Komeko-chan

Billy pushed down on the lid of the trunk, closing it with a slam that echoed across the street. He planted his hands on the purring Camaro, took in the steadily darkening sky, then lifted his watch. 5:30 It was the last thing that needed to be done. The shotgun and the M1 had been loaded, the flashlights were filled with fresh batteries, and the bat had been pounded through with nails. A pale of raw beef chunks were were already waiting in the car, and the traps were ready to be set. Now that the car was filled with a small armory, the only thing left was to sit their asses down and actually leave. Unfortunately, the concept was harder to

Randy wasn’t actually going to Mr. Ruble’s classroom for lunch. There wasn’t even a paper due, but her constant fibs were coming easier and easier lately and the excuse had popped out without her thinking. No, it wasn’t a paper that was on her plate that afternoon, but actually Hargrove. After they had pulled into the school parking lot and Max had safely exited the vehicle, Hargrove had forced Randy back inside and given her very blunt instructions: to meet him at his car during lunch. When she’d asked why, he had looked annoyed and said, “Because we’re going to get our hair done.” After her l

The next morning, Billy got into his Camaro to leave without Peters, just as they had agreed. She wasn’t waiting for him when he went out, and she didn’t show after Max opened the passenger door and climbed into the back. Apparently, she’d meant what she said about not wanting anything to do with him. He was sure that he’d see her wallowing beside his car, begging for forgiveness. But she was just as unpredictable as usual, and as usual, he hated her for it. As much as he didn’t want to admit it even to himself, he was both surprised and frustrated that she’d taken the argument so seriously. He should have

The walk home was going to be a long, dark one, and Randy was dreading it. Her success at the library might have fulfilled her original goal and given Barb’s story some sustenance, but knowing that there was a possible connection between her and Hargrove’s monster run-in and Barb’s disappearance was not the least bit settling. If anything, it only confirmed her worst fears. Obviously this creature — whatever it was — knew its way around Hawkins, and obviously it was smart enough to evade public eye. And if it had managed to go unnoticed for a whole year, then there was every chance it would continue to do so unle

Billy drummed his fingers on the hood of his car as he glared at the middle school. Where the hell was Max? She was late, again. And she knew how pissed he got when she pulled that kind of shit. He had trained her to meet him at his car after school on time, every day. But ever since he started giving Peters rides, Max had gotten it into her head that Billy wouldn’t rip her a new one in front of a classmate. It was half true, of course — he didn’t need to repeat the  California incident — but he was quickly reaching the end of his patience, and Max was going to get it when he saw her. Peters or not. “How long a

Randy felt bad about the car, she really did. Even though she had managed to hose off the mud before they left for school the next morning, Hargrove’s usually sleek Camaro was still lacking its luster. And, oddly enough, so was Hargrove himself. She figured the car was just in need of a good wax, and the dent in the door could be pulled out with a little bit of elbow grease and a decent plunger. The mirror… Well, the mirror was a different story. It would take a good mechanic and probably a good dose of money to fix that mess. And Hargrove, as much as she hated to admit it, was making her feel awful about it. Not because of his g

Randy stared out the window as they drove. She tried so hard to blend in with the passenger seat; tried so hard to be invisible; tried so hard to disappear – she even held her breath a few times, worried that Hargrove might hear her breathing or see it fogging the window, then suddenly realize that she was in his car. She hoped that the longer they stayed quiet, the less likely he would be to snap at her or ask questions. Not because she was scared of him, but because she was ashamed of herself. And she really didn’t want to talk about it. But even though the majority of the ride was spent in a tense hush, Randy could tell by th

Billy was uncharacteristically tired of partying, and it wasn’t even midnight. Leaning against the wall of the living room, he took a long drag on his cigarette and watched the half-dressed girls and overambitious guys romp around in their alcohol-induced craze that may or may not have been a form of dancing. At this point, at least half the party was wasted, so any type of action had gone from semi-normal teenage stupidity to absolutely wasted shit. For Billy, who could hold his alcohol very well, the scene was pitiful. Even the party-hard jocks were plastered, and most had only downed three or four beers. Not that he was immune to t

“39… 40… 41… 42…” The crowd screamed as Billy lifted his head away from the empty keg, spitting out the last of the alcohol into the air. “42!” Michael announced over the cheers, and Billy took his cigarette from him, chest expanding as he inhaled smoke. “We have got ourselves a new. Keg. KING!” Billy’s head spun as his name roared from every direction. He pulled his cigarette from his lips, high from the adrenaline, and yelled, “That’s how you do it, Hawkins! That’s how you do it!” The sound of his name being chanted was like fire in his veins. He c

Billy lit his cigarette and dropped his weight against his car, exhaling moodily into the chilly autumn air. Max was late. Again. She was riding towards him on her skateboard, face flushed from the cold and hair whipping behind her. Her expression was as pleasant as his was as she met his gaze from across the parking lot, which was enough to set off his already touchy temper. He ground his teeth and rolled his cigarette between his fingers, trying to keep himself under control. Part of his problem, he knew, was the fact that it wasn’t really Max’s fault that he was so pissed. She was an easy target at that point – a nice