Wheel of Fate

28.

Billy was home alone, Olivia was working, Max was with a friend, and Susan and his father were at work. He was lifting weights listening to rock music since he didnt work until later that day. He needed to be in good shape if he wanted to get the attention of women, but he didnt have to work too hard; his charm was more than enough.

Billy heard a noise but wasnt sure what it was; not paying much attention to the sound, he continued working out until he heard it again. He put the weights down and got out of his room; walking down the hall, he saw the bathroom room open; he made his way to the opened door and was shocked to see Max with another girl around her age. "What are you doing here," he asked, looking at the redhead. "I live here," she responded. The other girl was focused on the bathtub that was filled with water and empty ice bags.

"Max," the girl said, kneeling near the bathtub. Max looked at what El was looking at. Billy was curious as to what both girls were looking at, so he walked up to them and saw droplets of blood. "Whos blood is that?" "I dont know," Max said, looking at El. El nodded at Max, and they got up.

They were getting ready to walk out of the restroom when Billy stopped them. "Max," he said, stopping her with his arm. "Where are you going?" He looked at his stepsister. "To El's house," the girl said, pointing at El.

Billy looked at El; she looked like she was on a mission; he knew there was more as to why Max and El were at the house.

"I dont believe you." "Billy, I dont care if you believe me or not and shouldnt you be at work," she asked, looking at her big brother. "I dont work today," he lied.

"Billy, why do you care," Max said, frustrated. "I told you before, Max, we are family now. I have to take care of you, like it or not."

"He can come," El said, walking out of the restroom not waiting for the siblings. Billy had a smirk on his face as he walked out of the restroom, leaving Max standing alone.

"El," Max said, walking quickly passing by Billy. El was outside the house walking Max got El's shoulder, stopping her, "Trust me, you dont want Billy to come with us," Max said, looking at El.

"We need a car." Bill had a car and was able to drive the girls around where they needed to go to make sure if Neil was actually the new host.

Billy was driving; while the two girls were in the back seat every once in a while, he was looking at them through the rearview mirror.

"I saw someone screaming," El said quietly, looking at Max. "Do you know who it was?" "No, it was a woman screaming, but he said it will be over soon."

Billy wasn't sure why he was taking the girls to Mike's house or why he wanted to know more about the strange things that were happening in Hawkins; maybe it was the near-death experience he had.

El and Max walked down the stairs of Mike's house, Billy following a few steps behind them.

"What is he doing here," Mike asked, walking toward the girls once he saw Billy. Billy only smirked at the young boy with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I told him he could come," El said, looking at Mike. "Did everyone forget that he wanted to kill Lucas," he said, pointing at Lucas. "And beat the shit out of Steve," Mike continued looking at his friends. "That was last year, Wheeler," Billy said, walking closer to him. "It doesn't matter; I don't trust him," Mike said, taking a few steps closer to Billy. He laughed at Mike; he wasn't intimidated by him at all.

Max walked up to them "neither do I, but El and I think that Neil might be the new host." "What," Billy said, dropping his hands to the side and walking to Max standing in front of her.

Billy didn't love his father, but some part of him didn't want him to die; Neil is his family, the same as Olivia, Max, and Susan.

Max, El, Mike, Will, and Lucas were around a table while Billy was a few steps behind the young kids, only observing. Max was sitting on the floor, Lucas and Mike were on the sofa El was sitting on a chair.

"What does it feel like?" Max asked after Will said he had felt something three different times but didn't think much of it. "Your body goes cold, and you can't breathe. I've felt it before, whenever he was close," said Will looking at his hands, remembering what he went through.

"Whenever who was close?" "The Mind Flayer," Will said, looking at Max.

Billy looked between Max and Will while they were talking. He knew some information only what Olivia had shared with him.

"I closed the gate."

"I know, but what if he never left? What if we locked him out here with us?" Will said, looking at El.

Will got up and got a piece of paper and a black crayon. "This is him. All of him," Will said, drawing a circle with several legs coming out of it. "But, that day on the field, a part of him attached itself to me." He moved his hand on the paper, getting some of the black color on his palm. He flipped the paper and placed his hand on the clean side, leaving an imprint of his hand, and said, "What if the part that was still attached to me it's still in our world?"

"The Demodogs died when El closed the gate. If the brain dies, the body dies," Max said, looking at the boys and El. "We can't take any chances. We need to assume the worst. The Mind Flayer's back," Mike added, looking at Max. "Yeah. And if he is, he'd want to attach himself to someone again. A new me," Will said, standing next to Mike.

"A new host," Lucas added.