Your home has been your only safe place for the longest time, but something about Eddie's home was incredibly comfortable, well, eventually anyway.

Initially, there were a few moments of awkward but cute standing around with accompanying silences, but thankfully Eddie decided to give you the tour, which allowed for questions and info dumping. This ultimately resulted in you sharing some cereal, like popcorn, and watching an AC/DC Let there be rock VHS.

"This might be the last recording with Bon Scott as lead singer. I think it was recorded in Europe someplace" he turns over the case in his hands, "Ah, Paris, yeah, of course."

You had half expected to have been pounced on, in some way or another by now, but it hadn't occurred. You were slightly disappointed, but also, dare you say it? Pleased. Impressed maybe? Was that totally arrogant? It had certainly taken the pressure off of the evening for you anyway, which you were grateful for.

"Wow, this guy, Angus, is it? He's wild! Does he run around like that all the time?" You are mesmerised by this show. You've never seen anything like it. Your Dad had talked to you about concerts he's been to when you were younger, but this was so loud, fast, and powerful. Not like the concerts you and Connie had been thinking about attending at the time. Like Duran Duran.

You still had a few of the mixtapes you had made together from around that time. Each one was put together perfectly, ready for choreography with accompanying lip sync, so when you played it in your room, you could perform like you were on stage yourselves.

"Yeah, pretty much!" He answers in semi awe, gazing at the screen.

You both reach for the last tiny piece of cereal. Eddie politely waves for you to have it and moves the bowl from in-between you both, scooching over to you.

The tiny little cereal bite makes it to your lips when he says, "I've changed my mind" scooping the side of your face in his hand, the ice-cold metal of the rings sends a shockwave to your temple and kisses you so incredibly softly.

He pulls away a few millimetres and stays there for a few seconds, staring deep into your soul. Your eyes feel like they must be glazed over, like in a cartoon. When a character gets hit over the head. It's only when you hear him audibly crunch the last bit of cereal he just stole from your mouth that your brain returns to earth. The audacity!!

"Why you little thief," you say, tackling him until he's lying back on the sofa. His mischievous cackle fills the trailer as you mock scold him, "Well, now I'm gonna just have to call it in! Grand fucking larceny right in front of my face." Your hand slips whilst you try and pin him down, he's much too wriggly, and he arches his body to the side, giggling furiously, "Mr Munson, are you....are you ticklish?!"

You raise your hands in the air like a puppeteer, "No, no, please", he protests between fits of giggles.

"You must pay the price for your crimes, Edward," you say in your best Hopper impersonation and tickle his sides mercilessly.

After a while, he can take no more "Ok, ok, stop! No more, please", he says, tears of laughter in his eyes.

You release him, "Shit, the things you gotta do around here to get a girl to touch your body" he's trying to make you embarrassed and is, unfortunately, successful, but you attempt a little play revenge.

"Oh, I see. Was that another move from the great Munson playbook, was it?" You tease, "I mean, I'm not sure or not if it was, in fact, much cooler than leaping on me like a koala bear, to be quite honest with you."

"Oh, not sure, huh? Maybe you need a few more samples to decide?" He turns the tables much faster than you expect. He's now straddling your lap, with you sitting bolt upright, against the back of the sofa in surprise.

He grabs your face and furiously plants hundreds of small aggressive kisses all over it. Your face is encompassed by his deep mane of hair.

"Ok, ok", you put your hands up, "I get it! Enough! You Joker"

"What was that?" He leans back a little, still holding your face, pretending not to hear you, "Too many? Hmm, maybe longer ones."

He dives back down and starts dishing out intense closed-mouth smooches all over your face, each pressing into your face for at least a few seconds.

"I swear if you give me a mark, my Dad will kill me, and then you."

He leans back again, pouting, "Yeah, ok, much too intense, I get it."

"Stop it, you dork", you laugh.

He stops suddenly, "Hold on a minute there!! Did you just call me..." He pauses with his thumbs and index fingers pinched together. His face is pretend offended "...a dork?"

You try to reply, but he quickly interjects with a dramatic rendition of Shakespearean-level theatrics, "Ah, so the day hast finally cometh. Where the magic of Munson has withered away and perished. A d'ork she had called him and his only, and if I do say so myself, fitting response was, Goodbye cruel world," and he lets himself fall backwards from your lap, towards the floor.

On reflex, your arm reaches out and grabs at his t-shirt and pull him back up towards you. He's already smiling broadly, "and that ladies and germs is how it's done. A-thank you," and he bows to a pretend audience.

You sit, gently laughing together until the piercing rings of the phone calm your merriment. Eddie rolls his eyes and gets up to answer it. He's talking quietly, but he keeps looking over at you, smiling and making faces at the person on the other end of the phone.

You quickly check your watch and realise the time. Jesus, it was nearly midnight. How had the time gone by so very quickly?

Eddie puts down the phone and notices your demeanour has changed, "Time to go home?" He says, trying to hide his disappointment. He must not want you to leave but also didn't want to guilt you into staying.

"Well, it's nearly midnight, and I haven't called my dad, and he said he expects sleepovers, but I needed to be open about them, and I wasn't expecting one, so I didn't mention it, and you didn't say anything, so you know, well, I've just lost time, haven't I?" You're waffling nervously and spilling way too much information, but the barrier between brain and mouth has just been blasted through by the muscle car of your panicked train of thought.

"Hmmm," He says thoughtfully, then puts his hands in his pockets. "Well, from my side, I had no expectations....hopes maybe..... I just was enjoying the evening, that's all" you smile at one another kindly.

"Me too," you say, standing and putting on your jacket, "I've had a great time." You pause mid-zip up and decide to ask the dreaded question. After all, you were about to leave anyway, so if he said no, it would be way less awkward, "Would you wanna, maybe, do it again some time?"

The question lands, and you brace yourself for an awkward set of excuses. Instead, he strides up to you confidently, putting his arms around your waist, his eyes searching yours, and utters gently, "I couldn't think of a single thing I would rather be doing." He kisses you on the forehead, and you relax into his arms for a few moments before heading out.

When you eventually step out of the trailer, the night sky looks absolutely stunning. You walk around, looking up into the stars, "Wow, is it always like this here?"

"No, not always," he says, stepping into the night, "it's an especially clear crisp night tonight, though. So, you know, they're putting on a good show" he waves his hand vaguely into the sky.

You point your finger at the blanket of stars and trace a wonky W shape, "Cassiopa", you say.

Eddie double takes, "The what now?"

"Cassiopa", you repeat.

"Cassiopeia", he corrects, laughing.

"Oh", you laugh, feeling a bit dumb.

"A vain creature, that one", he adds.

You take offence, "Vain, me?"

"No, no, no, no," he says hurriedly, "Not you. Her!" He points into the sky again and traces the wonky W shape.

"It's a person?" Your brow furrows with confusion.

He looks sorry for you and puts his hands to his mouth, "You don't know, do you? You don't know there is a whole story up there?"

You shake your head, "I just know that one constellation."

"One?!" He makes a fist and bites his knuckle, "You know what I think? I think you need to call your Dad right now and let him know you are staying here, and if he's worried about anything....well....you know what... Yeah...why not?....then he's welcome too, but there is no way I can possibly let you leave here when all you know is one measly constellation."

"I'll ask and see what he says. Don't get your hopes up though"

You go back in and call home. Your Dad picks up immediately, "Honey, are you ok?! Where are you?"

"Sorry, Dad, time just went so fast and then I was leaving, and we were looking at the stars, and Eddie was telling me about them, and I thought maybe I should call and ask if it's ok if I stay over?" You blurt out the question as quickly as possible, like a band-aid, you think to yourself.

You narrow your eyes, bracing for Dad's rage. Eddie is standing in front of you in full support mode, silently crossing his fingers.

Your Dad clears his throat, "a-hem. Well...." He goes quiet

Remembering what Eddie said, you quickly add, "You know if you feel uncomfortable about it, Eddie said you are more than welcome here too."

Eddie nods enthusiastically at you. You let out a little nervous cough, "Plus..." You are struggling to find the right coded words, "There won't and haven't been any choices to make this evening." Eddie looks at you, shocked, mouthing, "What the actual fuck?" You silently shrug back him in an 'I didn't know what else to do' way.

You hear your Dad grumble a little. He's probably shocked you are being so forthright.

"Nothing.....er...compromising", you try.

Eddie throws his hands in the air like the battle is lost.

A little more phone line silence, "Hmmm.....You know what, seeing as you have followed the rules, and I don't detect any lies....though it is over the phone..." He's pondering it further, " I'm gonna give you this one, ok, but if anything, and I do mean anything happens that you are uncomfortable with, you get straight back here, ok. Call me if you are worried. I know where the trailer park is" he says that so quickly you wonder if he's trying to say it before another part of him stops him from saying it.

"How did you-"

"Sorry honey, it wasn't just music recon I did today, alright? But that is beside the point. Remember what I said earlier about being smart. I want to trust you on this sort of thing, so you can have freedoms and be happy." He pauses again. You can almost see him pensively stroking his chin in thought, "I guess it is Saturday night after all.......ok, sure, but do not make me regret this, ok?"

"I won't!! Thank you. Love you. Bye," you say, putting down the phone carefully.

"I've got a pass!!" You shout, and Eddie punches the air a few times in excitement.

"Ok, ok" he's pacing around, half talking to himself, trying to plan everything. He rushes into his bedroom and starts rustling around. A few moments later, he emerges with some sleeping bags and his lunchbox, which he dumps into your arms, and starts ushering you outside.

Once outside, he climbs up a ladder to the top of the trailer, "Pass them up then", he hurries. You do so and then follow him up there. He's laid the sleeping bags out neatly next to one another and pats one for you to come and sit down.

You make your way over to your designated seat. Eddie joins you, seating himself on the other sleeping bag. He opens up the lunchbox and starts rolling a joint.

"Do you wish to partake?" He jokes, holding it between his fingertips, "You know, seeing as you don't have to drive home now."

"Sure, why not" it had been a long time since you smoked weed. In all truth, the first time, you and Connie had found a prerolled one in her parent's stash. You spent probably ninety per cent of that 'session' coughing and spluttering, and it was little to no fun.

The times after were more medicinal, or at least that is what you told yourself. Just to have some peace from the constant questioning and maybe get some quality sleep in place of the same flashes of a nightmare.

"I'll make sure to let Dad know that minutes after he had agreed to let me sleep over, you plied me with drugs," you say in the most serious tone you can muster.

Eddie stops for a second in alarm and then rolls his eyes, "Ha, ha, very droll", he says sarcastically.

You both lie back on your respective sleeping bags as Eddie narrates the story in the sky, outlining each of the character's constellations as he goes, "So Cassiopeia and Cephus over there, were married, and had a kid called Andromeda...that's her there see."

He traces the arc of Andromeda in the sky, passing you the smoke. You take a slight drag and continue listening, "So Cassiopeia is extremely vain, and she's all like, I'm so much better looking than those sea nymphs. Unfortunately for her, those sea nymphs were Poseidon's kids. He's the king of the sea. So he's pissed and sends out a sea monster, Cetus, over there to attack their shores." You pass the joint back over to him. There is a slight pause in storytelling for him to get his hit.

You love looking at the stars, you had pretty much no idea what was going on up there, but you loved them all the same. You feel so happy right now. It was almost like they were twinkling their hardest just for you.

"Anyway, so, they are all freaking out about the sea monster thing, so they think, ah we need to appease it, so they plan a sacrifice. I mean, it was a big leap, as parents, that they decided to choose their own daughter, Andromeda" you quickly point and trace out the part of that constellation you remember, "Very good!! Now so this chick is tied to a rock, and there is this big old sea baddie, but luckily for her, Perseus just happens to be flying back from a quest on Pegasus, and rescues her"

"Wait like the flying horse, Pegasus?"

"The very same." He confirms.

"Whoa," you said in awe of the sky, it's starting to hit you a little now, but it's a very pleasant, relaxing feeling.

Eddie laughs, "Whoa indeed", and he passes it back to you.

"So, are there any other constellations we can see here?" You say, looking at the very star-crammed heavens above you.

"Yeah, there are some like zodiac sign ones here and here, and then there is Triangulum." As he speaks, he points them out and traces them quickly like he's drawing them into the sky.

"Triangulum? Who's that? Like a pointy god with three heads or something?"

"No, I think it just means triangle."

You take a drag and partially sit up, propping yourself up on your elbows, "So what you are saying is, amid all the heroic action adventure, there is just a random triangle?"

"I mean...I guess you could say that," he says slowly.

You both look at one another for a few seconds and explode into laughter.

"Don't mind me, Perseus. I'm just a triangle." You say in a silly voice in between giggling fits. You sigh and lie further back on your elbows.

"That was such a great story, thank you. You're so good at storytelling, dude. I'm actually a little jealous." You say, patting his head in congratulations.

"Jealous of storytelling?" He says, half laughing.

"Yeah, sure, for about 2 years now, that's all anyone wants out of me really, and I..." you flourish your hand to yourself and take another drag, "...can't give it to them."

You flop back down onto your sleeping bag, holding out the joint for Eddie to take, and stare into the night sky, "Maybe you could write me a story to tell them, so at least they have something rather than nothing".

Eddie rolls over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows, and puffs on the joint whilst you are still holding it, "You can't tell them what you don't know, darlin' ", the slight drawl when he utters that last word makes you feel giddy.

"I liked that. Say that again."

"What? Darlin' ?" He says, amused.

"Yeah, it feels funny in my mouth if I say it" You start imitating the word, and you both start laughing again.

Once you've calmed down again, and the laughter fades to sighs, something has been bugging you, "Hey Eddie, you know cultists, are they real?"

"Oh yeah, sure, look at all that Manson family stuff for a start", he answers.

"No, I'm thinking more like in Dungeons & Dragons, like with all robes and hoods and stuff."

"Well, I guess anyone could have a robe and hood, but that sounds a lot like the whole satanic panic type thing. Why on earth are you asking about cults?" He's still smiling, but there is a tinge of concern there.

"Oh, it's silly, really. I think my brain just mushed the D&D game with my reoccurring nightmare."

"You have a reoccurring nightmare?"

"Well, I call it a nightmare, but really it's just all I can remember from when Connie and I went missing."

He's quiet for a moment and probably doesn't know what to say.

"It's ok, I don't often get to explain without someone getting upset with me, so this could be a first. Unless you don't want me to, of course. It's a big deal, but, you know, it's a short story."

Still slowly blinking at the vastness of space, you say, "I mean, I can't blame them. I'm angry with myself too. Only difference is, I know for sure I'm telling the truth about not remembering. You know, even this week, a teacher gave me a book on like guided visualisation or some shit. I mean, I guess it might help, but what if I go through all that, and people get their hopes up, and nothing comes of it."

"So how does it work, this guided stuff?" He asks with a big inhale

"I think basically you have a tape or a shrink talking to you whilst you walk around your memories, or what you can remember. They talk whilst you are in there and like set a scene, or ask you questions and stuff."

"Huh. Well, we could try that if you like? I mean, I don't mind doing the talky bit if it helps you."

"Really? You'd do that? For me? It might be pretty fucked up in there, man. What if I did something really bad, or I remember something horrific?"

"Then I'll be right here with you. Look, I heard the gossip stories about you and Connie that weekend, and the person in those stories and you, do not match up. Like square peg round hole type of shit, man. I mean, don't get me wrong, you look like you could be pretty handy in a fight, but I don't think you'd hurt anyone out of malice."

"What if it was an accident, though? And my brain has blocked it out."

"Then it was an accident, man. It's cool. I'm not trying to pry or force you to do anything you don't want. The offer is there anyway." He reaches for your hand and interlocks your fingers with his, "I just don't want you to be hurt anymore, that's all, and if there is a way I can help you, I wanna help you."

Eddie's words and his hand latched onto yours fills you with a sense of bravery. "You know what, I'm sick of being useless and powerless to help. Let's give it a try."

"Ok...but first, let's get down from here before that becomes a lot more complicated...maybe get some snacks and drinks" he smacks his lips, "yeah, definitely drinks."

You gather up the sleeping bags, and Eddie grabs his lunch box, the climb down is at a snail's pace, but you make it eventually. You sway around a little more than him, but it's not unpleasant. Once you get back into the trailer, you go to Eddie's room.

You give Eddie the basics of what you can remember from skim reading the book and the bullet point memories. He nods and cracks open a beer, "Right, ok, " he takes a swig from the can, "So anywhere you particularly want to investigate?" He asks, breaking out his notepad and tucks a pencil behind his ear.

"I think maybe the hooded people, they are troubling most right now," Eddie asks you to describe that scene in as much detail as possible, which you do.

"Ok, got it" he makes a few scribbles on his page and adjusts his pillow so you can lie perpendicular to where he sits.

You close your eyes, and Eddie starts talking you through some generic scene building, a meadow with a specific type of flower, anything worlds away from your memories so you can tell the difference.

Once you are fully emersed, Eddie asks you to look up and see the figures leaning over you, "What colour are their hood and cloaks?" he asks.

"Like a dark red", you reply sleepily.

"What do they want with you?"

"Not sure...can't hear them...they're laughing at something"

Eddie urges you to stay in the moment, listen, and see as much as possible.

Your visions start to flicker like an incorrectly tuned TV set, but you desperately try to stay in the memory. Something catches your eye, "shiny....a shiny watch."

Eddie scribbles down everything you say, "Metal, sparkle, clock face has hands."

As you are examining the watch face in your memory, it feels as though something grabs the back of your clothing and pulls you, hurtling you backwards away from it.

It feels as though your back crashes through the surface of a body of water, and you are still being dragged back at an alarming rate. You feel like you are drowning until you are pulled out of what feels like the other side.

You land with a thud and look to your right. The ripples. You watch the ripples move, but you feel like something is different this time. It is much more viscous. This isn't water,

"Not water, something else."

"Can you smell or taste anything?"

"Only metal" your hand is plunged into the ripples, and you feel a warm sensation, "Warm."

"Can you look around for me? Do you feel any sensations different to the warm liquid"

You desperately try to feel anything else, a chill touches your back.

"It's cold, where I'm laying it's cold, I'm cold" your eyes search behind your eyelids, a flash of something above you, "red cloak and a table," you say as you see one hurriedly swishes past you and stops abruptly at the edge of a table.

"Something's wrong" your stomach beings to flip over as the red cloak darts around in front of you.

Eddie takes a swig of beer, "What do you mean? Has something changed?"

"Panic, running. One is running. They've gone"

Another grab at your back plunged through yet another surface in the darkness. It's like your subconsciousness is dragging you through recollections you had long forgotten, but not long enough for all the details you want.

This time you aren't anywhere different, you are still in the same place, but this time you feel it. You can't move, "I'm stuck", you say as you try to "gotta get out of here" you try to move your body in the memory. You are stuck fast.

In Eddie's room, you are desperately squirming against nothing. He puts down his beer and notepad slowly. "Ok, I think that's enough now," he says.

You can hear him, but it's like listening to it from underwater.

In the visualisation, something drops from the table towards you. It's hard to determine what it is because it's so close to your face but just sways above you. You try to refocus your eyes.

"Hey, did you hear me? I said that's enough," Eddie says, a little more worried, but you are so close to focussing on the object.

A drop of liquid hits your lips from the pale object in front of you, which twitches and crunches, and that's when you see it. The little purple butterfly ring, "Connie?" You say weakly.

"Connie?!" You say in more alarm and try to move again. Nothing.

"CONNIE" you scream in terror and immediately find yourself back in Eddie's room, sitting bolt upright, breathing heavily, looking at the wall.

You turn to the side and hear Eddie scream. He is firmly pinned up against the other wall, "What the actual fuck?" He pants, staring at you, horrified.

The lump in your throat rises, and you feel your eyes fill with tears. What kind they are, you aren't sure, terror, sadness, joy,

"Eddie.." you say in a hoarse whisper, "I saw the ring she used to wear all the time. I-I think it was Connie" you look down at your hands, "I just couldn't do anything, I couldn't move or reach out to her" your voice cracks a little.

Eddie slowly peels himself from the wall, sits next to you and drapes his arm around your shoulders. You gratefully lean into him and let a few tears fall. He felt so warm right now, compared to the memory sensations of the cold, hard ground. "Did you get much info this end?" You ask without much expectation.

"Well, I think I might have nearly had a heart attack", he jokes, trying to mask his worry, "I wrote down everything I heard and made notes of any descriptions. Well...except the last bit...because I.... well, let's just say it was pretty fucking scary in here."

" What happened?"

"Your body just went stiff as a board man, then you were vibrating like a cheap motel bed, then nothing, absolutely nothing at all. I thought you'd had a seizure or something. When I touched your arm, there was no response. You felt cold, like unnaturally cold. Then you said her name, did one hell of a sit-up and screamed her name into that wall there."

You rub your face with your hands, "I'm so sorry I scared you. I just thought I'd see something else if I could stay in there a bit longer."

"Hey now", he tries to comfort you, "so I got a little worried there for a second. I'm fine, you're fine, and potentially we have more clues for you. Well, at least some words", he gives your shoulders a little squeeze. You look up at him, and he can't hide his concern on his face this time but dips back into humour to ease the tension. "What do you say we get a little more 'fresh air," he says using air quotes, "with our friend the mighty triangle and then catch some z's."

You nod into his chest, wrapping your arms around his lithe torso and giving him a little squeeze back. He makes a noise of appreciation, "or...we could just stay here," he says gently, snuggling into your arms some more, gently walking his fingers along your arm.

You shake your head and smile, "You know, for a man who just got scared half to death, you recovered pretty quickly."

"What can I say? I've got priorities, and my goods are the best in town."

You look at his cheeky grin, and the bad feelings get pushed way down.

"Goods?" You say with a slight smile.

"Well, I was talking generally about lunchbox contents, but they aren't the only goods I've got." He says enthusiastically, purposefully poking your curiosity.

You sit up, "Well, now you are going to have to tell me."

"Well, first of all, these things." He rolls up his sleeve and flexes a bicep at you, "then of course 2 buns of steel, eyes you get lost in.... repeatedly!! a 100kW smile, I mean I could go on," he laughs.

"Oh, I see, "you pat yourself down, "well, that's too bad. I've clean forgot my wallet."

"Well, you know, we accept payment plans here," he says flirtatiously, pulling the sleeping bag over the top of your both.

You giggle in the moment, but mid-kiss, you open your eyes, trying to take in every detail of his face, just so you could recall it exactly when you needed it next. Trying to give your brain so many details, it could never forget this.

You knew you were absolutely in way too deep, too soon. His soft brown eyes are closed, hidden from you, and it feels like you almost know something he is blissfully unaware of. Deep down, you know, this guy was going to, when it was over, not just break your heart, but obliterate it to its very atoms.

Good things don't last for you. They never have.