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 ) i put a spell on you // nina simone eleanor rigby // the beatles
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They drove in silence, the tires humming against the asphalt, tension sitting heavy between the four of them. The only sounds were the faint rattle of Dustin's Walkie on his knee and the low static buzz of the radio.
Steve kept his eyes on the road, Ruby stealing glances at him every now and then, not saying a word, just watching the way his jaw tightened whenever the car dipped into shadow.
Then, a crackle broke through the quiet.
"Dustin. It's Lucas. Do you copy?"
Lucas's voice was breathless, panicked, as though he'd been running.
"Lucas? Where the hell have you been?" Dustin blurted, leaning toward the Walkie.
"Chill," Ruby murmured, resting a hand on his arm. "He sounds stressed enough already."
Lucas spoke again, words uneven. "Just listen. Are you guys looking for Eddie?"
"Yeah, we found him, no thanks to you," Dustin shot back, his tone sharp with annoyance.
"Dustin," Ruby warned softly, a single word that pulled him back down to earth.
"You found him?" Lucas sounded stunned.
"He's at the boathouse on Coal Mill Road. He's safe," Dustin replied, but there was a flicker of unease in his eyes.
"You guys know he killed Chrissy, right?"
The words hit like a stone dropped in water.
Ruby's stomach flipped. What if someone else was listening? What if they traced the signal, found Eddie? What if-
She looked at Steve. He was already watching her, eyes darting between her face, the road, and the mirror. Her panic must have shown, because he gave a small nod, a silent It's alright.
"That's bullshit," Dustin snapped into the Walkie. "Eddie tried to save Chrissy."
"Then why do all the cops say he did it?" Lucas's voice was small, confused.
"Because they're fucking idiots," Ruby muttered, too quiet for the radio but loud enough for Steve to hear. He hid a smirk.
Before Dustin could say more, Max snatched the device from his hands. "Lucas, you're so behind it's ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at the school. We'll explain everything there."
"I... I can't." His breathing quickened again. "I think some real bad shit's about to go down."
Ruby straightened in her seat. "What do you mean, bad shit?" Max asked quickly.
No response.
Only static.
"Lucas?" Max called again, voice rising. "Lucas, can you hear me?"
