Hell is for Children

When the Parties Over

Dr. Sam Owens descended into the Starcourt parking lot in a military helicopter,  accompanied by a swarm of military personal. They marched towards Starcourt, watching as firemen and ambulance attendants stormed around. Emergency lights flashed everywhere the eye could see. 

Inside Starcourt, Diana lay slumped over Billy's lifeless body, cradling his head in her lap, rocking back and forth. She had started to go dizzy from blood loss as the wound in the side of her stomach poured blood onto the floor beneath her. A white hot pain coursed through her body, but it was trumped by the devastation in her heart. Max had ran for help minutes before, leaving Diana a sobbing mess. 

Everything around her was a blur as she felt someone pull her to her feet and lie her down on a gurney. All sounds were muffled as she struggled to stay conscious. She stared at Billy's body as the ambulance attendants rushed her outside, placing an oxygen mask on her face. 

Dr. Owens took in the inside of Starcourt in silent horror. When he had received Hopper's message, he had no idea it would be this bad. He watched EMS wheel Hopper's daughter right past him, as she rambled about someone named Billy. He looked across the room, noticing Billy a crumpled mess on the tile floor. He walked over and stood above his body. He motioned for one of his men to come over to him. 

"What is it Boss?" The man asked. 

"I think this is Billy Hargrove. Bag him up, were taking this one" Dr. Owens said. 

"May I ask why?" The man asked. 

"He's very important to someone who could play a very important role for us. Now bag him." Dr. Owens ordered, walking away from the scene. 

                     Outside, Joyce Byers looked frantically until she saw Will and El. She ran up, hugging Will tightly, then Jonathan. She caught El's eye. El looked questioningly at her. Joyce shook her head, then took El into her arms. 

"Honey, Im so so sorry. We had to close the gate and Hopper got to close and he couldnt escape in time. And...when the machine went off to close the gate...Hopper was killed" Joyce explained as tears ran down her cheeks. She hugged El tightly as the young girl sobbed. Joyce looked around for Diana, and saw her being put into an ambulance. 

"Hold on a second" she told the kids as she jogged over to the ambulance. 

"Excuse me. Is she alright?" Joyce asked, concerned. 

"Ma'am shes lost a lot of blood, were taking her to the nearest hospital to get her the help she needs. We're trying to get her stable at the moment, she has some serious body trauma we are dealing with" the ambulance attendant explained. 

"Do you have a phone? I need to call her...parents" Joyce said, a catch in her throat. 

El watched as a crying Max told the ambulance attendant she was Diana's sister, and climbed into the ambulance with her. 

                        

                      Diana stared at the white walls whisking by her as she lay on her back on the hospital gurney. She tried to remove the oxygen mask from her face but a nurse stopped her. 

"Honey, youve lost a lot of blood so we're going to need to do a transfusion. We're just waiting on your blood results to determine what type you are. We just got a call, youre parents are on the way. Youre sister is here, look" the nurse looked over at Max, who was running beside the gurney along with the hospital staff, concern all over her tear streaked face.

                   About two hours later, Diana lay unconscious but stable in a stark white hospital room, while Rudy, his wife Lynnette, and Max all hovered. 

A short, plump nurse walked in, holding a chart, concern in her eyes. 

"Who is the legal guardian?" She asked. 

"I am" Rudy said. 

"Ok. Well, we found some interesting things when we ran her blood" the nurse began. 

"Like what? Is she ok?" Rudy asked, panicked. 

" She is. We were able to get to her in time so we were not only able to save her life, but also the babies" the nurse explained. 

Rudy's jaw dropped as he looked at the nurse, stunned. 

"BABY!?" Max exclaimed, eyes wide. 

"Well...yes. Im so sorry, we're none of you aware that this girl is pregnant?" The nurse asked, awkward and confused. 

"Um...well no." Rudy stuttered, running a hand through his dark hair. 

"I cant believe this! I knew that boy wasnt any good for her! Now what is she going to do? Not like he is going to step up and be a good father, just look at the man who raised him..." Lynnette rambled. 

"Billy's dead" Max blurted out. 

Lynnette stopped dead mid sentence. "Im sorry? What?" She asked, not processing the news. 

"He was killed tonight. He died saving Diana" Max said, tears flooding from her eyes again. 

Before she could say anymore, Neil Hargrove knocked on the half opened door. 

"Sorry to interrupt, Joyce Byers called the house, said I needed to get here. Didnt say why. Max, are you alright?" Feigned concern across his face as he walked over to her, embracing her. 

"Where the hell is your brother? Is this his doing? I swear to god that boy cant do a god damned thing right. Rudy, if this is his doing, well I cant apologize enough. I tried to get him to be better but hes useless..." Neil ranted. 

"Hes dead" Rudy stopped Neil. 

Anger crossed Neil's face in the blink of an eye. "Excuse me?" 

"Neil. Billy died tonight. He died saving Diana." Max said before a sob escaped her lips. 

Neil looked as if he had just been slapped. He put his hands on his hips and looked away. 

"And he got Diana pregnant too, by the way" Rudy added. 

A disgusted look crossed Neil's face before he grabbed Max tight by the arm, jerking her towards the door. 

"Rudy, Im sorry about your daughter. I truly am. I hope she pulls through. You folks have a good night now" Neil stormed out of the room and down the hallway, hauling Max behind him by her arm as she sobbed. 

                          Back at Starcourt, Dr. Owens pulled out a large wad of hundred dollar bills and handed them to a coroner. 

"Now remember. Billy Hargrove was beyond recognizable after this...tragedy. The body cannot be shown at any funeral that may be held. As far as you know, an autopsy was done, he died of extreme trauma to his internal organs, then cremated. Comprenday?" Dr. Owens explained. 

The coroner counted the hundred dollar bills, nodding. 

Dr. Owens and his men loaded Billy's body into a black windowless van. 

"You know where to take him, correct? Just like we talked about" Dr. Owens said. 

His men nodded. 

"Good. I'll be there shortly to...correct this matter" he said as he lit a cigarette.