Chloroform (Billy Hargrove)

Chapter 11: Hammer To Fall

"Wait a sec...How big?" Steve asked, as I glanced out the window, looking upon the night sky that loomed above us, gripping my bloodied tissues tightly against my nose which hadn't managed to stop bleeding for the past couple of hours. Dustin looked over at him, holding up his hand, showing us the distance between his thumb and pointer finger.

"First he was like this..." He motioned, looking at Steve with all pure seriousness, then he expanded the distance by using his other hand to show that he had grown almost four times his original size "Now he's like this." I could see Steve's eyes widen, then somehow contort back into his nonchalant attitude, like he was in denial.

"I swear to God man, he's just some little lizard, okay?" He commented, keeping his eyes on the road, as the car caressed the natural curve of the street.

"He's not a lizard!" Dustin exclaimed adamantly, turning towards him. I looked between them, wiping the fresh blood that dripped out of the tear ducts of my eyes.

"Guys will you pl-" I was interrupted.

"Well how do you know?" Steve retorted.

"How do I know that it's not a lizard?"

"Yeah how do you know that it's not just a lizard!?" Steve asked. 

"Cause his face opened up and he ate my cat." My eyes widened, but Steve sat stoic, glancing out the window, as if he still didn't believe him. I did though, I could feel that he was telling the truth, and there was no way he would be lying about this, because I knew exactly what he was talking about. I decided not to say anything, letting the three of us sit in silence, listening to Freddie Mercuries soaring vocals in 'Hammer to Fall.' Steve turned into Dustin's driveway, parking behind what I assumed was his mothers car, before all three of us got out of the car simultaneously. Steve and Dustin made their way to the trunk of the car, as I wiped my nose and eyes again, taking my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket, lighting it with my hand, breathing in the nicotine laced leaves, satisfying the craving in an instant. I watched Steve pull out the baseball bat that Dustin was talking about, my eyes observing the old wood that held several nails inside of it, poking through the surface. They exchanged glances, before Steve slammed the trunk shut, glancing up at me, noticing the bloodied tissue in my hand, but not saying it aloud.

"You're backing me up." He pointed at me, motioning for me to follow him and Dustin. I huffed, throwing the cigarette to the ground, stomping down on it with the heel of my foot, as the both of them began to make their way to the side of the house, a flashlight guiding us towards an in ground cellar, which had a lock on it, and a bright red door covering what was inside. I stood beside Dustin, observing Steve leaning forward, tilting his head to the side and leaning in, as if he was listening for something. 

"I don't hear shit." Dustin glanced over at me and the both of us exchanged glances.

"He's in there." Steve looked over his shoulder, then back to the cellar, as he leaned forward, giving the hollow metal door a tap with the end of the bat. Nothing. He stood there for another moment, before slamming the bat down onto the door, a loud boom echoing through the room below the ground. A quick moment of silence flowed through us before Steve turned to Dustin, shining the bright white light into his eyes, causing him to squint. 

"Listen kid if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead."

"It's not-"

"Alright?"

"It's not a prank, now get it out of my face." Dustin insisted. Steve stopped for a moment, and sighed, looking over at me.

"Open it up." He motioned, pointing towards the lock. I sniffled, tasting blood on my tongue, before moving towards the lock that hung on the handles. I quickly wiped my eyes that were shielding my sight, ridding the thick viscous red liquid that blinded me temporarily. I focused on the chain, closing my eyes, hearing a quick snap, the sound of an object hitting the grass snapping me out of my trance. I exhaled, and stepped back, watching Steve crouch down, pulling open both cellar doors, both Dustin and I standing behind him. He shined the flashlight into the room below, a long concrete staircase leading down beneath the ground.