*I do not own the rights to Stranger Things
*I do not own the rights to any characters from Stranger Things
*I am not the creator of the character Autumn
*I do not own the rights to ANY music used or mentioned in this fan fiction
*This story is an extended ending to California Dreaming by brittyaustin89, please read her fanfiction first. Otherwise this might not make sense.
*Some chapters in this story will contain violence and adult situations
Monarch: Autumn's Butterfly Effect
Chapter 1: Renegade
July 4th
Billy stood in Starcourt Mall sweaty, tired, and beaten down. His mind was completely corrupted by the Mind Flayer, but with his last ounces of energy he knew what he had to do. He was going to face down this demon, and save the ones he loved most. He would never admit to himself that he was scared out of his fucking mind, but he was. He told himself that his fear didn't matter. All that mattered was doing the right thing. He stood there and watched as the Mind Flayer screeched and bared its thousands of sharp gnashing teeth. The Mind Flayer lunged one of its many nasty tentacles at him. Billy held tightly to it, as the nasty teeth of this single tentacle fought against him. Billy let out a blood curdling scream. His adrenaline was coursing through his veins like NOS through a sports car. His heart felt as though it would beat straight through his chest.
No help would come for Billy. His stepsister and her friends could do nothing but watch as six more tentacles attached themselves to Billy's torse and began to literally suck the life out of him. Another scream escaped from Billy's lips, as blood ran out of his mouth like water rushing from a stream.
Joyce wouldn't say it out loud, but she had feelings for Hopper. She didn't want things to end like this, but she had to put a stop to the hellish madness that lay before her. She had to close the gate. She gave Hopper one last look, but there was no hesitation within her. She didn't have time for sadness. She turned the switches that lay adjacent from each other on separate control panels. An explosion and a burst of white light started closing the gate to the upside down.
Max and her friends watched as one last tentacle starts to snake its way closer to Billy. But before it can finish him off the Mind Flayer drops him. This beast from beyond starts to shake and combust right before their eyes. Someone has finally turned the tides. They watch in shock and awe as the Mind Flayer is defeated. As soon as it's gone, Max and her friends quickly rush to Billy's side. His wife beater is torn to pieces. They can see his skin hanging off his body like strips of rags blowing from a clothesline. His muscles look like ground meat where the tentacles attached themselves to him. Billy is desperately gasping for air as he chokes on his own blood. "Help me! El, Mike, please!" Max screams to her friends. Billy is still alive for now, but Max knows he doesn't have much time. "We have to put pressure on the wounds. We need to stop the bleeding! Mike give me your shirt, El go find a towel or something." Max tries her best to think straight as she barks commands at her friends. Against his personal pride and embarrassment, Mike pulls his shirt off and quickly hands it to Max. She bites down on his shirt with her teeth and using her hands ripped it in two. She wraps it around Billy's torso and pushes down hard. Billy lets out a loud gurgle and groan. "I'm sorry Billy!" Max cries to him. She knows she is causing him even more pain. "Here! I found some dish rags!" El says, as she comes running back to Max's side. "What do you need me to do?" El asks Max frantically. "I...I don't know, just put pressure on him!" Max yells. El looks over Billy's near lifeless body, he looked like road kill. El's hands were shaking. There was blood everywhere. It was pooling all around him. "Where?" El whispered under her breath. "Where do I put pressure?" After a few seconds of shock, El leans down and pushes into the left side of Billy with one of the rags.
Mike stood over the girls not knowing what more to do. Then from the corner of his eye he saw flashing lights. Mike squinted through the wreckage of the mall, and saw what he thought were police lights. "It's help…I think it's help!" Mike yelled as he ran off into the rubble. "Mike no, wait!" El called after him. "Where is he going!" Max screamed, looking over her shoulder in his direction.
Mike ran through the crushed remains of the mall until he jumped through a shattered plate glass window. Sure enough, there were police cars swarming the mall parking lot, followed by ambulances, and helicopters circling over head. "HERE! Over here!" Mike yelled, as he flagged down a police officer. The cop came running to Mike, and radio-ing for his back up. "Please we need help inside!" Mike screamed as the officer came closer. Within minutes there were paramedics and police in the mall wheeling Billy away on a stretcher. Max refused to leave her brother's side. He was such an asshole to her, but right now all she wanted was for him to live. She couldn't bear the thought of her life without this shit head. As she jumped into the ambulance and sat back letting the paramedics do their work, something crept into her mind. "Oh fuck...what am I going to tell Autumn?"
June 28th
Autumn couldn't believe Billy's behavior. His personality had always been a questionable one, but he truly scared her. Autumn's flight from Indiana to San Diego wasn't a particularly long one, but the entire trip she kept replaying the mornings events. She could taste the dish rag in her mouth, and feel the phone cord wrapped around her. Tears filled Autumn's eyes as she stared out the plane window. What had happened to her boyfriend, what had happened to the man who just a few days ago had pledged his unending love for her? Autumn quietly cried, to herself the 4 hours it took to fly home. She would stare out the window and fiddle with the promise ring she had hanging from the chain on her neck. So many thoughts filled her head. She felt helpless and hopeless. All the time and energy she put into loving Billy, all the fights, all the secrets she kept, for what? He had really lost it, but something about his behavior wouldn't sit right with her. It was Max's phone call that really shook Autumn. Maybe there was more going on than Billy just being an ass? Yes, Autumn was sure there was more going on, but she had a hard time trying to justify his behavior.
Autumn had been home in San Diego for a few days. The city was buzzing with the excitement of bbqs and parties. It was the 4th of July. Everywhere you looked people were getting ready to celebrate our country's independence. Buying up beers, brauts, and fireworks. Autumn on the other hand was buzzing in a different way. She was buzzing around her new apartment. There were boxes everywhere, her clothes were strewn about the floor and furniture, dishes cluttered the counters in her kitchen. It was chaos, but it was exactly where Autumn wanted to be in her life. Except….always except. She missed Billy so bad it hurt, but she tried every day since leaving Indiana to push those hurt feelings aside.
*Brrrrrring Brrrrring* The sound of Autumn's phone ringing was barely heard over her stereo blasting "Take on Me". Autumn found it very therapeutic to dance around in her underwear, while unpacking. It helped keep her mind off of Billy. *Brrring Brrrring* Autumn finally heard her phone. "Hello?" Autumn answered breathlessly from all the dancing. "Hey, girl! It's Stephy!" Stephanie was Autumn's new friend she had made during her move. Stephy lived on the 3rd floor of the apartment building. When Autumn was moving in over the last few days, Stephanie was the first person to talk to her. They had similar personalities and similar life struggles, being that Stephy was black. She had a white step-dad and mixed siblings. So, she too was used to getting stared at by strangers and questioned by peers. When Autumn was moving in, she had a good laugh with Stephy about how she managed to get furniture up to the third floor. Autumn purposely picked the first floor, because she would be moving without Billy. Stephy picked the third floor, because she had a bunch of sexy guy friends to help her. Stephy offered her male friends services to Autumn if she needed them in "any way." Autumn caught on to her innuendo, and had the first laugh she had since first leaving Indiana. That was a few days ago. Since that day, Autumn has had a glass of wine with Stephy every night. The two just clicked.
"Hi, Stephy! How are you babe?" Autumn, answered. "I'm amazing! I wanted to invite you to the beach tonight. My friend Dev, is having a crazy beach bash and it's going to be off the charts. Beers, boobs, and hot boys! Do you want to join?" Stephy hoped Autumn would say, "yes". She wanted to know more about her new friend. "Of course I'll come! That sounds like fun, and I need some fun!" Autumn knew just the bikini she would wear, too. The leopard print one that Billy always loved. If he was going to be crazy then that was on him, but deep down Autumn felt a twinge of excitement to possibly meet a new guy. Maybe it was time to just let loose and stop being sad. Baby steps.
Stephy came knocking on Autumn's door at 8 o'clock that night. She had a 24 pack of Bud Light under her arm, and a sparkle in her eyes. She was ready to show Autumn a good time. "Oh! Hot mama! You are going to turn heads tonight!" Stephanie said, as she admired Autumn's beautiful figure in her leopard bikini, and daisy dukes. Autumn couldn't help but blush. She knew exactly how she looked, and she was indeed ready to turn heads. "You're looking like a hot piece of ass yourself too Steph!" Autumn eyed her friend up and down. She was a foot taller than Autumn, and had the petite frame of a girl you might see in a Jane Fonda exercise tape. She wore an adorable neon orange swimsuit, with a low back, and high front. Hell, she looked like she was ready to do aerobics right then and there.
Stephanie struck a pose and batted her eyes, "Thank you love!" She said, as she pulled Autumn from her apartment. The two of them partied on the beach all night long. They drank, danced, and watched the fireworks go off over the water. Autumn completely forgot about Billy. She forgot all the problems she left behind in Hawkings. She met guys, flirted, and maybe even grind her full waist on some laps. She was having the time of her life. Little did she know, the surprise that waited for her once she got home.
"Hi! You've reached the voicemail of Autumn! I'm not here right now so please leave a message." "Oh my god damn, Autumn! It's Max. It took me forever to track down your phone number! Please please call me back! It's Billy! Something happened!"