the view between villages // a stranger things choose-your-own-adventure

PAGE 11: Run

You turn heel and bolt, slipping a bit in the mud.

You hear Billy shout after you: "Hey! I need help!"

You don't turn. You don't stop. You sprint through the grass and clamber over the fence to take a shortcut back to the parking lot.

Your hands shake so badly, you drop your keys as you try to unlock your car door. You curse, but finally get the door wrenched open. You scramble into the driver's seat and lock the door behind you.

You start the car and reverse. When you glance forward, you shriek in fright. Billy stands in front of your windshield, lit up by the headlights. He's somehow moved impossibly fast to get to that spot this quickly.

Your stomach turns at how his eyes glint. He's up to something, and you are not going to stick around and see what it is.

You jerk the steering wheel and peel out of the parking lot, heart pounding.

You wonder if you should call the police or paramedics. If Billy really is hurt, you shouldn't just ignore that. But you're unsettled by his behavior and hate the thought of him hurting some rookie beat cop because he couldn't dig his hooks into you.

You make sure to lock your door extra tight when you get home. When you fall asleep, you dream of being hunted.

***

At work the next day, your mind keeps wandering to your run-in with Billy. You shudder at the thought of what he was up to, but also feel a smidge of guilt at leaving a bleeding man behind.

You remember that one of the kids Steve babysits is Billy's stepsister. You wonder if you should find her, talk to her, see if Billy is okay. Steve would know where she is.

You head to Scoops Ahoy on your lunch break to talk to him. You expect to see him behind the counter, taking orders and (badly) flirting with all the girls his age.

However, he's nowhere to be seen. The "sailor" at the cash register wears a nametag that says "Mickey."

"Ahoy!" Mickey says as you approach the counter. "What can I do for you today, sailor?"

"Hey, uh, sailor," you say. You awkwardly salute him—you aren't sure why, but it feels like the right thing to do. "Uh, is Steve here, by any chance?"

Mickey sighs and shakes his head.

"Nope. He's playing hooky today. Probably wanted an extra day of his holiday break. But I'm happy to serve you. Can I interest you in a Seven Seas Shake? It's a milkshake with seven secret flavors."

"Can I just get two scoops of butterscotch?" you say. "In a cup, not a cone."

"Coming right up!"

Mickey prepares your dessert and you pay him before heading back out to the food court, hoping you'll see Billy's sister shopping at the mall today.

***

You don't.

In fact, you don't see any of Steve's "kids." It's weird—since June 1st, they've spent nearly every day at the mall. And the one day you need them, they're nowhere to be found.

As you walk toward the mall exit after closing, two girls who work at Claire's walk five yards ahead of you, gossiping loud enough for you to hear.

"He stood me up!" the blonde girl in the purple scrunchie says. "He ditched our dinner date, and then Becky came in the store today and said she saw him with freaking Heather Holloway."

"Ugh! The nerve!" the redhead in the sparkly headband says. "You can do so much better than Billy Hargrove."

"I hear Steve Harrington is still single," the blonde says. "Too bad he's obviously still mooning for Nancy Wheeler."