"All I want is to be left alone in my average home; But why do I always feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, and I always feel like somebody's watching me."

Somebody's Watching Me
By Rockwell featuring Michael Jackson (1984)

"Listen--" Steve started to say before Billy shoved him back causing Steve to knock Valerie down with him, both of them sprawling on the ground. Valerie groaned out as she rolled out from under him and on the other side of the path. "I told you to plant your feet." As Steve started to get up, Billy kicked him hard in the stomach causing Valerie to look at him wide-eyed and scramble next to him."Steve, are you okay?" He continued to groan before she started hearing yelling from inside. Without thinking, Valerie jumped up and ran into the house to see Billy pining Lucas against a cabinet. Lucas shoved his knee into Billy's crotch causing him to double over as Valerie watched in shock.

"So dead, Sinclair! You're dead." Valerie pulled her elbow back and prepared herself to punch him in the face before she is pushed back by Steve who shoved Billy away from the rest behind him. "No. You are." Steve pummelled Billy with his fist causing Billy to groan for a second before standing up and laughing. Valerie grabbed Lucas' shoulder and softly shoved him to where the others were as she stood in front of them in an attempt to be the next line of defense. She looked weak but she had been taught how to hit the shit out of someone with her fists.

"Looks like you got some fire in you after all, huh? I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody's been telling me so much about." Blood poured from Billy's nose as he gave his dramatic speech, Steve replying with two simple words. "Get out." Billy paused for a moment before swinging his fist at Steve who ducked under it and punched him back, sending him flying onto the table. The kids behind Valerie began to shout encouraging things to him, Dustin and Mike being the most vocal. Valerie kept her eyes trained on the boys fighting, nodding as Steve looked as if he was winning. Steve continued to punch Billy until his back was up against the sink counter. Billy laughed with blood in his mouth before swinging a plate at Steve's head causing Valerie to let out a quiet scream.

"Holy shit!" Mike gasped as Valerie tried to make her way to Steve who leaned over, clutching his face. The kids held her back as she watched Billy walked towards him with a malicious smile on his face. Valerie quickly grabbed Dustin as Billy went to punch Steve who was next to him. "Get back!" Valerie yelled pushing the kids into one corner as she watched in horror as Steve got punched to the ground. Letting out a shaky breath, Valerie didn't listen to the kids screaming at her as she slowly picked up her machete that was up against the wall. She didn't want to kill him, but maybe if she hit him with the back of it, he would leave Steve along for a few seconds.

Valerie swung it towards the back of his neck but gasped as he blocked it with one of his hands before looking at her with evil eyes. "Now, you shouldn't have done the Sweet Cheeks." Billy grabbed onto the machete and pushed the back of it into her stomach, sending her into the wall behind her causing her head to slam into it. Dazed and helpless, Valerie only heard a white noise as she watched Steve be hit over and over again. She slightly smiled as she watched Max plunge a needle into Billy's neck causing him to stand up and stumble. Billy fell down, his head coming down on her legs causing Valerie to groan and weakly shove his head onto the hard ground.

"Valerie, don't." The teenager got up to her feet, grabbing her machete that was next to her and bent down next to Billy before slightly pressing the blade of her machete against his neck, only slightly slicing his skin. "If you touch my boys ever again, I will hit you so hard, your grandmother will feel it." She fell back against the wall causing Dustin to run towards her. Dustin ran in front of her as he looked at the back of her head to see no blood causing him to sigh out in relief.

"She probably has a mild concussion." Valerie scrunched up her eyes before she watched the kids drag Steve into the car after hearing them argue about whether or not to bring him."Should we leave her?" Valerie stumbled up causing the kids to quickly sit her down on the couch and give her some water. "There is no way in hell that you are leaving me here and taking that useless, beat up man." Fearful smiles caused Valerie to nod and stumbled towards Billy's car and as she opened the driver's seat to see Max, her eyes widened.

"Max, I'll drive." Valerie nodded as she swayed a little it causing all the kids to shout out. "You are definitely not driving when you can't even walk properly." Valerie tried to bend down but ended up hitting her head again on the roof of the car. Groaning and swearing, the kids guided her into the back seat and laid her down across the backseat, her head resting on Steve's lap and her legs hanging half out of the window. As the drive progressed, Valerie started gaining composure and full consciousness of what was happening.

"Max, are you sure you know how to drive?" Valerie mumbled out still laid on the laps of everyone in the back seat but could feel the car swerving and hear the screeching of tires. She felt very tired and confused as she looked up at Steve and the roof. "Yeah, sorta." Valerie was still a bit too out of it to care, looked up and saw Steve's eyes flutter open. "Valerie?" He asked, not looking at her but looking at her brother who had a confused smile on his face. "I'm not Valerie. No, don't touch it. Hey, buddy. It's okay. You put up a good fight. He kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. You're okay." At that moment, Dustin became the babysitter as he held ice up to both Valerie and Steve's heads.

"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for a half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai." Valerie listened to the Lucas give Max instructions, slowly realizing what was actually happening. "What's going on? Oh, my God!" Steve began to freak out causing Valerie to pet his knee as to try and relax him. She tried to sit up but was pushed back down by Dustin who continued to shush the both of them. "Just relax. She's driven before." Valerie was put at ease as Dustin calmed Steve's nerves with that bit of information.

"Yeah, in a parking lot." Mike snarkily said causing Valerie's eyes to widen as she locked eyes with him. "That counts." Lucas defended causing Valerie to start breathing rapidly. "They were gonna leave you two behind. I promised that you'd be cool, okay?" Valerie locked eyes with Steve who was freaking the hell out. "Steve, calm down. It's okay, I think." Steve started to quiet down before shouting again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Valerie and Steve chimed in at the same time as Max accelerated. Valerie at this point was sitting up and leaning against Steve's arm.

"What's going on? Oh, my God. No! Whoa! Stop the car. Slow down." Steve shouted as the rest argued over him. "I told you he'd freak out." Valerie was tempted to slap him, but resisted that urge and instead focused on Steve. "Stop the car!" Steve yelled as Valerie looked at the beat up man with a dopey expression. "Everybody shut up! I'm trying to focus!" Valerie shoved her hand over Steve's mouth causing her to cringe as she felt his hot breath on it and dry blood. "Oh, wait, that's Mount Sinai. Make a left." Lucas said. "What?"

"Make a left." She swerved causing Valerie's hand to fly off Steve and her to fall face first onto the ground. As she looked under the seat, she saw a used condom shoved to the side causing her to gag and shuffle backward away from it. Everyone calmed down as the car came to a stop a minute later. Everyone except for Steve and Valerie. Being on the disgusting floor of Billy's car had brought her back to her senses. "Hello!" Steve yelled as they came to a stop at the opening to the hole where Hopper as supposedly trapped a day or two ago. The kids acted impressed at Max's driving skills before they all hopped out of the car, leaving Steve and Valerie crawling out.

"Guys. Oh, no. Guys. Hey, where do you think you're going? What are you, deaf? Hello? We are not going down there right now. I made myself clear." Steve leaned against the car for support and tried to stop the kids before quickly helping Valerie up from the car. She looked at Lucas confused as he handed her a cloth to tie around her face and some goggles. She didn't ask any questions and proceeded to pull them on. "Hey, there's no chance we're going to that hole, all right? This ends right now!" He grabbed and threw something down from Dustin as Valerie grabbed her machete that was tossed in the trunk.

"Steve, you're upset, I get it. But the bottom line is, a party member requires assistance, and it is our duty to provide that assistance. Now, I know you promised Nance that you would keep us safe. So, keep us safe." He shoved the bat with nails into Steve's chest and walked towards the hole."Valerie?" Steve asked causing her to shrug and swing her machete around. "Steve, these kids are stubborn and will do anything for each other. They've made up their minds about this. Stay here if you want, but I am going down to protect my boys and Max." Valerie picked up the gas from the trunk and walked towards the hole and as she prepared to jump down, the gas was snatched out of her hands.

"Let's do this," Steve said as he placed the gas in his hand next to his bat and the two dropped down the hole into the unknown and into the darkness.

Alright, Alright, Alright. This was kinda shitty, I am sorry. I am going to try my hardest to get this finished by the end of the day so I have about 5 hours which may seem like a while but simply typing 500 words whilst also stopping and starting the show takes like an hour.

Oh well. I have one week of school left and I am so happy but so broke with Christmas right around the corner. I hope you all are having a great start to December and I hope that you continue to have one!!!

Thanks, Queenie.

(EDITED)