｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

LUNCH WENT ON AS NORMAL as it could be. Mike and Dustin were sent on task to find a substitute for Lucas since he wasn't coming to the club meeting because of his basketball game — even though he's been benched all year — Pauley did understand the frustration that came with having someone not show up when they should, but this was a big game. That didn't mean that she was gonna go — oh no, she was still going to the club meeting even if she still had trouble figuring out how to play D&D, she spectated most of the time but she did have a character created just in case.

The day was almost over, and honestly Pauley hoped that it was a bit longer — but it seemed that things never worked out for her. Andrew, her older brother by two years, did tell her that he'd try his best to do fun things with her during spring break but his job at a McDonald's drive thru was going to basically be from nine in the morning to nine at night. "Pst..pst!" Looking over, Pauley saw Chrissy Cunningham looking at her, "Do you know the answer to number five?" The girl asked and Pauley looked down at her paper before looking back at her. "Um, it's B." She answered awkwardly but Chrissy seemed to not mind as she just smiled and thanked her before marking the answer down.

A few minutes passed by and soon the bell rang — signaling that school was over. Everyone had turned in their work and dashed out of the classroom — Pauley being one of the last to walk out. Sliding on her headphones, the sound of Kate Bush came through the small speakers but the tap on Pauley's shoulder snapped her out of it. Turning, she saw Chrissy, "Hey, I don't think we've met before — like, not formally at least." The captain of the cheer team chuckled and Pauley let out an awkward chuckle. The two stood in silence before Chrissy held out her hand, "I'm Chrissy Cunningham." Pauley shook her hand — hoping the girl couldn't feel the sweat on them from how nervous she was.

"Pauley Barrymore — I'm kind of new." She hoped that the explanation with those four words would make Chrissy a little less confused on if she's never seen Pauley before — even though Chrissy was actually kind of friends with a younger Pauley, but she would never bring that up, it would be too complex to explain out of the blue. "So that's why I've never seen you before! You coming to the game tonight?" Chrissy asked cheerily and Pauley gave her a tight lipped smile — "Maybe, I dunno... um, I have a club meeting tonight." Pauley explained but Chrissy was definitely confused, "Oh, I'm in the Hellfire club." Pauley tried to laugh off the awkwardness but Chrissy was now slightly put off by her affiliation with the Hellfire club.

After some more seconds of awkwardness, Chrissy spoke, "Well, I guess I'll see you later." Pauley nodded — "Yeah, see you later.." Sliding her headphones back on, she walked away and into the club room to set up everything. If Pauley was good at one thing associated with D&D, it would be setting up everything to how Eddie and the others would want it — but mostly Eddie since he's the club leader and dungeon master. Turning on the last of the fairy lights, Pauley sat down on a chair to the side and waited for the others to start piling in.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Pauley may or may not have fallen asleep when waiting but the sweet sound of Eddie's voice woke her up — and by sweet sound it was his best impression of Axl Rose right in her ear as her headphones had fallen off. "Jesus! Jesus H. Christ!" Pauley exclaimed before registering that all the members — except for Dustin and Mike — were there. Her face instantly went red as she hid her face in her hands as the laughs of everyone else filled her ears. "Aw Pauley, it's okay, I'm sorry." Eddie apologized, still slightly laughing as he pulled Pauley's hands away from her face before hugging her — the other members were talking amongst themselves. "I do appreciate you setting everything up." He whispered as he looked down at her — she was still sitting in the chair.

"You're welcome you dick." Pauley said with a grin — looking back up at him before Mike, Dustin, and a middle schooler walked in. Eddie pulled away from her and looked at them — well, everyone looked at them. "You asked for a sub, we delivered." Dustin said, motioning to the girl next to him. Eddie scoffed, "This is Hellfire club, not babysitting club." His words made the others — except Pauley, who was now listening to her music — laugh. He walked over to them, "I'm eleven you long haired freak." The girl said making the other members "ooh" at her insult. "My, my, the child speaks." Eddie said in a mysterious tone.

The other members chuckled, Eddie leaned down slightly to look at the young girl face to face, "So, what's your name child?" He asked. "Erica Sinclair." She answered making Eddie raise his brows slightly, "So, this is Sinclair's infamous sister." Erica was clearing annoyed, she looked at Mike and Dustin, "He's sharp." That caused the Hellfire members to burst out laughing until Eddie shot them a look. He looked back at Erica, "What's your class and level? Level one dwarf?" They all laughed until Erica spoke again in a commanding tone that even caught Pauley's attention. She took off her headphones and listened to the girl.

"My name is Lady Applejack and I'm a chaotic good, half-elf rogue, level fourteen — I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison soaked kukri, and I'll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death." Everyone in the room was speechless — Pauley couldn't help but smirk as the girl spoke again, "So, we gonna do this or we gonna keep chit chatting like this is your mommy's book club?" Eddie gave her a toothy grin as he spoke, "Welcome to Hellfire."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A very heated D&D game was going on and Pauley was very entertained by all the groups clamoring over things of fiction. "The hooded cultists chant, Hail Lord Vecna, they turn to you, remove their hoods. You recognize most of them from Makbar — but there is one you do not recognize — his skin shriveled, desiccated... and something else." Eddie was hunched over as he spoke to everyone — he put an arm behind his back, "He is not only missing his left arm," he put his other hand on his eye, "but his left eye!" That caused everyone to freak out. Pauley couldn't help but laugh at the theatrics. "No! No!" Mike protested and Dustin spoke after him, "Vecna's dead, he was killed by Kas!"

Eddie smirked as he looked at them all, "So it was thought my friends, so it was thought." He raised a finger, "But Vecna lives." Everyone clamored around before they all huddled into a circle, "Pauley get over here, we need your opinion." Dustin called and Pauley looked at Eddie — he shrugged with a small smile — she walked over and joined the huddle. "What is it?" She asked them and Mike spoke, "Should we fight him to the death?" Pauley furrowed her brows, "Who?" Dustin groaned, "Vecna!" He exclaimed and Pauley nodded, "Okay, okay! Um.." She thought about it — she knew that this was risky, "Do it." She blurted and luckily they all agreed with her.

Walking back to the table — Pauley going back to sit back in her chair. "We're fighting to the death!" Dustin announced — and it seemed that they were all excited for it, but things began to slowly go back downhill and that's when Dustin called it, "Time out, time out!" They all stood up and Dustin motioned Pauley over into their huddle. "Guys, I hate to say this but we gotta flee." Mike said and Pauley nodded, "Probably for the best." Erica raised a brow, "Didn't we just agree to the death?" Dustin scoffed, "That wasn't literal." Pauley speaks again, "Don't you guys only have two players left?" Mike nodded, "Vecna just decimated us. We can't just kill him with two players." Dustin groaned. "You too? He only has fifteen hit points left. Don't be pussies."

"Pussies? Really? 'Cause we're not delusional?" Mike argued causing him and Dustin to start an argument before Eddie interjected, "Hey! If I may interject, gentlemen, Lady Applejack, and other lady. Whilst I respect the passion, you'd be wise to take Gareth the Great's concern to heart. There is no shame in running. Don't try to be heroes. Not today, 'kay?" Dustin held up a finger, "One sec." The all went back to their huddle. "What do you think?" Dustin asked Pauley and she sighed, "How many hit points do you and Applejack have left?" She asked. Erica and Dustin replied in unison, "Twelve." Pauley nodded, "Hm, it's risky but — overall, it's your guy's call."

Dustin looked at Erica, "What do you say Lady Applejack?" Erica scoffed, "You really gotta ask?" Dustin went quiet before he nodded, "Screw it. Let's kill the son of a bitch." They all got out of their huddle and Dustin went first, "Give me the D20." Eddie gave it to him and the others — including Pauley — stood behind Dustin as he shook the dice in his hands. It was very tense, and when Dustin let the dice roll — everyone held their breath until Eddie announced the result, he stood up, "That's a miss!" He said in a gravelly tone. "Shit, shit!" Dustin exclaimed as everyone else freaked out. It was Erica's turn — and everyone was tense as they watched her.

She let the dice roll and waited for Eddie to announce the results, "Crit hit!" Everyone cheered as Eddie bowed to a very proud looking Erica. "That was awesome." Pauley said as her and Dustin hugged in celebration. This was an awesome end to school — not permanently but, for now.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Having changed back into her tank top and jacket. Pauley walked over to Eddie next to his van, "Hey, can you still give me a ride home? My brothers still at work." Eddie turned and looked at her — he hesitated slightly before nodding, "Sure Lee, I just um — we gotta stop at my place first." He scratched the back of his neck. "Is it okay if you sit in the back of the van this time?" Pauley furrowed her brows before nodding, "Oh sure... that's fine." Eddie couldn't help but give her a quick hug and thank you before opening the back doors of his van. Pauley stepped into the van before sitting down — luckily there was a seat with a seatbelt in the back that she could sit in.

After a few minutes, the passenger seat open and Chrissy Cunningham entered. The two made eye contact and Pauley couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock, "Oh, hi." Chrissy greeted and Pauley just nodded with a smile. Eddie got in the drivers side and turned the car on, "Sorry for this surprise but — it'll be quick, wait that sounds weird but — you get what I mean." Eddie awkwardly chuckled before he cleared his throat and turned the radio on, Black Sabbath playing through the speakers as Eddie drove off to his home.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Eddie pulled up to his home in the trailer park, he turned his van off before he got out of the van, opening the back doors of the van after he did. Chrissy got out herself, and the two girls followed him, "This is, uh, my castle." Eddie joked — the two girls chuckled — Pauley had been here before, only when Eddie was stopping by to get something, she had never been inside. Eddie led the way — none of the teens knowing that something sinister would soon happen.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Sorry for the mess. Uh, the maid took the week off." It was clear Eddie had never had a girl close to his age in his home — alone — let alone two. "You um, you live here alone?" Chrissy asked as she looked around, a light sheen of sweat coated her face, she was on edge. Eddie looked at her, "With my uncle, but uh, he works nights at the plant." Chrissy nodded at his words. Pauley couldn't help but be even more confused now. The feeling of Eddie's rings made her look at him, "Come here for a second." He guided her towards the back of his trailer — which was clearly his room.

Eddie looked down the hall to make sure Chrissy wasn't in view of them, "Look, I can explain everything — but for right now I'm looking for um, this stuff that Chrissy is trying to borrow." Pauley furrowed her brows, "You know, this sounds like a drug deal to me Eddie." Her words made him shake his head, even though he was lying. "No, no, definitely not just, hold on — let me find this." Pauley sighed before she nodded, "Okay, fine." She huffed before sitting down on his bed. Eddie couldn't help but steal a few glances at her — it's not everyday you see your dream girl on your bed.

Pauley picked at a loose thread on her skirt, she looked around Eddie's room before seeing a guitar on his wall, "Do you play?" She blurted out making Eddie look up — seeing Pauley looking at what he considered his baby. "Oh, yeah." He answered before he pulled out a tiny bag of what Pauley guessed Chrissy wanted to borrow. Eddie stood up and looked at his guitar, "Sorry I was late sweetheart." Kissing his fingers before pressing against his guitar, he strummed it once, "You're beautiful." He whispered to the inanimate object before looking at Pauley, "Got it, let's go." She stood up and followed him back to Chrissy.

"Peaceful bliss just moments away." Eddie announced but Chrissy didn't answer. "Chrissy?" He called out making Pauley furrow her brows, "Chrissy?" She also called. Eddie spoke next, "Chrissy, hello?" The two came around the corner and saw Chrissy just... standing there, eyes a milky white color as she shook slightly. "Chrissy. Hey, Chrissy wake up." Eddie said as he waved his hand in front of her face. Pauley stood next to him, "Chrissy, hello, Chrissy." She spoke — but her tone was more panicky than Eddie's. "Hey, hello?" Eddie said as he shook Chrissy's shoulders but she didn't react.

Pauley couldn't help but feel chills overcome her as she spoke, "Chrissy, hello!" She said loudly — Eddie soon following along, "Hey Chrissy!" That's when the lights flickered. Pauley shook Chrissy's shoulders harder than Eddie had, "Hello! Chrissy! Wake up!" She yelled as Eddie yelled too, "Time to wake up! This isn't funny Chrissy!" The lights flickered even more. Pauley removed her hands and just stared in horror, "Chrissy!" She cried from fright. The lights began to flicker faster, "Chrissy! Wake up now! Chrissy!" Eddie yelled as he began shaking the girl like Pauley had done moments before.

"Chrissy!" Eddie yelled before suddenly — Chrissy was floating in the air, "What the fuck.." Pauley muttered as she stared at the sight. Eddie stepped back from Chrissy and stood next to Pauley, "What.." He whispered before suddenly — Chrissy's was pressed to the ceiling and her arm was broke, "Jesus!" Eddie exclaimed as Pauley yelped and grabbed onto Eddie's arm. Chrissy's leg broke, then her other arm, then her other leg — then her jaw. The sound of lights flickering rapidly and bones snapping filled the trailer. Eddie tripped and fell backwards — taking Pauley with him as they watched Chrissy slam against the ceiling. Other bones break from Chrissy before her eyes just popped, blood spewing. Eddie and Pauley screamed in horror and then..

The lights went out.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆