EPISODE FOUR
the sauna test.

THEY WAITED until the pool had closed and billy went to take a shower to strike. when they heard the shower turn off, nova quickly ran inside the changing rooms and slammed the door so he could hear.

"pools closed." he said calmly, she let out a nervous breath and slammed it again. "hey! you hear me?" he slammed the locker shut and began making his way over.

nova ran as quick as she could and locked door to the changing rooms before she hid behind a bunch of lockers as he yelled, "pool is closed—" before slamming against the door multiple times and nova shut the lights out.

"billy!" mike called out on the walkie and nova looked at him with a slight chuckle.

"who's there?" he asked lowly.

"billy!" mike said in a singing voice.

"who's there?" billy replied in the same tone as mike's laughter echoed through the changing room.

"billy! billy."

"you think this is funny, huh?" billy called out, mike laughed again as lucas ran in quietly and brought nova in for a hug as she smiled in relief.

"come and find me!" mike called out.

"i find you, and it is your funeral." billy replied sending shivers down nova's spine as they hid behind the lockers near the door in the weights room where the sauna was.

"come and get me! come on!" mike said on the walkie, eleven making the door to the weights room swing open so billy knew they were in there before he hid with them all, max, eleven and will hiding with them.

he walked into the weights room, and saw the fake body in the sauna and grinned widely as he clapped, laughing and ran towards it. "got you."

he opened it and lifted the body to the air using his hands as they all ran into the room waiting for him to turn around as he noticed it was fake.

"behind you." he said on the walkie as billy spun around, noticing eleven.

"hi." she spoke, throwing him into the wall using her powers before slamming the door shut as the group locked it and put a pole over the handle so he couldn't get out.

they all stood back behind eleven and watched with wide eyes as billy attempted to break out, and then his eyes landed on nova and max as his face dropped. "nova..."

they all turned to look at her worriedly, waiting for her words. she looked back before nodding, "do it."

will turned up the sauna heat and ran back to them as they watched nervously. "nova! let me out of here!" he banged on the door as she watched with wide eyes.

"let me out! you kids...you think this is funny?" he spat on the door as they all winced, "you kids think this is some kind of sick prank, huh? you little shits think this is funny?!" he yelled.

"quite the opposite actually." nova replied sarcastically, feeling her heart pounding against her chest.

"open the door..." he he said calmly, and then banged on it loudly as they all flinched, "open the door! open the door! open the goddamn door!"

billy fell back and screamed in agony as will looked at the temperature in shock. "we're at 220."

they all widened their eyes but then frowned when they heard billy crying. nova's face fell as she listened to him cry, she hadn't heard him cry since they were younger. "it's not my fault. it's not my fault. it's not my fault, nova."

nova ignored the others who were calling her back and slowly walked over to the door. "i promise you, it's not my fault." he was sitting down, his hands together as if he was praying for her forgiveness.

"what's not your fault, billy?" she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes seeing the state of him.

"i've done things, nova. really...bad things. i didn't mean to! i'm sorry. he made me do it." he whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"who made you do it?" she whispered, he sniffled.

"it's like a shadow...like a giant shadow. please, nova." he sobbed as a tear rolled down nova's cheek, from behind her, everyone watched with wide eyes as max's eyes filled with tears. "what did he make you do?" she asked him

he sobbed loudly, laying down against the cold floor, "i tried to stop him, i did! it's not my fault! please, nova! it's not my fault. please believe me, novy." novy. he hadn't called her that since they were kids. since before all the shit that happened. nova's tears flowed down her cheeks and hope filled her body for the first time in a long time. "please believe me, novy."

"billy. i believe you. i promise. i do. we all do." she put her hand against the glass, almost reaching out to him. "it's gonna be okay." a sob escaped her lips, "we want to help you." she whispered.

"please, nova." he sobbed again.

"just trust me, please. i'm gonna help you. i'm gonna make it all go away, okay?" she promised, not noticing billy's sadness turn to anger.

"nova get away from the door." mike suddenly spoke as her body froze.

"what?" she whispered.

"get away from the door!" mike screamed in a panic.

a loud scream escaped nova's lips as the window smashed, glass going everywhere, and billy grabbed her arm, raising the shard of brick from the wall in his hands, "let me out, you bitch! let me out! i'll fucking gut you, nova!" he attempted to cut her arm with the brick but lucas had yanked her out of billy's grip and into his arms as she sobbed.

he pulled the pole out of the way, screaming to let him out as lucas hit him in the head with his sling shot, before cradling nova in his arms as she sobbed quietly.

the lights began to flicker as they all widened their eyes in fear. billy got up, and began launching himself at the door, all the veins in his body were turning black as nova let out a sob.

"he can't get out, can he?" max whispered, also holding nova.

"no way...no way." lucas spoke shaking his head in disbelief.

billy practically roared as the door crashed open and they all let out yells in fear as he stood up and faced them. eleven immediately stepped in front of nova, who was standing with lucas who had his arm around her, and raised her arm up, the heavy weight lifting into the air as they all widened their eyes.

the weight slammed against billy's throat and pushed him against the wall, sending cracks to it and nova's hand went to her mouth in shock.

eleven used two hands to push the weight further, screaming as she grew weaker, however billy somehow managed flung the weight off him and ran towards eleven.

he grabbed her by the hair, and stared at them all, before placing his hand around her neck and chocking her so hard eleven couldn't breath. everyone watched in fear as he lifted eleven into the air, eleven had turned red and mike finally ran forward, hitting billy with the pole, causing him to drop eleven, who fell down to the floor with a gasp.

"go to hell, you piece of shit!" mike yelled as he slammed the pole down, however billy spun around and grabbed it throwing it away as he stepped towards mike threateningly.

mike was backed into the wall as billy suddenly began lifting into the air, they all looked to see eleven, her hands raised as she let out grunts in pain.

billy was screaming as eleven turned to stand in front of mike, a loud scream escaping her lips as she flung billy at the wall, him flying straight through it as nova widened her eyes, lucas still holding her as eleven slid down the wall into mikes arms.

nova slowly walked over to the wall, and saw that billy had ran off, yelling in pain as the group joined her, mixed emotions on their faces.

a tear rolled down nova hargrove's cheek as she watched billy run, more hope slowly leaving her body as she looked at max in realisation. max seemed to have realised what nova was thinking as she brought her sister into a hug, quiet sobs escaping nova's lips.

i love nova and im sad when she is sad