Rock Bottom (Stuilly - Scream 1996)

Part 2

A week passed until Stu was driving through the town and he saw Billy outside a bakery. He was sitting on the ground with his arms around his knees. Beside him, the same old backpack he had last week.

Billy was looking at the ground, with a blank face. He looked dirty and unkempt again, he even looked thinner and with more prominent baggy eyes.

Stu stops the van in shock. He walks over to Billy, but he's unsure of what to say. He sits down next to him and stares at him for a moment. He clears his throat, and then he tries to speak.

"Hey... Uh... Are you ok?" Stu then pauses and sighs. "Man, what am I saying right now, of course you're not ok, right? God, this is embarrassing. I don't know what to say..." Stu sighs. "Just, what happened, man? What can I do?"

Billy looks at him, startled at first, until he realizes it's Stu.

He then chuckles slowly, hiding his face over his crossed arms.

"You again... Are you a Jehovah's Witness now? I find you everywhere?" He's still laughing, but his voice is weak and raspy with disuse.

Stu chuckles a little bit.

"I don't think the church would be too happy if they found out how I've lived my life, right?" Stu smiles, trying to joke with Billy. "But in all seriousness, I just came across you sitting on the ground here and I just wanted to know if you were okay. You don't seem that way. You look a little... Sick, maybe? Just what happened? Do you have a place to stay?" Stu seems genuinely concerned about Billy.

Billy looks at his eyes, a piercing, dark gaze that would unnerve anyone. Stu notices a deep cut on the side of Billy's neck, almost hidden by his hair.

"I'm not in the mood for your self-help speeches, Stu. I rather you didn't talk to me at all" he sighs and hides his face again.

This seems to catch Stu off-guard. He is genuinely nervous, almost scared of the man he's once knew. He can feel the danger in him and he feels his heartbeat pick up. But, he knows that if there's any hope for Billy, it will be with him. He tries to stay calm and not let Billy sense his fear. He takes a deep breath before he speaks and tries to sound like he didn't notice the cut.

"I hear you, but... Aren't you at least a bit hungry? Why don't I treat you to some lunch?"

"Of course..." Billy murmurs even lower. "Blackmailing a starved man with breakfast like dangling food in front of a stray dog... That's the Stu I knew, finally. I guess you're laughing in your mind while trying not to break your rehabilitated for society costume" he laughs.

Stu laughs along with Billy. He looks over at him and nods.

"You got me there, man." Stu tries to stay light-hearted. "But seriously, there's a diner around the corner that's got some pretty decent breakfast that'll keep you full all day, if you're willing to let me buy you a bite. " Stu smiles. "So come on, let's get you somethin' to eat, and then you'll stop looking like the crypt keeper, ok? " Stu says this jokingly, attempting to keep the atmosphere light.

Billy lifts his head and lets it rest against the wall behind him. The cut can be seen clearly now, it looks deep and infested. Billy sighs, closing his eyes almost automatically. He doesn't seem to be able to keep them open.

"Okay..." he whispers. "Bring me some water too...and an aspirin or something." Then he starts laughing and coughing at the same time, making his whole body tremble with it. "I might not be able to give you a tip, though," he jokes, grinning.

Stu chuckles a little bit.

"Yeah, you're right, you don't look quite up to it." Stu smiles a little bit. "I'll go get you a glass of water, and then we'll get something to eat and a pain reliever, ok?" Stu stands up and heads towards the diner. "You just hang in there. I'll be right back. ." Stu nods his head and gives a reassuring smile, before walking off to get Billy some water and medicine.