

Eddie is sitting on the couch in the living room, awkwardly sitting at the very end as a couple makes out next to him. He can smell the alcohol on them from there... Richie finally comes back from getting a drink (non-alcoholic) and flashes Eddie a sharp tooth grin, pushing the couple to be able to sit next to his friend. He brought two solo cups full of drink and hands one to Eddie, slinging an arm over his shoulder.

"Hey Eds, sorry it took a bit. Some couple was trying to get freaky near the punch bowl." He says with amusement, clearly finding that situation hilarious. "Hey, now that I think about it, how the hell are you gonna drink that? Your mouth is kinda covered." As if it wasn't obvious