Chapter Forty-Eight: Late Night Gigs And Phone Chats

(MADMAX, Pt. 5)

***

"Now, that is another hundred dollars."

The woman with teased hair scowled as she coughed up the hundred dollars, Aunt Aco smiling victoriously as she gave the money to Rowan, who added them to the other hundred her aunt had gotten out of the mark in the cash box. Once the money had been given up, Aunt Aco leaned forward, eyes trained on the crystal ball as she said in a mystical voice, "Your daughter... she will get good grades. She will graduate."

"And? Will she get into college?" the woman asked, leaning forward, hands gripping her purse, sweat beading on her forehead. 

Aunt Aco looked at the woman and said, "For that, I must consult the mists of time further in my crystal ball. That is another hundred dollars."

The woman's anxious expression twisted into a scowl as she stood up. "That's what you said last time. I'm not going to be cheated out of all my money."

Aunt Aco's lips quirked into a smirk. "Maybe. But if you want to know for certain your daughter's future... I'm the best chance you have."

The woman hesitated, features twisting before she reluctantly sat down, grabbing another hundred out while scowling.

Glee lit up Aunt Aco's face as she took the money and handed it to Rowan, the teen also thrilled the woman was so easy to con, especially given how rich she obviously was. 

The rich ones are always the most gullible ones, Rowan thought as she put away their newly three hundred dollars, adding it to the other cash her aunt had gotten in the box from earlier marks; with all of this, they might be able to not only pay for their bills and groceries this week, but she could pocket her own earnings and buy things she liked. Same with Alistair. And given how her aunt was always so worried about money and them being poor, this money was going to be treasured and spent wisely.

As her aunt looked into her crystal ball and began to see a fake future for the mark's daughter, she gave Rowan a look. Rowan nodded, and a second later something was knocked over in the trailer past her aunt's workstation, while the lights flickered overhead.

The woman jumped, asking in a frightened voice, "What was that?!"

"Oh, just the spirits," her aunt answered airily as Rowan discreetly wiped the blood from her nose, the sleeves of her jacket hiding her glowing veins as the brilliant blue faded away.

The woman looked unsettled, but she seemed convinced something paranormal was happening—if only she really knew—listening as her aunt read the future shown to her.

"I see your daughter going into college. I see... her graduating, and her finding love. I see her being happily married with three kids and staying at home taking care of them," her aunt said in a mysterious voice, and Rowan could see the distaste in her aunt's eyes of having to tell this type of future. It wasn't a bad future, but it was future most women had for decades, especially when Aunt Aco constantly told Rowan that she should always try to be independent and screw what society expected of women. But this was the future the woman wanted for her daughter, and Aco always tried to give the future the mark always wanted to hear.

It did the trick, as the woman smiled. "That's a relief. Thank you."

"Please, I'm just a humble conduit for what I see," her aunt said, voice thick with sarcasm the mark didn't pick up on as she stood up and bustled out, walking past Rowan and allowing the raven-haired teen to hear her mutter, "Could do without her cheating me out of my money," before the curtain lifted and she was out; the creak of their door told the Graveswood women she had left.

Rowan rolled her eyes at the comment.

"Please, as if you don't have enough money of your own to spend on this type of stuff," Rowan muttered as she looked at her aunt, who'd grabbed her box and tallied it all up, her grin widening.

"How much did we make, Aunt Aco?" Rowan asked after her aunt had finished counting.

Aunt Aco turned to her, that grin still on her face as she answered, "Enough to pay for bills and groceries for the next couple of months, and get you and Alistair your presents for Christmas, kid."

Rowan found herself grinning as she exclaimed, "That's great!"

Her aunt smiled, shaking her head as she said, "I'll tell ya, kid, October is the best month to be a fake psychic. The tourists from Indy and the locals come in droves to hear their futures on the spookiest month of the year. Make some lights flicker and knock a couple things over, and they'll be convinced there are ghosts about and hand ya hundred dollar bills like candy."

"Maybe we should also hold seances too," Rowan suggested, a gleam flickering in her aunt's eyes, both of how much money such a thing could make and pride.

"Maybe, but I want your brother here as well for that; I need him to let me know if they are any actual ghosts about if I do that."

Rowan nodded. "Got it."

As the teen moved to head out and get ready to head to the Hideout—and hopefully catch Eddie before he left for his gig—her aunt shouted, "Hold on a sec, kid!"

Rowan turned back as her aunt held up an one hundred dollar bill, a smile on her face.

"Here you go, kid," her aunt said as she pressed the money into Rowan's hands, who stared at it in shock. "You earned it."

Rowan looked back up at her aunt, gaping. "Aunt Aco, this is too much. We need the money for the bills and groceries."

"We've got enough money from today. Go on, kid. Take it. Like I said, you earned it," her aunt replied, smiling.

Rowan stared at her aunt, then hugged her, smiling.

"Thanks, Aunt Aco!"

Her aunt chuckled, her laugh raspy and comforting, before she and Rowan let go, a smile still on her face.

"Have fun, tonight, kid," she said.

"I will!" Rowan promised as she jumped, landing in her room and hurriedly grabbing clothes before she darted into the bathroom, having a quick shower—the water was, thankfully, hot—and getting dressed for tonight before she jumped back into her room and grabbed her fake ID and applied a bit of makeup on and some more deodorant. Ready, she raced out of her room and outside, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Eddie's van still at his trailer, her friend just about to open the door—after having already packed in his guitar and amps.

"Munson!" she shouted, catching the metalhead's attention.

Eddie turned to her, and grinned.

"Graveswood!" he yelled, striding up to her. He was obviously dressed for the gig; under his battle vest and leather jacket, he wore a crop top with a ripped hem that showed off his tattoos on his abdomen, ripped jeans, Docs, a spiked bracelet around his wrist and, of course, his rings. His nails were painted freshly black, and he had eyeliner on his eyes, and his hair was even messier than usual. He grinned as he said, "I didn't think you'd be finished."

"Miracles do happen, Munson," Rowan replied, throwing back the same grin as she jogged over to the passenger's seat and hopped in, shouting, "Now, come on! Do you want to be late for your own gig?"

Her best friend only laughed before he got in as well, starting up the car. Dio thundered from the speakers as Eddie drive away from the trailer park, her best friend looking at her and saying, "Looking pretty metal, Graveswood."

Rowan grinned. "Thanks!"

Rowan was wearing a Joan Jett band shirt, ripped black jeans, her Docs, fingerless gloves, and her battle jacket—an old leather jacket she'd found in a thrift store with studs on the lapels, hems of the sleeves and along her shoulders, two chains on the left pocket leading to the back, and pins on the lapels next to the studs and just beneath her shoulders on both sides of her favourite bands and singers she'd either bought from concerts she and Eddie had been able to go to or from the record store—Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crue, Metallica, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Queen, AC/DC, and Rolling Stones. And on the back was Joan Jett, cut out from one of Rowan's Joan Jett shirts and patched onto the back, her favourite singer taking place of centre and pride. It had taken her and Eddie nearly a month last summer to find and make the battle jacket, but Rowan never felt more prouder when it was done. And when Rowan had chucked on the ensemble for tonight with the jacket over top, she'd felt proud of the outfit, and was very glad it was metal.

Not to mention, when she wore her battle jacket, Rowan felt even more badass than she normally was. Like she could slay the Demogorgon again or any other Upside Down monsters in it. So, that was a nice bonus.

As Eddie picked up his bandmates, Rowan helping them with getting their instruments and amps packed into the back, she engaged in conversation with them, talking about the new albums that had dropped this year, about the potential of there being more than five drunks plus Rowan at the Hideout tonight, of the hope that someone from a record label might be there (it was pretty low, but one could hope, right?), and a debate about which horror movies were better (Rowan was firmly on Carrie, Alien, The Shining, Halloween, Psycho, The Thing, The Exorcist, Evil Dead and now on Nightmare On Elm Street and Firestarter's sides) before Rowan grinned after the horror movie debate and said, "So, guys, Munson. You know how I told you all about what I'm doing after graduation? Of going to college and getting into psychology?"

They all gave yeses of agreement. Rowan grinned and revealed, "Well, next summer, I'm getting an internship at Pennhurst!"

Immediately the van erupted into exclamations of congratulations and "That's awesome" and "Really proud of you Graveswood!"'s,  though Rowan had to remind Eddie he had to make sure they didn't crash when he tried to give her a hug, substituting for a congratulatory fist bump instead.

"That's really awesome, Graveswood," her best friend said, grinning. "Look at you, becoming a shrink. Who would have thought?"

Rowan rolled her eyes, but she couldn't keep back a smile. "Thanks Munson."

"You're gonna do great, Rowan," Gareth said, giving her a supportive smile as Frank nodded and Jeff added, "Just don't go crazy from working in the asylum next summer!"

"As if I'm not already crazy, Jeff!" Rowan shouted back, and the entire van cackled with laughter.

"You told Buckley and Cunningham yet?" Frank asked between eating Doritos.

"Not yet. Planning on telling them after the gig."

"What about Wheeler and Byers?" Jeff piped up, and Rowan said, "Nope. Gonna tell them tomorrow at school."

"Hey, what about Harrington?" Gareth put in.

At that, Rowan grew silent, fiddling with one of the chains hanging from her battle jacket. Gareth, as if sensing her change in mood, winced and apologised, "Shit, Rowan, sorry. I just thought, since you guys stopped being mortal enemies and all, that you would."

"It's fine," Rowan replied as she leaned back, sighing. "Honestly, I think I'll tell him at school, too."

That seemed to end that matter, but it still stuck in Rowan's mind. If the internship went well, then that could mean she could get a scholarship—a scholarship that, given how she grew up in a trailer park, would be a miracle in itself to get, especially if it was a scholarship to Harvard or Stanford or any college with a good psychology course. But it meant moving from Hawkins, and while her friends accepted it—especially since, when they graduated, they'd all probably be moving out from Hawkins the moment they could—Rowan didn't know how Steve would react, especially given his stress over college. She knew he'd be happy for her—he'd been surprised when she told him about the profession she'd chosen, but supportive—but she didn't know if this would be rubbing it in. 

I'll tell him tomorrow, and I guess we'll see, Rowan decided, before tuning back into the conversation, and smiling when she recognised it—the familiar debate of which Stephen King book was better. Rowan knew her answer—Carrie, of fucking course—but she sat back and let herself be entertained, especially when the debate shifted into arguments about which theories over what Eddie had planned for the campaign were the most plausible. Eddie, for his credit, only had a knowing smirk.

The theories ended when they arrived at the Hideout, and setting up needed to be more important. Rowan helped, of course, getting Jeff's guitar—Gareth and Frank were as possessive of their instruments as Eddie was about his 'sweetheart'—and a smaller speaker as Jeff got the others, using a little telekinesis to help as they marched to the bar and walked in.

There were a couple of drunks, but they paid the five no attention as the bartender waved them to the area that would be the stage, giving Rowan a look, assuming she was a groupie. She wasn't, but she didn't care. She only wanted to help her friend, and be there for him.

After they'd finished setting up, Eddie grinned at her. "You ready for the most metal concert ever, Graveswood?"

Rowan rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "Yes. Are you?"

Her best friend returned the smile, brown eyes shining with the anticipation and energy of the concert to come.

Rowan punched Eddie's shoulder and said, "See you and the guys in a minute, Munson," before she made her way into the bar proper, where without the urge to help set up, she could feel the atmosphere in the bar better, could smell the alcohol in the air and hear the loud, drunken voices and feel the eyes looking at her and her clothes, at the stage where Corroded Coffin would soon play. The Hideout wasn't really the best place for a metal band to perform, but it was the only place in Hawkins that they could really play at until they made it big like Eddie always claimed, so some sacrifices had to be made.

And if anyone gave her or Eddie and his band trouble, well... Rowan wasn't above using her fists. Or a discreet use of her powers.

Leaning against the bar, Rowan ignored the looks from some drunks—the looks that had her skin crawl in the way women only knew—watching the stage for the band, waiting.

She didn't need to for long as Eddie's electric guitar rang out and her best friend appeared in all his stage glory, grinning as he held a microphone to his face and yelled, "Are you ready for the most metal performance ever, Hawkins?!"

Eddie didn't wait for an answer back, because he was performing, Rowan instantly recognising Paranoid from Black Sabbath as he sang into the microphone, the atmosphere instantly shifting from drunken monotony into something electric and wild, and Rowan grinned as she headbanged to the music, discreetly making the lights shine brighter overhead as Corroded Coffin played, her best friend just as electric and wild as the atmosphere. The stage was where he truly came alive, moving about with an energy she only ever saw when he was performing, fingers dancing along the guitar as he sang into the microphone, voice raspy and deep but still nice-sounding, hair flying wildly about his face, the eyeliner making his eyes appear darker, kicking up a leg or sliding onto his knees across the stage and headbanging as well, a manic smile never leaving his face.

If psychology was Rowan's passion, then music, this band, was Eddie's.

When the performance finally ended, Eddie was panting, sweat shining on his skin, but he was grinning, saying into the microphone, "Thanks for having us, Hawkins! Good night!"

He then made his devil face, and while the drunks grumbled, Rowan whooped, clapped and cheered, racing to backstage, where she all but practically tackled her best friend, yelling, "Holy fuck you were awesome, guys!"

Corroded Coffin grinned as Eddie chuckled, hugging Rowan back. The hug lasted for one more second before Rowan pulled away, fighting a smile as she said, "God, you smell gross, Munson."

"Hey, don't insult your ride home, Graveswood," Eddie admonished, but his own smile erased any real threat. "And besides, it's the smell of performing."

"Still gross," Rowan shot back, which earned her a whack on the arm from Eddie. She flipped him the bird and turned to the other members of Corroded Coffin, chatting with them animatedly about the gig they'd just performed as they packed up, walking back to the van and getting ready to leave, the van peeling away and leaving the Hideout behind.

***

Rowan all but collapsed into her bed, feeling as exhausted as if she had been performing alongside Eddie. He'd dropped her off an hour ago, to which she'd made a beeline for the phone and told Robin, then Chrissy, the good news. Her best friends had just been as ecstatic as Corroded Coffin had been, though Chrissy's was a bit more subdued, which Rowan got; her parents didn't believe in therapy and instead believed praying or ignoring it hard enough could fix anything. Chrissy didn't think that way, but influence from parents was a hard thing to kick. Still, they'd been happy for her, which made Rowan feel even more elated about her internship, at how she could actually really do this.

Aunt Aco and Alistair hadn't been awake, had gone to bed, which Rowan didn't really care about. They knew where she had gone to, and that she would be home late, so there wasn't a point in staying up. 

Now, lying in bed after changing into her pyjamas, Rowan was all but smiling as she burrowed her face into her pillow and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.

***

Rowan woke up with a gasp. Blinking, she saw she was standing in the Byers hallway. Her eyes tracked where the bear trap had been, the carpet replaced but the image of it, of the Demogorgon on fire as it screeched in pain, the string of Christmas lights above it flashing in their brightly coloured hues, was forever imprinted in her memory, that she could still see a hazy shape of it like her brother could see the hazy shapes of ghosts.

Rowan frowned as she looked around; had she teleported to the Byers' house? But that didn't make sense—she'd literally been asleep a minute ago. So there could be only one explanation.

She'd dream-walked again.

Rowan frowned. Last time she dream-walked, Will and his episode had been the cause. And if that was the case again... where was he?

A quiet, terrified gasp came and Rowan whirled, now seeing Will. He was dressed in pyjamas, as if he'd woken up and gone to either the bathroom or get a glass of water, eyes once again fixed on something terrifying as he stood just outside of his home. Rowan looked in his direction, and felt her throat go dry and her spectral body lock up in fear.

Beyond the open front door was the Upside Down, red lightning flashing in the sky, each crack of it making her own lightning recoil and shiver, grating against her nerves. And in the lightning, appearing and disappearing with each flash of bloody crimson, was a large, shadowy thing, like a spider and a Xenomorph mixed into one horrifying, shadowy creature, radiating such a presence of cold, malicious evil it nearly made Rowan's knees buckle. Its Xenomorphic head swivelled to look at Will, and Rowan could see the terror paralysing the boy, the wind whipping his hair back, could feel her own terror climbing up her throat as the creature turned its attention to her, making Rowan want to run, she wanted to run so bad, she never wanted to run more since she first saw the Demogorgon, she just wanted to run—

***

Rowan woke up with a stifled gasp, bolting upright and panting heavily as sweat clung to her shivering body, strands of black hair hanging around her face, her chest tight even as she inhaled and exhaled like she'd been starved of air.

Another not-dream, another episode of Will's she dream-walked into. Another night where she was in the Upside Down again, expect instead of a monster who's face opened up into four nightmarish petals, she saw a shadow who truly indeed looked like the lovechild of a spider and Xenomorph, towering above the treeline, only visible in flashes of crimson and scarlet lightning, radiating such evil that Rowan had only felt when she saw that cloud last night, a cloud she realised must have been the thing she saw just now, the thing now haunting Will.

The thing now haunting her, if she kept dream-walking into Will's episodes.

Rowan's throat worked and she buried her face into her hands, exhaling shakily. God, she just wanted this to be over. She wanted this Upside Down shit to just be over, to finally move on and try to live as much of a normal life as possible. She wanted to live a normal life, wanted to graduate and get into a good college with a good psychology course and become a psychologist or therapist or whatever you called giving kids like her and Will the help they needed, help she didn't really realise she did need until the appointments, until she found her love for it, even though her gender would make that harder. She wanted it to be over.

She wanted it to be so goddamned fucking over.

Blowing out a sigh, Rowan's hands dropped from her face as she crawled out of bed—no way was she falling asleep again, not after what she'd just seen. The teen padded down the hallway, trying to make little noise despite the notorious thinness of trailer walls. She made to go to the front door, but hesitated; she didn't want to talk to Eddie, especially when she couldn't really talk to him about this, as much as she wanted to. So instead she made her way to the phone, where she once again hesitated. She wanted to call Chrissy and Robin, but it was the same dilemma—she couldn't talk without revealing her powers to her friends, without breaking that contract.

So, instead, she called the only person she knew who would understand, and listen.

"Harrington residence, this is Steve," the boy she wanted to talk to said over the phone, voice rough with sleep.

"Steve," she whispered, and she could tell he was instantly awake, though it was probably from shock.

"Graveswood? What... why are you calling me at two in the morning? Is everything okay?"

"Harrington, I... do you remember when I told you about my powers? That one I have is that it lets me get into people's heads or the Upside Down when I dream?" Rowan asked, pitching her voice low.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I... I slipped, into the Upside Down, and I saw... I saw..." Rowan tried to get out, but she couldn't, the words sticking to her throat, the terror of that shadow, the malice it held, freezing the words in her throat.

"Hey, it's okay, Graveswood. Just talk to me. I'm here," Steve said, surprisingly soothingly. A bubble of absurd laughter built up in her throat that Rowan quickly pushed down before she spoke again, focusing on the warmth she felt at hearing that assurance.

"I saw this shadow... thing. It looked like a Xenomorph from Alien, only massive and a shadow and like it was also part spider and it was just..." Rowan swallowed back her fear as she whispered, "It felt so evil. I... even when I was... wh-when I was in there with Nance last year, I didn't feel that, and I was so scared, Harrington. I was so fucking scared."

Rowan choked back a sob, hand pressed to her forehead, phone glued to her ear, Steve quiet on the other end. It went on for so long Rowan wondered if he'd hung up before he said, voice quiet, "Graveswood, I... wow. I don't know what to say. Jesus..."

"My reaction," Rowan muttered.

"Sorry," Steve said. "I don't know what to say. I... I'm sorry? Christ, I don't know."

"It's okay. I'm getting what you mean," Rowan replied, leaning back against the wall.

"Yeah," Steve muttered. 

Silence came, before Steve's voice came over. "But, Graveswood, this thing you saw... it's in the Upside Down, right? It can't get here. It can't hurt you, or anyone else."

"I know," Rowan whispered as she rested her head against the wall, eyes squeezed shut. "I just... I just want this to be over. I want it to be over so fucking much. I don't want to wake up being back there, I don't want to see the Demogorgon or this fucking shadow-Xenomoprh thing in my dreams. I just want it to be over."

A sob came from Rowan's throat, and she aggressively wiped away the tears brimming in her eyes. Steve was silent, listening to her rant, before he sighed and spoke a confession.

"I have nightmares too."

Rowan blinked. "What?"

"I... I have nightmares, too," Steve elaborated, voice shaky as if he, too, didn't want to think about the nightmares too, about their cause. "About... about last year. In the Byers house."

"Oh," Rowan murmured.

"Yeah, I keep seeing the Demogorgon, too. I keep seeing it hurting Nancy, hurting you, and I... I was too late to stop it, too scared to stop it. And sometimes... sometimes I look at Christmas lights, or when lights are flickering, and I... I think it's coming, and I just freeze up, and I don't know whether to fight or... or to run. So I guess what I'm saying is... I get it? I mean, it's different but you're not alone? Sorry."

"It's fine, Harrington. I'm getting what you're saying," Rowan assured.

"That's a relief," Harrington replied, and Rowan could feel his smile before his voice dropped to something quiet and soft as he added, "And, if you need to like, talk, I... I'm here, okay? I can't guarantee I won't be crap at this, but I'm here, Rowan. I'm here."

Rowan smiled, the warmth Steve'd brought with his words hiding the surprise she'd felt at hearing him say her firstname, when he usually just said her last name. "Thank you, Steve. I... I really appreciate this."

"Don't mention it," he replied, and if he was just as surprised to hear her say his first name too, he hid it well. 

"And, if... if you need to talk to someone, about your nightmares or the stuff with the lights, I'm here for that, too," Rowan offered, shifting her weight. "I... I feel that way with the lights, too. So, you're not alone. I'm here, too."

"I..." Steve started, paused, then said, "Thanks."

Rowan smiled. "Don't mention it."

Steve chuckled.

A beat, then he offered, "If... if you want, like, a hug or something, I could drive to your place. Or, I guess you could teleport to mine."

Rowan smiled. "I'm okay. Thanks for the offer. I just... I just needed to talk someone, who would understand. So, thank you."

"Don't mention it. Seriously."

Rowan smiled. "Don't worry. I'll keep your empathy a secret and let the world still think you're an insensitive asshole."

"Thanks," Steve muttered sarcastically, but the smile Rowan could feel took the bite out of the word. "And I'll keep your secret that you get scared and let the world still think you're a psycho who doesn't."

"I appreciate it, asshole," Rowan replied, her own smile keeping the bite out of the words.

"Same here, psycho,"Steve returned.

They both chuckled after.

Another beat of silence came, before Rowan shifted in place and said, "I... I think I'll try to sleep now. See you tomorrow at school?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

"Night, Harrington"

"Night, Graveswood."

Harrington hung up, and Rowan stayed there for a moment before she put the phone back and headed back into her room, sliding under the bedsheets. She could still feel the warmth from the conversation, from Steve's comfort—or attempt at it—and empathy, keeping the fear at bay.

He really is a good person now.

A soft smile was still on Rowan's lips as she drifted back into sleep.

***

STOWAN!!!!!!!!!

I love them. I love them SO MUCH (even though they're friends here) and I love putting in the seeds of what their relationship is gonna be like!!!! They have my heart <3

The beginning with Rowan and Aco scamming a rich lady was great to write! I love my criminal aunt and her slightly criminal niece

Also, I LOVED writing Corroded Coffin's gig!!! We were ROBBED of one, so I had to do one here (with Rowan coming along and being their number one fan and supporter, of course) and I loved writing Eddie rocking out on stage; I think, even with D&D, that is where he comes alive and is really passionate. And I loved writing them, Robin, and Chrissy being also supportive of Rowan's internship and dream! I know therapy was stigmatised in the 80s, but I don't think psychology as a whole wasn't, and I don't think Eddie, Corroded Coffin or Robin would be against it that much (maybe Chrissy, but that would be from parents who don't believe in it) And I also wanted to write them being proud of Rowan

And the nightmare scene. I loved writing that too, especially describing the Mind Flayer (it honestly does look like a shadowy Xenomorph crossed with a spider) and then Rowan and Steve's talk on the phone. I am soft for these two and comforting each other/sharing they're still traumatised by last year🥺

And thus ends the first episode of Season Two! Next episode... next episode is gonna be a lot

Next chapter will be soon!

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!