[ 𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍 & 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎 ] ~ 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

XXVIII - Car Troubles

Nancy twisted the key to her car in the ignition. The engine didn't start, only sputtering and making a sick wheezing sound. 

"What's wrong?" Jonathan questioned.

"I don't. . ." Wheeler trailed off. 

"What the fuck's wrong with your car? We kinda gotta go." Justin scoffed, leaning each of her elbows on the backs of Nancy and Jonathan's seats, a large Hot Dog on a Stick cup in her right hand.

"I don't know!" Nancy repeated, twisting the key all the way and holding it there. "You can't be serious, come on!" 

"Didn't your mom just buy this car?" Lucas muttered, sitting beside Rylie. 

"Yes! I'm sure it's fine." 

"Did you leave the lights on?" Will asked, making sure Mike's sister hadn't killed the car's battery.

"No!" 

"I'll go look." Rylie huffed, sliding out the back seat and walking around. Billy had taught her a bit about cars and how they worked over the start of their summer. She wasn't a genius at it, but she could probably figure out if there were an actual issue or if Nancy's car was just shit. She hit her palm on the hood of the car, signaling for the eldest Wheeler child to pop it. She did, just as Jonathan got out of the car and jogged around to where Rylie was standing. Rylie pushed it all the way up, scoffing. "The fuck?" 

"What the hell?" Jonathan practically echoed. 

"Well we found the problem." Rylie huffed, Nancy and Justin coming around to look in at the engine. 

"What?"

"The ignition cable's gone." Jonathan breathed out, touching where the cord should be. 

"You kind of need it to start the car. It connects the ignition coil and the spark plugs." Rylie muttered, almost proud of herself for remembering that. An engine revved behind them and Rylie almost froze. She looked over her shoulder and tensed up. The headlights of a Camaro flicked on to stare the four teens down. The engine revving repeated. "Shit. Shit." 

Nancy ran around to the side of the car, hitting against the door. "Back in the mall!" She ordered the kids. Justin and Rylie rushed toward the back hatch and pulled it open, helping Eleven out of the car. Rylie propped the young teen up, walking faster than El would have been able to on her own. 

"Back in the mall, go go!" Jonathan yelled. 

"Be careful!" Mike shouted at Rylie as Eleven stepped weird and made a noise. 

"Go! Go!" Nancy urged, the car engine never stopping the repeated noises. 

"Hurry!" 

"Go! Go!"

"Come on!" Jonathan yelled out. 

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"Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy! Scoops Troop, I repeat, do you copy!" Mike repeated over and over into his walkie talkie. He was trying to get a hold of Steve, Robin, Russell, Dustin, Lucy, and Erica to get them to come and pick the group up. They didn't exactly have a way out with Billy sitting guard. He was just waiting. . .Rylie wondered if he was back. Even just a little bit. Like that day after he was meant to come to her house, when he was pushing her away. She wondered if he was trying to stop himself from hurting her. If maybe that was still the case. . .Probably not, he was probably just as messed up as he was in the sauna. "We're trapped in the mall and in need of emergency transportation. Scoop Troop, do you copy!? Billy has found us. He has disabled our car and we are trapped in the mall."

"Ughh!" Justin groaned. "Make him shut up!" She seethed, resting her head onto Rylie's shoulder. Rylie shrugged her off, attempting to get the dirty blonde off her arm. But Justin didn't budge, keeping her head stuck to Rylie's arm. Rylie gave a soft groan, rolling her eyes. She didn't have the energy to move. She was too stuck in her head. Was Billy alright? Was he really just a thoughtless drone? Would he actually be okay. . ? Probably not. He was probably gone, forever. Her boyfriend, the one she loved and never got to tell, had more likely than not gotten his brain eaten out by a creature he didn't even know existed. Should she have told him? Would that have stopped a single thing? No. . .probably not. . .

"Oh boy. Satan with a gun." Justin muttered, snapping Rylie's attention away from her thoughts and up toward Nancy.

"You're gonna kill him, aren't you?" Max asked, her voice quiet and wavering.

"This is just a precaution, okay?" Nancy assured, but Rylie saw red. No fucking way was she letting that happen. 

"And not just against Billy." Will added. "If he knows we're here. So does the Mind Flayer."

"Uhm. Fuck no." Rylie hissed at Nancy, ready to get out of her seat. "You're not shooting Billy. Unless he is about to kill you, you won't even put a finger on that gun."

"It's just a precaution." The brunette repeated, shaking her head at the blonde's anger.

"Scoops Troop, I repeat! We are in need of emergency transportation. Do you copy?" Mike waited for a second of static before calling into the radio again. "Scoops Troop, do you copy!?"

"No chance that thing'll drive, right?" Nancy asked, looking at the red car that Eleven had thrown before.

"We don't need it to drive." Jonathan said. Rylie stood up, causing Justin to fall to the side and land against the booth.

"We just need the ignition cable to work." Rylie finished his thought. They all rushed toward the car, Justin leisurely walking over. Nancy grabbed Mike and pulled him along toward the car. The group of them all started pushing, trying with all their strength to flip the previously shiny car over to be on its tires again. Metal screeched and everyone dropped the car, the front landing back against the counters of the food court. The glass of the windshield shattered into the marble. 

"Shit!" Mike yelled.

"Let me try." Eleven stated. Not a request. 

"El-" Mike breathed out.

"I can do it." She insisted.

"Let her try, Nancy Jr." Justin huffed, wiping her hands against each other and walking out from around the counter.

Everyone made their ways behind Eleven, the ten year old sticking her hand out and contracting her fingers inward with slight effort. The metal squealed. 

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Word Count - 1061

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Published - July 14, 2024

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