Open Wound | Billy Hargrove| Book 2

eighteen

July 2nd 1985 ~ Hargrove residence.

Eleven and Max were rummaging through Billy's room to try and find any evidence that he was the host for the mind flayer. Eleven had a strong feeling that he was while Max was praying it wasn't.

"You find another?" The red head asked her friend. They both gasped as Eleven pulled out a fanny pack covered in blood. Something was wrong.

~

Mark's warehouse.

The three soldiers were now trying to figure out why the Russians were suddenly in Indiana.

"Okay, you said that they were building something, like what?" Mallory said as they rummaged through pictures on the table. Different angles of an unknown machine were in each photo and the three were trying to figure out why they were so important.

"I don't know what it was for, but they wanted to open a gate, they kept saying."

Seven tensed at Mark's words, the gate.

"What gate?" The two brunettes looked at seven in worry.

"I don't know, they kept mentioning you, and how they were trying to replicate something you created."

Seven was thirteen years old as she sat in the white padded room of the facility. Her memories had come back to her and she was trying to use her powers to see if they were real. She reached into the depths of her mind went into the void, it was pitch black and she was standing in water. As she looked forward she realized she was alone, aside from a small creature that resemble a slug, chittering on the floor.

She grabbed it gently and it sat in her hand, wiggling softly. She had seen in her memories that she had the ability to manipulate anyone's thoughts. Being the curious child she was she tried it on the slug, biggest mistake of her life. The creature screeched and she dropped it impulsively, causing it to convulse and she stared in horror as limbs started to eject from it's slimy body. She felt as if she was stuck not being able to move, blood poured out of her eyes, nose and ears as she screamed, the creature grew right before her eyes and she watched as it opened it's face to her.

She studied the creature she created, reaching her hand out to touch the mysterious entity. The creature tilted its head as if it was confused, it allowed her to touch it, as she placed her hand on the creature's chest, she felt a surge of energy leave her body and she was back in her white room, but it was different, it was much darker and a white substance that resemble ash fell to the floor, with the creature no longer in sight.

"Seven!!" Mallory and Mark rushed to the girl as she started to scream and cry.

"It's my fault!! It's all my fault!!" Mallory pulled her into her chest and hugged her as she cried.

She looked over to Mark who stared matched her worried expression.

~

Hawkins, Indiana

The rain was pouring on the streets of Hawkins, but that didn't stop the two powerful girls from carrying out their mission. Max and Eleven had figured out where Billy Hargrove was and their assumptions were proven correct when they heard laughter coming from the house they entered.

When the two teens turned the corner, they were met with Heather's parents and Billy Hargrove. The boy looked out of place at the family dinner, dressed in a pin straight button up and denim jeans.

"Max, what are you doing here?" His voice sounded foreign as he spoke. Both girls tensed as they realized Billy Hargrove was no longer pulling the strings in his own body, but something dark and sinister had taken him over, leaving him screaming on the inside.

"I'm sorry, but who is this dripping on my living room floor." The older man asked with slight annoyance.

"This is my sister, Maxine and her friend?"

"El." Eleven said coldly as she masked any emotion she felt. The boy who she'd seen everyday for the past eight months was gone.

"El." The monster repeated as it recognized the girl who aided in shutting him out of their world.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We came to check on you, since you didn't come home." Max said trying not to cry as she realized her brother was now apart of the mind flayer's army.

"Who wants cookies?" A cheery voice asked. Heather Holloway held a pan of chocolate chip cookies in her hand as she emerged from the kitchen. The two girls could only stare at the lifeless doll like eyes she now had.

"Would you girls like some cookies?"

Billy Hargrove was having an eternal battle with himself, he had managed to break through for a second, but it was enough for him to send a pleading look that both girls saw.

"No we'll be fine, thank you." Max said as she realized he was trying to protect them, from himself. She grabbed Eleven's arm pulled her out the house that would host more foot soldiers for a monster they would soon have to face.

~

Seven had explained what had happened last year and the memory she had seen. They all sat on the couch in silence has they tried to figure out what this all meant.

"Didn't you say that they were trying to replicate it?" Mallory asked Mark as she came up with a theory.

"Yes."

"What if they're trying to control it?" Seven felt her eyes widened as she figured out what Mallory was theorizing.

"They want to use it as a weapon." The tension was thick as they realized things were going to get a lot worse.

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