[ 𝚂𝚞𝚗 & 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 ] ~ 𝙹𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙱𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

XXII - Fireworks

"Fuck!" Justin yelled, slamming her fist into the seat in front of her. "Jonathan, turn around!"

"What?! No!" Old lady Wheeler shouted back.

"The muscle amalgamation, it turned around! It knows we left Twelve, Max and Mike!" Justin insisted, hitting the back of her hand into Jonathan's shoulder.

"Hold on!" Jonathan slammed on the brakes, the car spinning in a one-eighty. Everyone in the back slammed into the wall of the car as the Byers boy pressed full force on the car's gas.

"Go faster, Byers!" Billy roared, panic in his voice. He felt responsible, like this whole thing was his fault. Rylie took his hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Jonathan sped under the monster's legs, narrowly dodging a fleshy stomp. They sped into the parking lot, swerving to a stop. Everyone flooded out of the car and into the building.

Lucas dragged a large box of fireworks with them, patting his pockets. "I don't have a-" Before he could finish the sentence, six lighters were put in his face. One a bright red, one blue, one green and three boring old silver. "Why do you all have-"

"Smoking." Both Hargroves and Steve said in unison.

"I just like fire." Justin gave a shrug. Rylie grinned with a nod in agreement with Justin.

"I just find them handy." Jonathan muttered, confused and concerned by his friends' reasonings.

Lucas grabbed Russell's from her, he flicked it open and lit one of the fireworks up just in time for the big spider creature to climb in through the glass ceiling it had previously broken, stalking closer to Max, mini devil and Twelve who were stumbling away from it. "Flay this, you ugly piece of shit!" Lucas yelled, he threw the firework, the monster roaring in their direction and catching the explosive right in its mouth. The whole room lit up in gold and red fireworks, exploding through the room. The creature screamed, yelling and shouting. Everyone grabbed fireworks, throwing bursts of color at it. Pink, blue, green, and yellow illuminated the room. Sparks flew into everyone's faces, but they didn't dare look away.

"Hey, asshole! Over here!" Steve shouted, throwing a large firework into the monster's face. It exploded into bright orange, like fire scattering the whole creature's body.

The monster shrieked, its mouth opening up with rows of teeth. Billy seemed to go light headed every time they hit the creature, like he was still connected to it somehow. "Billy-"

"I'm okay Russ." He denied, shaking his head and putting a hand out toward his sister. "Just keep going!" She hesitated, but eventually she lit another firework and throwing it.

"We're almost out!" Lucas yelled.

"Dustin, we're out of time!" Steve screamed into the TRC.

"Hurry! Close it now! Close it!"

Tiny Wheeler and Max were helping Twelve, dragging her behind a food court counter. Colors lit up the room, reflecting on everyone's faces. If it weren't such a dire situation, it would almost be. . .beautiful.

"We're out!" Mike yelled.

"Damn it!"

"It's not enough!" Russell called.

The monster screamed, stalking closer to where Max, short Nancy and Twelve were. It reached at them but before it could get close enough, it screeched, stumbling back and slamming into railings. It then collapsed. Just like that. . .it was over. It was dead, lit up in flames and the remnants of firework gunpowder.

"Billy!" Rylie rushed over, noticing her boyfriend on the ground. Under his skin, black veins protruded up, blood trickled from his mouth and his skin was cold to the touch.

"Billy. . ?" Russell whispered, stumbling closer to her brother. She sat on her knees next to Rylie, brushing some of the hair out of his face. "Hey. . .what- what's going on?" She whispered.

Billy shook his head, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I'm okay, Russ, Ry. . ." He muttered back. "I'm okay. . ." He coughed, blood coming up onto his white shirt.

The black veins pulsed, rushing up and out. He coughed up black goo.

"Billy- Billy get up. . .come on, Billy- Y- You're okay- Please- You- You're-" Russell rushed out the words. Rylie was holding him in her lap, tears flowing down her face. Max ran up the escalator, dropping to her knees beside the two older girls.

"What's going on?"

"I- I don't know!" Russell yelled. "Billy!"

"I'm sorry-" Billy coughed out, his eyes fluttering shut.

"Billy-" Max exhaled, shaking him. "Billy wake up, Billy! Billy!"

His chest was still rising up and down, just barely. But he was still alive. Still breathing. "You're okay, Cali. . .I got you." Rylie whispered against his hair. She wasn't letting him go again. 

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Word Count - 779

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Published - August 20, 2024

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