-003/Trisha Henderson POV-
Max and I opened all the showers, while El made her blindfold from swimming goggles.
"Be careful" I whispered before she put them on.
"I will" she said and put the goggles on.
"What do you see?" I asked.
"A door" she said. "A red door"
Soon she pulled off her goggles and was hyperventilating.
"El!" I said and took her in my arms. "You're safe, you're okay"
~
We went to the house El had seen.
She opened it with her mind and we entered.
"This is her house" said Max.
"What?" said El.
"Heather's house" said Max.
We heard laughing and we went into the living room.
Where Billy was... eating dinner.
"Max, Trisha" said Billy. "And Trisha's little sister, right?"
"We didn't mean to... barge in" said Max. "We tried to knock, but... maybe you didn't hear us over the storm"
"I'm sorry, who is this dripping all over my living room right now?" asked the older male.
"I'm sorry" chuckled Billy, he looked normal... "Janet, Tom, this... is my sister, Maxine. And that's Trisha, and her little sister. What on earth are you doing here? Is something wrong?"
"Are you for real?" I whispered, I was getting angry, furious...
"We just wanted to make sure everything was okay" said Max.
"Okay?" asked Billy. "Why wouldn't it be okay?"
"Where is she?" asked El.
"I'm sorry" he said. "Where is who?"
"Well, they're a little burnt, I'm sorry..." Heather walked in and I looked at Billy.
I could see guilt in his eyes, I could feel it.
"I cannot believe you" I whispered and slapped him. "I stood up for you, defended you! Why are you doing this to me?"
I began to cry and his hand went up to touch my face.
"Don't touch me" I threatened and he stopped.
"Trish..." he said. "I'm sorry"
"I cannot believe you right now" I whispered. "I just can't believe I let you in. I guess I should've listened to everyone after all"
"Trisha!" he yelled when I started walking away. He followed me out into the rain and grabbed my arm. "I need you to listen!"
"No!" I screamed. "Why would I? You're clearly more happy with Heather!"
"I promise you it's not like that!" he shouted and grabbed my face. "You're the only one"
"You understand I have trouble believing that, don't you?" I asked and he nodded.
"I promise" he whispered and kissed hard on my lips. "I promise. I fucking promise"
"Billy" I whispered.
"You need to go" he said. "Just... trust me, Trish. I really don't want to hurt you"
He was crying, but with the rain it was hard to see. It was like he was fighting...
"I'm begging you" he said. "Trust me, believe me. I need you to believe me! You're the only one I..."
His eyes changed and he let me go, he walked back inside.
El and Max walked out to me and both hugged me.
~
I wore Billy's sweater, I couldn't get his words out of my head.
I somehow fell asleep, I woke up by my radio.
"I repeat, this is a code red" it was Lucas.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Three! You need to come over to Mike's asap!" said Lucas.
"Okay" I said. "Be there in 10"
I quickly drove to Mike's house, El and Max were also on their way.
I was worried about Dustin, I hadn't seen him and he wasn't at the house...
"I didn't think it was anything at first" said Will after explaining everything. "I mean, I think I just didn't want to believe it. The first time I felt it was at Day of the Dead"
"Power went out that night too" said Mike.
"And then I felt it again at the field near the Nelson farm the next day" said Will. "Then again yesterday outside Castle Byers"
"What does it feel like?" I asked.
"It's almost like... you know when you drop on a roller coaster?" he asked.
Everyone said yes except me and El.
"It's like... everything inside your body is just sinking all at once, but... this is worse" he said. "Your body... it goes cold and... and you can't breathe. I've felt it before, whenever he was close"
"Whenever who was close?" asked Max.
"The Mind Flayer" said Will.
"I closed the gate" said El.
"I know, but..." he said. "What if he never left? What if we locked him out here with us?"
Will grabbed some paper and coal.
"This is him" he said and began to draw some sort of spider. "But that day on the field, a part of him attached itself to me"
He wiped his hand over the paper, it was now black.
"My mom got it out of me" he said. "And Eleven closed the gate. But the part that was still in me, what if it's still in our world? In Hawkins"
"I don't understand" said Max. "The Demo-dogs died when El closed the gate. If the brain dies, the body dies"
"We can't take any chances" said Mike. "We need to assume the worst. The Mind Flayer's back"
"Yeah, and if he is..." said Will. "He'd want to attach himself to someone again. A new me"
"A new host" said Lucas.
"How can you tell if someone is a host?" I asked.
~
"I don't know" said Max, looking through the binoculars. "He looks pretty normal to me"
"Normal?" said Lucas. "How many times have you seen him with a shirt on?"
"I mean, it's a little weird" said Max.
"More than a little" said Mike. "He was in a tub with ice. The Mind Flayer likes it cold. And his behaviour towards Three, it's exactly like Will's"
"But he's lounging at the pool" said Max. "Which is like the least Mind Flayer thing ever"
"Not necessarily" said Will. "The Mind Flayer likes to hide. He only used me when he needed me. It's like... like you're dormant. And then when he needs you, you're activated"
"Okay, so we just... wait until he gets activated" said Max.
"No, what if he hurts someone?" asked Mike.
"Or kills someone" said Will.
"We can't take that chance" said Mike. "We need to find out if he's the host"
He began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" asked El.
"I have an idea. Boys only" he said.
"Seriously?" said Max.
"Just trust me on this one!" he shouted.
~
When the boys returned and explained the plan to lock Billy up in the sauna, I stayed with Max to keep an eye on Billy.
"I really hope it's not him" said Max.
"Me too" I whispered.
"We heard, what he said" she said. "I was wrong. He... he doesn't just like you, Trisha. He loves you"
I looked at her and she smiled.
"He really does" she said.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"I just do" she said. "It's the way he talks to you and looks at you"
"I just want him back" I whispered.
"We'll get him back" she said. "If he's controlled by the Mind Flayer, we'll get it out of him. And if he's not, I'll kick his ass"
"I'll join you" I chuckled and hugged her. "You really are an amazing friend, Max"
~
"Hey! Pool's closed!" shouted Billy, after I used my powers to make the doors move. "Do you hear me? Pool is closed!"
"Okay, go Three" said Mike.
"Billy?" I said, pretending to be scared.
"Trisha?!" he yelled.
"Billy! Help me!" I yelled through the walkie.
"Billy!" said Mike, changing his voice. "You better hurry"
"Who's there?" yelled Billy. "If you harm even one perfect little hair on her head! You are dead!"
"Billy! Please!" I screamed.
"Where are you?!" he yelled.
"Come and find her!" said Mike.
"I find you, and you're dead!" shouted Billy.
He was getting closer and closer to the sauna.
"Found you" he said.
"Come and get me, you piece of shit" said Mike.
Billy opened the door to the sauna and saw the dummy.
"Hey, behind you" said Mike.
Billy looked behind him and saw Eleven.
"Hi" she said and used her powers to push him completely in the room.
"Now!" yelled Mike and I used my powers to hold the door closed, while the others barricaded it.
He was trapped...
"Max, Trish?" he said. I held Max's hand tightly, she was as scared as I was...
"Do it" I whispered.
Will turned up the heat..
He was beginning to sweat more and more, breathing more heavily.
"You kids..." he said. "You think this is funny? You kids think this is some kind of sick prank, huh? You little shits think this is funny?! What is this? Open the door. Open the door! Open the door! Open the goddamn door!"
He fell backwards and suddenly we heard him scream.
"We're at 220" said Will.
Billy began to cry...
"It's not my fault" he cried. "It's not my fault. It's not my fault, Trish. I promise you, it's not my fault"
I walked closer and looked through the window.
Billy was on his knees, begging... crying...
"What's not your fault, Billy?" I asked.
"I've done things, Trish" he cried. "Really... bad things. I didn't mean to. He made me do it"
"Who made you do it?" I asked.
"I don't know, it's like a shadow" he said. "Like a giant shadow. Please, baby"
"What did he make you do?" I asked, beginning to tear up.
"It's not my fault, okay?!" he cried. "Trisha, please! Please believe me, it's not my fault! I love you, Trish! Please believe me! I tried to stop him, okay? I did! But if I didn't do what he told me to, he'd kill you Trish! Please believe, me. Please believe me"
I touched the glass and began to cry.
"I love you too, Billy" I cried and he looked at me. "I believe you, I do. It's gonna be okay"
"Trish, please" he cried.
"It's gonna be okay" I said. "We want to help you. We want to help you. You just have to talk to us, okay? Talk to me, please. I believe you, Billy. We'll figure it out together, okay? Please, trust me"
"Three, get away from the door" said Mike.
"What?" I said.
"Get away from the door!" he yelled and I dodged Billy's arm just in time...
He had broken the glass...