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) stairway to heaven // led zeppelin we'll meet again // vera lynn
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The van rattled to a stop in front of the row of trailers, headlights washing over cracked pavement and patchy grass. The night had settled heavy around them, the kind of silence that makes you realize how far Hawkins really is from anywhere else.
"You okay over there?" Eddie asked from the driver's seat, his tone light but his eyes searching.
Ruby's hands were pressed to her face again. She let out a faint breath before lowering them. "Yeah. Sorry. Just thinking."
Chrissy turned from the window, her expression soft. "You sure? You seemed... somewhere else for a while." She reached across and rested a hand on Ruby's leg, gentle, concerned.
Ruby forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."
A lie, easy and practiced.
She could still feel the static in her chest, the echoes of too many almost-moments with Steve, the look in Eddie's eyes when their knees brushed. Her head was a whirlpool, and silence only made it worse.
Eddie didn't push. "Alright then, fine." He threw the gearshift into park. "Welcome, ladies. This is, uh, my castle." He gestured grandly to the battered trailer before them. "Home of the freak, the myth, the legend."
Chrissy laughed softly. "It's nice," she said, and Ruby could tell she meant it.
Eddie raised a skeptical brow. "You don't have to lie to me, Cunningham. It's a dump."
"It's got character," Ruby said, stepping out into the cool air.
"See? Someone gets it." Eddie smirked, hopping out after her.
Ruby turned toward Chrissy. "Alright, babe, I've gotta head over to Max's before she sends a search party. You gonna be okay here?"
Chrissy nodded, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She hesitated before leaning in for a hug. "Love you, Rubes."
Ruby smiled into her hair. "Love you more."
Eddie's voice followed as Ruby started down the path toward the next trailer. "See you around, Buckley."
She turned, walking backward a few steps. "See you, Munson." Her grin lingered even after she turned away.
Across the lot, Max Mayfield stood near her porch, tossing dog kibble into a metal bowl. The mutt barked, tail wagging, and Ruby felt something unclench inside her chest.
"Maxi!" she called, jogging up the cracked sidewalk.
Max turned, breaking into a grin. "Finally! I was starting to get worried. Thought you ditched me."
"Why is everyone in this town obsessed with being worried about me?" Ruby teased, throwing her arms around her. "I'm fine, promise. No monsters, no serial killers, no detours through the Upside Down."
