BILLIE JEAN ( eddie munson.. ) ✔

024. Doing The Best They Can..

The atmosphere in Max's trailer caught the scent of mint from the shampoo she and her mother had in and everyone was forced to use. Billie hated that her cherry scent was gone, Eddie did too, but they couldn't exactly complain, not when much more important things had to be discussed between them in the group staying away all through another sunrise, in order to listen to the tellings of Nancy and Barry, of what they saw when Vecna got them, then watch as they continuously and pointlessly fret attempts to reach their superpowered friend.

What Nancy and Barry saw, two strikingly different visions, were nothing like what Max personally witnessed and experienced during her own meeting with Vecna. Hence, they had decided: what happened to them in the Upside Down was not an attack.

They've also managed to conclude, thanks to Nancy, that Vecna was someone like their friend, El, the girl with superpowers that Billie had heard already a lot about.

"So Vecna can basically take over any mind without prior warning signs?" Lucas asked over that conclusion, which made him shiver. They could all be targets now.

"Should we stick to calling him Vecna?" Robin had a different kind of question. "Or should we go for... Henry or One?" Everyone answered and all names were called at once, overlapping and not giving Robin any sort of decisive reply.

"If the warnings he gave Nancy are to be taken word for word," Billie leant forward, elbows on her knees. She was sitting on the couch between Eddie and Erica. Next to Erica, Sam squeezed in too. "It does make sense why he couldn't exactly attack us in the Upside Down."

"Because he needs a victim in this dimension in order for a gate to be opened," Dustin pointed towards Billie and they shared a knowing smile.

"But doesn't that also mean he needs just one more kill?" Eddie looked to his right, at Billie.

"One more kill and it's the end of the world," Robin was not alright with this and if her shivering tone did not already give that away perfectly, then surely, her black and white choice of words did. She was frightened enough to seem out of character.

"What about the not-so-little demon problem right here?" Steve gestured towards Max's bedroom where they could all see Devin still struggling against the holy restraints, still fuming, quite literally. His sounds may have been muffled, but they never stopped.

"I think the fucking apocalypse will kill us sooner than a demon," Dustin rolled his eyes, making Steve frown.

"And how the heck are we supposed to take care of this Vecna business if a demon is on our asses then, nerd?"

"Barry's vision perhaps," Robin raised her hand to point at the eldest Carter in the room. "Maybe there's some warnings in there we can use-"

"Everything Vecna showed Barry didn't feel like a warning, like in Nancy's case," Max pointed out.

Barry nodded along, "They weren't warnings. They were things that had happened, that were happening. Vecna showed me what the enemy didn't let us know until now."

"You make it sound like Vecna is on our side with that one," Cal narrowed his eyes at Barry. He was furthest from the group, leaning against the wall near the exit, arms crossed at his chest. Every once in a while, he looked out the window and tried to keep watch of Kevin's trailer. There had been no movement the entire time. On the left side of his face, now laid a standing out bandage, ought to hold together some sloppy stitches made by the kids, taking turns on helping him with it.

"Maybe he is," Billie mumbled, her eyes unfocused as she stared down at the coffee table before the couch. Several grimaces were passed between the people gathered there, but she raised her head serenely and looked at all of them, one by one.