Keep me Closer - Billy Hargrove - Stranger Things

17: Failure

I went to the front door of the lab. The doors wouldn't open. I figured it was for a reason and I didn't want to let anything that wasn't supposed to get out. I flew to the window I crawled out of earlier hoping it would still be open. It was. I sighed in relief and crawled back threw. All the lights were off and all I could hear was screeching coming from some sort of animal. I recognized it. "Demodog" I whispered to myself. I got goosebumps and was afraid to take one more step. But I did. I opened the door and looked both ways. I used my powers as a light and lit up my hand. I quietly and cautiously walked around. I walked past a door where I heard whispering. I opened the door and they all jumped and Hopper pointed his gun at me. My moms eyes watered when she saw me. I closed the door behind me quietly and she hugged me so tight.

" I was so worried about you." She cried.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I just hate being here." I whispered. She backed a couple inches out of the hug and looked at my face and whipped away my tears.

" I know baby." She hugged me again.

"Where's Bob?" I asked looking around the room. "What's wrong with Will?" I asked seeing him dead asleep sat in a chair. "What are those things and how did they get here?"

"I know you have a lot of questions. But keep it down a notch. Trying to get Bob in and out alive." Doctor Sam said.

"Sorry, um.. okay.. what?" I asked again.

"We were actually kinda hoping you could tell us what was wrong with Will." Hopper said.

"That day out in the field. That thing got him I-I think it controls the UpsideDown. Like- like the mind of the UpsideDown."

"The Shadow Monster?" Mike asked.

"Yeah. Why is he sleeping?" I asked again.

"We had to.. put him to sleep because.. he called those dog things here, killing who knows how many people. Almost killing us." My mom said. All the sudden the lights turned on.

" He did it." Hopper said in relief.

"We have to get out of here. Now!" I said and Hopper grabbed Will. I went out first as the look out and protector. When it was all clear I let them go ahead of me.

"Are you coming?" I asked the Doctor?

"I- I think I'm gonna stay back, help Bob make it back safely." He told me. I looked at him with a little bit of curiosity and hope that nothing bad would happen to them.

I quietly ran after the group staying cautious of what could be around us. The doors opened and we all went outside and waited for Bob and Sam to get here. I stopped using my powers and nearly passed out from being completely drained. I fell down and tried so hard to keep myself awake. Mike and my mom hovered over me making sure I was okay but I could barley get a couple words out. Mike stayed by my side while my mom went back to the doors after she got confirmation that I would be okay. She anxiously waited for Bob to come back. The blood from my nose irritated me as I tried to get enough arm strength to wipe it away.

Once I did my sleeve was pulled down a little and Mike saw the number tattoo on my arm. He smiled with sadness in his eyes.

"You still miss her?" I whispered. He looked at back at me and frowned.

"Yeah." Is all he said.

I heard the door open and my mom walked back in the lab. It was silent for just a minute before I heard screaming. My eyes went wide and I tried to get up. Hopper ran in there. Mike tried helping me up but I had no energy and just standing up was taking every last ounce of anything I had left. I was nearly passing out. My mom was screaming and crying and I heard gun shots. I fainted.

I woke up only seconds later after I hit the ground and had a huge headache. Mike didn't know what to do he just stared at me. Hopper dragged my mom out of the lab as she sobbed. I could guess what happened by the look on her face and the absence of Bob. Tears filled my eyes with anger at myself for waisting all my energy before something that was really necessary for me to help with happened.

Hopper picked up Will and him and Mike helped me back up and Mike walk/drag me to Jonathan's car who just arrived and was beeping telling us to hurry and get in.

***

I was in my room in a ball crying. It was my fault. If I didn't sneak out I could have been there for Will. I could have been there to help protect and save countless lives including Bob. One of the few genuinely nice and normal people still in Hawkins. I heard a knock on my slightly cracked open door.

"Yes?" I whispered and all the kids and Steve huddled in my room and just stared at me. "What?" I asked a little frustrated.

"We just wanted to.. uh.. check on you. You've been in here a while." Lucas said. I sat up with my back resting on the wall and I looked at them.

"Thank you." I whispered but I was still on the verge of another mental breakdown.

"You made a really cool entrance today. Scared the sh*t out of us but it was really cool." Dustin said with a smile trying to cheer me up.

I laughed and leaned my head back on the wall. "That was really funny." I laughed wiping my tears away.

"You're kind of the coolest person I know. I don't know you very well but you're the only person I've met that can just blast a metal gate open and fly while she's freakin glowing. I mean I don't know about you but that's pretty amazing." Steve said. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Right! She was literally glowing and acting like it was completely normal!?" Dustin yelled and made me smile. The boys started geeking out over me and laughing and Max came and sat next to me.

"You make Billy really happy." She said.

I looked at her with a happy smile. "What?"

"I've never seen him.. not.. angry all the time. But when he's with you, after he's with you. He's better. You make him better." She said making me smile and bite the inside of my lip. Out of everything everyone said about me, that made me the happiest.