The tires screeched as Jonathan pulled the car into the nearly deserted parking lot of Starcourt Mall. The neon lights flickered nervously in the distance, casting eerie, sporadic flashes across the cracked pavement. The once-bright mall sign buzzed faintly, its letters sputtering as if the electricity itself was scared. The air was thick with tension, and the silence was almost suffocating, broken only by the occasional flicker of a light or the distant hum of power lines.
Dove's heart raced as she stared out the window, watching the dark shape of the Mind Flayer looming in the distance. It wasn't moving toward them but its presence was heavy, like a shadow hanging over them, waiting. Every breath she took felt too loud, too noticeable, as if the creature could hear her from where it stalked.
Jonathan turned the wheel gently, easing the car to a quiet stop near one of the side entrances. "We need to be careful," he whispered, as if even his voice could carry too far in the stillness. "We can't let it know we're here."
They all nodded, the weight of his words pressing down on them. One wrong move, one loud noise, and it would all be over.
Dove climbed out of the car, her shoes crunching softly against the gravel of the lot. The others followed, moving with quiet, deliberate steps. The flickering lights above them seemed to flash in sync with her heartbeat, quick and irregular, making every shadow dance unnervingly along the walls.
Jonathan popped the trunk, revealing the stash of fireworks that Lucas had grabbed from a drug store earlier that day. Boxes of Roman candles, bottle rockets, and other explosives sat waiting for them, their colorful packaging a bizarre contrast to the tension filling the air.
"Grab everything," Jonathan instructed quietly, his voice steady but filled with urgency.
Dove reached into the trunk, her hands trembling slightly as she grabbed an armful of fireworks. The weight of them pressed against her, a strange comfort despite the chaos surrounding them. It wasn't much, but it was their best shot at distracting the Mind Flayer long enough for Eleven to do what she needed to do. She wasn't sure how they were going to pull this off, but they didn't have a choice.
Steve grabbed a few larger boxes, hefting them with ease as he shut the trunk. His jaw was set in determination, but Dove could see the worry flickering in his eyes. Everyone was scared, but there was no time for hesitation.
Steve, always at the front, led them to the entrance, his eyes scanning the area. The double doors of the mall stood before them, slightly ajar. Beyond the threshold, the inside of the building was dimly lit, the buzzing of fluorescent lights competing with the uneasy flickering overhead.
"Stay close," Steve whispered, his voice barely more than a breath.
Dove felt the tension winding tighter in her chest as they slipped inside the building. The air was cooler inside, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. The mall was a mess—broken glass, overturned tables, and shattered storefronts littered the floor, remnants of the chaos that had already torn through the place.
The lights above flickered erratically, like a warning signal, casting long, distorted shadows across the abandoned courtyard. The group stayed huddled together, moving as one unit, their breathing shallow and careful. The silence pressed in on them from all sides, the empty space of the mall feeling far too exposed.
"Second floor," Jonathan said as he led the way to the escalators, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need higher ground."
As they made their way up the broken escalators, Dove's mind raced. Every creak and groan of the building felt like a warning. The Mind Flayer was still out there, and at any moment, it could find them.
When they reached the second floor, they moved quickly. The upper level was wide open, offering a clear view of the lower level. Dove set her load of fireworks down near the railing, joining the others as they spread out, positioning the fireworks strategically along the edge.
Dove glanced down at the dark, empty space below, her breath catching as she imagined the creature crashing through the mall again, its grotesque limbs smashing through glass and concrete as it hunted them. The image sent a shiver down her spine, but she forced herself to focus.
"We need to make sure the fireworks draw its attention," she said, crouching near the edge of the railing. "If it sees us before we're ready.."
Her voice trailed off, the thought too terrifying to finish. But the others understood.
Jonathan finished positioning the last of the fireworks and stood up, taking a deep breath. "Alright," he said, looking around at the group. "This is it. Everyone ready?"
There were a few shaky nods, but no one said a word. The tension in the air was thick, palpable. All they could do now was wait for the right moment—and hope the monster would fall for the distraction.
Dove stood near Steve, her heart pounding in her chest as the group settled into position. The flickering lights above continued to buzz nervously, casting sporadic flashes of light across the floor.
In the distance, a low rumble echoed through the mall. The creature was close.
Dove stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched Billy step into the center of the mall's courtyard, his figure silhouetted by the flickering lights. The world seemed to slow for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. In his arms was El, limp and unconscious, her body slumped against him. Billy's expression was eerie, almost calm, as he knelt and set her down on the cold, tiled floor. He leaned in close, as if whispering something into her ear. The sight made Dove's stomach churn.
Suddenly, the glass ceiling above shattered with a deafening crash. The Mind Flayer, massive and grotesque, came barreling through, its monstrous limbs stretching out like an unnatural spider as it descended upon them. The moment snapped back into focus, and Dove felt her body tense as her fight-or-flight instincts kicked in.
"Now!" Jonathan yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Without hesitation, Lucas hurled the first firework from the second-floor catwalk, his throw precise. It sailed through the air and exploded in a brilliant burst of color, just as the Mind Flayer reached for El. The explosion knocked the creature back, saving El for the time being.
Dove scrambled for her own fireworks, her hands trembling as she lit one. They all gathered around the catwalk railing, every single one of them focused on the same goal—keep the monster away from El. Firework after firework exploded in the air, the blasts sending colorful fiery sparks through the mall. The lights flickered madly, the chaos of the moment intensifying with each throw.
Dove's eyes kept darting back down to where El lay on the floor. Every time the Mind Flayer was hit with a firework, Billy convulsed, his body jerking violently, connected through the hive mind. His face twisted in pain, his grip on reality clearly slipping, but still, he remained focused on El.
Dove watched in horror as El, barely regaining consciousness, tried to scramble away from him. Her movements were slow, weak. Billy, despite the pain wracking his body, reached out and grabbed her, his hand curling tightly around her ankle as she tried to crawl.
"Come on!" Dove shouted to herself, lighting another firework and hurling it with everything she had. The explosion rocked the creature, but Billy didn't let go.
Her chest tightened with panic, and without thinking, Dove abandoned the rest of the fireworks on the ground and rushed toward the staircase.
"Where are you going?!" Steve yelled after her, his voice tinged with panic as he lobbed another firework at the creature.
"I have to help El!" Dove shouted back over her shoulder, her feet pounding down the stairs, her heart racing with every step. She couldn't let Billy hurt her.
As she made her way around the courtyard, Billy was on top of El, pinning her down with a strength that seemed unnatural. Dove sprinted toward them, her fear for El overwhelming every rational thought in her mind. As she got closer, one of the Mind Flayer's massive limbs swung in her direction. She barely had time to react before it slammed into her side with a bone-rattling force.
The impact sent her flying across the courtyard, her body crashing into a nearby concrete pillar with a sickening thud. The breath was knocked from her lungs, and for a moment, everything went black. Glass from the shattered skylight littered the ground around her, cutting into her skin as she tried to push herself up, her body screaming in pain.
Her vision blurred, and she gasped, struggling to pull air into her lungs. Her arms shook as she tried to lift herself, but her entire body felt heavy, weighed down by pain and exhaustion. Blood smeared across her hands as she pushed herself onto her knees, the glass slicing deeper into her palms, but she didn't care. She couldn't afford to stop now.
As she planted her hands on the ground to push herself up, a sharp, searing pain shot through her side, so intense that it stole the breath from her lungs. She cried out in agony, her body instinctively curling inward. Her hand flew to her side, and she felt something foreign lodged there—smooth and cold against her skin. When she glanced down, her stomach lurched. A large shard of glass was sticking out of her side, deep enough that the blood flowing from the wound was already soaking through her shirt.
Dove's breath quickened, her mind screaming at her to pull the glass out, but she knew better. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to keep going. Crawling forward, each movement a new wave of pain, she kept her eyes on El and Billy. She had to reach them. She had to help.
Through the ringing in her ears and the pounding of her heart, she could hear El's voice—soft, broken, but insistent. El wasn't fighting Billy anymore. She wasn't screaming for him to stop. Instead, she was talking to him, her voice strained but filled with something that sounded almost like compassion.
"She was pretty," El rasped, her hands trembling as she reached out toward him, touching his cheek. "She was really pretty. And you were happy."
Dove's breath caught as she watched Billy freeze. His grip on El loosened, just for a second. His face contorted in confusion, in pain, but he didn't move away. The fireworks still cracked and exploded above them, the light from the blasts illuminating Billy's tortured expression.
"You don't have to do this," El continued, her voice shaking. "It's not who you are.. It's not who she wanted you to be.."
Dove's heart ached as she crawled closer, the words barely registering through the haze of pain. She didn't know how El had the strength to say those things, to reach out to Billy in the middle of all this. But it was working. Dove could see it. Billy was hesitating, torn between the monster's control and the last shred of himself.
She dragged herself closer, her vision swimming as she fought through the agony in her side. Each breath felt like fire, and the shard of glass dug deeper into her flesh with every movement. The pain was unbearable, but it paled in comparison to the panic that seized her when she realized something terrifying—the fireworks had stopped.
The air was filled with a chilling silence, broken only by the heavy, rumbling footsteps of the Mind Flayer as it stepped closer to Billy and El. Its monstrous, twisted form loomed over them, each grotesque limb moving with deliberate intent. The creature let out a deafening roar, its maw opening wide, revealing rows of glistening teeth. The sound vibrated through the entire mall, and for the first time, Dove could feel the weight of its true power bearing down on them.
Billy's head snapped up, his eyes locking on the creature. He stood slowly, unsteady on his feet, his body trembling.
Dove was close now, just a few feet away from El, her hand outstretched toward her, but she wasn't quick enough. The monster's maw widened further, and with a sickening, slithering sound, a tendril shot out from its mouth, hurtling straight toward El.
In a blur of movement, Billy caught the tendril in his hands, stopping it. His muscles strained as he fought against the creature's overwhelming strength. "No!" he yelled, his voice cracking under the effort.
Dove froze, watching in stunned horror. Billy's face contorted in pain as he continued to struggle against the tendril, every muscle in his body trembling with the effort. The Mind Flayer roared again, louder this time, and Dove's stomach dropped as she saw more tendrils begin to emerge from the monster's body, writhing and slithering toward Billy like hungry snakes.
Dove's heart pounded in her chest, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. Her limbs felt like lead, weighed down by fear and exhaustion. The scene before her unfolded in slow motion—Billy standing alone, defiant, as the tendrils closed in around him.
And then they struck.
One after another, the tendrils slammed into Billy's body with brutal force, piercing his sides like spears. Blood sprayed across the floor, and Billy screamed—a sound so full of pain and agony that it cut through Dove's very soul. The tendrils wriggled and twisted, burying deeper into his flesh, each one driving him further to his knees.
Even as the pain consumed him, he held his ground, his arms outstretched in defiance, shielding El from the monster's wrath.
Dove's breath hitched in her throat, her body trembling as she watched the impossible scene unfold before her. Billy—the same guy who had beat Steve near to death—was giving everything to protect El.
With one last, agonizing scream, the Mind Flayer's tendril hurled itself into Billy's chest, piercing him through with a sickening force. His scream was cut off, the sound swallowed by the violent silence that followed. Dove, still on her hands and knees, watched in horror as the Mind Flayer pulled its tendrils from Billy's broken form, each one slipping out of him with grotesque squelches. Then, like a puppet whose strings had been severed, his body went limp and collapsed to the floor.
"Billy!" Max's voice rang out from behind them, her scream sharp with anguish, cutting through the stillness.
Blood pooled around him as his body lay crumpled on the cold, tile floor. Dove's breath came in ragged gasps, her heart pounding in her ears as the monster loomed above El, preparing to strike again.
But before it could, the Mind Flayer suddenly let out a piercing screech, its massive body twisting and writhing in pain. It thrashed violently, smashing into the surrounding storefronts and tearing apart the walls, its limbs destroying everything in its path. The creature's wails echoed through the mall as it flailed wildly, and then—just as suddenly as it had started—it collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash. Its massive form lay still, eerily silent.
For a moment, no one moved. The only sound was Dove's heart beating irregularly inside her chest. Dove blinked, her mind trying to catch up with what had just happened. Her gaze flickered to the motion beside her, and she saw Mike rush forward, dropping to his knees at El's side, his hands trembling as he pulled her into his arms.
With a grunt of pain, Dove forced herself to crawl over to Billy. Each movement sent sharp waves of agony through her, the shard of glass in her side a constant reminder of her own injury, but she didn't stop. Her hands, slick with blood, reached for Billy, and as she knelt beside him, she could see that he was still alive—barely. His breath came in short, uneven gasps, blood bubbling from his lips as he let struggled to breath.
Max rushed over, her eyes wide and filled with panic as she knelt next to her brother. Tears streaked down her face as she grasped his hand, her voice shaking with desperation. "Billy.. Billy, no.. please, no.."
Billy's lips trembled, his chest heaving with a strangled effort. "I'm sorry.." he rasped, his voice barely audible, thick with blood and regret. His eyes, cloudy with pain, found Max's.
Max shook her head, her tears falling harder as she gripped his hand tighter. "No, no, no.. don't say that. Just get up. Please Billy, just get up."
But Billy's eyes had already begun to glaze over, his breaths becoming weaker, slower. Dove, her own chest tight with emotion, reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "I forgive you," she whispered, those words being all she could think to do to try and soothe him. For a moment, she wasn't sure if she meant it. But as she watched the life drain from his eyes, she realized that she did. Deep down, she forgave him for everything.
Billy exhaled sharply, a final, rattling breath that seemed to echo in the silence. His body went still.
"No.." Max sobbed, shaking him, trying to wake him up, her tears falling onto his chest. "Billy, please.. no!"
Max's body convulsed with sobs, her hands trembling as they gripped her brother's lifeless form. Her eyes, wet with tears, darted to Dove, as if silently begging her to do something, anything, to fix this. But the desperation in her gaze quickly shifted as she noticed something else—Dove wasn't doing well. Her face had lost all of it's color and her breathing came in shallow, uneven bursts.
Dove's vision swam as the pain in her side pulsed with each ragged breath she took. The shard of glass lodged deep in her side was like a red-hot iron, sending shockwaves of agony through her body every time she moved, every time her lungs filled with the shallowest breath. Her entire body trembled from the effort of simply staying upright.
Max's voice was frantic beside her, calling her name. Dove could hear the panic, could feel Max's hands on her arm, trying to steady her, but everything was starting to blur together—sounds, sights, even time itself. The flickering lights above seemed to spin, casting distorted shadows that made the world tilt. The floor beneath her felt like it was moving, swaying as if trying to pull her down into it.
"Dove, please!" Max's voice broke through the haze, but it sounded distant, muffled, like she was underwater. Dove focused on Max, trying to blink away the unease, but it was like her body was no longer under her control.
Dove tried to speak—tried to tell Max that she was okay—but the words wouldn't form in her mouth, her voice fading along with her strength. Her limbs felt heavy, the world around her dimming.
Dove's hand instinctively went to her side, feeling the slick warmth of blood soaking her clothes, the jagged edge of glass sticking out of her skin. The pain was overwhelming now, a searing heat that radiated through her entire torso, making her dizzy and disoriented.
Her body gave way, hitting the cold, hard floor. The glass cut deeper into her, but even that sharp, agonizing pain was starting to dull, replaced by an overwhelming numbness. Her vision was fading, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
Max's face was the last thing she could make out clearly—her tear-streaked cheeks, her wide, panicked eyes. Max was saying something, but Dove couldn't make out the words anymore. It was all slipping away, the edges of her consciousness fraying.
But just as the darkness closed in, Dove caught sight of something else—movement. A figure. Steve.
He was sprinting toward them, his face etched with fear. His voice cut through the haze, sharp and clear, pulling Dove's fading focus. "Max, move! Get out of the way!" Steve shouted, his voice urgent, his eyes locked with Dove's.
Max scrambled aside as Steve dropped to his knees beside Dove, sliding the last few feet, his hands immediately resting on both sides of her face. He leaned close, his expression a mixture of panic and determination as he looked down at her.
"Dove, stay with me," Steve pleaded, his voice tight with desperation. "Stay with me!"
But she couldn't. She tried to keep her eyes open, tried to focus on him, but the pull of unconsciousness was too strong. The last thing she saw was Steve's face, his hands cradling her, before the darkness finally consumed her, dragging her under.