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Beth was now slowly pulling away from the mind flayer, her ability to detach herself becoming stronger as her powers got mire flexible and easy to control.
She was learning how to detach herself from the link she was forced into, and all she had to do was enter the void and find the chain. Then, she could break it, but it wasn't easy. It was near impossible.
•
"Beth?" Max asked, walking into Beth's room. She'd come to check on Beth and the baby after what El told her she saw, and as she was on her way to Beth's bedroom, she heard frustrated cries and clattering.
"Max." Beth choked out, a trail of blood falling from her nostril, a blindfold next to her as the static of her radio echoed through the room. "Help me." Beth cried, her voice cracking and her throat dry from all the crying.
Max ran to Beth, falling to her knees and helping Beth sit up. "Beth, what's wrong?" Max asked, worry evident in her young features. "If you want my help, you have to tell me what's wrong."
Beth wiped her nose on the sleeve of a hoodie Billy gave her, the crimson coming off as invisible on the soft black fabric. "The mind flayer." Beth started, Max's eyes widening in realization. "We never fully got rid of him."
"He got me, and I don't know how many other people, but I think he got Billy, too." Beth explained, Max's hand rubbing up and down her back in attempted comfort. "I went to go talk to Billy the other day because he had been acting strange ever since we got in a car wreck about a week or so ago."
"Car wreck?" Max whispered in shock.
Beth nodded, continuing on. "He was at the pool, he looked so sick. It's like he wasn't even there. He was covered in sweat and he reeked like chemicals. I tried to get him to talk to me and tell me what happened, but he just told me to stay away. After that, I felt like something in my mind clicked. I don't know what it was, Max, but it hurt. So bad. It burned my whole body. And the noises it makes, Max, it's horrible. I can hear every order he gives me, every time someone else in his little army gets activated. Every time he steals someone else's mind, I can hear them screaming. He gave me this power, the same thing that El has, to help him force people into the army. I hate it so much, Max, help me, please!" Beth wailed, the memories of her mind being taken from her and the screams all coming back.
Max tugged Beth into a tight hug, a few tears of her own falling. "We'll help you, Beth, I promise."
