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

PAGE 14: Investigate the hospital murders

You turn left, following your coworkers to the exit. You want to figure out more about the hospital massacre to see if Billy is responsible.

You really, really hope he isn't.

Your initial plan is to go to the hospital and take a look around. However, when you arrive, there are half a dozen cop cars parked by the entrance. You try to casually walk past, but an officer stops you.

"Excuse me!" he says. His nametag reads Callahan. "You can't go in this way. You have to use the back entrance."

"Oh," you say. "Right. Uh, because of the murders and stuff?"

Officer Callahan nods, but narrows his eyes at you. "You aren't one of those looky-loos, right?" he says.

"A what?"

"One of those true crime freaks," Callahan continues. "Wanting a souvenir from the scene of the crime?"

"God, no!" you say. "No, nothing like that. I just...nevermind."

You start to book it back to your car, but he stops you again.

"Not so fast! Can you come with me, please?"

Panic overtakes you. Fuck! He doesn't think you had something to do with it. Right?

He leads you to a quieter area around the corner of the building and asks why you're here, really.

You suck in a breath.

"Okay," you say, "I could be wrong—like totally, cosmically wrong—but something weird happened the other day, and I don't want to put blame on the wrong person, but it might be connected to the massacre."

Callahan keeps a neutral expression, but his shoulders tense at your words.

"Powell!" he shouts. "Get over here."

Another officer joins you two.

"This one thinks they have some information that's connected to the attack," Callahan adds.

"Interesting," Powell says. He flips open a small notebook. "We're listening."

"The other night," you say, "I went to the pool after closing because I left my wallet. Billy Hargrove was there."

"He's a lifeguard there, right?" Powell says.

"Yeah," you say, "but it was, like, way past closing and he looked...wrong."

The officers share a look.

"Wrong how?" Powell presses.

"He was sweaty and disheveled," you say. "At first, I thought he was sick. But then he was looking at me like...I don't know. Like he wanted to hurt me."

Callahan shudders and mumbles, "Jesus," under his breath.

"You don't believe me," you say, feeling infinitesimally small under their scrutinizing gazes. 

"The opposite, actually," Callahan says. "We've been getting reports about Hargrove acting strange all week, but we just haven't been able to track him down."

"It's my fault," you say, looking at your feet. "If I had called you guys on Billy the other day, this wouldn't have happened."

"Hey," Powell says. "Do not blame yourself. We don't even have proof that Billy did this. And if he did, it wouldn't be your fault. Our working theory is that it's drug related."

You think back to how Billy behaved, and that makes a lot of sense to you.

"Get home safe," Callahan says. "Or, hell, you're young. Go tear it up at the Fun Fair."

The officers amble off, leaving you unsure of what to do next. The sun is much lower in the sky and you hear the marching band warming up at the Fun Fair grounds a few miles away. Maybe you should just go to the fair and try to relax.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

A. GO TO THE FUN FAIR - go to page 15

B. GO TO THE BACK TO THE FUTURE SCREENER - go to page 16