Stranger Things: Harringrove

Ch. 6: Help Me (Pt. 2)

Words: 7181

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He barely made it to the pool without crashing his car. The sunlight feels like it's melting his skin off, but he forces himself to push on and park in his usual spot. When he gets out, the sun is intense and hot. It feels almost as if it's going to blister and peel off in sheets. He quickly staggers over to the pool and passes a bunch of kids before going into the storage room. He's sweating a lot and feels like he could pass out at any second. 'The fuck is happening to me? What the fuck?! I'm scared, what the fuck was that thing?? I'm gonna die, aren't I?' he thinks before the tears well up in his eyes from the dread that never left him that night.

When he reaches for a thing of bleach, he takes the cap off and puts the top of the jug to his lips. The chemical burns something horrable as it slides down his throat. He isn't controlling his body, he cant stop it..... 'What's happening?' he thinks. When enough of the chemical has been consumed, he puts the jug back on the shelf. A few seconds go by before a presence behind him steps a bit closer. He doesn't have to turn around to know who it is.

"Billy. I'm sorry about last night. I just..." Her voice hits a wall to his ears. He's not listening anymore. He has a vision of turning around and smashing her head into the shelves to shut her up. It's a horrible vision, and he quickly makes it go away. He turns around and sees her face. She looks conflicted. This makes him mad. He doesn't like how she baited him yesterday and has the audacity to come to him today to apologize for not meeting him. Also the fact that she thinks she should've made plans. It was her fucking idea in the first place.

He pushes passed her, bumping into her and mutters under his breath, "leave me alone," before he leaves the storage room.

The blonde staggers out to the lifeguard tower. He limps there getting compliments from Heather, some teenage girls and the middle aged moms. Ugh, he could do with less of them right now. When he finally gets to the tower, he hazily climbs it, still feeling shaky and not present. He hazily watches over the pool. Everything is getting fuzzy, and the hot, humid air isn't helping at all. He wants to faint or vomit, but he knows he can't leave his post until his shift is over.

Maybe twenty minutes later, he can't take it anymore. He glances over to his left arm, which has been resting out in the sun on the armrest. It's burning. It's actually burning. Why is he burning? It's honestly not that hot out! But his skin. He just wants to scratch or peel it off until the itchy feeling goes away. Until the things under his skin are out and no more. He shakily takes his arm out of the sun and holds it close to his body. Tears well up in his eyes for the second time that morning. 'Why me? Why did it have to be me? Are they real? I need to get them out,' he thinks. He wants to start crying again. Anxiety just continues to build in his heart until it feels like the world is sitting on his chest. He almost feels like he's drowning the way he can't find it in him to breathe. He can't do that in front of all these people. He then remembers Steve's face for some reason. The brunette makes him feel safe somehow. He likes that feeling, but the brunette isn't anywhere near him though. He feels like he's losing himself.

He can't take it anymore.

The sun is too hot and his anxiety won't stop. He needs to cool down and be alone.

He gets down off the guard post and staggers towards the bathrooms. He thinks someone called out his name, but he isn't going to stop. When he enters the bathroom, he stumbles over to the shower. He turns it on cold and throws up. It quickly goes down the drain. He suddenly hears ringing in his ears. It makes him scream out in pain as he sinks to the ground in a shaking mess. He feels himself slipping away, further and further into the dark abyss..... It kind of feels like drowning in a way. Again, but this time he means it. He can't breathe. Darkness is all he knows.