"I mean... levitating vine monster stalking you kind of makes you a freak, yeah," he agrees, smiling at her. "And I mean that as the sincerest compliment. You're in great company. Some of the coolest people in history are freaks. Cleopatra, big time freak, all the snake shit? Tom Waits, so weird, so cool. Ozzy Osbourne, absolute menace, but also very cool."

Gently, Eddie nudges his shoulder against Chrissy's.

"And who cares what anyone back in Hawkins thinks anyway?" he asks. "You're here now and they're not."