Drowning • Billy Hargrove

Chapter 43

I was shaking as Billy and I pulled up to the Starcourt Mall entrance. Today was the day we were going to get my dad back.

"Hey." I say, walking over to El who had come with Joyce.
"Hi." She responds.
"You ready?" I ask, my voice shaking.
She nods her head. "Yeah, I guess."
I smile at her. "You'll do great."
She smiles back at me as I watch multiple trucks pull up to us.
I could see Doctor Owens and men from the Military.

"Good morning." Doctor Owens says, walking over to us.
"Morning." Joyce replies.
"Here are some walkie-talkies." He says, handing Joyce and I each a walkie talkie. "You will be able to communicate with us and most importantly, to tell us when you guys need the gate reopened, okay?"
Joyce and I both nod.
"Okay, good. Inside we will give you guys suits to wear, flashlights and guns."
"Guns?" Joyce asks.
Doctor Owens nods. "Just in case."

Currently, we were walking to the elevator to get to the gate. We were now joined by Tyler and Murray.
Joyce decided to invite Murray because she thought he should be there with us.
"It's a far drop." Doctor Owens calmly says. "I suggest you hold onto something."
We all obey as the elevator begins to fall halfway to hell.
"Here we are." Doctor Owens says as the elevator opens.

After travelling down a long, blue hallway, we finally arrived to the gate. I was shocked once I saw what was happening down here. Nothing had been taken out since the Russians had been forcefully removed and it was still filled with their contraptions.
"Woah." El says.
I stand there beside her, shocked. "Why would anyone want to reopen it?" I ask.
Doctor Owens shrugs his shoulders. "They want to know more about it, maybe. They're just like Brenner, naive yet curious."
El shudders at the mention of his name.
Joyce nods her head. "They're stupid, stupid people."

Eventually, Doctor Owens got Joyce and I all suited up in yellow suits that let nothing in. He also gave us a bag that went across our bodies. It was filled with, as promised, guns, a first aid kit, flashlights and walkie-talkies.
"I think you guys are all set." He finally says.
I take a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asks.
I look over to Joyce as she looks at me.
"Yes." We both say in sync.

I make my way over to Billy who was standing in the back, away from everything.
"You look hot." He says, chuckling.
"I know. My colour is definitely yellow." I say, smiling.
Without notice he pulls me into a hug. "I'm proud of you." He says into my ear.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. You didn't give up on finding him. And in the end, you were right."
I look up and smile at him. "Thanks."
He places his chin on the top of my head. "Now you got to go in there, get him, and get the hell out of there."
I nod my head. "I know."
"Are you scared?" He asks.
I nod my head. "I'm scared out of my mind." I didn't tell anybody this, but I was terrified of the UpsideDown, the Demogorgons and the Demodogs.
"I'd be scared too. But you're brave. You've got this."
I smile at him. "Thanks."
"I love you Kate." He says, still hugging me.
"I love you too, Billy."

After a while, Billy let me go and I decided to make my way over to El. On the way, I was stopped by Tyler.
"Hey." I say.
"Hey. I can't believe this is happening." He replies.
"Same. It's crazy."
"To be honest, I thought you were insane when you first started talking to the lights."
I smile at him and laugh. "I thought I was crazy too."
"You're not crazy. You're brave and the best roommate I've ever had."
I smile at him. "Thanks, Tyler."
He pulls me into a hug and I could see Billy glaring at us from the corner of my eye.
I pull away and grin at him. "I've got to go now." I say.
"Good luck." He responds as I walk away.

"Hey Kate." El says as I reach her.
"Hey!" I respond, trying not to sound scared.
"I'm really nervous." She finally says.
"You'll do great. And it's all going to work out just as we planned."
She smiles. "I hope so."
I bring her into a hug. When I let go, Joyce and Murray had arrived behind us.
"Oh, hello!" I say, a little startled.
"Hello." Murray responds.
"Hey." Joyce says. "They're ready for us."
I take a deep breath. "Okay, lets go."

"If anything goes wrong, use the walkie-talkies and we'll send the men out for backup. Try not to use the guns, because it will just attract more monsters. If you find Jim and he's injured, use the first aid kit you have in your bag. Do not take off the suit, whatever you do! And most importantly, don't die." Doctor Owens says with a chuckle.
Joyce's eyes go wide, obviously shocked by his last sentence. "Great advice!" She replies.
He smiles at her. "Go time."

Joyce and I take our spots down by the gate. The last thing I do is turn around to wave to Billy and El.
El sticks her hand out and uses her powers to open the gate.
"Remember, just a little bit!" Doctor Owens yells.
Currently, everybody other than El, Joyce and I were standing behind ten military men with guns drawn.
"She's got it!" Joyce yells back.
The gate begins to shift open and my heart feels like it's going to explode. I was nervous, scared, anxious and excited.
"You've got this." I whisper to myself, trying to calm down.
El sticks out another hand and the gate opens just enough for us to climb in.
"Climb in quick!" Doctor Owens yells.

We both obey and walk through the opening into the darkness.
Once we're in, we both turn around to gaze at everybody starring at us from the regular world.
El lets out a little scream and the gate shuts, locking us inside of the UpsideDown.