for the liveliness of your mind
Another contribution to Harringrove for Australia - thank you so much for your generosity @keziahrain! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is for the @harringroveweekoflove prompt flirting while fighting.
for the liveliness of your mind
“He’s alive,” El says, with her usual air of extreme drama. The curly-haired kid lets out an extended gasp.
“Who’s alive?” Billy says blankly.
Everyone stares at him. “Hopper!” Mike says, like this should be obvious.
The only thing Billy knows about the late sheriff is that he once hauled Billy home after the fight at the Byers’ place a couple of years ago. Sure, he’s been filled in along the way, but it’s not like this pronouncement means much to him. Beside him, Steve looks equally bewildered.
“So we have to rescue him,” Max says impatiently. Billy and Steve are obviously being slow.
“Why,” Billy says, “are you telling us?”
At this, there’s a pause. The kids look between each other somewhat guiltily. Will says: “We told mom, and she said we can’t go after him.”
“She’s too sad,” Will says, which makes Billy’s chest do something funny. He owes quite a lot to Joyce Byers. She’s the reason he has somewhere to go now, if his dad becomes too much. “I think she doesn’t want to think about the possibility he’s okay, in case she’s wrong.”
El makes a restless, impatient sound. “He’s alive,” she says. “But he’s not okay. He’s in the Upside Down.”
Thanks to Max and El, Billy has a much greater understanding now of what that means. “Okay,” he says again. “So Mrs Byers is out. What about your brother?” He glances at Mike. “Or your sister?”
“They’re at college,” Mike says, like that explains everything.
Billy barks out a laugh, because now it makes sense. “You’ve got some stupid-ass plan that’s going to get you killed, haven’t you?” he guesses.
“And you think we’re the only ones crazy enough to help you with it,” Steve finishes.
For a moment, there’s silence. Then, as though gearing himself up, Dustin says: “Yeah. So are you in?”
“Tell us the plan,” Billy says.
“That sucks,” Steve says.
“Sure does,” Billy agrees. “Let’s get going.”
