Two of a kind...... A Billy Hargrove story

Chapter 31: The fourth of July

Kali watched in amusement as Max and Mike argued back and forth about who should decide El's limits. After the hospital they had driven over to Hoppers cabin as they tried to come up with a new plan. When they arrived Kali found herself falling in love with the small but beautiful cabin, it may have been a little run down and hidden away but she could imagine living here or at least somewhere similar. Ever since she was little Kali had loved the peace and quiet, she often found herself adventuring out into the woods to try and find a quiet spot away from her father, she had even made a little fort in the woods and filled it with all of her favourite things, books, comics, tapes and even a portable radio. It was her own little slice of heaven.

Nancy looked like she was ready to knock the kids heads together as they continued bickering like an old married couple "and it's also precisely the reason why she dumped your ass" Max spat at Mike, his mouthing falling open in shock "El dumped you?!" Kali and Nancy said in unison, both of them surprised by the news. It didn't take long before Mike began arguing again, screaming in Max's face about how she was corrupting El, Kali could tell that Nancy was getting tired of the argument, they had more important stuff to be focussing on and Kali agreed with both Max and Nancy that El knew her abilities better then anyone else but Mike wasn't backing down, "I don't want her to die looking for the flayed when they've obviously vanished off the face of the earth. So can we please just come up with a new plan because I love her and I can't loose her again!" The room fell silent as everyone stared at Mike. None of them knew what to say or do after hearing his confession "what's going on?" Everyone's gaze snapped over to El as she walked out of the bedroom, wiping the blood away from her nose. Mike looked to the floor "nothing, nothing" he spoke quietly as he shuffled his feet "just a family discussion" Kali smiled over to the young girl who smiled weakly at her in return "I found him".

The group all sat around El once again as she placed a blindfold over her eyes, the only sound in the room was the static coming from the tv. El had explained that she had found Billy and now they needed to know what he was doing so that they could think of a plan "and that's not normal right?" Nancy questioned when El said that Billy was just sat in his room "Billy staying in his room on the Fourth of July? No that's not normal" Max spoke as she kept her gaze on El. Kali thought back to how her and Billy had made plans to go to the carnival and watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July, it would be their first holiday together as a couple and it was something that had planned to do every year for the rest of their lives, she smiled and started to tear up at the memory, "it's a trap I agree. We'll be ambushed" Kali returned to reality as Nancy spoke, "we'll know that they're coming and we will kick their flayed butts" Mike spoke up, a hint of excitement filled his voice "you mean El will kick their butts" Max rolled her eyes at the young boy as she corrected him "we have to find the source" Nancy spoke once again "Billy knows it" El muttered as she pulled the blindfold from her eyes. The group argued back and forth about how it was a trap and that the mind flayer will know where they were if El continued her search but El was determined to save her friends. She pulled the blindfold back on and steadied her breathing once again as she focussed on the static coming from the tv. The rest of the group watched in anticipation as El seemed to disappear into a void, she was no longer talking to them and blood began to fall from her nose.

Kali sat on the edge of her seat as El began whimpering "somethings wrong" she spoke softly, turning the groups attention back to El but nothing happened, she continued to whimper and scream as Mike ran and sat in front of her, taking her hand in his "El, are you okay?" There was no response. Mike began to panic as he continued asking if she was okay, finally she spoke "I'm okay" Kali and Mike both let out a breath that they didn't realise they were holding as she spoke "what's going on?" Max asked softly as she shuffled herself along the floor "I'm on a beach" the group looked around at each other in confusion "okay I may be dense but the last I checked, there weren't any beaches in Hawkins" Lucas spoke nervously "what else do you see?" Kali asked as she watched El's brows furrow as if she was concentrating on her surroundings "a woman, she's... she's pretty. I.. I think she's looking at me" Kali and Max shared a look when they realised where El's mind had lead her.