"I didn't need a hero, Billy." Darian sneers, dusting off his coat, eyes glaring.
Billy only smirks, reaching over and untangling one of Darians dark curls, quickly catching himself, pulling his hand back. "It didn't seem like that a minute ago." B...
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Hawkins, Indiana
July 1985
。.✦ ☾
Afternoon.
。.✦ ☾
El examines the muscle tee, fingers gently grazing the dried blood. "Do you have an idea of who the shirt belongs to?" Max asks "Darian." El whispers, she remembers seeing him wearing this shirt the other day when they visited the mall.
"Are you sure?" Max asks
....
Max and El park their bicycles outside the mall.
The two girls rush through the mall, ignoring the curious looks before stopping before the closed radio store. "What." Max breathes, she remembers Darian's schedule like the back of her hand, only ever visiting the store on his days since he promised his discount to the party. The store shouldn't be closed.
"El? Max?" A voice calls behind them, causing the two girls to turn back. "Jamie!" El exclaims, rushing over to her. Jamie smiles at the girl, bringing her into a quick hug before pulling back to meet her eyes. "I saw you guys running around. What's the rush?" Jamie asks
"It's Darian." El breathes
....
Jamie drives the two girls to her house with their bikes stuffed into the trunk, speeding through the streets, earning her angry honks from passersby. "I fucking knew Billy was trouble--sorry Max--I warned Darian to stay away." Jamie curses
"We don't know what's going on yet, okay. It might be some misunderstanding." Max tries to rationalize. "I know you and Billy have been getting closer, but this is my brother's life on the line." Jamie says
Max is silent.
Finally, Jamie parks the car in front of the empty house. The three girls exit and rush to Jamie's room, running around and collecting things they would need to get El to the Inbetween.
El finds a diving mask and silver duct tape. She covers the mask with duct tape; ensuring that no light can get through. She needs to be in complete darkness.
....
El is sitting cross-legged on the carpet floor. Behind her, Jamie starts the shower, allowing it to run. Max takes a seat on a bed next to El as she puts on the diving mask. El takes in a shaky breath, her fingers clutching onto Darian's bloody shirt.
Jamie whimpers, covering her mouth when she sees the blood.
....
The first thing El sees is a white mailbox on a wooden post. Underneath the mailbox is a painted white address placard with black numbers: 1438. El approaches the mailbox and stops right in front of it placing her hand on the side of the mailbox. Just then, in the distance, A red door catches her attention.
"What do you see?" Max asks
"A door. A red door." El answers with a breathy whisper.
El slowly approaches the red door, carefully reaching out and twisting the black door nob, slowly opening it. In the distance there is a white porcelain-enameled cast iron bathtub. El cautiously approaches the tub. Finally at the edge of the tub she looks in. Water and ice are filled to the brim. She takes a closer look. Just then, Darian pops up with a panicked gasp. His grey eyes wide and filled with fear, his once curly black hair matted to his face. El takes a step back; startled. Still gasping for air, Darian's wide eyes look up at El, "Help me."
Suddenly, Darian is pulled under. El screams and quickly reaches into the tub to save Darian. But the tub vanishes. Now on her knees, El looks down. She can see Darian being pulled into the darkness - reaching up to El.
El gasps, tears streaming down her face, she continues to reach down for Darian, hoping to save him, air bubbles coming out of her mouth as she screams.
"Help me!" Darian yells, sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.
....
El rips off her mask, panting, clearly frightened. "What happened? El?" Max and Jamie ask, both are now kneeling at her side, trying to comfort her. El's nose is bleeding. Out of breath, El collapses in her hands, closing her eyes in resignation.
....
Starcourt Mall/Same time.
Dustin peers through the binoculars, scanning the crowd of shoppers. He stops on a good-looking man with long blonde hair, he was wearing dark aviator sunglasses and was carrying a black duffel bag. "Target acquired!" Dustin announces
Steve looks down the binocular's line of sight, squinting. "Where?" Steve asks "Ten o'clock. Sam Goody's." Dustin says "Give me that." Steve asks
Steve takes the binoculars and has a look. He sees the same Blonde Man. Not smiling. Definitely suspicious. "Shit!" Steve curses "Duffel bag!" He states to Dustin.
Steve lowers the binoculars and he and Dustin lock eyes as the man walks past Scopps Ahoy. "Evil Russian." The two hiss
....
The Blond Man ascends the escalator; visually scanning the crowd. He walks the final few steps up. About halfway down the escalator are Steve and Dustin running up the escalator trying to catch up to the Blonde Man.
Steve and Dustin are weaving in and out of people traffic, and are closing in on the Blonde Man. He's calm, cool, and collected. Clearly a well-trained Russian operative. "Slow down." Dustin hisses to Steve. Steve waves him off. "We're losing him." Steve says. Dustin shakes his head. "You're getting too close." Dustin whispers
Steve bumps into a man walking in the opposite direction. "Watch it, dickwad."
The Blonde Man stops and looks behind him. Steve and Dustin duck into an alcove. Steve hides behind a plant, while Dustin picks up the receiver of a pay telephone. "Hello. Yes. I am fine. How are you?" Dustin speaks monotone into the receiver.
The Blonde Man continues walking causing Steve and Dustin to resume their surveillance. Steve and Dustin hide behind a store directory, trying to keep a visual on the Blonde Man.
The Blonde Man casually and confidently walks into a jazzercise studio where about one dozen women in colorful spandex are stretching. Steve and Dustin aren't quite sure what to make of it. The Blond Man walks to the front of the studio, resting his duffel bag on a table. He turns to face the ladies. "All right, everyone, listen up!" He calls
The Blonde Man unzips the duffel bag and he takes off his aviators. "I just have one question for you. Who ... (reaches into the bag) ...is ready to sweat?"
The Blonder Man pulls out a boombox. The man with the beautiful blonde hair and the cool demeanor akin to a seasoned spy is, in actual fact, the Jazzercise instructor. The women cheer! "Okay! That's right!" The blond man yells and flicks a switch on the boombox and the song "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" BY Wham! plays. "Let's start it nice and easy now!"
The man unzips his black jacket to reveal his purple tank top and finely-tuned muscular chest and biceps. He jirates his hips, eliciting an excited cheer from the women- especially the older women -- in his class. "Yeah, ladies! Warm it up."
Dustin and Steve look disgusted. Horrified, even. "Bring it down to your hips! Start feeling that burn -- everywhere, down to the loins, right?"
Steve's disgust turns to awe as he watches the women seductively jirate their hips. "Come on, ladies, show me what you got." Now the Blonde Man is pumping his hips. "Slow now. Just isolate." Dustin's reaction is pure horror. "Ooh, tip that up. That feels good!"
