𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙥! 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣

SCENE THIRTY NINE. the fall of the mall

she watched as the girl stopped, fingers no longer reaching for shards of glass.

"tommy, you didn't kill him." el mumbled, the girl's eyes lightened slightly. as if the army had hit her, piper, piper at behind those eys rewatching those memories.

he jumped in, because of you.

"he sacrificed himself for you. you didn't kill him." el cried

"it was never your fault."

it was

"he loved you." she watched as the tears in piper's eyes grew, the dark viens softening in colour.

but he doesn't now, he hates you. you killed him.

"he really loved you." el murmured as she pulled the necklace from her pocket. the glint of gold catching the girls' guys.

"tommy." piper mumbled as she gazed down at the necklace in el's hand. the cherry necklace. piper taking the cool metal from the younger girl as the thing let out a roar, it had lost piper. the girl flipping the circle charm with a p printed on to find the letters still printed on the back. love, tommy. and the girl raised from her knees. picking up the glass shard from next to el's head as billy turned to them. the bright flickering lights of the fireworks came to a halt, they were out. the once brightly lit mall filled with a suffocating smoke. it came closer, widening its mouth as it let out the spine chilling roar. the group up on the balcony had hiddenas max and mike ran into the main room. watching the sight before them. piper standing up against the mind flayer, billy creeping up behind her. el shuffled behind piper as she lifted her arms, not realising the shards of glass lifting behind her. its second mouth reaching out into the air in front of her, reaching out for her. baring its teeth. but its other arms were faster. one wrapping around her legs. hoisting her into the air as billy went to grab her. it's teeth sinking into her hips as she screamed out a cry. steve, hidden on the balcony, brought his knee into his chest hearing her scream. this was it. she was crying, for him. but he could only sit and cry. the shards of glass exploding around her. glass shattering in the air. el bringing her hands to her face, the shimmering chunks reflecting lights around them. billy crumbling to his knees as a large shard of glass sliced across the bare skin of his neck.

"billy!" she heard max cry as the boy crumbled, a pool of blood dribbling from his neck. piper had killed billy. she had killed him. she could feel the burn in her hip. the blood running down her nose. and it turned static. she could no longer hear the roars of the creature, max crying for billy. mike screaming for el. she could no longer feel the tingle of the air around her. as it struck her hip once more. and she didn't even cry. one of the things arms reaching for billy who's eyes remained open, his last emotion painted upon his face. fear. fear was everywhere. everyone felt it. and now so did the creature. it cried as it dropped her, the body slamming against the cold tile. another bloodied body dropping beside el. it snarled, joyce hopper and murray did it. they closed the gate. they had won. eyes fluttering to a close as it gave a final cry falling to the floor as its mouth struck billy's chest. if he wasn't dead before, he was now. and the room was filled with silence, a deadly silence. smoke lingered in the air, the smell of fireworks sticking in their lungs. the fire crackled as it grew under the mind flayer. steve ran to the edge leaning over the ledge to find her. laying there peacefully. as if she were only asleep.

"piper!" he cried, hoping she was just unconiuses. but she didn't move. and nor did her chest.  

"pipe." ek cried as mike ran over, taking the girl in his arms as max stumbled over. eyes flickering between the two bodies. one her stepbrother the other a girl she considered a sister, even in the short time she knew the older girl. billy's chest was still moving, but piper’s wasn't. max kneeling between the two bodies, turning to the quickly dying boy, the glass was cutting deeper into the skin of his neck. the bladish blood panting his vest, joining the splatter of pipers blood there too.

"billy got up. please get up."

"i'm sorry-"

"billy, wakeup. billy, get up. please billy." and steve came stumbling over, falling to his knees beside piper as max leaned into el. both girls arms wrapping around the other as the boy grabbed the girls shoulders.

"get up, piper. get the fuck up!" he cried, shaking her shoulders violently as if he was trying to wake her up. tears rolling over his cheeks.

"please, wake up." he repeated, bringing her closer to him. watching his tear drop onto her cheek before rolling down. as if it were her own tears.

"steve, we have to go!"

"we can't just leave her here!"

"steve!"

"no!" he screamed, and nancy nodded running to join him. helping him pull her into his arms as he picked her up. watching her limbs just fall. hearing the whirl of helicopters outside. hearing the shouting of men as they dragged her out, the bright flashing lights and screaming sirens. robin let out a cry as steve passed her. firemen storming into the building as it lit up in flames. paramedics waiting outside for any casualties. motioning the group of teenagers over, wrapping them up and tending to their wounds. rushing to help her as he crumbled. pulling the pair away from each other. rushing the girl over to the group of paramedics rolling a stretcher over. and he turned to dustin, and he held the younger boy for a moment. he had to make sure they were all okay.