The Girl With the Red Hair

XII. Dusty-Bun and Suzie Poo

     El was sitting down in front of the static TV in her living room. She'd had her blindfold on for about two minutes and Mike was getting visibly nervous. El's breath became heavier and Max shifted uncomfortably next to Benny on the couch. El began to gasp and she pulled off her blindfold.

"What's he doing now?" Max asked her.

El turned to her, "He's in his room. He's just... sitting on his bed."

The other seven in the living room furrowed their brows at the unusual behavior of Billy. El breathed deeply and stood up to get a glass of water.

    "And that's not normal, right?" Nancy crossed her arms, trying to figure out Billy's plan.

   "Billy staying in his room on the Fourth of July? No, that's not normal," Max rested her head on her hand.

   "He wants us to find him," Will frowned.

  "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. If we go to Billy, then the rest of the flayed know where we are."

   "It's a trap," Benny shrugged.

  "We'll be ambushed," Mike nodded.

   "We won't be surprised. We'll know that they're coming and we will kick their flayed butts," Lucas grinned at at Benny, who was on the other side of the couch. Benny grinned back and held his hand out for a high five.

    Max, who was in the middle of the two, grabbed his wrist and put his hand down, "You mean El will kick their butts."

    "It's too risky," Mike shot the idea down almost immediately.

   "Yeah, and unnecessary. Killing the flayed won't stop the Mind Flayer. We have to find out where it's spreading from. We have to find the source," Nancy had her brows furrowed and she was deep in thought.

"Billy knows it," El re-entered the living room. "Billy's been there. To the source."

"Benny's been there, too, right?" Will looked at his friend.

"Yeah, it's the..." Benny snapped his fingers, trying to remember the lettering on the run down structure, "it's the steelworks place."

"Which one?" Johnathon walked over to the phone book.

"Shit, uh, Brim- Brimborn, I think."

"Are you sure?"

"Not one hundred percent, no."

"I think there's another way. A way for me to see where he's been," El suggested. Johnathon and Benny shared a look before nodding, and the teen made his way back over to Nancy.

The TV in the living room was switched to static again and El took her usual seat in front of it. Benny and Max were the first to take their spots on the couch as Mike crouched down in front of El, whispering to her softly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Max abruptly asked as she turned to Benny.

"Tell you... what?" He tilted his head.

"What you saw. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you, it's not like I actually believed it at first."

"You told Will," Max shrugged.

"Are you jealous or something?" He teased her, trying to lighten the mood.

"You wish," she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

The two's attention was caught by El grabbing Mike's hand, "I need you to trust me."