𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓, v. hopper ☑️

xliv. the second call.

FINNEYS POV, THE BASEMENT.

i hear the creak of the metal door open slowly, once i hear it i shoot up and stand against the further wall, my breathing growing heavy.

i look down and piper is still in the same position as before, but with her head tilted up a little to see who entered the room.

the grabber walks in, his creepy mask still on and a tray of food in his hands.  "i made you two some breakfast, but theres really only enough for one." 

"what'd you put in that?" i say almost immediately.

he looks down at the tray of food, then looks back up at me. "salt and pepper." he lets out a small giggle.

he slowly places the tray on the floor and sighs, "eat it, dont eat it - you're already down here; what do i need to drug you for?"

he stands up and takes one last glance at piper, then leaves the room, closing the metal door behind him. i stand there, waiting to hear the familiar noise of the lock.

but it doesn't come.

the sound doesn't come.

piper looks up at the door, and then at me, "did you hear the lock?" piper asks, slowly taking her knees away from her chin.

i look over at her, and slowly walk over to the door, but once i pull the door open a little, i hear the sound of the phone ringing.

i quickly turn around, a gasp escaping from my mouth as i see piper stand up, "what are you waiting for? go!"

i look at her, then groan, closing the door and rushing over to the phone.

i grab the phone, and put it up to my ear. piper rushes over to me and whispers, "come on, we have to go!"

"hello?" i say, expecting the person on the phone to be bruce yamada again.

instead, i hear a different voice. "don't go upstairs." the voice says, sternly.

i turn around and start walking slowly toward the door, but then stopping a few steps ahead, "why not?" i turn to look at piper and shrug.

"it's a trap." the voice speaks again, less stern this time.

piper looks at me and mouths, "who is it?"

"are you- are you bruce?"

the voice doesn't speak for a second, "who's bruce?"

"i was just.. talking to bruce?" i question myself, am i going crazy?

the line goes quiet again, "i dont know any bruce." the voice breaks the silence.

i turn back around to face the phone, and piper. "he's the baseball player."

"we don't play... baseball, here."

i turn again to look away from piper, "who are you?"

i feel a small breeze hit my arm, i assume it was just the wind.

"i don't remember."

i try to think of the other boys that went missing, but the only person that comes to mind is bruce. how was i even talking to bruce yesterday, he's dead.

"did you play.. soccer.. football?"

"i delivered newspapers."

i scan my mind again, thinking back to when gwen and i would walk past the board on the fence and see all of the missing posters.

the paperboy, billy showalter.

"billy... your billy showalter."

"maybe."