ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʀɴ

The trailer park was still very active with police around the area however, their attention seemed to be more directed to the nearby woods where the body of the second person had been found.

Jackson had pulled up to the front of the neighborhood, not being able to go any further because of the police presence.

"Sorry Sol, can't go any further."

"It's fine Jackson. I'll handle it from here. Back in a bit."

Soleil bundled up her bag and walkie-talkie into her arms before opening the car door, and stepping out into the trailer park. Though few police officers were there, it would still be tricky to get to Eddie's trailer.

Good thing Soleil had some practice with sneaking around.

The young woman quietly made her way over to the trees that surrounded the trailer park to hide from the police. Then, she ran along that path till she got to a gap in between the trailers. In front of her was Eddie's trailer. That was her chance. Soleil booked in across the road, ran up the small set of steps to the trailer, then knocked on the door a few times hoping Eddie's uncle was home.

"Please be home, please be home." She was anxiously waiting until—a man opened the door. Eddie's uncle.

Eddie's uncle was dressed in his work clothes, his facial hair was shaggy and it looked like he hadn't got a wink of peace in days. What they were saying about his nephew was killing him inside.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Oh, hi, are you, Mr. Munson? Eddie Munson's uncle?"

He stared down at Soleil with a tired look. "I told the press everything that needs to be known, let me be, please." Mr. Munson tried to close the door on Soleil but she stopped him.

"Wait—you got it all wrong, I wanna help Eddie."

"Yeah, nice try."

"Mr. Munson I'm serious."

The man leaned against his doorframe and took a good look at Soleil, he was trying to figure out her intentions. Sol stood impatiently, a single second not spent helping Eddie made all the much difference to her.

"How serious are you?"

Soleil took a deep breath, she could tell Eddie's uncle was an honest man, and he could people for who they were. If she had to pour her heart out to get what she needed, so be it.

"Sir, your nephew has given me purpose in my life and I know it sounds crazy but it's true. He's saved me from me, he's shown me what more life had to give with the little things. He's part of the reason why I'm holding onto my—my life! Even when everything is going wrong." Her posture slumped. "I have nothing to hold onto anymore, there is no stability in my world anymore and if I can help the man that gave me the best month of my life go on to live a good life, I sure as hell am going do it. So please Mr. Munson, help me so I can help prove Eddie innocent."

Eddie's uncle pushed the door fully open, and his face softened. Soleil was giving her all right now, he saw that if she couldn't do this for Eddie she would break. His nephew had made that much of an impact on someone's life, he couldn't be prouder.

He gestured for Sol to come inside then, he looked around outside before shutting the door. Soleil noticed a hole in the roof that was in the process of being patched up, what Eddie must've seen had to have been horrible.

"Go on, you can sit." He pulled a chair out for her in the kitchen before sitting himself. "You can call me Wayne."

Soleil sat down and took her notebook and pen out. "Thank you. I know you don't think Eddie did this so, who do you think did?"

"...When I was a kid, there was a man named Victor Creel. He went crazy and killed his whole family, he blamed it on a demon, and they declared him insane. That's who I think did it "

Soleil wrote while she listened, planning an outline for this would be the case. "Was there anything else weird about this case besides the obvious?"

He thought to himself then, he snapped his fingers. "Well, come to think of it, yeah. Victor Creel had a son named Henry but, he wasn't dead, they put him in the hospital and now nobody has seen him since."

That was it, that was the start she needed. Soleil looked up at the man with a determined expression on her face.

"That—that's it. That's my start."

"You think you can use that to prove him innocent?"

"Yeah, it's a start but I can make it work." She went quiet for a moment. "He doesn't deserve everything that happening to him."

"People always thought he was well, weird for every single reason. His interests, his appearance, you name it. They saw him as an outcast and they treated him like one." Wayne's voice started to break as he pulled his wallet out, he slipped out a tiny photo of Eddie in middle school, buzzed head and all to Soleil. "Now they say my boy's a murderer, I kindly ask of you, Miss—"

"Soleil, Soleil Alastair."

"Miss Soleil, I ask that you try your best to clear my nephew's name and get him back safely since I can't." He placed the photo into her palm.

"You have my word. I will do all I can."

The two got up from their seats, Soleil quickly put all her things away on her back before heading out the front door, saying one last thing to Wayne.

"I will get him back to you. Mark my words."

The young performer took off sprinting in the same direction she had used to get to Eddie's trailer. Before she met back with Jackson, she hid behind a tree to radio Dustin.

Soleil spoke. "Dustin? Do you copy?"

He soon picked up. "I'm here, how is proving Eddie innocent going?"

"I got a start. Victor Creel, know about him?"

"I don't think so—maybe you should go to the library if you want information. Nancy and Robin are there too so they could probably tell you if they found anything."

At least she knew who one of those people were.

"Alright, no time to waste. Radio you later." She stopped talking to Dustin and continued her trip back to Jackson's car with her destination in mind.

Now, she met back up with Jackson at the front gate who was messing with a Rubik's cube while waiting. Soleil knocked on the window which scared him.

"Jeez Sol! You scared the shit outta me!"

"Sorry!" She got into the car when Jackson unlocked it. "I need to go to the library."

"Library?"

"Yeah, you have no idea how important it is that we go right now."

"Alright, alright." Jackson started the car back up again and started to drive out of the trailer park.

As she gazed at the photo of Eddie before shoving it into her jean pocket, Sol hoped she could catch Nancy and Robin at the right time.

                                        —㋛—

Jackson drove as fast as he could, Soleil was pressuring him but she couldn't help it. She had no breaks, in her mind, she couldn't stop even for a second. Her determination to help Eddie was hard to rival, so much so that it even touched Dustin.

Soon though, thanks to Jackson, they arrived at Hawkins' library pretty quickly. Soleil didn't give him any warning when she, opened the door and jumped out of the car making her way to the front of the library.

Two girls, one of which she recognized as Nancy Wheeler, and the other she assumed was Robin walked out of the library and to their car. Soleil wasted no time and ran up to them, Nancy already knew who Soleil was.

"Soleil?"

"Hey, Nancy. I'm with Dustin. What did you find out?" Nancy nodded, now understanding why she was there.

Robin looked at her, taking note that she seemed to be in a rush. "I know you, from—"

"The Circus yeah, you're Robin right?"

"Yeah, what's the rush?"

"I gotta place to be by tomorrow, proving Eddie innocent isn't gonna be easy. Did you find anything?"

"Yep, we're about to radio Dustin."

Robin started to speak into her walkie-talkie. "Dustin, do you copy?"

"Yeah, I copy." He answered right away.

"So, Nancy's a genius. Vecna's first victims date back all the way to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bull's-eye."

"Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now."

"What are you doing?"

"Breaking and entering school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files."

"Can you repeat that?"

"Just get your ass over here, stat. We'll explain everything."

Robin looked over at Nancy while she spoke. "Thought they were talking to Ms. Kelley."

"We leave them alone for two hours," Robin muttered then, she looked at Sol who was frantically jotting down new information for her semi-fictional case. "Need a more in-depth explanation?"

"I would appreciate it."

Nancy started to speak quickly. "Victor Creel believed a demon murdered his family. But the way they were killed was similar to how Vecna tried to kill Fred and Chrissy. Get what I'm saying?"

"A demon did invade his home but it wasn't a demon."

"It was Vecna."

So many thoughts roamed Soleil's mind, searching for a way to put this all together but it had looked like all that writing she had done in her past would serve her good—she got an idea.

What if that demon, who wasn't a demon was Victor Creel's son? He was the only one that survived besides Victor and he disappeared afterward.

Her story seemed to become more fact than fiction. The more plausible the better.

"That helps your plan?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, I assume Dustin told you." She was still nose-deep in her writing, the ideas and words were coming to her at a million miles per minute.

"You look like you had a brain blast, what did you come up with?"

Sol looked up. "I went to Eddie's trailer, his uncle told me that in that case, Victor Creel's son was left alive and disappeared. I think it's more believable that Victor's son grew up and committed these crimes than Victor committed them himself."

Robin and Nancy exchanged looks then, Robin turned back to Sol.

"Holy shit."

"That might actually work!" Nancy exclaimed. "His son going insane and following his footsteps maybe?"

"Maybe his son was the real killer in the first place."

"That—sounds like it makes sense—" Nancy looked down like she was trying to focus on something.

Robin slapped the car roof. "Not be rude but, if we don't go Dustin will have our heads on a stick."

"Right, sorry for holding you two up?"

"It's fine, you're helping us." Robin folded her arms. "Are you coming with us?"

"N—" Soleil stopped herself, she thought. Maybe it would be better for her to be more involved, whatever Dustin and the rest of his friends find may help her plan. "Actually, what's your channel? I can radio you for your location and meet up with you later."

As Nancy told her, Soleil put away her notebook in her bag, she looked at the sky which turned black very quickly. Then, she started to think about Cassie—crap! Cassie, how long could she keep the Ringmaster at bay?

She forgot how late it was, she forgot who she was, and worse of all, she forgot how her father was. She had to get back to Regal.

Soleil knew she needed to hightail it out of there. She quickly said her goodbyes to Robin and Nancy and went back to Jackson's car, not warning him yet again.

"Hey—" He also jumped out of his seat due to the crazed eyes Sol was giving him.

"We need to get back to Regal."

                                        —㋛—

The car slowed down when Sol and Jackson got back to the Circus. All the lights were cut out, it was later than she thought. Though the Circus was lit up, there was a loud noise. It sounded like something hitting tin metal then, it was followed by a man screaming words and curses that seemed to make no sense, it was just out of anger.

Her father.

"Stay here Jackson, you don't need to get roped into this. I'm sorry for everything."

He gripped his steering wheel. "Your Dad sounds pissed—are you sure—"

"Don't. Just stay here, this will be ugly, you don't need to lose a job over my choices." She left her stuff in the car as she got out.

Soleil jumped out of the car and climbed right over the front gate, it was no use in sneaking. Her father was aware that she was gone.

Sol questioned if she could face him now but, then again she didn't have a choice. It was either being grounded for the rest of her life that rendered her useless or finally standing up for herself. She was gonna pull together any confidence she had in herself to face the Ringmaster.

She got closer and closer to her trailer, the lights were on, the windows were open, some of her things were on the grass and the yelling of her father was louder.

How did she let everything blow up in her face like this?

Sol found herself stopping in her tracks, reconsidering this, she clenched her fists. If she stepped into that trailer, she knew she would have to tell him and Cassie everything, that was what her mind was saying, what life was saying to her. She had every chance to come clean.

Not about Eddie, the guilt, something else was eating her. Dread caused her not to take another step because she knew what her mind was saying.  The mind that had never failed her.

This was when she had to tell her father that she was going to die.

Her body wasn't in alliance with her mind. Confidence wasn't enough to keep the bad memories of her father, and how he reacted to his children's deaths away.

This could kill him. He was already red hot with anger what if this pushed him off the cliff? No, no she couldn't do this. Running away seemed the easier route.

But Cassie...if she died then Cassie would have no idea. She wasn't that cold-hearted to leave Cassie in the dark.

"I did this, I set myself up to fail." Realization spread through her, the irony of the one thing she thought she had control over becoming something that was no longer controllable. She had made an irreversible mistake by not coming clean to at least Cassie.

"I can't! I can't do it!" Soleil's vision became blurry from the stress of her situation. Her chest tightened and she formed a headache from the neverending flow of tears. If she could confront her father before, how could she now? That burning feeling built in her chest again—wait, that burning feeling.

She then felt it on her arm and reluctantly, she pulled her sleeve back, across her arm there was a burn. Now she got it.

All this stress, all this pressure she was under was causing her to succumb to her burns, her internal ones lead to the external ones. The stress was killing her and slowly, like all her other siblings, the Ringmaster was killing her.

And he didn't even realize it.

She felt like falling to the ground and—she almost did but that was when something intervened. Sol felt a slight push, so slight that it seemed impossible for a force like that to push her to the front of the steps that lead up her trailer.

She had forgotten that someone was watching out for her. Someone was there, her sister was trying to rally her courage, and she had no other options. She had to face this to move on.

Her sister let her know that.

Soleil took deep breaths and started to walk slowly inside her mobile home. She wasn't ready but she pushed through.

"Cassandra, you've been lying this whole time. How could you? You go behind my back and decide you know what's safer for my daughter?!"

"You fail to remember she would've been my child too if you weren't such a damn fool! She doesn't need to explain anything to you after how you've treated her!"

The tense environment didn't help Sol calm down at all, it wouldn't get any better if she waited this out either. She had to make haste, she couldn't forget the reason why she was away from the Circus in the first place.

"Dad."

The Ringmaster's head turned in her direction so quickly. His face was flushed red like he had been mad for hours. He was more terrifying than ever but, there wasn't any stopping now.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Everett—"

"I don't remember asking you." He marched towards Soleil. "Where have you been Soleil?!"

"I was out."

"That isn't going to cut it—"

"I was helping a friend."

Soleil swore she saw her life flash before her eyes when he reacted to what she said. Veins were essentially popping out of his head. "Friend? Someone helped you do this? You've been doing this under my nose..."

"Damn right she has and you have no right to be mad about it."

"She's my child!"

"And she is her own person, she's eighteen!"

Soleil forced herself to look up at her father. "I may be your child but you do not control me." Her voice quivered, still weak but she forced herself to push on.

"Soleil—"

"Just shut up for once!"

Everyone standing in the trailer was shocked. Soleil had never once stood up to her father like that, never talked back but doing it felt good. She felt the rage, the pain, and the memories of debilitating expectations all build up inside of her and burst. She was sick of it all, sick of feeling guilty for wanting to live her life.

She couldn't let anyone control her anymore and at that moment, fear evaporated from her mind like water vapor. Soleil didn't hold back.

She crept closer and closer to her father, angry tears rushed down her face. "I'm done with listening to you, it's your turn. You have kept me locked up in this Circus my whole life then you only bring me out when you need me like I'm—I'm some jack in the box you can whine up whenever you need enjoyment. You've used me as a tool my whole life, you think you've treated me well but you've barely been the father I needed! I won't stand for it anymore, I'm not gonna listen to another word you say because you're full of shit! I don't feel bad anymore about leaving."

Cassie looked at Soleil, finally proud that she was standing up for herself. The little girl she had watched for so long was now becoming a young woman.

"And so what? I lied! I did sneak out when you weren't looking, I did meet a boy and he has finally lifted the veil that was over my face. I have a purpose in life and I'm not gonna waste it because of your fear."

The Ringmaster tugged at his hair and paced in circles, his anger was reaching an all-time high but that didn't scare his daughter. He would huff and puff for a few more seconds before he started to give it up. His usual tactic wasn't working so he switched to something else.

"I-I try my damn near hardest to keep you safe and to keep you protected and this is how you reward me?!" He pointed at her.

"Keep me safe? Keep me safe?! I'll show you what that looks like!"

Soleil pulled her whole sleeve up to reveal many burns in different places on her arm. Some were slightly healed some were fresh. The color on Cassie and her father's faces drained. "You pushed us all to our limit, me, Elowen, Flynn, Jamie, Adelaide, you pushed us until we fell. Now, I'm dying."

Her father stumbled backward, the shock on his face was apparent. He started to laugh hysterically like he couldn't believe it was true. Cassie just looked off to the side, tears spouting from her eyes all while Sol spoke choking back emotions.

"I'm not gonna die struggling here! I'm going out the way I want to and you can't stop me."

"I won't stop you."

Her mouth opened a little. "What?"

"Get out of here. I don't want to face you anymore."

"Dad I—"

"Dad nothing."

"Dad—"

"NOTHING."

"I'm going to die and you aren't gonna say anything? I might leave and you'll never see me again." Her voice broke up.

"Get out before I make you get out."

Cassie sped right in front of her, her speech was strained it was clear her throat was sore. "Everett, don't make this mistake. We ain't gonna see Sunny again when she walks through that door. You hear me?"

"I don't care."

"How could you say that? How could you?" She slowly stepped away from him shaking her head. "Everett isn't there anymore, you're just plain old mean and nasty and heartless! I'm through with this."

"So you'll leave me? Fine then! Go on."

"You're out of your mind."

Cassandra walked over to Sol's bed and threw her a duffel that she had hidden under the bed. Then, she walked to Soleil and started to guide her to the front door but, before she could leave, Soleil dug her feet into the ground and stopped moving. Her heart was heavy, heavy with only one regret. She turned to her father.

"My only regret is that I didn't say anything sooner. I'm sorry for that even though I knew you'd have me on high security. But, I'm not sorry for what I did and what I am about to do. If this is the last time you see me...I love you, Dad. Even after everything."

He didn't even look at her. That hurt.

But what Soleil didn't see was the despair that covered her father's face, she didn't see how broken he looked. The tears that fell to the floor, he had failed as a parent.

Soleil painfully walked out of her trailer with Cassandra guiding her down the steps, rubbing the side of her arm to comfort the but of them. When they got outside Cassie was the first to break the silence.

"You positive you want to do this Sunny?" Cassie's voice started to break.

"I am. I'm sorry I didn't let you know first, about everything."

Cassie embraced her and said nothing, Soleil returned the gesture this was better than words. Cassie pulled away and put both hands on Soleil's shoulders.

"I don't care about that Sunny. My brothers are coming soon so whatever you have, drop it off tomorrow by the front gate and we'll do our best to get your friend out of this mess. I put some clothes and stuff in the bag."

"Cassie..."

"You stay safe Sunny alright? An-and if I don't see you after tomorrow, just know you'll always be my little Sol." Cassie wiped the tears off Sol's face.

"I'll make it, I promise and I can say how much I appreciate you. Thank you for everything."

"Of course. You should go before he comes out and tries to start something up again."

"Goodbye Cassie."

"Bye Sunny."

Soleil looked at Cassie, who gave her a small smile for a few seconds before turning around and walking away.

Her home was no longer here but, that was a long time coming.

All she had was pen and paper now, that was the only way to try and set things straight with Eddie. She had to before her clock stopped ticking.

𝙰/𝙽: Hope you enjoyed this chapter but I'm curious, what's your favorite Soleil quote?

-𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚎 ♥︎