talk too much | max mayfield

24. flayed schmayed

FLAYED SCHMAYED

✧･ﾟ: * Everyone decided to crash at Mike's that night. Nora figured her cuts weren't that bad, so she just rinsed them a little and wore a short-sleeved shirt. The worst one was on the back of her hand, but all she needed was a bandaid and she already forgot about it.

The morning comes and they all agree they need to find Hopper. He'll know what to do.

El collects all her strength and sits on the couch, blindfold around her eyes. Everyone else is sitting around her, Nora next to Max on the floor in front.

"I found him," El finally speaks up.

"Where?" Max leans forward.

"Woods," El explains descriptively. "He's with. . . Will's mom."

"My- my mom?" Will sits up.

"What are they doing?" Max furrows her brows.

"Ill-annoy," El mumbles. Everyone looks at each other confused. "They're going to Ill-annoy."

"Mike! Breakfast!" Mrs. Wheeler yells down as she knocks on the basement door.

"Not now, Mom!" Mike snaps back before turning back to the group. "Illinois? Illinois like the state? The state of Illinois?"

El takes off her blindfold and shrugs, "Ill-annoy."

Nora goes to rest her head on her hand, but freezes when she sees blood seeping through her bandaid. Wincing at the sight, she quickly gets up and goes to the bathroom.

She throws away the bandaid and rinses her hand under the sink water as Max comes into the room.

"Hey," she tries reaching for Nora's hand.

Nora pulls it away a little, "no, I'm alright. Just a scratch."

"I know," Max shakes her head, grabbing Nora's hand anyways. "But it's my fault you got hurt. It's the least I can do."

Nora gives in and tries not to flinch at every touch.

"You have nice hands," Max says suddenly, and Nora blinks. "I mean, like, they. . . like, nice bone. . . structure." Max starts getting flustered and Nora stands awkwardly.

"Oh! Um, thanks," Nora smiles slightly. "You. . . too."

The girls stare at each others hands for a second, before bursting out with laughter.

"Nice bone structure?" Nora laughs out with a grin.

"It's like. . . nice to hold?" Max also laughs, moving their hands around as if to prove her point. "See," she interlocks her fingers with Nora's uninjured hand. "Your fingers fit into mine."

The girls laugh even more, falling into each other.

"Come on!" Mike bursts through the door, slightly taken aback by the two girls with tears almost coming out of their eyes. "We got news!" He shakes his head away and the girls walk out, not sharing a look incase they start laughing again.

The girls look confused to see Nancy and Jonathan starting to talk to the rest of the group. "It was the same thing. The exact same thing that happened to Will last year. And look at this." Nora and Max sit together on the couch, still lost because of whatever they missed. Nancy puts down a sheet of paper with "Vitals" written on the top. "Look at the body temperatures."

Everyone leans forward and Will looks up at Nancy, "He likes it cold."

"Okay, so, this crazy old woman who was eating fertilizer-" Mike starts.

Nora and Max share strange looks.

"Mrs. Driscoll," Nancy interrupts.

"Right, yeah. Mrs. Driscoll," Mike nods. "What time was this attack?"

"Last night," Nancy replies. "Around nine I think."

"You waited all night to call?" Jonathan turns to her.

"I was waiting for the doctors to run some tests," Nancy explains.

"You weren't there?" Will asks.

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Jonathan sighs.

"Hallelujah!" Nancy rolls her eyes.

Lucas winces at the shade, "ooh."

"Um, so what- what time was your sauna test?" Nancy asks, getting back on track.

The kids look at each other and say in unison, "around nine."

Nancy's eyes widen. "That proves it! That proves my theory!"

"She's flayed. Just like Billy," Mike concludes. He then explains to a confused looking Jonathan, "the Mind Flayer, he flays people. Takes over their mind. Once they do that, they basically become him."

"If there are two flayed. . ." Lucas starts.

"We have to assume there are more," Will finishes.

"Heather," El's eyes widen as she turns to Nora and Max. The girls nod in understanding and El continues, "Billy was doing something for her. She was scared. She was screaming. Bad screams."

Lucas furrows his brows. "What's good scream?"

"Max said-" El starts.

"Doesn't matter," Nora shakes her head, cutting El off.

Max nods along. "It's not important right now."

"I'm sorry, I'm lost," Nancy shakes her head in confusion. "Who is Heather?"

"She's a lifeguard at the pool," Max explains.

"Heather Holloway?" Nancy asks and the girls nod simultaneously. Nancy and Jonathan share a knowing look, "Tom."

It happens fast after that. Nancy and Jonathan quickly head upstairs, telling the kids to follow after. They do hesitantly, all confused. They then pile into Nancy's car and she sets off down the road.

"We're going to the Holloway House."

a/n:
sorry this is short, the next one will make up for it 😏😏