The Monsters Within // Eddie Munson

v. Not a Mall Fire

Katherine Byers waited in Reefer Rick's shed with Eddie, as everyone else went to the store to get food since Eddie would likely have to stay hidden for a bit. "When we said we would hang out soon, this is not what I pictured." Eddie said, breaking the silence. "You're telling me." She pulled out a comb from her bag, since she never got to unpack at the Wheelers, and sat behind the senior and combed the knots out of his hair.

"What really happened, at the mall I mean." Katherine tensed up, Billy's death flashing through her mind. "You don't have to tell me," Eddie backtracked quickly, "It just doesn't seem like it actually caught on fire now that I know what was going on last year."

"No, it's okay I can tell you."

//Flashback//

Billy smiled at Steve and Katherine from his car that was facing them. Revving the engine with a wicked grin on his face, "Billy." Katherine whispered, staring at the man who she couldn't even recognize anymore.

He sped towards them, everyone getting out of Steve's stalled car running into the mall as Billy crashed through the doors beside them. They scattered away, all in different directions, Katherine trying to find Max in the chaos that used to be a fun, normal mall.

"Kat!" Max called waving her arms like crazy to get the girl's attention. She raced over to the red head, with the sky lights shattered above them. The Mind Flayer. Its long tentacle-like arms flew into the mall, barely missing Katherine who dodged and hid next to a plant where Eleven was crouching. "Holy shit."

Its arm reached towards the two girls when Lucas called out to it from above, "Hey mother fucker!" Throwing a Molotov at its head. Angering the beast more than helping, it shot out and swiped at the people by Lucas before grabbing at Eleven and Katherine, the older girl pushed El away as she was swooped up by the Mind Flayer. Making everyone scream out in horror.

Everything was a blur for Katherine then, and the next thing she knew she was on the ground a few feet away from Billy and Eleven who were talking on the staircase. Before she knew what was happening Billy jumped in the way of the Mind Flayer, to save El, sacrificing himself for the girls, for the good, not the evil anymore.

"I love you." Billy mouthed to Katherine as she screamed out for him. "Billy! No!" She raced over to him only to get held back by Steve as he got stabbed by another arm, and another. Steve covered her eyes and held her tight, as she, Max, and Billy screamed their throats raw. "Billy please!"

Then it was over, silent. Steve dropped his hand from her eyes, and Katherine pulled from his arms running to her boyfriend's bloody body, Max sliding onto the floor right next to them. "No! No!" The girls screamed, shaking the boy's body. He gave them a weak smile, "Sorry, girls." "Billy stop!" "Billy please!"

The girls continued shaking him, and then his body went limp. Katherine screamed out in pain, heartbreak while Max fell backwards, scooting away from her dead step-brother into Lucas' arms. Everyone in the mall stared at them in shock, not knowing what to do. There was NOTHING they could do.

It was supposed to be different after all of this. They were supposed to move away after her and Billy graduated. Billy, Katherine, and Max. They were going to move away from shitty Hawkins and be a real, happy, family.

// Present //

Katherine didn't realize she was crying until the boy turned around and pulled her into his arms, dropping the comb beside them. "I'm so sorry Kat. I didn't know. I didn't know." He rocked her slightly, the only way he knew to calm someone down. "It's fine, sorry for crying everywhere." She laughed cheaply, pointing at her tears on his shirt.

"Literally do not apologize. I'm so stupid I shouldn't have asked you about that." Eddie wiped her cheeks with the bottom of her shirt. "Well I owe you one now, so next time you need a good cry my arms will be wide open." Katherine joked, sitting back in his arms. "I'm pretty sure I will definitely need to take you up on that offer after this shit blows over." (A/N about that)

"Damn I have a killer headache after all that crying." She mumbled resting her head on the cold wall behind them. "Will this help?" He held up a crinkled blunt, "I've been saving it for a special occasion but you are pretty special." Katherine smiled at him, and pulled a lighter off of the table next to them and lit paper on fire.

"Thanks for listening, about that. It's been a year, and that's the first time I've talked about it. I feel a little better. Lighter. So thank you." Katherine blew smoke up at Eddie who still had his arm around her. "Of course. I'm glad it helped."

They continued to pass the blunt around when they heard Steve's car pull up. "Hey don't tell anyone, please." Katherine grabbed his arm as they stood up. "What that Queen Katherine cried? Never." Eddie grinned at her, as the crew came in with bags full of groceries.

"We got Cheerios, hopefully that's good." Steve told him, as he put the bags down. "Perfect." Eddie replied, ripping the cereal box open. "Good news or bad news first?" Dustin asked him. "Bad news first always." Eddie said pointedly, shoving more cereal into his mouth.

"So we tapped into the Hawkins PD Dispatch with our cerebro and all of the Hawkins police are looking for you. Also they are, uh, almost sure you killed Chrissy." "Like 100% kind of convinced." Max added with a grimace. "And there's good news?" Eddie asked hopefully. "Your name hasn't gone public yet," Robin said, "But if we found you it's only a matter of time before others do too and once that gets out everyone and their mother will be gunning you down."

"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie took a deep breath, worriedly looking over at Katherine. "Exactly." "Shit." He dropped his head into his hands. "So, because they find you, we just need to find Vecna, kill him, and prove that you are innocent." Dustin explained, nodding his head like it was a well thought out plan. "That's all, Dustin? That's all?" Eddie remarked sarcastically. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

"It sounds like a crazy plan, but we have done this shit before, and most of the time everyone comes out uninjured," Eddie weakly looked at Katherine knowing the fate of Billy, "So, that's a thing."

Robin cut in, seeing that Katherine accidentally freaked him out, "It sounds delusional I know, but they have done this a few times, myself once. Mine was more human-flesh based and theirs was more smoke related.." She trailed off," But bottom line is that collectively, I really think that we got this."

Suddenly, police sirens were heard coming nearby. "Shit!" Eddie yelled, hopping up from his seat. "Tarp!" Kat responded quickly as her and Robin picked up the tarp and laid it over Eddie and the boat.

"They drove past." Steve told them as she peered through the window. "Let's go check it out." They rushed out of the shed. "We'll be back Eddie, here is my walkie." Katherine rushed to hand him the walkie, when she heard a loud clock chime. She peered behind the tall boy, and saw an old wooden grandfather clock sitting on the water's surface, as it rang again.

Words: 1271

// What do we think about the flashback, and Billy? Guys.. they were planning on being a family it was all supposed to be better for them!! CRYING!

** I just edited this after watching Vol2. ⚠️ So like I know now that's there's only the 4 victims needed, so I'll make it to where Vecna is just taunting her. Because she got attacked by the Mind Flayer in S3, and got tied to him, kinda like Will.. but not as badly.

Thoughts and suggestions?

Love ya!