video 01 | Aortic Aneurysm

[clussy]

(You know who is not going to react to this situation decently no matter how many times it's explained to him? Eddie. You know who doesn't have a good game face against fear? Also Eddie. He's alone, he needs an adult, and he's pretty sure they don't restock on inhalers here. He knew he didn't need it, not technically, but he also knew that his lungs were contracting at a rate that lead to hyperventilating and as far as he was concerned, that was exactly what an asthma attack was all about. He was having an asthma attack. Maybe. His body was thinking about it.

By the way, he's definitely just been staring at the video for a couple of silent seconds, his jaw working back and forth as he just tried to remind himself that he was actually capable of breathing. This kid......)

My mom's going to fucking kill me.

(The words are whispered under his breath and he would think twice about swearing if he realized how many adults might be watching this video. He was enough of a loser that he could get the whole communication device thing, really, that was fine. But he wasn't quite able to wrap his mind around the full extent of it all.

After a second, he decides fuck it. He needs his inhaler. It goes up, he gives it a few shakes, and takes a deep, deep breath in with it. Holds. Holds.

Then his whole body deflates, his eyes rolling up. He closes his eyes and thinks about how he would talk to the police in Derry. Ha. If that wasn't the biggest fucking joke ever. When he speaks next, his voice is pitched higher than before, that typical 'I'm trying super hard to be polite and endearing' voice that he uses to call his mom 'mommy' when he's real apologetic. He's not even trying to be a suck up. The kid's just scared.)

Um. My name's Eddie Kaspbrak. I'm Sonia Kaspbrak's son and I definitely need to be home for dinner which is like, in an hour. So if anyone can help...I would really appreciate it.

.....God, I really hope this isn't that creep who was taking all those kids.

Comments

[clussy]

God, no. I know how important that stuff is. On my honor I won't tell.

(He crosses his finger over his chest and then holds his pinky out to Laura to secure the deal. He doesn't realize she might not know what a pinky promise is.)

[coercive]

[She has no idea what a pinky promise is, so she just stares at his offered finger blankly.]

What are you doing?

[clussy]

(Well that should have been expected. Eddie just sighs patiently and steps closer to Laura, grabbing her hand and pulling it up. He pulls open her pinkie before hooking his around it.)

This is called a pinky promise. It's probably one of the most secure way to make a promise. When you make a pinky promise, you can't go back on the promise no matter what.

(But that was just one of the most established forms of a promise. The other way was a way that, if he thought to mention it, would not result in a pleasant outcome for Eddie. That promise was a promise that was currently keeping his mind locked up.)

[coercive]

[Her pinky curls around his, and she takes great care to keep it gentle. She doesn't want to hurt him.]

Pinky promise.

[She smiles a little when she sees their joined fingers, and sees that his are just about the same size as hers. It's another reminder that he's close in age to her, and a visual representation of their new friendship.]

No take backs.

[Giving their hands a shake, she pulls away and proceeds to let them into her family's expansive home. It's larger than most units, but still feels cramped. They manage to slip inside when it looks like no one else is around.]

[clussy]

(It feels good to make an established promise on being here. It made their friendship seem much more real- even though he had no doubts about that before. He walks in after her, staring around with his big eyes.

He's never seen anything like it, really. He was used to wooden structures and American buildings. Not this.)

How big is your family?