Two of a kind...... A Billy Hargrove story

Chapter 30: The Flayed

"I found him" El muttered as everyone gathered around her. After what had happened at the pool, Kali and the kids all piled in her car and headed towards Mikes house. Once they arrived, they all ran down into the basement. Kali watched over the group as they all sat silently around El, Mike and Max sitting the closest to the young girl as she searched for Hopper "he's with..... Wills mom" Wills ears pricked when she mentioned his mom "my... my mom?" He questioned "what are they doing?"

"Ill... annoy" the group looked around each other confused, Ell pulled the blindfold off of her eyes "they're going to Ill-annoy" she spoke again, she was just as confused as everyone else until Mike spoke up "Illinois? Illinois like the state?" Kali's eyes widened when she realised what they were talking about. Looks like the adults wouldn't be able to help them.

After sitting around for what felt like hours trying to figure out why Wills mom and Hopper were going to Illinois, Kali felt like she needed a break. As she stepped outside the front of the Wheeler residence, she lit a cigarette between her lips, taking a deep inhale as she tried to calm herself. It didn't take long before her mind began to wander back to Billy. There must be a way to save him right? She thought back to when Wills body had been taken over by something and how they had managed to burn it out of him, maybe it would work in Billy too? "You know those are bad for you right?" Kali was pulled from her thoughts when a familiar voice spoke, "yeah, yeah I know wheeler" she smiled as she rolled her eyes. Nancy placed a hand on Kali's shoulder, patting it slightly before walking into the house, Jonathon hot on her tail. Kali took one final drag from her cigarette before throwing it on the floor and making her way inside.

Nancy was telling the kids about this woman who had been eating fertiliser and acting strange, she went on to say how this Mrs Driscoll was in the hospital and when Nancy went to see her to find out what was going on, she started screaming and had black veins covering her entire body "what time was this attack?" Mike spoke up, looking at his older sister in anticipation "around 9" Nancy didn't seem too sure as she spoke, Jonathan's head snapped over to her "you waited all night to call?"

"I was waiting for the doctors to run some tests" Nancy shrugged, waving him off "what time was your sauna test?" She continued, her gaze falling back on the group. They all looked round at each other "around 9" they spoke in unison, everyone's eyes widened when they realised what was happening "well that proves it. That proves my theory. She's flayed, just like Billy"

"Flayed?" Kali spoke as she looked over to Nancy, "the mind flayer, he flays people. Takes over their mind" Kali's eyes shot over to Will as he spoke "once they do that, they basically become him" Kali felt like she was going to throw up, she grabbed the back of the sofa and started breathing heavily causing Max to run over to her. Kali gave the young red head a weak smile as her breathing steadied, her ears slowly began to focus back into the conversation "if there are two flayed, we have to assume there are more"

"Heather" El spoke softly as she stood from her spot on the ground, Kali looked over at her confused "Billy was doing something to her, she was screaming. Bad screams" the group all furrowed their brows at El "what are good screams?" Lucas chimed in, "max said.." El was quickly cut off by Max throwing her hand over the young girls mouth, a small giggle erupted from Kali's mouth when she realised what good screams were. She found herself lost in thought again as she thought back to all the times Billy had made her 'good scream', her face turning bright red as the dirty thoughts invaded her mind. Nancy shook her head at Kali before turning back to the group "sorry I'm lost. Who is heather?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for someone to answer "she's a lifeguard at the pool" Max spoke, as she turned back to face Nancy, "Heather Holloway" Nancy and Jonathan's heads shot towards each other "Tom!" The couple ran out to the car, shouting for everyone else to follow as they drove off.