The Protector

The Flayed

Maddie finally arrived at the Wheeler residence with the kids. The group got out of the car before walking down the stairs towards the basement. Maddie quickly went to the bathroom while the other kids went for the couch.

The kids planned to have Eleven look for Hopper since he did not answer the phone or the code red call. Maddie knew that between the five kids they would be fine is she stepped away for a moment.

"God damn it", Maddie stated with tears running down her face. "Why did it have to be you?", Maddie asked herself while washing her tear-stained cheeks off with water. Soon enough she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to see Max and Eleven who has blood running down her nose.

Maddie quickly grabbed a rag before wetting it. Max took the wet rag before wiping all evidence of blood away. "Does it still hurt?", Max questioned Eleven referring to her bruised neck. "Only when I talk", Eleven responded.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not Mike, then. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." And you'd be in constant pain", Max said trying to lighten the mood. Both girls laughed while Maddie let out a small smile.

The girls heard the guys talking outside about Eleven and Mike's break up. "It wasn't! You guys do realize we can still hear everything you're saying, right?", Max stated causing all three girls to chuckle. They heard a knock at the door before Mike yelled at his mom to go away. "Mike, open the door", Maddie heard Nancy yell down at Mike.

"It wad the exact same thing that happened to Will last year. And look at this. Look at the body temperatures", Nancy said passing the paper with the test results on it to the group. "He likes it cold", Will responded.

"Okay, so this crazy old women who was eating fertilizer-", Mike started to say only to interrupted by Nancy correcting him, "Mrs. Driscoll". 

"Right, yeah, Mrs. Driscoll. What time was the attack?", Mike asked Nancy. "Last night", Nancy replied simply. "Right, but what time last night?", Mike questioned again. "Around 9:00", Nancy responded.

"You waited all night to call?", Jonathan asked Nancy. "I was waiting for the doctors to run some tests", Nancy defended herself. "You weren't there?", Will questioned Jonathan disappointed. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?", Jonathan asked the group trying to help his case.

"Hallelujah!", Nancy stated sarcastically. "Ooh", Lucas said receiving a small jab to the ribs from Maddie. "Um, so, wha- what time was your... sauna test?", Nancy questioned. "Around 9:00", they all answer in unison.

"Well, that proves it. That proves my theory", Nancy exclaimed. "She's flayed, just like Billy", Mike said before Jonathan looked towards Maddie worriedly.

"Flayed?", Jonathan asked confused. "The Mind Flayer. He flays people. Takes over their minds. Once they do that, they basically become him", Mike stated. "If there are two flayed, we have to assume there are more", Will said.

"Heather. Billy was doing something to her. She was scared she was screaming. Bad screams", Eleven stated nervously. "What's a good scream?", Lucas questioned causing Eleven to say, "Max and Maddie-".

"Doesn't matter", Max interrupted Eleven. "I'm sorry, I'm lost. Who is Heather", Nancy asked. "Heather Holloway, a lifeguard who works with Billy", Maddie answered glumly. "Tom", both Nancy and Jonathan say at the same time while looking at each other.

Maddie grabbed her bag before joining Nancy in the front while Jonathan and the girls got into the middle row. This leaves the three boys in the back. Nancy stated, "Seatbelts", before starting the drive to the Holloway house.

Maddie offers to keep watch and make sure no one went into the house while they were in there. In reality, Maddie did not want to go inside of the house. She did not want to relive the events that happened the last time she went into the house.