Billy's gone.
Ruby Buckley's world ended with him.
But Hawkins isn't done with her yet.
When strange deaths begin again, Ruby is pulled into the heart of the storm. Between shadowy nightmares, the town's newest outcast, and someone she was never s...
( songs for the chapter ) love of my life // queen skinny love // bon iver
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Thursday, July 4th, 1985.
The mall was on fire.
Not in flames, not yet, but everything around Ruby smelled like smoke and metal, like burnt plastic and blood.
The Mind Flayer towered in the center of the lobby, twitching and heaving, lit by the sparks of fireworks as Steve lit another and hurled it from behind the fountain.
It exploded near the thing's ribs, if it even had ribs, but it just screeched and kept coming.
They were cornered. Running low.
Robin was trembling behind her, crouched under the shattered cosmetics counter, her hand bleeding from glass.
They were running out of time.
"Where the hell is El?" Steve shouted, teeth bared. "We can't do this without her-"
"We don't have time," Robin said, more to herself than anyone.
Then Ruby saw him.
Emerging from the shadows like a fever dream, Billy.
Shirt torn. Eyes haunted. His body coiled like a spring, moving with a kind of terrible focus.
And over his shoulder, limp and motionless,
"El."
Ruby's heart stopped.
He carried her gently. Set her down as if she were made of glass. He leaned in close, whispered something Ruby couldn't hear. But El's fingers twitched.
And in that moment, everything inside Ruby screamed.
That was him.
That was Billy.
Not the puppet. Not the monster.
Her Billy.
"Shit. Shit, shit-" Steve fumbled for another firework, then stopped. "We're out."
No more ammo.
No more time.
Ruby's hands clutched the railing, white-knuckled. Below, Billy stepped in front of El, shielding her with his body.
A wall between her and the creature.
"Billy!" she screamed.
His head turned. Just slightly. Enough.
And then the Mind Flayer struck.
One tentacle, then another.
Billy caught the first with both arms, like he was wrestling a firehose, but the second came faster.
