mary. [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xlix. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

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warning: some mature language

     The group of eight walked into the hospital, immediately trying to go visit Mrs. Driscoll all at once. The woman behind the front desk glanced up at them, then set her phone down at the large amount. 

     "Excuse me! Where do you think you're going?" she asked, standing up. 

     "Oh, um, I was just going to visit my grandma again," Nancy said with a wide smile. "And-And this is my family." The nurse looked at Lucas. 

     "Extended," he said. 

     "I don't care who they are. You know the rules. Two visitors at a time," the nurse told them forcefully. 

     "Yeah, but-" 

     "Two!" the nurse yelled, picking up her phone again. "Girl, this child has lost her mind. She brought a whole zoo in here." Mary motioned for Nancy and Jonathan to go, then walked to the waiting room with the kids. She was sat next to Will, bouncing her knee up and down nervously. He looked to her, a frown curving on his lips. 

     "We can get Billy back, you know?" Will asked. Mary looked at him, then nodded slightly. "If you got me back, we can get him back." 

     "Yeah, but most of his happiest memories are within the past eight months. Otherwise, he doesn't talk about California," Mary said, leaning back in her chair. "If we were to wake him up and get that thing out of him the way your mom got it out of you, it'd still be a problem." 

     "Billy's still in there, Mary. Just like I was," Will said, leaning towards her. "Don't give up hope." Mary looked at him, then nodded once. 

     "Thanks, kid," Mary said. She nudged him slightly, Will smiling. "You know, out of all Dustin's friends, you've always been my favorite. Don't tell Lucas, he thinks its him." 

     "Really?" Will asked with a smile. 

     "Yeah," Mary nodded. She looked to her left to see Mike sit next to Eleven, nodding for the two to go away. Mary smiled lightly, then stood and motioned for Will to follow her. Silence fell among the group, but only Max and Lucas were talking as they were trying to catch candy in their mouth's. The lights suddenly flickered, and Will sat up at the change. He stood up, walking forward slowly as the lights continued to flicker. Everyone stood then, noticing the lights flickering. Will paused, reaching his hand to the back of his neck. 

     "He's here," he said, shivering a bit. 

     "Nancy and Jonathan," Mary mumbled. She looked to the kids, beginning to walk to the elevator. They all followed her, the nurse looking up from the phone again. 

     "Hey, hey, hey! Two at a time!" she yelled. They ignored her, going to the elevator still. Mary hit the button several times, but none of the elevators opened. 

     "Stairs," Mike said. They all turned and sprinted up the stairs. They reached the third floor and saw Jonathan trying to break into a room. They ran that way, Eleven flinging the door open. The creature turned, screeching at her. "Jesus!" 

     "What the fu-" Max was cut off as the creature roared at them, Eleven extended a hand. She yelled and slammed it into the wall, then the one across from that, then the ceiling, then the floor. She yelled and extended two arms, sending it flying through the window. Once it didn't, Eleven breathed heavily. 

     "Go!" Eleven commanded them. 

     "Nancy!" Jonathan said, running into the room. They all sprinted down the stairs and out of the hospital, all screeching to a halt as they saw the creature on the ground. It began to go into the sour, squeezing through as it stretched its flesh. It went all the way through the sewers until it reached the main monster, which Billy and Heather stood in front of.