day of the dark

. ✧ ・゜. +・o ✧

Having a friend (babysitter?) who was an employee at Starcourt Mall definitely had its perks, Gabe mused as he, along with the rest of the party, was ushered behind the counter. Ever since Steve had gotten this job at Starcourt Mall, and they'd found out that the back room led straight into the movie theatre, they'd been sneaking their way into movies without paying a dime. And sure, it may have been a teensy bit illegal, but Alina, Lucas, and Mike had all been fugitives when they were twelve years old, so they probably thought nothing of this. Gabe, on the other hand, couldn't help the guilt that twanged inside of him every time he slipped into another movie. Sometimes, on their way out, he'd even slip some money onto the counter.

"Come on, come on." Steve urged them through the door, as they slipped by, one by one, hoping not to get the attention of any other employees that may be roaming these back halls. Gabe, who was last, took a moment to pause in front of him, the boy (well, he was about an adult now) who would probably get fired from his job if word got out of what he was doing, but still risked it all to help them (although he wouldn't be losing much even if he was fired—he made like three dollars an hour—Gabe still appreciated the thought) and smiled.

"Thanks, Steve," he said. "We all really appreciate this."

Steve just waved him off. "Yeah, yeah," he said, but he was grinning. "Get the hell out of here, Burton."

But he did high-five him. So he got at least a few points for that. Still, as Gabe hustled down the hall after his friends, Steve called his customary warning. "I swear," he said, "if anybody hears about this—"

"—we're dead!" the six members said in sync. Gabe didn't think they'd be found out, and, even if they were, Steve could just call bluff, say he didn't know anything about it. And it wasn't like they could get un trouble, anyway. Who was going to punish them? The Chief of Police, who had done plenty of illegal things himself and also happened to be El's dad? Yeah, right.

Alina gave Steve a thumbs-up, and he sighed, reentering the ice cream store. The six party members continued walking down the hall, until they reached the door leading into the movie theatre. Mike, who was first in line, had the task of checking to make sure there was nobody around, and after a couple of tense moments, he gave them the all-clear, and the group made their way back into the public.

They were watching a horror movie today, which was Gabe's least favourite genre of film. He couldn't help it. When he was younger, he'd been scared of the smallest things—the ever-looming feeling that something was lurking in the heavy dark, the creak of the floorboard which meant Linda was around, the scratches of tree branches against his window. He'd have nightmares about witches and goblins and ghouls coming to steal him away in the night, to put clawed hands over his mouth to muffle his screams, and he'd wake up soaked in sweat and unable to fall back asleep for the rest of the night.

Plus, he'd basically lived through a horror movie last year, which maybe made it more bearable for the others, but only freaked him out more, because now he knew terrifying things didn't just happen behind a screen—and who knew if they would crawl their way out?

But he came regardless, because he loved his friends, and it also gave him an excuse to grab Will's hand during jumpscares. Sure, it was only for a tense moment, but for that tense moment, he could feel himself disintegrate. In a good way. And for once, the feel of Will's hand in his wasn't something scarier than the zombies or serial killers on-screen. It was just normal.

They arrived in the theatre—they were watching Day of the Dead—just as the previews ended, where an on-screen cartoon soft drink was being hurled into a garbage can, and squeezed through the crowd to find seats. There weren't six in a row—obviously, the theatre was packed—so Will, Mike, and Gabe sat a row behind Alina, Lucas, and Max. Gabe found himself squished between Will and Mike, and Alina was between Max and Lucas.

"See, Lucas?" Mike called down. "We made it."

"We missed the previews," Lucas argued, still smarting over Mike's lateness. Gabe rolled his eyes, but Max just smirked.

"Still made it, Fart Face."

"Nobody really cares about the previews, anyway," Gabe added, settling into his seat as the music began to swell. Somebody from behind him shushed him, and he blanched, uttering a hasty apology that could barely be heard. Pressing his lips shut, Gabe took a breath and tried to enjoy the movie.

Will opened his bag, producing the selection they'd stocked up on back at home, and began to pass cans of soda to the others. Gabe helped pass them along and then popped the tab of his own Coke, taking a sip as Will began to hang out candy.

Alina, in the other row, accepted her package of M&M's without question. Sneaking into movie theatres was questionable, but sneaking food into movie theatres was practically a felony—which was probably why so many did it. She watched the on-screen woman blink blearily at the audience, before standing up to the calendar tacked onto the wall. The room was blank, and, as she watched, Alina furrowed her brow, popping an M&M into her mouth. The barrenness of this room reminded her of the blankness of the black void she'd gone into when she'd 'lost' her abilities.

She poured the rest of the candy onto the palm of her hand, passing some to Lucas, who grinned, trading her for some Skittles, before the audio suddenly slowed. The movie fizzled, the frames switching over each other, and then the projector shut off, plunging the theatre into darkness. Boos immediately came from the audience, and the watching party members joined in. The movie had barely been on for a minute.

"Come on!" groaned Max from beside her, and as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the two of them could make out some candy and popcorn being thrown at the screen. Alina tossed a couple M&Ms and waited, frustrated, for the movie to turn back on—if it would.

But it wasn't just the theatre being plunged into darkness. No, in a matter of moments the entire mall had been overtaken. Everything from Scoops Ahoy to the escalators shut off, leaving everyone blind. It didn't stop there, though. The darkness spread like a disease, stretching through the neighborhood, and then further, until all of Hawkins, it seemed, had been affected. Everyone from Gabe's grandma to Lucas's little sister to Alina and Will's brother shared, for this tense moment, the uncertainty.

And then the movie reel sputtered, and turned right back on again. Cheers spread through the theatre as the music began to play, but Alina just paused. Her eyebrows knitted together, her eyes widened a little, and her mouth contorted into a frown. For so came the feeling, the one she'd felt at the quarry. The shiver that ran down her spine, made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The cheers went numb in her ears as she sat there, imbedded with a deep, deep feeling that something was seriously wrong.

In the row behind her, Will Byers felt the same chill, and then he was thirteen years old again, staring down the giant shadow that loomed over Hawkins Middle, telling it with a trembling voice to go away, he was lying on that bed, his mind slipping away, burning, burning from the inside out. He was thirteen, and his face was crawling with black streaks, and his mouth was open in a scream, letting loose the creature that had stuffed its way into him.

The Mind Flayer's gone, the siblings each told themselves firmly. It's gone. Alina rested her head on Lucas's shoulder. Will found himself reaching for Gabe's hand as hundreds burst through the wall on-screen. Gone, gone, gone. Vomited or expelled out. Trapped in the Upside Down. Gone.

In that moment, Alina ached for her dad. She ached for the way he used to run his fingers through her hair, the way he'd hug her, nestling her close, and it was like he was a gentle giant and she was a fairy, so vast he seemed, she missed his eggs, the way he'd tenderly pick up Skywalker, and, most of all, the way he'd comfort her. When Brandon Fairgrieves told her everything was alright, she knew it would be.

But in this movie theater, she had nobody to tell her everything was alright, and she couldn't help but think that maybe everything wouldn't be.

Will had held his hand tonight. Throughout nearly the entire movie, Will's hand had been in his, his eyes glued to the screen and his mind locked in a distant wonderland. Halfway through, Gabe had started to have to go to the bathroom, but he hadn't moved, afraid of waking the boy up from whatever trance he'd been in. When the movie had finally ended, Gabe's hand had been soaked with sweat, but it had been worth it. So, so worth it.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Gabe said now, sitting on his unmoving bike. It was late now, but his grandparents were used to his late arrivals now. It was summer, and he had friends, so why wouldn't he spend as much time with them as he could? He'd never been this exhilarated in his life, never had gone over and spent hours crammed in a basement, playing board games and just talking. He'd never had sleepovers and bike races and campfires.

In Chicago, his friends never cared. Sure, he ate with them at lunch, helped them with their homework, but they never comforted him when he was upset or ever hung out with him outside of school. Life in Chicago was sweltering; life in Hawkins was freeing. And as Gabe kicked off, pumping his legs through the blistering humidity of the summer night, he was, yet again, glad he'd run away. The scariest thing he'd ever done had turned out to be the best.

He could remember every single detail of that night—the most terrifying one he'd ever had. He'd packed his things the night before, and, instead of going to school the next day, he'd hopped on the bus, carrying everything he'd ever needed on his back. During the entire ride, he'd been hyperventilating, watching the buildings of Chicago turn into highways, and wondered if he'd made a mistake. Yet he wouldn't move. Wouldn't stand up and admit failure. He'd just kept going, until he was further and further away from it all—from Linda, from his dad, from his life.

Once he'd reached Hawkins, he'd made his way to his grandparent's house. It had been night then, and he'd jumped at every small noise. Luckily, he remembered the route, and, his hands trembling with cold, he'd rang the doorbell.

His grandfather had opened the door, and he'd jolted back in surprise at the sight of his grandson on the front steps—lugging a backpack that was basically the size of him on his back. Gabe had smiled awkwardly at him, aware of how shit he looked, and then licked his lips. "Hi, grandpa."

And bless him, Gabe's grandpa hadn't asked him a thing. Hadn't inquired as to why he'd come, what he was doing here, how he'd gotten here. Didn't yell, either, didn't let his anger push Gabe away from the door. Instead, one hand on his cane, clad in a fluffy pink bathrobe, he'd only said, "Gabe. Why don't you come in?"

. ✧ ・゜. +・o ✧

a/n: okay i knowww i should've had this whole starcourt mall into one chapter like literally what was the point of two chapters? spoiler: there was no point. but it is what it is and i promise the next chapters won't be so pointless omg.

posting again today to celebrate the fact that i finished writing this book!! it's close to 145k words in length, is super dark and sad and i love it, it's literally my baby. and i was wondering that, as a celebration, anyone wanted to do a q&a for this series? i'd probably post it in mad'ouk since it's complete and y'all could drop your questions in the comments here :). and if nobody does, i am going to delete this part of the author's note ❤️

'till next time!