HEART FLAYER | b. hargrove

CHAPTER 030.

July 2nd, 1985

Max had remained completely convinced yesterday that there was nothing wrong with Billy, other than him presumably cheating on Arwen and then breaking up with her. But she'd reasoned that he was just kind of a shitty person who was going back to his old ways. 

But El and Arwen - especially Arwen - weren't so sure about that.

She'd dropped off the two girls at Max's house last night for another sleepover before she'd gone home and had another very sleepless night. She'd heard Joyce and her dad talking about something in the other room all morning, but she didn't have the energy to go out to them and ask.

She finally peeled herself out of bed not long after they'd left because the phone kept ringing repeatedly. It was El calling from the Wheelers' house and asking her to give them a ride to the pool. Apparently, they had a suspicion on what was wrong with Billy. That was all Arwen needed to know for her to drive her ass over to pick them up and bring them to the pool. 

On the ride there, the kids explained to her that Billy could be a potential host for the Mind Flayer like Will was last year. The thought was enough to make her feel nauseated. But she was determined to find out for sure and do whatever it took to help him. It had only confirmed her hunch that he was in danger.

As they stood in the parking lot of the pool and passed around a pair of binoculars so they could all get a look at Billy's strange behavior. Arwen felt her heart hurt at seeing him behave so strangely at his lifeguard station. Him wearing a shirt was weird enough, but he also wore a hat and a towel over his legs.

But in his hand... was one of her lighters. Arwen watched as he flicked it open and closed absentmindedly. He had to still be in there somewhere. 

Together, they formed a plan to trap Billy in the sauna to try and burn the Mind Flayer out of him. As they all scrambled about the pool to get things in order, Arwen found herself alone with Will and decided to ask him the question that'd been nagging her ever since they settled on this course of action.

"Getting the Mind Flayer out... does it... hurt?" she asked him hesitantly.

Will paused from gathering up some chains he found for the sauna door, a frown forming on his face as he looked at Arwen.

"It's not pleasant, that's for sure." he answered honestly. "But it's to help him, Arwen. I promise."

She nodded and tried to force a small grateful smile at the boy. She felt a bit choked up at the idea of potentially hurting Billy when he was probably already going through so much torment, but he was right. They had to do whatever it takes. 

It felt like torture as they waited for the pool to close and for the right moment to come, but eventually it did. Nighttime fell over Hawkins and everyone was gone from the pool aside from Billy, who had just come out of the shower after his shift. 

And so the plan was put into action.

They lured him to the sauna by calling his name through a walkie talkie that was strapped to a dummy. Arwen had cringed at how violently Billy had grabbed onto the fake human once he found it, but didn't really have time to dwell on it as they had to act quickly now. He caught on to the trick and began to turn around to leave the sauna, but El quickly tossed him back against the wall of the sauna with her powers before slamming the door shut. The boys came forward and hastily chained the handle to a nearby pipe, making it impossible for the possibly possessed boy inside to get out. 

Billy began to pound frantically pound on the door with Arwen flinching slightly with every loud bang of his fists against the barrier. He grew angrier and more frustrated the longer time went on without it opening. They all stood and watched for a moment with bated breaths.

"Max." He suddenly said in a low and threatening voice as he stopped to stare at all of them. His icy gaze moved over to lock onto Arwen's eyes. "Arwen..."

"Do it." Arwen said firmly, not taking her eyes off of his. Will ran over to turn on the sauna. 

"Max! Let me out!" Billy began to slap his hands against the small window of the door, growing panicked now that the temperature was beginning to rise. "You kids... think this is funny?! You kids think this is some kind of sick prank, huh?!" He spat on the glass. "You little shits think this is funny?!" He continued to scream at them to open the door repeatedly, causing all of them to wince. Arwen tried to keep all of the kids somewhat behind her and she couldn't help but hold her breath still.

Suddenly, the mood shifts and Billy has backed away from the door and sat on the floor of the sauna with a shout. The sauna is at maximum heat now. 

"It's not my fault... it's not my fault..." he repeated as he started to sob. Arwen slowly walked towards the sauna door with Max beside her. "It's not my fault, Ari... I promise you it's not my fault, Max..." 

'Ari.' He's in there. It's Billy.

They can see him curled up while sitting on the floor, his knees to his chest and holding his hands in a sort of begging position as tears stream down his face and he cries loudly. Arwen found herself at a complete loss for words, her heart breaking at what she's seeing and her own eyes burning with tears. 

"What's not your fault?" Max asked, having the strength to ask him what the older girl couldn't.

"I've done bad things... really bad things," he sobbed. "I didn't mean to... he made me do it."

Arwen's breath hitched in her throat. 'He'...? Her tears started to escape and slide down her face. She felt so helpless. She just wanted to open the door and hold him.

"Who made you do it, baby?" Arwen asked him softly. She placed her hand on the window as she stared at him with blurry, tear-filled eyes. 

"I don't know, it's like a shadow..." Billy explained while looking at her with a pleading expression. "Like a giant shadow. Please, Ari..." 

Arwen choked out a sob at his words. The kids were right... the Mind Flayer had its hold on him. Or maybe even worse.

"What did he make you do?" Max asked next.

"It's not my fault, okay?! Max please!" He cried out, laying on his side with his head on the bench of the sauna now. "Please believe me, Max... Ari... it's not my fault! I tried to stop him, okay? I did! Please believe me..." 

Arwen wraps an arm around Max as she notices tears falling from the red-haired girl's eyes as well. They both watch Billy as they try to reassure him... to comfort him in some way.

"Billy, it's gonna be okay." Max said.

"We're gonna help you, baby. I swear. Okay? You're gonna be just fine." Arwen added. "You have to talk to us."

"Please talk to us. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

"Max, Arwen... get away from the door." Mike's voice suddenly speaks up from behind them. Arwen feels dread creep up her spine at his tone.

"What?" Max asked in confusion.

"Get away from the door!"

Billy's arm comes through the window with a piece of sharp floor tile in his hand. Arwen quickly yanked Max out of the way and she stared wide-eyed at Billy as he began to swing it at them. 

"Let me out, you bitch!" He screamed viscerally. "Let me out! I'll fucking gut you!"

He reached down and managed to get the pipe out from the door handle and threw it. Lucas used his slingshot to knock him back down and Arwen rushed to get the children behind herself. Her lighter is flicked open and in her hand, but she's trembling. She doesn't know if she can actually use it against him. Against her Billy.

The lights began to flicker and they all glanced around warily. Billy had gotten to his feet once more, grunting and groaning loudly as black veins began to form and spread all over his body and face. He started to slam himself against the door repeatedly until it finally opened. He tumbled out of the sauna and stood up, staring them down with no presence of the real Billy in his eyes.

He ran at them and Arwen thought quickly, using her powers to throw a weighted dumbbell and pin him up against the wall with it. She restrained him as blood began to run down her lips from her nose. A choked sob rips its way out of her as she struggled to keep this up. Just looking at him fighting against her powers as she tries to hold him back is causing her to falter. She can't do this. She has never once in her life second-guessed defending her friends or loved ones by using her abilities... until now. She doesn't want to hurt him even when he looks like some possessed, wild and rabid animal.

Arwen faltered once more and Billy managed to get the barbell off of him and freed himself. She collapsed onto her knees, barely even registering it as he walked over and pulled her up by her hair and wrapped a hand around her throat. 

Billy lifted her into the air as his fingers tightened around her airway, causing her to choke and cough for air. Her tearful eyes stared into his blank, lifeless ones. 

Eleven screamed as she pulled Billy off of her sister, sending Arwen to the floor. El holds the possessed boy in the air as he lets out a pained shout before she threw him through the brick wall and outside. El collapsed as well with Mike catching her in his arms. She panted in exhaustion for a moment, her own bloodied nose matching Arwen's. After a moment, the younger kids get to their feet to stare out of the hole in the wall as they watch Billy run off into the woods. 

Arwen stayed sat on the floor as she began to break down. She sobbed violently to the point where she began to gag. She felt so weak. So helpless. She couldn't defend these kids that she loved so much against Billy. 

Truthfully, she'd lived a rough life in her eighteen years. She'd gone through experiments bordering on torture. She'd lost her parents and fought creatures from another dimension. But this feeling... it was the worst thing she'd ever been faced with.

The kids began to kneel down around Arwen, surrounding her. El and Max came to either side of her to wrap their arms around her as she cried and sobbed. It made her heart both ache and swell at the same time. These kids... these wonderful kids. She had to pull it together to be strong for them. To help protect them.

Even if it meant hurting Billy.