Same Drugs (Billy Hargrove)

is it hot in here?

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Over the next few days, after I had assumed Billy would be back to normal, his behavior only became stranger. I decided to simply keep my distance from him while I figured everything out, but it wasn't like it was hard. It was almost like he was trying to avoid me. Steve, Dustin, Robin, and our new edition to the group, a little girl named Erica, had been planning what we were going to do about our Russian situation all afternoon. They had decided to do a stake-out, but I decided I would go to the pool to see Billy and talk about some things later with him. I knew he would be working late, so I decided to stop by seeing as he would probably be taking a shower afterward so he didn't go home smelling like chlorine. I knew he liked to do that, so it wasn't abnormal behavior for him. 

I asked Steve for the car since he would be staying at the mall late and he tossed me the keys, saying 'yes' without actually saying it. I laughed at the way that he tried to look cool in front of Robin. I guess he didn't realize she didn't exactly swing that way. I said goodbye and good luck to everyone, heading out to the car after that. I started the car and set off to the town pool. I turned on the radio and "Wango Tango" by Ted Nugent began playing. It wasn't really a song to get sentimental to, but I remembered flying down a road in Hawkins with Billy early in the summer blasting this song, and it made me think of the drastic turn our relationship had been taking recently. 

I changed the station and listened to something else until I got to my destination. I parked in my regular spot and headed inside, walking towards the lifeguard's locker rooms. Before I got there though, I saw a group of kids huddled outside with a bunch of what looked like props. "Uh, hey guys," I said, recognizing most of them immediately. I saw Mike, Lucas, and Max. The other two I was more unfamiliar with. "Jamie! W-what are you doing here?" Lucas whisper-yelled, trying to be as quiet as possible. "What am I doing here? I work here! I could've left something in my locker, there's my excuse. What are you guys doing here past closing time?" I asked. 

Will, one of the kids I didn't recognize, stepped in front of the group. "You know Billy Hargrove?" He asked, and I nodded. Oh, I knew him. "We think he's been... possessed... by something," He explained. "Possessed?" I asked, not sure what the young boy was getting at. They all explained to me their thought process and theories about Billy and what they were saying actually began to make sense. I realized that after everything Will and El had gone through, they had to be right about this. 

They told me their plan, and although it sounded partly insane, I was able to get behind it if it meant helping Billy. After going inside and setting everything up, we heard him finish his shower and walk out to his locker. As I snuck past to get to my hiding spot, I saw him with a towel draped around him. I stayed focused and ran to hide with Mike and the others. Mike stepped out of the spot and began to taunt and beckon Billy, which of course with his aggressive nature, he responded to. We waited until he was angry enough to notice the mannequin we had planted in the sauna, and finally, when he did notice, he started at the figure with fury in his face. 

Once he was trapped in the sauna, the heat was turned up. When he was in there, you could see the discomfort on his face after he had exhausted the option of beating the door down. He looked at Max and his face contorted into one of confusion and sadness. The same expression stayed on his face as he locked eyes with me. "Jamie?" He said, his voice filled with hurt, and I felt a tear roll down my face. "I'm sorry," I choked out, trying my hardest not to look away. I could tell Max was struggling too, so I pulled her into a hug, feeling her hide her face within me. I heard Billy manage out a choked cry. "Jamie, Max, please," He begged. He fell back and curled into himself 

I stayed strong, knowing that whatever was inside him was using Billy to get to our empathy, but Max caved. She walked to the door, ignoring Mike's warnings, and she made eye contact with Billy. "Billy, I'm so sorry," She said, and Billy continued to cry. He went on and on about not meaning to do something until he fell silent. Max, with a hand up to the glass, let a few more tears slip as well. I had to bite my tongue to not fall to pieces myself. When I took note of his strangely quiet demeanor, it made me realize what was happening. "Max, move," I said lowly. Mike said the same, and we managed to swiftly grab her just in time to get her to safety. Something inside of Billy gave him strength like no other and allowed him to punch through the glass, flailing his arms wildly to try to grab at Max. 

"Be careful!" I exclaimed and watched as he angrily yelled and screamed like he never had. He was genuinely terrifying at this moment, and I had hoped never to see something like it ever again, but who's to say what would come in the next few days. Shit had just officially hit the fan in Hawkins, and I was right in the middle of it.