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THE GROUP BOLTED THROUGH STARCOURT MALL, ADRENALINE SURGING THROUGH THEIR VEINS AS THE DEAFENING ROARS OF THE MIND FLAYER ECHOED BEHIND THEM.

None of them dared to look back; the monster was getting closer, its towering form moving with terrifying speed. Isadora, already lagging behind, winced with every step as searing pain shot through her leg, each stride becoming more difficult than the last. She grit her teeth, willing herself to push through the agony. Her friends needed her, and stopping was not an option.

The nightmare had begun when the Mind Flayer shattered through the mall's structure, splitting their group in two. Hazel, Nancy, Jonathan, Will, and Lucas had been forced to escape in one direction, while Isadora had stayed with Laura, Mike, Max, and Eleven. Together, they had fled through a narrow stairwell, hearts pounding as the beast's destruction echoed behind them. The moment they burst through the mall's exit and into the outside air, a thick, choking cloud of smoke filled their lungs. The night was alive with flames, and the acrid scent of burning metal clung to the air.

Isadora, her leg barely holding up, came to a stop. "Wait," she whispered breathlessly, her voice strained but sharp enough to make the others pause. She staggered forward a few steps, her wide eyes fixed on a horrific sight ahead of them. Billy's blue Camaro was now engulfed in a violent blaze. The fire roared hungrily as smoke billowed into the night sky, casting an ominous glow across the scene.

Without thinking, Isadora's feet moved on their own. She stepped toward the burning wreck, her heart twisting in her chest. "Billy..." she breathed, her voice breaking, but before she could get any closer, a hand clamped around her arm, pulling her back with force.

"Issi, stop! It's not safe!" Laura's voice was sharp, filled with concern as she yanked Isadora away from the danger.

Max stepped in beside them, her face a mask of panic. "She's right, Issi. If you go to Billy, you'll draw the Mind Flayer's attention back to us. We can't risk it—we can't risk Eleven!"

The words stung, but deep down, Isadora knew they were right. Still, her heart rebelled against the logic. "I can't leave him," she muttered, her eyes filled with desperation as they remained locked on the burning car. The flames reflected in her tear-filled gaze as she shook her head. "I just can't."

Mike exchanged a worried glance with Max. "If you go to him, you'll lead the Mind Flayer straight to us," he said, his voice heavy with urgency. "And I don't know if we can survive that."

Isadora clenched her fists, the internal battle between her heart and her mind raging violently. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she nodded, though the ache in her chest only grew stronger. "Okay, I won't go to him," she finally relented, her voice barely audible. She turned back toward the group, but in that fleeting moment, her gaze lingered on the car—on Billy.

It was a fatal mistake.

Billy, having miraculously escaped the burning wreckage, stood in the distance, his figure half-shadowed by the flickering light of the flames. His eyes, dark and unreadable, caught hers instantly. Time seemed to freeze as his gaze bored into her, and Isadora felt her heart seize in her chest. The connection between them, something she had always felt deeply, was still there—buried beneath the darkness that had consumed him.

"Shit!" Max cursed, her voice trembling with fear.

"Run! Go, go, go!" Mike yelled, snapping them all out of their frozen state.

The group took off, their legs moving in unison as they fled once again, but Isadora hesitated. She turned back toward Max, her breath coming in short gasps. "Go! I'll shut the gate behind us!" she called over the noise.

Max's eyes widened. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"Yes! Go!" Isadora urged, her hands already moving to close the gate that would offer them a brief reprieve. "I'll catch up. Just go!"

Max hesitated for a second longer before nodding, and the others sprinted ahead. Isadora's heart pounded in her chest as she forced the gate shut, her trembling hands fumbling with the latch. Once it was securely locked, she turned and ran, her leg screaming in agony with each step. She was barely keeping up, but her mind remained fixated on Billy, her heart aching with the weight of her unresolved feelings.

They reached another hallway, breathless and frantic. "In here!" Mike shouted, pointing toward a nearby door. They rushed toward it, but just as they reached it, the sound of a door slamming open behind them echoed loudly through the corridor. Isadora's head snapped back, and her heart dropped into her stomach—Billy was coming after them, his silhouette dark and imposing as he stormed toward them.

Her mind raced, panic flooding her system. She turned back to the others—Max, Laura, Mike, and the injured Eleven. They were younger, vulnerable. Eleven was weak from fighting the Mind Flayer, and the others wouldn't be able to hold Billy off. Isadora knew, with a deep and terrifying certainty, what she had to do.

"Keep trying to get that door open," she told them, her voice remarkably steady despite the fear coursing through her. "I'll stall him."

Max's eyes filled with horror. "Isadora, no! You can't—"

"I'm not afraid of him," Isadora interrupted, her voice firm. "Just get Eleven out of here. Do you understand me?"

Max's throat tightened with emotion, but she nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Okay... Just be careful," she whispered.

Isadora gave a small, tight smile. "Always," she replied, turning away from her friends to face Billy.

Her heart raced as he drew closer, his movements slow and deliberate. His face was twisted into something almost unrecognisable—a mask of rage, confusion, and pain, but deep down, Isadora knew that Billy was still in there somewhere, trapped under layers of darkness.

"Billy," she called out, her voice trembling but loud enough to reach him. She took a step forward, her hands outstretched as though she could somehow reach him—pull him back from the edge. "Please, listen to me."

Billy's steps faltered, his eyes narrowing as he focused on her. For a brief, fleeting moment, Isadora thought she saw something—something familiar in his eyes. The Billy she knew, the Billy she had loved, was still there. She took another step toward him, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I don't know what's happened to you," she continued, her voice breaking. "But I know this isn't you. You can stop this, Billy. You can still stop it. Please..." Her voice cracked, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks. "Billy, it's me. It's Isadora. You used to call me Little Miss Perfect, remember? I—" She hesitated, her voice trembling. "I love you."

For a split second, something changed in Billy's expression. The darkness in his eyes flickered, replaced by a glimmer of recognition. Isadora's heart leapt, hope blossoming in her chest, but before she could say anything more, the flicker vanished, and his face twisted back into a cruel, angry snarl.

In an instant, Billy lunged at her, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly as he shoved her against the wall with terrifying force. Isadora gasped as her head slammed into the hard surface behind her, the impact sending shockwaves of pain through her skull. The world spun around her as she crumpled to the ground, her vision blurring before she slipped into unconsciousness.

"Isadora!" Laura's voice rang out, filled with panic as she rushed forward, but Max grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"S-shit," Mike cursed under his breath, his eyes wide with fear as he fumbled with the door.

Max's heart raced as she looked back at Billy, who was advancing toward them again. Desperation flooded her. She had to do something—anything—to stop him.

"Billy, please!" Max cried, stepping forward, her voice shaking. "You don't have to do this! Your name is Billy Hargrove! You live on Cherry Lane! I'm your sister, Billy! Please remember!"

Billy's head snapped toward her, his face contorted in confusion. For a moment, it seemed like Max's words might have reached him, but then, without warning, he struck her, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Mike lunged forward, trying to protect Max, but Billy was too strong. He knocked Mike aside with ease, sending him crashing into the wall. Laura barely had time to react before Billy turned on her as well, striking her down before grabbing Eleven, who had been too weak to fight back. She let out a strangled cry as Billy's grip tightened around her wrist, and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her toward the food court.

Max groaned in pain as she pulled herself up, her body shaking. She crawled over to where Mike lay unconscious, gently shaking him. "Mike, wake up," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please, Mike, get up."

Mike groaned softly, his eyes flickering open. Max let out a relieved breath as he sat up, but her relief was short-lived. Her eyes darted toward Laura, who was slowly getting to her feet, and then to Isadora, who still lay crumpled against the wall, unmoving.

"Issi," Laura croaked, her voice filled with fear as she stumbled toward her friend. She knelt beside Isadora, gently shaking her shoulder. "Isadora, can you hear me?"

For a terrifying moment, there was no response. Then, slowly, Isadora groaned, her eyes fluttering open. "Ow..." she winced, her hand moving to touch her forehead. When she pulled it away, her fingers were smeared with blood.

Max knelt beside her, her face pale with worry. "Come on, you have to get up," she urged, helping Isadora to sit up.

Isadora's head was spinning, her vision blurry as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "Where's Eleven?" she gasped, panic rising in her chest.

The group exchanged fearful glances, and without wasting another second, they bolted down the hallway, their hearts racing as they made their way toward the food court.

When they reached it, the sight that greeted them was worse than any nightmare. Billy had Eleven pinned to the ground in front of the Mind Flayer, his body trembling as he struggled to keep her down. Above them, fireworks exploded in the sky, casting eerie, flickering shadows across the chaos.

Eleven's voice broke through the noise, soft and filled with pain. "You can stop this, Billy," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I saw it... I saw your memories. You were happy once. Please, you don't have to do this."

Tears welled up in Billy's eyes, his grip on Eleven loosening as her words sank in. For a moment, it seemed as though he might let her go.

But then the Mind Flayer let out a deafening roar, and everything happened at once.

"Billy!" Isadora screamed, her voice filled with desperation as she sprinted toward him. Before anyone could stop her, she threw herself between Billy and the Mind Flayer, her arms outstretched in a futile attempt to protect him. "Please, leave them alone!" she cried, her voice breaking.

Billy's eyes widened in terror as he realised what Isadora was about to do, his fear for her safety suddenly breaking his bond with the Mind Flayer. "No!" he cried out, his voice heavy with anguish, but it was already too late.

Hearing Billy's desperate cries, Steve looked over the railing, his heart dropping at the sight below. Isadora stood firmly in front of Billy, her slight frame dwarfed by the monstrous form of the Mind Flayer. The scene sent a cold shiver down Steve's spine, a grim reminder of Isadora's mother's sacrifice in 1983 to save him, Jonathan, and Nancy. Now, the horrifying realisation slammed into Steve—Isadora was ready to make the same ultimate sacrifice to protect Billy.

"Dustin, we're out of time!" Steve yelled into his walkie-talkie, his voice shaking with urgency. His gaze darted back down to where Isadora stood, bracing herself against the inevitable. Panic twisted in his gut as he watched her, fear and desperation clawing at him.

With a deafening roar, the Mind Flayer lunged forward, its massive, horrifying form crashing toward them. The force sent Billy flying across the room, slamming him into the ground. Isadora stood her ground, her body trembling, but she didn't back down. The creature loomed closer, seconds away from striking.

But before the Mind Flayer could reach her, something—someone—suddenly slammed into Isadora, knocking her out of the way just as the creature struck.

Isadora hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. Her vision swam as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. It wasn't until she heard Max's blood-curdling scream that she realised.

"Laura!" Max shrieked, her voice filled with pure, raw terror.

Isadora's heart stopped. She turned, her eyes widening in horror as they landed on Laura's motionless body lying only a few feet away from her. Blood pooled around her, staining the ground a deep, dark red.

"N-No, L-Laura..." Isadora sobbed, crawling toward her fallen friend. She reached out with trembling hands, gently touching Laura's shoulder. "Please, no..."

Laura's eyes fluttered open, her breath shallow and laboured. "I-I did it... for you..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. Then, with one final, shaky breath, her hand slipped from Isadora's grasp, falling lifelessly to the ground.

Isadora's chest constricted painfully as the horrifying realisation of what had just happened slammed into her. Laura had sacrificed herself—had thrown herself in the way to save her. And now, she was gone.

"No... No, Laura, please, no!" Max screamed, rushing forward to shake her friend. Tears streamed down her face as she shook Laura's lifeless body. "No, please!"

Isadora sat frozen, her mind numb with shock. If she hadn't tried to save Billy—if she hadn't put herself in harm's way—Laura might still be alive. The guilt was suffocating, crushing her chest until she could barely breathe.

Behind her, Billy stirred, groaning in pain as he slowly opened his eyes. Isadora, her legs trembling, crawled toward him, her heart heavy with grief. "Billy?" she whispered, her voice small and broken. "Billy, are you okay?"

Billy's eyes flickered open, locking onto hers. "Hi, I-Is," he rasped, his voice weak and filled with regret.

A choked sob escaped Isadora's lips as she knelt beside him, her tears falling freely. She gently took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "H-Hi," she whispered back, her voice trembling.

Billy's eyes filled with sorrow as he looked up at her. "I-Is... why did you do it?"

Isadora's heart clenched painfully in her chest as she stared down at him, her voice barely a whisper. "Because I love you."

Billy opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, he lifted his hand weakly, gently brushing his fingers against her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry for everything."

Isadora shook her head, her tears falling harder. "It wasn't your fault, Billy," she whispered, her voice filled with pain.

But as she glanced over at Laura's lifeless body, the weight of her guilt crashed over her once again. She had tried to save Billy, but in doing so, she had lost Laura. And she didn't know if she would ever be able to forgive herself for that.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the mall, and Isadora looked up to see Hazel, Kendra, and the rest of the group running toward them, their faces filled with a mixture of relief and horror.

"Isa!" Hazel called out, her voice trembling as she reached her friend. She pulled Isadora into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. "What were you thinking?"

Isadora sobbed into Hazel's shoulder, her body trembling. "I-I had to save him," she cried, her voice barely a whisper. "I couldn't let him die..."

Steve, his face pale with fear, pulled her into a tight embrace. "You're an idiot," he muttered, his voice shaking as he held her close. "But I'm glad you're okay."

Isadora buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking his shirt as she clung to him, but even as Steve held her, the crushing guilt weighed heavily on her. She had saved Billy, but it had come at the ultimate cost.

Max, sobbing uncontrollably, knelt beside Laura's body, her hands trembling as she gently shook her friend. "No, please," she whispered, her voice filled with desperation. "Laura, please wake up..."

But Laura didn't wake up. She was gone.

As the group huddled together in the aftermath of the battle, Isadora's gaze drifted back to Billy, who lay on the ground, his body weak and battered. She knelt beside him once again, taking his hand in hers.

For a moment, Billy couldn't speak. Instead, he gently squeezed her hand, his eyes filled with regret.

Isadora shook her head, her heart breaking. She didn't know if she would ever be able to forgive herself for what had happened, but in that moment, all she could do was hold Billy's hand and try to make sense of the chaos around her.

As paramedics arrived and began to tend to the wounded, Isadora stood back, watching numbly as they covered Laura's body with a sheet. The weight of her guilt was unbearable, crushing her beneath its heavy burden. She knew that, no matter what, she would be haunted by her decision for the rest of her life.

As the ambulance doors closed behind her and Billy, the world outside the window seemed distant, like a fading memory. Isadora's eyes were fixed on the horizon, her heart heavy with grief. The battle against the Mind Flayer was over, but the scars it had left behind would never fully heal.

Billy turned his head to look at her, his voice weak but filled with sincerity. "Is... I'm sorry."

Isadora didn't look at him, her gaze still fixed outside the window. "It's not your fault," she said quietly, though her voice lacked conviction.

Billy frowned, noticing the change in her tone. "Promise me you'll let the doctors check out your wounds when we get to the hospital."

"I will," she replied softly, her mind distant.

Billy studied her for a moment, his heart aching with guilt. He wanted to say more, but the weight of everything that had happened was too much. Instead, he closed his eyes, leaning back against the stretcher as exhaustion washed over him.

Isadora's mind raced with memories of the night's events, replaying over and over again in her head. The sound of the Mind Flayer's roar, the sight of Laura's lifeless body, the weight of her guilt—it was all too much. She would never forget what had happened that night at Starcourt Mall.

And no matter how hard she tried, she knew she would never be able to forgive herself.

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From when I first started writing this, I always planned for Billy to survive, however I did change some scenes in this. Originally, I had no plans for Isadora to almost sacrifice herself to save Billy, she was just supposed to witness everything that happened but I came up with this idea and liked it better. 

Admittedly, I cried writing this chapter but what I have planned for future chapters is honestly even more heartbreaking. 

Enjoy! Xo

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