𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑| Max Mayfield [COMPLETED UNTIL SEASON FIVE]

xxix. dear billy part one

Max's voice trembled as she spoke, "It was here," her flashlight casting a spotlight on the wall. The weight of the moment pressed on her, and she added, "Right here," the vulnerability evident in her cracking voice. A swell of emotion filled Cassidy's eyes, while Theodore exchanged a worried glance with her. "A grandfather clock?" he questioned, a mix of confusion and concern etched on his face.

"I swear, it felt like reality. As I approached, everything blurred, and Cassidy's hand on my shoulder jolted me awake," Max recounted, glancing at Cassidy who offered a melancholic smile. "It's like she was in a trance, just like Eddie described with Chrissy," she added, a sense of shared bewilderment lingering between them.

Theodore, folding his arms, cut in sharply, "Sorry to interrupt your... whatever this is. Who the heck are Eddison and Christen?" Cassidy chuckled softly, and Dustin shot Theodore a disapproving glare. "It's Eddie and Chrissy," Dustin corrected, eliciting an eye roll from Theodore. "Again, who are they?" Theodore repeated, a coldness in his tone. Caswidy sighed, "Eddie is the leader of the Hellfire Club, and Chrissy is a cheerleader from my team," she explained as she wraps an arm around Theodore, added the details with a reassuring touch.

A surge of jealousy tightened Max's stomach, reminiscent of that time in the school hallway when she witnessed Cassidy and Theodore together. Despite Cassidy's known omnisexual preference with a leaning towards girls, Max still grappled with uncertainty about Theodore's inclinations. Dismissing the unsettling memory, Max turned around, her expression determined. "That's not even the bad part," she declared, the weight of her words palpable. Cassidy's stomach sank, anticipating the revelation with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

In the confines of Ms. Kelly's office, they clustered around the desk, seeking solace in the shared concern. "Fred and Chrissy, they both turned to Ms. Kelly for assistance," Max began, her voice filled with gravity. "Persistent headaches tormented them, and then the nightmares began—a relentless cycle of troubled sleep and waking in cold sweats. As if that wasn't enough, they started seeing disturbing visions from their pasts. These haunting glimpses only escalated, growing worse and worse, until eventually..." The room held its breath, awaiting the revelation of the harrowing climax.

Theodore's somber words hung in the air, "Everything came to an end." Max nodded, a gulp betraying the gravity of the situation. Cassidy, a familiar nervous tic emerging, absentmindedly picked at her lips—a habit dating back to their first day at Hawkins Middle. Theodore, catching Cassidy's worry, playfully smacked her arm with a teasing smirk.

In return, she rolled her eyes, a silent exchange of familiarity. As the tension lingered, Robin looked up and somberly uttered, "Vecna's curse,"

The weight of impending doom hung in Max's words, "Chrissy's headaches started a week ago. Fred's, six days ago. I've been having them for five days. I don't know how long I have. All I know is that, for Fred and Chrissy, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so... looks like I'm gonna die tomorrow," she explained, her voice laden with resignation.