010 / Billy Hargrove

Eight - Static

Ten let out a small groan as she woke up. She opened her eyes to see she was laid in the Byers couch. Her wig and costume were gone and she wore the spare pajamas that Joyce had let her borrow. Ten didn't have a hangover, but she was confused and a bit frighten as to how she got back in the first place. She remembered a group approaching her and Steve, although she didn't remember the faces of the boys. Everything after that was a huge blur to Ten.

Ten stood up slowly, still feeling some of the alcohol's affect on her. She walked to Joyce's room and entered, seeing Joyce and Bob in the same bed. She ignore Bob and walked up to Joyce's side of the bed, shaking her lightly. "Joyce, stop sleep."She demanded as Joyce groaned. "What is it honey?" she murmured. "How am I here?" she whispered, trying to make sure she didn't disturb Bob's sleep.

"Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan brought you home and you were passed out, by the way, I need to teach you what alcohol is and why we drink it in moderation. Please don't drink so much sweetheart, you gave me a scare for a little bit." Hearing Joyce's words brought a tear to her face, she'd never been shown this level of care before, for Ten never had motherly love in her life. She felt guilt as well for panicking her. "Sorry." Ten trailed off, she felt touched and disappointed with herself. Joyce smiled at her, "It's okay sweetie, just be safe."

______

Jonathan and Will had left for school, while Bob and Joyce had left to their jobs. Ten was alone in the Byers household and bored. It was almost time for them to return, it was 3-1-0. Ten laid on the couch scrolling through the TV, when suddenly she reached a channel with static noise, it didn't help that she had the TV volume up high. She immediately dropped the remote and put her hands up to her ears, a vivid memory entering her mind.

"You killed one of our best men, you fucking idiot!" Cooper slapped Ten across the face as he yelled at her. Ten silently sobbed, she didn't dare use her powers on him. Not when he was angry, not ever. She knew she would have to face repercussions of her actions soon, but she didn't understand why. She was told to kill a man in the cell, one was crying and the other held him down. Ten didn't want to see the crying man dead, so she killed the one who was restraining him. He'd watch Cooper abuse her many times before, she didn't think it was a bad thing per say. "Do you know where you go when you make me mad?" His voice was low, it terrified her. She nodded slowly, unable to speak words. He grabbed her roughly and forced her to walk out of the room and down the hallway. They stood in front of a black, metal door. He punched in numbers into a pad and they entered it, he shoved her further into the room, her head slamming onto the cold floor. The door immediately closed, and a high pitched static sound rang all over. Ten couldn't stand it, her mind was too sensitive for the sound of static. She screamed as the noise deeper into her skull, her once dormant powers began hurting her. Cuts grew on her skin as well as dark bruises, she was bent over trying to cover her ears, gaining cuts and bruises by the second. Ten couldn't see right, she saw double of everything or hallucinations. She went on like this for a couple of more minutes, then passed out on the floor.

Ten felt the first cut on her skin, it was a small gash around her left hand. She began screaming to hopefully tone down the static noise, with no avail. Another cut grew on her thigh this time, just bellow her shorts. Two small ones on her face, and several bruises appeared as well. Ten couldn't do anything about it besides scream in pain and let her powers abuse her. They were overworking her, she needed to let out some energy before it continued hurting her. Ten screeched this time, and she was suddenly in a different dimension.

The static was gone, but Ten felt as terrified as ever. Ten had entered the Upside Down, she felt a sudden cold coming from everywhere, she was surrounded by darkness. Ten stood up and walked out the door. "Joyce?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, "Steve?!" Nothing. "JONATHAN, WILL?!?!" "TEN!" She heard a loud echo coming from the town, she recognized the voice, "WILL?!?!" Ten began sprinting, she tried her best to reach Will, afraid of something bad happening to him. "TEN, WHERE ARE YOU?!" His voice was getting closer, "DON'T KNOW, TREES!" Was all she could respond. She ran on the road and followed the signs leading into Hawkins. 'Too slow' she thought to herself, she'd never make it on time as a human. Ten stopped walking, now noticing something in the sky. She knew whatever it was, couldn't be good. She thought of the animal Steve talked about on their ice cream trip, it was on a magazine cover and Steve had said, "those bitches are fast as fuck and can tear into you like nothing, dogs are pretty much wolves but watered down." Or something like that, whatever it was she needed to become that NOW.

Ten focused her mind into the image she barely remembered, and she painlessly shifted into a large, black wolf. She had white ears and a white tail to distinguish who she was. Ten felt blood come down her nose and was bothered at the fact that she couldn't wipe it off. She got out of the pile of clothes that was now on top of her and continued sprinting. Her legs automatically did the job for her, she felt so free as a wolf, and if she was in the right situation she'd be having fun. Ten made it into town in less than 2 minutes. "TEN PLEASE RESPOND!!! IT'S CLOSE!" A terrified Will Byers shouted.  Ten ran towards the school, but was too late. She saw the dark figure consume Will and there was nothing she could do now. They suddenly both came back into their world, and there stood the party, Joyce, and a red-haired girl. Joyce has her arms wrapped tightly around her son, and the rest of the kids were staring at her.

"Where the fuck did that wolf come from? Holy shit, stay still guys. What if it eats us?" The red haired girl whispered. Ten understood her words. And walked up to Joyce. She cuddled up against her leg to show them she meant no harm. She couldn't shift back now, she had absolutely no clothes and was taught that she shouldn't be naked around people for some reason. Ten nuzzled into Will, she figured he could use some comfort.

"...Ten? Is... is that you?" Lucas whispered. The boy walked closer to the animal and she nodded her head up and down. "Woah, a wolf, a GOD DAMN WOLF, just responded to you?!" Max was absolutely amazed. "We'll explain later!" Mike rolled his eyes. He clearly didn't like her. "Follow us Ten, we'll drive you back home." Joyce said as she pet Ten's head.

AN: I PROMISE MORE BILLY NEXT CHAPTER 💖