Smoking About You

Chapter Twenty-Five

Billy was sitting down in front of his bed, one arm resting on his knee, and his head laid back on the bed

He was wearing his headphones listening to his music. He was trying to ignore the mess around his room

The powers he thought were not hard to control soon got out of hand. A couple days after the others visited, it got worse.

Billy continued to wait for Steve to get off his shift. It was Thursday, and he had to work ten to eleven

He always hated the long shifts, him and Steve both, neither ever said it but their time together is everything

He took off his headphones, pausing his music. He glanced to the side at his clock, 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘯-𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺? He sighed.

Billy pushed himself off the ground, throwing his Walkman onto his bed safely, then went for the door

When he looked down, there was a familiar blue fog coming through the bottom of the door

He pulled open the door, seeing the walls covered in black vines, and he pushed the door close, turning away.

In Billy's room, it was no longer the real world. He rushed to his Walkman, hoping to get out

Before he could get his headphones on, he was pulled back by the vines. He was slammed against the wall, making he yell in pain

He looked at his clock, almost 𝘵𝘦𝘯-𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘺. 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦. He flinched every time a vine would move near him.

Steve pulled in the driveway. He stretched his back once he got out of the car, 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘦.

He opened the front door, noticing Billy wasn't down stairs, he went up the stairs to Billy's room

He saw the Walkman laying on the bed with the headphones detached on the floor, "Billy?"

Billy could see him though he was upside-down, "Steve!" He shouted from behind him, but he didn't hear

The vines that were holding him let go scurrying away, Billy fell into the floor, blood dripped from his nose as he got up.

Billy carelessly used his shirt to wipe the blood away. He walked in front of Steve and waved his hand. There was no reaction

Steve looked behind him and saw Ash fly out of a new portal. He didn't dare walk through it, at least unprepared

He looked around the room for a weapon. All that was in Billy's room was a pocket knife.

Steve then thought of an idea when he looked at Billy's bedside table. He walked over, turning on the lamp

"Billy...Billy, if you're here, can you turn on the light?" He felt stupid asking, but he had to know

Billy was standing next to him. He knelt down, turning on the light once, and he watched the smile appear on Steve's face.

"Oh shit... okay. You're upside-down, right?"

Billy rolled his eyes at the obvious question. He turned off the light and then turned it back on

"I should've known. Were you listening to music? Twice for yes, once for no."

Billy flickered the light twice in response, "Was Vecna there?" Steve asked. He turned the light off and on once

"Do you see a portal? I see one behind the door." Billy looked behind himself. He answered no with the light.

"Shit." Steve whispered, "Okay, wait a second." He went to the portal, putting his hand through