You turn heel and bolt, slipping a bit in the mud.
You hear Billy shout after you: "Hey! I need help!"
You don't turn. You don't stop. You sprint through the grass and clamber over the fence to take a shortcut back to the parking lot.
Your hands shake so badly, you drop your keys as you try to unlock your car door. You curse, but finally get the door wrenched open. You scramble into the driver's seat and lock the door behind you.
You start the car and reverse. When you glance forward, you shriek in fright. Billy stands in front of your windshield, lit up by the headlights. He's somehow moved impossibly fast to get to that spot this quickly.
Your stomach turns at how his eyes glint. He's up to something, and you are not going to stick around and see what it is.
You jerk the steering wheel and peel out of the parking lot, heart pounding.
You wonder if you should call the police or paramedics. If Billy really is hurt, you shouldn't just ignore that. But you're unsettled by his behavior and hate the thought of him hurting some rookie beat cop because he couldn't dig his hooks into you.
You make sure to lock your door extra tight when you get home. When you fall asleep, you dream of being hunted.
***
At work the next day, your mind keeps wandering to your run-in with Billy. You shudder at the thought of what he was up to, but also feel a smidge of guilt at leaving a bleeding man behind.
You remember that one of the kids Steve babysits is Billy's stepsister. You wonder if you should find her, talk to her, see if Billy is okay. Steve would know where she is.
You head to Scoops Ahoy on your lunch break to talk to him. You expect to see him behind the counter, taking orders and (badly) flirting with all the girls his age.
However, he's nowhere to be seen. The "sailor" at the cash register wears a nametag that says "Mickey."
"Ahoy!" Mickey says as you approach the counter. "What can I do for you today, sailor?"
"Hey, uh, sailor," you say. You awkwardly salute him—you aren't sure why, but it feels like the right thing to do. "Uh, is Steve here, by any chance?"
Mickey sighs and shakes his head.
"Nope. He's playing hooky today. Probably wanted an extra day of his holiday break. But I'm happy to serve you. Can I interest you in a Seven Seas Shake? It's a milkshake with seven secret flavors."
"Can I just get two scoops of butterscotch?" you say. "In a cup, not a cone."
"Coming right up!"
Mickey prepares your dessert and you pay him before heading back out to the food court, hoping you'll see Billy's sister shopping at the mall today.
***
You don't.
In fact, you don't see any of Steve's "kids." It's weird—since June 1st, they've spent nearly every day at the mall. And the one day you need them, they're nowhere to be found.
As you walk toward the mall exit after closing, two girls who work at Claire's walk five yards ahead of you, gossiping loud enough for you to hear.
"He stood me up!" the blonde girl in the purple scrunchie says. "He ditched our dinner date, and then Becky came in the store today and said she saw him with freaking Heather Holloway."
"Ugh! The nerve!" the redhead in the sparkly headband says. "You can do so much better than Billy Hargrove."
"I hear Steve Harrington is still single," the blonde says. "Too bad he's obviously still mooning for Nancy Wheeler."
"No, that's long over," the redhead says. They reach the mall's front doors, and before they slam shut, her voice carries just far enough for you to hear: "But I think Steve's got a crush on the newbie who works in the bookstore."
You can't help the goofy, lovesick smile that spreads across your face. You feel giddy, like a tweenager being asked to the movies for the first time. Steve likes you? For real?
The concern for Billy melts out of your head. Sure, maybe your priorities are skewed, but right now, all you can think about is one man. One silly, sweet sailor man.
Also, Billy might have tried to kill you. So maybe you don't care what he's got going on.
When you get home, you scan the phone book for the number of the Harrington residence. You rehearse what you're going to say and then call, heart hammering away.
No answer. You frown and leave a voicemail.
"Hey, Steve!" you say. "It's me. I missed you at the mall today. Call me back when you get this—I have something important to ask you."
You don't really want to, but you try to call Billy and Max's house next, remembering the original reason you wanted to talk to Steve. Their father answers and is not enthused by your line of questioning.
"I don't know where Billy is," Mr. Hargrove growls. "Don't call again!"
"Jesus Christ," you mutter after you hear the dial tone. "What a dick."
You head to bed, figuring that tomorrow is a new day to try again.
***
It's July Fourth, meaning you only have to work a half day before the bookstore closes early. When you arrive at work, most of your coworkers are gathered in the break room, murmuring and watching the news on a tiny TV.
"What's going on?" you ask, after putting your things in your employee locker. You scan the group, surprised to see one coworker missing. "And where's Kenny?"
Alicia, the only other employee your age, says, "Oh my God, did you see the news?"
"No, what happened?"
"There was an attack in the hospital last night," Alicia says. "On the top floor. Every patient and orderly was killed."
You stop breathing for a second.
"Wait, what?"
"Kenny's brother was an orderly," Scott, an older coworker, adds. "His whole family is reeling at the news."
"I can't even imagine!" Alicia says.
You can. When your firefighter dad died suddenly last year on the job, the grief consumed you. It threatened to swallow you whole. You imagine Kenny is feeling the same right now and it makes your chest ache.
"Do they know who did it?" you ask. But you have a suspect in mind: Billy Hargrove. Is it possible that if you had helped him or called the police the other night, this wouldn't have happened?
But then you glance at the TV screen and see footage of the bloodied hospital floors, of body bags lined up, and you realize if you had helped Billy, you might've ended up in one of those body bags.
"No leads yet," Alicia says. "But Scott here has a ridiculous theory."
"It's not ridiculous!" Scott snaps. "Pennhurst isn't a prison. Someone could break out."
"It's one step below prison," Alicia says. "And their security is tighter than Fort Knox."
"Uh, what's Pennhurst?" you ask.
"Oh, right," Alicia says, "you're new in town. Pennhurst is the mental hospital in the next county over."
"And I'd bet anything that whoever did this is an escaped patient!" Scott says. "This reeks of a Creel massacre."
The name Creel sends a shiver down your spine. But you aren't entirely sure why.
Your manager, Delores, enters the back room with a somber expression and wringing hands.
"I wish I could say it was a good morning, team," she says, "but unfortunately, it is not. As many of you have heard by now, our dear Kenny is suffering a loss, as well as many other families in Hawkins. Because of that, we will not be opening today. Please, use this day off to be with your families and try to enjoy the day."
Everyone thanks Delores and wishes her a Happy Fourth before gathering their things and shuffling out into the employee hallway.
You don't have family to spend time with, and you're much too concerned about what's happening in town to enjoy anything. You're at an impasse.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
A. TRY AND FIND STEVE - go to page 13
B. INVESTIGATE THE HOSPITAL MURDERS - go to page 14