Woohoo, we made it! Pretty much the end of season 3. That being said, their are a couple of "in between" installments I'm going to write, since there's a three-month time skip during the episode, and I've got some stuff to cover.
So, this chapter mostly sticks to canon, but I've made some changes. This definitely took a long time to write, and I had a whole bunch of versions of how 3x08 goes down before I finally honed in on this one. The next thing I knew, I finished the chapter! Knowing me, I'll probably add more/make some edits to this update further down the line, but for now, I'm happy with it.
As always, I only own my OCs. Quick warning for the canonical body horror and Flesh-Monster-thing. I hope you enjoy.
Veronica's POV
Starcourt Mall
July 4th
I hold El as she wails in pain, the others watching the thing squiggle around in her wound. "What is that?" Erica asks, and I still haven't processed the fact she was the fifth person El saw in the elevator.
"There's something in there." Mike announces, like we can't all see it.
"Yeah, no shit!" I shout while El sobs, holding her up more against my chest. "Hey, hey, we're gonna get it out. Jonathan! Knife!" I kick out my right leg so he can grab my hunting knife from where it's been strapped to my calf. "Get it hot!"
"On it!" He shouts, knife in hand as he sprints to one of the food stands.
Mike takes over, coming closer as I keep running my fingers through El's sweaty hair. "Hey, hey, hey. Stay awake, stay awake." He pleads. "Let's get her on this side, yeah?"
"Yeah." I nod, murmuring comforting words to El as Steve and I shift her over to Mike, the girl curling up in his arms. She whines as I stroke her hair some more, then two strong arms are wrapping around me, and Steve's chin is resting on my shoulder. The gesture makes me want to cry all over again, but I know I need to focus, I have to keep my attention El because she's my priority right now, not my own need for reassurance.
"You know, it's not actually that bad." I hear Robin stammer out. "The goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg, and the bone came out of her knee, six inches of something. It was mmph -" She sputters as Richard cuts off her nervous chatter by covering her mouth.
"Robin, you ain't helping with all that." He adds, shaking his head in disbelief.
Jonathan runs back, our focus completely returning to him and El. "Okay. Alright, El? Shit, Ver, maybe you should -"
"No!" El screams. "Stay." She whimpers.
I nod and kiss her damp forehead, cradling her and Mike. "Okay, okay."
Jonathan sighs. "This is gonna hurt like hell, okay? Need you to stay real still. Bite down on this -"
I shake my head, forcing the spoon away. "She might break her teeth, no." Eyeing my duffle, I then turn to Dustin. "I have a clean shirt in there. Roll it up and bring it to me, quickly." He nods and does as I ask, handing it over with a shaking hand. "Bite down on this instead."
El nods, opening her mouth so I can gently place the bundled up fabric inside.
"Ready?" Jonathan asks, pulling on some kitchen gloves. As soon as El gives him the go ahead, he gets to work.
Fingernails dig into my skin as my oldest friend slices open the girl's shin, the others gagging and looking away while I keep my eyes on Jonathan's handiwork. "Good, keep your hand steady. Alright, is the skin split enough? Can you see it?" I ask over El's muffled screaming.
"Yeah, I - oh, fuck!" Jonathan shouts, my eyes going wide as I watch the tadpole scurry away from his fingers. There's squelching as he digs his fingers around.
"No, stop it!"
"Jonathan, stop!" El and I beg. "Get your fingers out, get them out! Jesus, man!"
"I told you that you should've done it!" He screams back at me, but his fingers are out.
El taps at my arm, spitting out the shirt. "Let me up, I can do it. Let me -"
"Okay, sweetheart. C'mon." I nod, Mike and I propping her up as she sobs through her grunting. Panting, the girl holds her hand over her leg, and as she screams my ears pick up on a weird frequency, like a light that's been on for too long. We all duck as the glass windows of the store behind us shatters into a million little pieces. Finally, she's able to pull the writhing parasite out of her wound, sending it flying across the food court. It looks more like a giant amoeba, the thing crawling away and screeching as it leaves a trail of blood and goo in its wake. Just as I'm moving to chase after it, a large boot slams down on the creature. I follow the boot up to find three adults staring down at us in shock and horror, two of them way more familiar than the last. Their arrival has me collapsing against El, the two of us hugging as Hopper comes forward, flanked by Joyce and the private investigator Murray Bauman.
"This doesn't look like staying out of trouble." The Chief of Police takes a look at each of us, recoiling when his eyes land on Steve. "Jesus, kid."
"Russians." Is all my boyfriend says.
Hopper huffs. "Yeah. We've been dealing with those, too." His attention goes back to El, and I move aside so he can scoop her up, freezing when he ruffles my hair. "Nice to see you, Robin Hood." Tears fill my eyes as he walks away, and I'm reminded I haven't seen the man since before I left for Camp Know Where.
"C'mon, babe." Steve whispers, and I let him help me stand. "I've got you." He pulls me into his chest, and I reach out my hand so Dustin can join us, letting myself be held by two of the most important guys in my life. It feels like I can finally breathe again, if only for a moment.
"Nice job, dear. You should look into being a doctor." Joyce comments as I finish bandaging El's latest wound, this one needing stitches. Thank God I keep my first aid kit stocked. El leans against Hopper, the man wiping her forehead while she drinks Coke. She smiles tiredly as I lift her wrapped limb onto Joyce's lap to keep it elevated, my second mother squeezing my elbow before I walk over to stand with Steve. He pulls me into his side immediately, neither one of us wanting to be apart for longer than we have to be.
"Alright, what's been going on?" Hopper asks us.
Nancy clears her throat. "The gate's been opened. Or, is in the process of being fully opened -"
"We saw the rift the Russians are making with this giant laser." Dustin cuts in, then gestures for my impatient friend to continue.
"Exactly." Nancy nods at Hopper, whose eyes - and Joyce's - fall on Will and I.
"We've been feeling the Upside Down for a while." The youngest Byers admits, and Steve squeezes me as I shudder.
"That's why I crashed my car."
"You crashed your car?!" Hopper nearly roars, looking like he's ready to gently move El so he can leap off the bench and check me for any injuries.
"Oh, honey, come and sit." Joyce gestures for me to sit beside her.
I'm quick to wave them off. "Yeah, but I'm fine. Not even a concussion, or a scratch!"
Mike scoffs at my feigned cheer. "Only because the gate's open and your powers kicked in."
"Bite me, Wheeler!" I snipe with no real anger. "He's back. The Mind Flayer."
Will nods, shaking his head when his mom makes to rush over to him. "No, it's okay. He hasn't shown any interest in me. I can feel him still, but it isn't like last time. I'm safe."
"Aside from the giant flesh-monster chasing us around town." Lucas points out, shutting up when everyone glares at him.
The adults look at me next. "He still wants me." I confess, shuddering as I remember Tom's words at the hospital. "Mr. Holloway -"
"Wait, Tom? What's that jackass have to do with any of this?" Joyce asks.
While it's an accurate assessment of the man's character, I still wince. "He's a dead jackass, now. Him and Bruce. Probably his wife and daughter, too." I close my eyes as my thoughts drift to Heather, the way she lit up a room with her smile and how nice she was to everyone. "The new monster is literally made from the flesh of the flayed. Jonathan, Nancy, and I saw how it happens. The people just melt into this puddle of… something… and come together. The Mind Flayer was also controlling Billy. Billy Hargrove. But we don't know…" I swallow the rest of my words. Steve freezes, and I feel his gaze on me but all I can do is keep myself from breaking down again.
"The Mind Flayer," Mike takes over for me, "it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world."
"And it almost did. That was just one tiny piece of it." Nancy adds.
"How big is this thing?" Hopper asks.
"It's big." Jonathan answers. "Thirty feet, at least."
"Yeah. It sorta destroyed your cabin." Lucas winces as the Chief exhales, exhausted for a whole different reason. "Sorry."
"I still think I'm right. We should've run immediately." I mutter bitterly, rolling my eyes at Nancy's glare. "Whatever."
"No, not whatever. Next time, listen to Veronica." Hopper groans, rubbing his face with his free hand. "How bad is it?" My silence speaks for itself. "Fantastic."
Steve shifts his weight, but still keeps me tucked into his side. "Okay, so just to be clear, this… this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic… weapon?" Max nods from his other side while Joyce and Hopper stare at each other in terror.
"Yes." Nancy confirms.
"But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon with melted people?" He glances down at me, and I nod. "Yeah, okay. I - yeah, just making sure."
"Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asks, and this time it's Max who answers.
"El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive." The redhead announces.
"But if we close the gate again -" Will starts.
Max is quick to get on his same wavelength. "We cut the brain off from the body."
"And kill it. Theoretically." Lucas finishes.
Yeah, but what about Billy? I want to ask, my eyes drifting over to Max who looks just as concerned. Before either one of us can say anything, however, Murray Bauman runs into view, waving his papers at us.
"Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo!" He calls, and it's hard not to laugh at his sandals, cut-offs, and white tank top - he looks like every drunk uncle at a barbecue. "I've got something!" He slams the papers on a nearby table and we all gather around. Seeing how overwhelmed Robin is, I wrap an arm around her shoulders while Steve stands behind me, right hand on my hip. "Okay, this is what Alexei called 'the hub'." Murray points to the center of some hastily sketched blueprints. "Now, the hub takes us to the vault room."
"Okay, where's the gate?" Hopper asks, hands on his hips.
"Right here. I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe fifty feet or so."
"No, it's -" Before Steve can finish, little Erica Sinclair jumps in with every ounce of sass she possesses. Clearly everything that's transpired has done nothing to shake her confidence.
"More like five hundred. What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's Commie Disneyland or something?" She asks, arms crossed over her chest. Dustin's standing behind her, clearly serving as backup.
Hopper raises his eyebrows in surprise, and I look away when he stares at me like I'm somehow to blame for the girl's attitude, the Chief well aware I'm the Sinclair girl's babysitter.
"Who the hell are you?" Murray asks, blinking.
"Erica Sinclair. Who are you?"
The private investigator recoils. "Murray… Bauman."
Erica holds up her hand to stop him, using a gesture eerily similar to her mother when she's stopping Lucas from saying something foolish. "Listen, Mr. Bunman," I hide my smirk by staring at the floor, needing a good laugh with everything going on, "I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but we've," she points to herself, then Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Richard, "been down in that shithole for twenty-four hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die."
"I'm sorry, why is this four-year-old speaking to me?"
"Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!" Erica snaps at Murray.
"Erica!" Lucas gasps, horrified by her tone.
"Just the facts!" Erica turns to me. I raise an eyebrow, and she frowns. "I was just being honest."
"Erica's right." Richard speaks up for the first time since the adults arrived. Hopper furrows his brow, clearly trying to place him, but it's Murray who has my attention, the man tilting his head like he knows who the blonde giant is. "Y'all are gonna die, but ya don't have to."
"Who're you?" Hopper asks.
The blonde straightens. "Richard, sir. Richard Carter. Just moved from Georgia this past year."
"Carter." Murray mutters. "Any relation to Madelyn Carter?"
"Yeah. She's my mother." Richard blinks, as confused as the rest of us. "How did you -"
"I met her, when I was helping the Hollands learn what happened to their daughter." Nancy and I both flinch as we're reminded of Barb.
"How could she have -" Nancy starts to ask.
"She's -" Richard starts, but Murray shushes him, gesturing wildly.
"Careful! This place might be bugged." The man - Jonathan and Nancy had mentioned he was also some sort of crazy conspiracy theorist - hisses.
Richard clears his throat. "Nevermind."
"Okay, we're so discussing all this later, buddy. Excuse me." Dustin's closeness with Richard catches me off guard, and I look over my shoulder at Steve, who shrugs.
"They bonded over nerd shit. Something about Dune."
I hum, then refocus on my brother, filled with pride as he breaks it down for the adults. "Okay, see this room here? This is a storage facility." Dustin begins, he and Erica taking a seat at the table to better assess the blueprints and make their changes. "There's a hatch in here that feeds into their underground ventilation system." He explains, circling the storage room as he talks. "That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me, Erica, and Richard, we can show you the way."
"Yeah, that's a no." I jump in, shaking my head.
"Come on, Leia -"
"You can show us the way?" Hopper cuts my brother off.
Dustin smirks at me, then waves his hand at the Chief. "Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous shit. Actually, Richard can help, he's pretty handy in a fight. Erica and I'll just be your navigators."
"No." Hopper says, despite having nodded. "No."
Thank God for responsible adults.
After showing Hopper where I put the guards' guns, I leave him to prepare for his assault on the Russian base. I check on Richard and Robin first, the two of them completely dazed but thankfully in one piece. "Sorry you guys got dragged into this mess."
"It ain't your fault." Richard's quick to say. "We're the ones who volunteered."
"Yeah, to translate a Russian code."
Robin clears her throat. "Technically, I volunteered. Richard's just too curious for his own good."
"You alright?" I ask, taking in her bloodshot eyes and the bruises on her wrists.
She licks her lips, shrugging. "Not really, no. Steve and I got separated from the others. We wanted to give them a chance to escape, so we did our best to fight off the Russian. Those bastards interrogated us. That's how Steve's face got so messed up." I turn to my boyfriend, but he's too busy talking to Nancy and Jonathan to notice. I wonder if they're hearing the same story from the way Jonathan's grabbed his shoulder and how Nancy's covered her mouth. "They drugged us with truth serum, to make us more susceptible."
"There's no such thing." Richard denies, a little too quickly.
"Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?" Robin snarks, then her eyes go wide. "Shit, is it because of whatever Crazy Man stopped you from spilling?" The blonde taps his nose. "Okay. Anyway, your brother, this giant, and Erica got us out in the end."
Richard nods, then nudges me. "By the way, you might wanna have some words with your brother. We're pretty sure he killed the doctor who was sent to torture Robin and your boy." I gasp and twist in Dustin's direction, my vision getting blurry with unshed tears at the news. Oh, God. Dusty.
"Thank you." Is all I can say, turning to my friends. Both blink back at me in surprise, jolting when I hug them tightly. "You have no idea how grateful I am for what you did. Thank you."
"I'd say 'anytime', but I'm not sure I want to relive all this." Robin quips, starting to sound a little more like herself. I pull back, eyebrows raising as she asks Richard to see if he can get her something from Orange Julius. The blonde guy agrees, lumbering off to get the two of them something to drink. "I told Steve." She tells me, and I purse my lips, confused. "About me."
Oh. Oh.
"And did he -"
"You kept it a secret." She murmurs, wide-eyed. "I mean, I hoped you had, but now I know for sure. If you didn't say anything to him, then that means… I'm so glad I was right to trust you." Robin is the one to initiate the hug this time, and I squeeze back.
"You're my friend, Rob. It's your secret, it's your life. I'm not gonna do anything to jeopardize that, and neither will Steve. He's smarter than he looks."
Robin releases me, then nods over my shoulder. Steve's leaning against a column, eyes on me and one hand in his pocket. "I think Popeye's missing you."
"I should probably check on his injuries. What about -"
"Just some bruises." She shoves me. "Go. Before he does something stupid to get your attention."
I snort but listen, jogging towards my boyfriend. Steve copies me, lifting me off the ground as soon as he's got me in his arms. "Careful, careful!" I try to scold him. "You're hurt."
"Don't care." Still, he puts me down gently. "I'd kiss you, but I just threw up, like, an hour ago and the gum isn't helping." I wrinkle my nose and settle for pecking his cheek, letting Steve do the same to me. "I love you. I'm so glad you're okay."
"Me? I'm not the one who ended up interrogated by Russians!"
Steve huffs. "Yeah, I figured the band geeks would tell you." Narrowing my eyes at his less-than endearing nickname for Richard and Robin, he laughs. "I'm kidding. I mean, Richard's almost as nerdy as the kids, and Robin talks a lot, but they're not so bad." He pauses to look me over, cupping my face with his hands. "So, Billy… he's part of the flayed?"
"Yeah. He is… was the host. Like Will. But we don't know if he… if he's part of the flesh monster." I murmur, stomach knotting with dread. "It might be too late. "There's no way of even knowing if he's still alive. I… this isn't like the other times. I can't see what's going on, I can only feel it, barely." Sparing a glance at Max, my vision becomes blurry with tears. "I don't know if Max has thought about it yet. We haven't had time to really stop and think everything over. To breathe. Not even now. I don't even know how to ask her if she has."
Steve runs a hand through my tangled curls. "I'm sorry, babe."
"I just want to stop losing friends."
My boyfriend nods, wiping away my tears. "I know Roni, I know."
"Heads up." Hopper calls out, breaking us apart. We watch him toss a walkie to my brother, face grim. Dustin catches the radio, and we all stare at the Chief in surprise. "You can navigate, just from someplace safe."
"It's not that simple."
"The signal won't reach." Dustin and Richard tell him.
"Not with that, anyway." Erica adds.
My brother nods. "You need something with a high enough frequency band to relay with the Russians' radio tower. But for that to work, you need someone who has both seen their comms room and has access to a super-powered handcrafted radio tower, one preferably situated at the highest point in Hawkins." My smile grows the more Dustin talks, because I know exactly what he's referring to. Moreover, he'll be out of danger. He'll be safe. "Oh, wait. That's me. If you want us to navigate, you got us. But we need a head start. And a car."
Hopper sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, fine, if it means you'll be out of danger. I'm not trying to get killed by your mother or Robin Hood, Henderson." He turns to my boyfriend. "I take it you'll be going with them?"
Steve glances at me, then nods. "Yeah."
"We're coming, too." Richard gestures between him and Robin.
"Yeah. We're the Scoops Troop."
"Jesus Christ, she named us." Steve mutters beside me, and I laugh into his shoulder while he catches Hopper's keys. "Sweet, I get to drive the Blazer?"
"No, that blew up. Those are the keys to the Cadillac a nice citizen generously offered the Chief of Hawkins Police."
"So, you stole it?" I clarify, grinning innocently as Hopper glowers at me.
"You coming, Leia?" Dustin asks me. I pause, taking in the way he's biting his bottom lip worriedly before my eyes flick to Steve. He offers me an understanding smile, and I exhale shakily. "No. Sorry, Dusty. Here's where I need to be." Max and El briefly meet my gaze.
"But… but the Mind Flayer. He still wants you. You said so yourself."
I step forward to pull my brother in a hug. "Hey, I'll be alright. I promise."
"You can't be sure."
"I am, though." I flick his cap up, and he fixes it while scowling down at me in annoyance. "C'mon, you're wasting time."
"Stay safe."
"I will. Listen to Steve, and Richard. Definitely Robin. Take care of Erica."
"Oh, please." Erica scoffs, but hugs me as I release Dustin. "Like I'm not gonna be the one taking care of Dustin."
"Alright, c'mon, you're wasting your head start." Hopper claps his hands, and the Scoops Troop moves out.
We keep our goodbyes brief, Steve kissing my cheek before joining the rest of his group. I watch him and my brother disappear from view, hoping it isn't the last time I see them.
"... bottom lock, second-to-top lock, third-to-top lock, top lock." Murray finishes showing Nancy, Jonathan, and I the keys to his place in Illinois before telling us the codes, but I'm distracted by Joyce talking to Will, mother and son hugging each other tightly. My eyes drift to Hopper and El, and Murray's voice drifts away in the process.
El was less than happy when the adults ordered us to hide at Murray's. None of us were. How the hell am I supposed to figure out how to help free Billy if I'm not even here to do it? Nancy and Jonathan even tried to pull the "we're eighteen card", only to be reminded they're responsible for the safety of the kids, just like I am.
"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Murray snaps his fingers in front of my face, and I glare at him. "God, I forgot how rude teenagers are."
"Sorry. My mind's a little preoccupied right now." I bite out.
He waves me off. "Yeah, yeah. Off you go, children. Don't drink all my vodka in one go, it's not a frat house!"
"Guys, you ready?" Lucas calls, Max, El, and Mike already heading upstairs.
"Yeah. Let's go." Jonathan huffs, nudging me ahead so I don't continue my argument with Murray.
"Wait!" Joyce hurries over, hugging Nancy first, then me, and finally Jonathan. She holds her son the longest, the two of them swaying. "Keep each other safe. This'll all be over soon."
"We will, mom. I promise."
"Good. And Veronica? No heroics." She eyes the duffle in my hand, and I sigh.
"Fine."
After hugging Joyce one last time, we hurry after the rest of the group. A large hand wraps around my elbow, spinning me around. Before I have time to figure out what's going on, Hopper's hugging me like he never has before. "Hop, what the hell?"
"I just…" He sighs. "I missed ya, Hooligan. Stay smart and safe, okay?"
"I will. I'll take care of El."
He hums. "I know you will, you always do. But I need you to take care of yourself, too."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I'm serious. You know how you always say I'm like a dad to you? Guess what, that makes you as much a daughter to me as El is. We both know this asshole is gunning for the both of you. He wants El dead, and he just wants you. You're my girls. It's my job to keep you safe, but I also need you to look out for yourself, just like I know you can." He pulls back. "Okay?"
"Sure thing, dad." I joke to try and keep myself from tearing up. Hopper snorts. "You, too. Smart and safe."
"Smart and safe." He repeats our usual phrase, and then I'm jogging after the rest of my friends.
Eleven's grunting as soon as we reach the parking lot. Max takes a look at her leg, wincing. "You're bleeding."
"Damn, I knew I didn't put in enough stitches."
El shakes her head at me. "No. Not your fault. I'm okay."
"Let's lay her down." Mike suggests, and we help her into the trunk of the station wagon. I climb in after the Wheeler boy, Max closing the trunk for us before joining Will and Lucas in the backseat. I reach forward to grab her shoulder, squeezing it and offering her a comforting smile when I notice how dull her once brilliant blue eyes have become.
The engine sputters and I frown, looking past the redheaded girl to stare at my best friend. "Nance, what's going on?"
"I don't -" She tries to start the car again, but it only continues to sputter. "I don't know. You can't be serious, come on!"
"Didn't your mom just buy this car?" Lucas asks.
"Yes." Nancy huffs as Jonathan and I shake our heads at the younger teen. "I'm sure it's fine."
"Did you leave the light on?" Will asks.
"No."
"Do we have gas?"
"Yes!" Nancy shouts at Lucas. "Come on!" She puts a little more force into it, but the engine keeps on sputtering.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Just stop, stop! Ver?" Jonathan looks back at me briefly, and I nod.
"On it. I'll be right back, sweetheart." I murmur to the exhausted El before getting out of the trunk and hurrying over to the front of the car. "Nance, pop the hood!" I order, my best friend complying immediately. Jonathan joins me, and we both try to figure out what the hell is going on.
"Weird timing, don't you think?" Jonathan grunts out.
I look around the dimly lit parking lot, Starcourt Mall's neon signs doing very little to help us see. "Yeah. Weird. What the fuck?"
"What?" Nancy asks as I nudge Jonathan, showing him what I found - or, more accurately, what I didn't find.
"The ignition cable's gone." My oldest friend answers.
Another car engine roars to life, the three of us straightening and looking to our right. The engine revs again, the headlights nearly blinding us as the car reveals itself, blocking our exit as it sits in the center of the parking lot. I blink rapidly to get my vision back, freezing in horror when I recognize the vehicle.
"Billy." I whisper to myself, then spring into action with Nancy and Jonathan. "Let's go! Mike, get my bag!" I shout at the boy when I reach the trunk, helping him get El out.
"Back in the mall! Go! Go, go, go!" Nancy shouts at Will, Lucas, and Max while Jonathan opens Starcourt's door for us, the Camaro's engine continuing to rev even after we run inside.
As soon as we're back in the food court, Max takes my place supporting El while I look through my duffle for my walkie. "Scoops Troop, do you copy?" Getting no response, I growl out, "c'mon, you should be there by now. "Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy?"
"Have they answered yet?" Mike asks as he jogs over to me, having helped El over to the seats with the rest of the group.
"No, not yet. Scoops Troop, I repeat, do you copy? We're trapped in the mall and are in need of emergency transportation. Billy's alive, he found us! Do you copy? Fuck!"
"Hey, I'll take over." Mike carefully removes the walkie from my shaking hand, and I blink up at him. I always seem to forget how much he - and the rest of the Party - have grown. "Go sit. Breathe. Please?"
"Alright." I nod, trying to calm down. "Alright."
"Scoops Troop, we repeat, do you copy? Billy found us. He has disabled our car and we are trapped in the mall. Scoops Troop, do you copy?!" Mike practically roars.
I pass the wounded Russians on my way over to the rest of the group. They're still knocked out, but even if they do wake up they're less of a threat - they've been stripped of their weapons. Well, at least we have that going for us.
When I finally reach them, I see Lucas practicing his aim with the wrist rocket, the boy nodding to me. Nancy's further away, kneeling beside one of the deceased guards. She strips him of his pistol and checks the magazine. "Found something for you." She tells me, unclipping something similar to a cattle prod from the other side of the man's belt. I take it from her and hold it up, clicking the button. Electricity immediately crackles from the tip, the bluish-white lights making the two of us jump in surprise at how much power it has.
"Yeah, I'm not letting the kids touch this." I announce, and Nancy nods in agreement.
"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Max asks as she and Will approach us.
"This is just a precaution, okay?" Nancy tells her with a reassuring smile.
"And not just against Billy." Will reminds the redhead. "If he knows we're here, so does the Mind Flayer." Max looks over at me and I take her hand while Jonathan joins us, anxiously running his fingers through his hair.
Mike's getting a touch more hysterical, and we all watch as he paces around, asking for our friends to respond. "Scoops Troop, I repeat, we are in need of emergency transportation. Do you copy?" He stomps past the red Convertible El had thrown at the Russians, the thing totaled against the counter of New York Pizza - which, side note, tastes nothing like the pizza they make in New York.
Nancy snorts from her crouched position, glancing up at us. "No chance that thing'll drive, right?"
"Steve, do you copy?" Mike shouts, and I flinch, praying to a God I don't believe in that he and my brother are okay, that the rest of the group isn't in any kind of trouble.
"We don't need it to drive." Jonathan murmurs, nudging me to get my full attention. "We just need -"
"The ignition cables. You genius, I love you." I clap him on the back before turning around. "Lucas! Get over here, man, we need your help! El, sweetheart, stay seated!" I shout, gesturing for the limping girl to sit back down. Even from here I know she's rolling her eyes, but I'm tugged over to the Convertible before I can make any comments.
It's a little embarrassing that between the seven of us, we can't flip the car over. Seriously, I do all that exercise, and for what?
"Push!" Jonathan grunts unhelpfully as we all keep straining.
"What do you think we're fucking doing, asshole?" I snarl back, the metal straining.
"Shit!" Lucas yelps as the car overtakes us, more glass shattering as it falls down on the counter. Thankfully none of us are injured, just tired. And aching.
"Let me try." El offers, having limped over to us during our struggling. Will hurries over to her side, hands out just in case she loses balance. "I'm fine." She murmurs to the boy, but he doesn't leave her.
Mike pants. "El…"
She limps forward, a confident little smile on her face. "I can do it."
We all jump down from the counter, rushing to get behind her. "El, seriously, don't push yourself." I whisper.
"I'm not. A car is easy." She tells me assuredly, then nods for me to join the others.
"Fine." I huff, hands up in surrender. I stand between Lucas and Will, gnawing on my bottom lip.
El inhales, then holds out her arm on the exhale. There's a low humming, the Convertible buckling as the air vibrates around us. The metal squeals and shakes, El's breathing becomes more strained as the car stubbornly refuses to move from its spot. She gasps and grunts, and I have enough of it.
"El!" I leap forward, putting her arm down for her and shaking my head. She glares at me, but it does nothing to make me back off. "No. You're done. You can barely walk, you're exhausted, no."
"Veronica -"
"No." I snap, and her shoulders drop.
"I just wanted to help."
"I know you did." I pull her into a hug, then nod at the others to resume their efforts, Mike giving me a thankful smile as he passes by. "El, you've been pushing yourself non-stop. It won't end well. Trust me."
"Always." She murmurs against my shoulder. I help her straighten, then watch her limp away.
"Veronica! Hey, I've got an idea!" Mike calls, ushering me over. "It's physics. We just need to use physics!" He tells us.
I frown. "Is now a bad time to tell you I only passed physics because of Robin?"
"What, no - you see those?" Mike points over to the golden rope posts that had been blocking off the Convertible before El tossed it like a frisbee. "We each grab one and press the base to the car before pushing. Some of us can even slip it in the space between the counter and the car."
Will and Lucas nod. "He's right. We can use those posts as levers, they're sturdy enough."
"Like I'd ever doubt you nerds." I joke, and Lucas points at me accusingly, gasping.
"Erica gets it from you!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I raise an eyebrow in confusion, but I can feel my lips forming a sly grin.
After following Mike's instructions, the seven of us get on top of the counter and begin to push. While it's not nearly as challenging as before, we're still left grunting and panting as we finally manage to tilt it fully on its side.
"Alright, great. Now all the way. Ready?" Jonathan asks, and we nod. "Three, two, one… push!" With a final bout of straining, we manage to get the Convertible right-side up, the thing definitely totaled beyond repair.
"Told you. Physics." Mike catches his breath.
We all hop down, Jonathan helping Nancy and then myself. The three of us rush over to the hood, which is both slightly popped up and also jammed. "How do we get it open?" Nancy asks as our fingers slip.
"Uh, there should be a latch, check under the wheel." Jonathan points to the driver's side. "You see it?"
"I don't know, hold on." Nancy answers while bending over the door to look under the wheel. "Damn, I can't find it."
Before I can offer to help, movement from the corner of my eye gets my attention. Watching Mike and Max walk over to El, I tilt my head in confusion when I see the girl rummaging through the trash can. "Be right back." I'm too focused on her to hear Jonathan's response. Pausing long enough to pick up my duffle bag and the prod I'd set down when we first tried to flip the car, I join the three younger teens.
"El?" Mike asks as we watch the girl stare down a New Coke can. It shakes, but nothing happens, and she pauses to catch her breath. "You okay?" The boy asks.
Behind us, Jonathan lets out a victory shout, but any of his glee is drowned out by the sudden chill that rolls up my spine, the back of my neck tingling. I press my hand to it and turn around, trying to see if it's just me, or if Will feels it too. I find him doing the same thing, staring over at me in mutual horror.
"Guys. Guys!" I shout, Jonathan and Nancy freezing. I want to continue, but something rumbles loudly in the distance. The floor shakes beneath our feet, and the roof creaks. Max and I both look up, and there's no denying the cracking sounds as the glass starts to shatter under the weight of the snarling creature.
"Come on!" Mike jumps into action, taking El's hand. Max and I follow them up the stairs, further away from the others. There's no going back, though, not when the glass finally breaks and the creature lands right where we'd just been standing. It shrieks and the four of us dive behind the snack booth outside the Ground Round.
"Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop, do you copy?" Dustin's voice comes out from my abandoned walkie. "Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you -" The creature roars, then something clatters loudly, Dustin's voice barely audible. Still, I can faintly make out his desperate pleas. "Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop. Please confirm your safety! Leia! Please Confirm your safety! Are you en route to Bald Eagle's nest? Please confirm your safety!" I struggle to breathe through my building panic, nails cutting painfully into my palms. "Someone, please just answer. Is anyone there?" Dustin continues calling out to us as the creature stomps around, the four of us tensing when it gets closer to us. I carefully peer out, eyes wide with horror as I watch the flesh monster absorb the squashed thing that had been inside El's leg. It roars some more, and I quickly return to hiding as it hisses over us before crawling away, the mall shaking all around us.
Mike quickly pops up to take stock of the situation, then crouches back down to report back. "It's turned away. If we go up the stairs now, we'll make it."
"Now way, not with El's leg." Max whispers back.
"We have to try." Mike insists.
I shake my head. "We won't make it. Too many variables."
"There's another way." El touches Mike's shoulder, getting his attention. "To get out. Through the Gap."
Mike checks out the situation again, then nods at us. "Okay. Now." He takes El's wrist while I take Max's and the four of us sprint as quietly as possible into the store. We're barely a few steps in before we step on glass and El half-trips over a metal post. The creature roars and we hurry to hide. As it screeches and growls I crouch behind the t-shirt display, the other three choosing the one across from me. Hoping the creature's shrieking covers the noise, I unzip my duffle and pull out my quiver and bow. I slip the prod into the quiver, then slide it over my head, notching an arrow as the monster snarls. There's a strange slithering noise, and then a tentacle appears, throwing a mannequin against the wall in anger, having been tricked - it'd been wearing the same shirt as El's. I look at the other three, and crawl over to join me. We wait with bated breath as the tentacle comes closer, searching the trio's previous hiding spot. It chitters, it's mouth opening right beside Mike's head, and I prepare to fire.
There's a loud popping, and the tentacle retracts sharply, the creature snarling and stomping off, trying to find the culprit. "Go!" I order. Mike and Max snap into action as they help El rise, leading the way into the staff hallways. I'm right behind them, arrow still notched.
It's a maze, everything looking exactly the same. If it wasn't for Mike and Max, El and I would've been lost. But they'd spent a month sneaking into the movie theater through these corridors, they know where they're going.
Steve's POV
Starcourt Mall Parking Lot
Steve blows the hair out of his eyes, arms shaking as he comes down from the adrenaline of crashing the Cadillac into Billy's Camaro. Well, here's Roni's answer. Hargrove's alive. "Are you okay?" He asks Robin, his friend breathing heavily.
"Ask me tomorrow?" She asks, and they both let out a little laugh before a snarl echoes all around them. Fear rushes through Steve's veins as he and Robin watch a giant monster climb onto the mall's destroyed roof, shrieking as it takes in the scene below. "Shit." Robin mutters in understandable disbelief.
The Wheeler family station wagon pulls up beside them, Nancy honking before shouting, "Get in!" They both hurry over to the trunk, Steve letting Robin in first before slamming it closed behind them. Nancy steps on the gas and they go speeding away, the creature following closely behind.
Sparing a look around the car, Steve becomes terrified for a whole other reason. "Where's Roni? El, Max, Mike -"
"In the mall, still." Jonathan answers, taking a break from urging Nancy to drive faster, something the blue-eyed girl doesn't appreciate. "They're okay. As long as we keep the monster's attention from them, they're safe. Where's Richard?"
"With Dustin and Eric." Robin responds. "Breathe." She whispers to Steve, and he exhales. "Veronica'll keep the kiddos safe."
"Who's going to keep Veronica safe, huh?" He shoots back, trying not to show how much he's really panicking.
"Dusty-bun, you copy?" An unfamiliar girl's voice crackles through the walkie Dustin had tossed Robin.
"I copy, Suzie-poo." Dustin responds. "It sounds much better now, thanks."
"Suzie." Steve and Robin look at each other, Lucas and Will choking on their saliva from the backseat.
"Okay, so, listen. Do you know Planck's constant?" Dustin asks his girlfriend.
"Do you know the Earth orbits the sun?" Suzie responds, and Dustin snickers. "Okay, so I know it starts with two sixes, and then a - what is it?"
"Okay, let me just be clear on this. I haven't heard from you in a week, and now you want a mathematical equation that you should know so you can… save the world?"
"Suzie-poo, I promise I will make it up to you as soon as possible."
Steve wrinkles his nose in distaste at the nickname, but only before remembering he occasionally refers to Veronica as "Ronniekins".
"You can make it up to me now." Suzie insists.
"What?" Steve's never heard Dustin sound this confused.
"I want to hear it."
Oh, God, what does that even mean? Don't like that, Steve thinks to himself, Robin's expression communicating the same thought.
"Not right now." Dustin pleads.
"Yes, now, Dusty-bun."
"Suzie-poo, this is urgent."
"Yes, yes, you're saving the world, I heard you the first time. But Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off."
"Wait, wait, wait! Okay. Okay. Okay." Dustin goes quiet for a moment, and the next thing that comes out of his mouth has Steve thinking he might still be high off the Russian drugs. "Turn around. Look at what you see. In her face, the mirror of your dreams." He starts to sing the title song to The NeverEnding Story. Steve looks at Robin, then around the rest of the car. Somehow, even with the flesh monster chasing them down the dark roads, Dustin serenading his girlfriend is the strangest thing happening. "Make believe I'm everywhere, given in the light." Suzie joins him, the couple harmonizing. It'd be awesome, if it wasn't for the fact they were potentially inches from death. "Written in the pages is the answer to a never-ending story!"
Steve would like to say that was enough for Dustin's girlfriend, but it isn't until they finished the song that Suzie gave him Planck's Constant, whatever the hell that is. "Planck's Constant is 6.62607004."
"You just saved the world." Dustin tells her, voice full of pride.
"Gosh, I miss you, Dusty-bun."
"And I miss you more, Suzie-poo."
"I miss you more, multiplied by all the stars in our galaxy."
"No, I miss you -" Dustin goes quiet, as does Suzie, which means their connection was shut off. Steve sighs in relief before returning to watching the creature run after them. Good. The more it chases them, the further it is from Roni and the others.
Veronica's POV
Starcourt Mall
I practically break the door down in my effort to get us out of the mall. I press the button for the gates and the buzzer goes off as they open. The first thing I see is a wall of fire, and then he emerges, limping like El, black lines covering his body and face.
"Billy. Shit." Max says breathlessly.
"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Mike shouts, hurrying the two girls along. I'm right behind them, body twisted slightly as I aim at Billy's leg.
"I'm so sorry." I mutter tearfully, hitting him in the leg. He released a pained snarl, pausing to yank the arrow out, and I slam my hand on the button again, hoping I've bought the gate enough time to close before Billy can get through. The back of my neck tingles in warning, and I know we're screwed. "It's coming back!" I warn my companions, hurrying after them as we retrace our steps through the halls. Poor El keeps groaning and grunting, but there's nothing we can do about it. We have to keep moving.
I notch another arrow as the doors behind us burst open, letting us know we're being hunted down. When we reach the freight elevator, Mike's quick to press the "up" button. "Come on!" He shouts, just as Billy stomps into view, limping closer.
"Billy. Billy, it's us. Max and Veronica." The red-haired girl begins to plead.
"Billy, you don't have to do this." I try. "Billy -"
"Billy, your name's Billy, Billy Hargrove." Max cuts me off, even as I try to pull her away when I realize he's not stopping. "Billy, please, I'm Max, I'm your sister!" I let the arrow loose and it flies into his shoulder, but not before he practically throws me against the wall and backhands Max. Mike hurries over to help, only to get knocked out as he's slammed against the pipes. To my horror, El tries to use her powers to keep Billy back, only for the older teen to knock her out as well.
I jump to my feet, a little dizzy, and aim another arrow at his leg. "Billy, stop! This isn't you!" He turns to me, snarling. "You promised. You promised you wouldn't hurt Max. Look at your sister! Look at her, that's your sister!" I plead. He freezes, only for a moment, then before I can even let the arrow fly he lunges forward, yanking my bow from my hands and breaking it in half. His hand finds my throat, wrapping around it tightly.
"Hm. Weaker than I thought." Billy says, but it doesn't sound like him at all. "You should've said yes to me."
"Fuck you."
"Hmm." Billy tilts his head, but it's the Mind Flayer who speaks. "It seems this boy already did."
I want to respond, but the world goes dark.
"- up. Veronica, wake up!" I groan as someone shakes me.
"Ugh, ten more minutes."
"Veronica!" Max shouts, and I sit up in shock, inhaling sharply. Everything comes rushing back, and I turn to the girl, her eyes full of tears and her cheek bloody and bruised. "Oh, thank God. Mike is still down. He's breathing, but - Billy, he took El!"
I stagger to my feet, Max helping me get up. "Okay. Okay, I'm going to go find them. I'll get her back."
"How, huh?" She freaks out, pointing at my broken weapon. "You don't have your bow!"
I shake my head. "No. But I have this." I remove the prod from my quiver and click the button, watching the electricity crackle from its tip. "Take care of Mike."
"But -"
"Do as I say!" I shout at Max, tossing my quiver at her, putting my tracking skills to use as I follow drops of black and red liquid decorating the floor.
They lead into the Scoops Ahoy break room, the door separating it from the rest of the ice cream parlor already kicked open, and the gate shoved up. I stick to the shadows of the shop, crouching so I'm still hidden from view.
El is laying on the ground, watching the creature stomp closer. Billy's standing right behind her, just staring up at the beast. The monster snarls, a large tentacle emerging from its mouth. I sprint forward, slamming myself into Billy's side to knock him off his feet. The force of my attack has me stumbling, too, but it's also confused the creature, enough so that I can jab at it with prod. It shrieks at the heat emitted, pulling back slightly. I know it won't be enough, but I can buy El enough time to run.
"Go! El, hurry!" I shout without looking away from the creature, the thing gearing up for another attack.
"Veronica!" El warns, and I'm yanked back, crashing on the ground beside the girl. Billy looms over me, fists clenched.
"You die first." He snarls at me, but there's none of Billy in his nearly-black eyes.
I'm too late, I realize, I'm too late to save a friend. My friends. What'll happen when I'm gone? I've been close to death before, but never like this. Never with someone I care about crouching over me, his hands reaching for my neck.
And then the creature wails, bright streams of light bursting out around us. Billy staggers around, holding his sides like he was the one who was hurt. At first I think it was a bomb, but another explosion of light fills the air around us.
"Flay this, you ugly piece of shit!" I hear Lucas shout, and another firework strikes the monster, this time thrown straight into its mouth. It shrieks and wails, and I struggle to sit up, watching in amazement as my friends throw more fireworks.
"Roni! Roni, get El and go! Hey, asshole, over here!" Steve shouts from the balcony across from where I'm laying, then pitches his explosives into the creature's mouth.
"C'mon, sweetheart, you heard him. Let's go." I get behind El and lift her up by her armpits, doing my best to drag her back as Billy writhes on the ground, screaming in pain. I drop the prod as I go, then we're both pulled forward when the Mind Flayer's host grabs El's ankle and drags her back towards the creature. I refuse to let go, falling on my front with my hands folding El. She's ripped from my clutches and we both go rolling, landing side-by-side.
"Billy, don't -" I gasp for air as he starts to choke us, one of his hands on each of our throats, holding us down. He slams us back into the ground when we both try to push him off, and I'm left breathless and dazed, the world a little blurry. "Bi-Billy." I whisper, wrapping my hands around his wrist. "California." I try again, and it could just be wishful thinking, but it gets a little easier to breathe. "It's me. It's Queen V. You promised, California. You promised you wouldn't be like him. You're not a monster." He snarls down at me, his grip getting tighter. I cough, but keep going. "You get to choose what kind of person you are." I remind him. "And you decided to be good." His grip becomes looser again, and I cough, trying to remember how to breathe.
"Seven… feet." El gasps out, and my head lolls look at her, but her gaze remains on the now confused Billy, black lines covering his face. "You told her… the wave was seven feet." The fireworks crackle above us, and the bursts of light help me see the tears sliding down the younger girl's cheeks. I want to reach over and wipe them away, but Billy's still got me pinned, and my arms feel heavy. "You ran to her… on the beach." El cries, the teen above her blinking, and I can see a bit of ocean-blue coming back into his eyes. "There were seagulls. She wore a hat… with a blue ribbon. A long dress… with a blue and red flower. Yell-yellow sandals…" The girl sniffles. "Covered in sand." I keep looking up at Billy, watching in relief as the black lines begin to fade. "She was pretty. She was really pretty." El sobs, and Billy nods at her words. "And you… you were happy." Her hand slowly reaches up to cup the older teen's cheek.
Billy lets go of us, sitting back. El has to help me sit up, and we watch in horror and disgust as he starts to gag, leaning over to the side just in time to spray the ground with black liquid. It goes on long enough that I'm able to get behind him, rubbing Billy's back. Finally, a squiggling clump lands in the black puddle, and Billy falls back against me, sweaty hair on my chest.
"Ve-Veronica."
"Hi, California." I manage to stay before bursting into tears, and gentle fingers touch my throat.
"Hurt you."
"It wasn't you. I'm okay. You came back." I sob.
Billy groans, turning his head to look at El. "Had some help."
We all struggle to stand up, El's arm thrown over my shoulder as I hold her weight. Another firework goes off, and then there's silence. The three of us look up at the shrieking creature, the monster moving around to make the remaining smoke disperse. It roars down at us, gaze focused on El, opening its mouth as the tentacle emerges once more.
"C'mon, we have to - Billy!" I shout as it bursts forward, but he grabs it with his hands, keeping it from El.
"No!" He screams, yelling as he pushes forward. I feel around for the prod I'd gotten from Nancy, cursing when I realize I dropped it.
"Sorry El." I quickly apologize to the girl, forcing her to balance on her own as I rush over to grab the metal stick, picking it up as four more tentacles come out of the creature's body. I'm too slow to stop the first one from latching onto Billy's side. "Billy!" Max scream rings in my ears. He howls in pain, but doesn't let go of the main tentacle. A second later I stab the second tentacle with the prod, the electricity hot enough to burn a hole through it. The creature shrieks and pulls it back.
"No, the other one!" Billy shouts as I aim for the center tentacle. Nodding in understanding, I hit it before it can bite him. Then I get the other two, back-to-back, when they're a breath away from touching my friend. All the while the flesh monster screeches and shudders, the center tentacle becoming weaker. "Now!"
I get under the tentacle and stab up, screaming as I hold onto the button, refusing to let my finger come up from the button until it's completely severed from the larger monster, Billy tossing it to the side with whatever strength he can muster before collapsing in a heap. The creature wails, then drops, lifeless. My shoulders heave as I stare down at it, waiting for it to get back up, but nothing happens. The back of my neck is no longer tingling. The creature stays down, even after I carefully approach it, electrocuting the closest limb. Suddenly I'm able to breathe, and I stagger to keep from falling over, too. Hopper, Joyce, and Murray did it. They shut the gate. It's over.
"Veronica! Veronica!" Max shouts, and I turn to see her kneeling beside Billy. Fearing the worst, I sprint over to them, knees on fire when I slam down on them.
Billy stares up at me, the left side of his white tank top soaked in blood. "Shit, we have to… we have to stop the bleeding. I-I don't -"
"Hey, Queen V, it's alright. I feel…" he coughs, "I feel fine."
"Shut up, bad boy, no you don't." I shoot back, before glancing up at the younger boy hovering behind El. "Mike! Grab me a towel, whatever you can find in Scoops, just make sure it's clean." He nods and runs into the store.
Billy snorts out a tired, wounded laugh, then glances at El from where she sits beside Max. "Thank you. My mom… I'm glad you saw her."
"I'm glad you were able to show me." El mumbles back tiredly, leaning her weight on Mike's side when he returns with a clean rag. I press it to Billy's wound, and he screams before his eyes flick over to his crying sister. "Do-don't cry, Maxine. I'm sorry." He apologizes. "Wasn't… wasn't the bro-brother I was supposed to be. But I'll be him. I swear I will."
"I know. I know, Billy." Max sobs out, head falling forward on her chest as she wails. I cry silently with her, watching with hope as his chest keeps rising and falling, even as he slips into unconsciousness. I keep putting pressure on his wound, and then two larger hands cover mine. I look over my shoulder at Steve, who smiles exhaustedly back at me.
It's finally over.
I sit in the back of the ambulance in a daze, watching firefighters and government officials alike rush around the mall, half of it on fire. My friends are all scattered around, Max en route to the hospital with Billy. She left sobbing, the medics barely managing to get Billy's pulse back. I wanted to go with her, but only one person was allowed, and there's no way I could keep her from her brother.
Mike's with his sister, Will, Jonathan, and Lucas, all five of them gathered around the adjacent ambulance. I'm huddled against Steve, El tucked safely in my arms, her leg properly attended to. All three of us are a mess of blood and bruises, but we're alive, and that's more than I can say for all those who were flayed. None of them deserved this. Billy didn't deserve -
Billy will be alright. He's too stubborn to die, I tell myself. It does nothing to soothe my fears.
"Veronica, look." El mutters, nodding ahead. We both get to our feet, Steve following close behind as I help the younger girl limp forward.
Joyce and Murray are walking towards us, looking around in terror at the burning mall and the parking lot flooded with first responders, government agents, and soldiers rushing about. Hell, there are even a couple of helicopters circling above us.
The woman staggers as her younger son hugs her, smiling in relief as she holds Will in her arms. I grin tiredly at them, then join El in searching for Hopper. Any moments he's going to appear, all irritated at the mess left in the wake of both the Mind Flayer and the Russians. His sheer size alone will make the soldiers back off.
Frowning when I still don't see him, my eyes meet Joyce's. She shakes her head, and it feels like the ground opened beneath my feet. My stomach drops, and I stumble. "No." I shake my head.
"Veronica?" El asks, still looking for her dad. I close my eyes as she begins to sob, pulling her into a tight hug. Something warm wraps around us both, Steve murmuring his apologies as she cries for her dad. I just feel numb, caught between disbelief, anger, and immense pain.
It's another hour later, sitting in the hospital waiting room, when the world collapses around me again. The doctor comes into view, face grim as he looks down at Max, her mother - of fucking course Billy's dad didn't bother showing up - and me. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could." Max wails, her mother tearfully embracing her. I want to hold her, too, but I can't stay. I can't… I can't breathe. So I run, feet pounding even as the nurses shout at me, until I'm outside.
Steve's there, leaning against the hood of my mother's car with her and Dustin. "Help." I whimper out, and all three of them are rushing to catch me, holding me close as I break apart.