𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤: 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟜𝟝: 𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤

Darcy took in the mall, its store windows shattered and its pillars cracking. She glanced up at the Party, all of whom were anticipating her next move. Finally, she took in the giant spider monster in front of her, growling and waiting for her command.

All of this was because of her. People in Hawkins had lost their loved ones because of her. The mall was on the brink of crumbling because of her. The spider monster existed because of her. Darcy was exhausted; she was tired of watching her every move, tired of succumbing to the episodes, and most importantly, she was tired of being something she wasn't. It had to stop, and it must begin with her.

Darcy rose to her full height, glaring up at the spider monster. She could still hear Billy's words, and it was all she could hear.

"You might think you're damaged, Darcy, but you're not. There's good in you, Darcy; I know there is. You just have to fight the damage. Be better than the damage you've made."

Darcy narrowed her eyes at the spider monster, clenching her fists and uttering a single word. "No."

The spider monster roared in Darcy's face, and before she could even think, a tendril full of teeth shot out of the monster and latched itself onto Darcy's side. She screamed in pain as another tendril shot forward, this one latching onto her chest. She could feel the teeth from the tendril sinking into her skin. Darcy tore her gaze away from her fresh wounds, ignoring the agony as she braced herself, waiting for the next tendril, but none came. She turned to find one of the tendrils latching onto Billy, his jean jacket beginning to saturate with blood.

"NO!" Using the last of her powers and consciousness, Darcy focused all of her pent-up energy onto the monster. The spider monster and Darcy both cried out and collapsed to the mall floor. Finally, the spider monster released its tendrils from Darcy and Billy with its final breath.

"No..." Billy stumbled his way over to Darcy while clutching his side. He fell to his knees beside Darcy, cringing at the sight of the bloody bite marks. He removed his jacket and attempted to help staunch the bleeding while disregarding his own. He'd meant to help Darcy, but with her bite marks and her breathing slowing down, had he damaged one of the good things in his life?