64} Dear Billy

                                    

                                          
"I know you guys are staring at me," Max told the boys sitting on the couch behind her as she put a letter into an envelope for Billy.
"What, sorry?" Steve grabbed a ball and started to toss it like he was doing nothing of the sort.
"You said you needed something?" Lucas grabbed a magazine and pretended to read it,
"We're just hanging out."
"How you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna, I don't know," Max stood up with a stack of letters to hand to the boys, though they were still pretending like they hadn't looked at her in the first place. "You can look at me now."
A sea of 'sorry's erupted from the boys and they looked at Max again.
"For you," Max handed Dustin a letter, "For you," Then Steve, "And, um, you," Finally she handed Lucas his. "Oh, and, um, give these to Mike, El, and Will. If you can ever get a hold of them again."
Dustin started to peep into the envelope.
"Hey, what are you doing? No, don't. That's not for now. Don't open it now."
"Don't... okay." Dustin placed the letter in his lap, "Sorry, what is this?"
"It's, um... it's a fail-safe. For after. If things don't work out."
"Wait, whoa," Lucas started to panic, "Max, things are gonna work out."
"No!" She snapped, "No, I don't need you to reassure me and tell me it's all gonna work out cause people have been telling me that my entire life and it's almost never true. It's never true. I mean, of course this asshole curses me. Should've seen that one coming."
Max marched over to a table where a walkie talkie was sitting.
"If we go to East Hawkins, will this reach Pennhurst?" She asked.
"Of course. Yeah," Dustin nodded.
"Wait, why are we talking about East Hawkins?" Steve asked. Everyone gave him a similar look and it all clicked. "No. No. No!"
Max didn't like his answer, so she started to walk off on her own towards the car. Steve decided to chase after her with the other two boys not far behind him.
"Max, Max. Seriously, I'm not joking. I'm not driving you anywhere."
"Steve, if you think I'm going to spend what's likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, then you're out of your mind. Either take me where I need to go or you're gonna need to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. If I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to god, I will prosecute."
Max walked up to Steve's car and tried to open the door, but had no luck.
"Open the door," She looked Stevev dead in the eyes.
"Uh, no," Steve didn't really know how to respond anymore.
"I know a good lawyer."
They tensely stared at each other. Steve was hesitant, but caved.
"Henderson," Steve pointed at Dustin on the other side of the car, "that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst."
They all loaded up in the car, but Max took a second to get in. Sounds of clock chimes echoed throughout her head as she stared off into the distance. She had finally had enough and got in the car trying to silence them, and luckily, it worked.
Steve had The Chain playing as he drove to Max's trailer.
"This better be fast, Mayfield," Steve said as he parked in front of her place.
"Twenty second," She said right before she hopped out.
"That thing's got batteries in it, right?" Steve just wanted to check with Dustin on his walkie after knowing his past history with the battery life.
"I'm not even answering that question," Dustin shook his head, then gave in as Steve gave him an uncertain look, "Yes, it has batteries!"
"Yeah, I got it."
With Max, she was in her living room laying out the letters she'd made for her family. As she got up to leave, she caught a glimpse of her mom hanging clothes on the clothesline out back. Max went outside to check in with her.
"Mom."
"Hey, sweetie. I thought you were with your friends today."
"Yeah, I... I was. I am. Shouldn't you be at work?"
"Oh, Mr. Bradley let me off early. So I'm just catching up on some chores."
"Um, I... I left some letters inside. For you and... and for Granny and Uncle Jack. And Dad. If you can find him."
"Letters? I... I don't understand."
"Uh, I just... um... with all the murders and everything, I... I know it's stupid, but I just started to think, 'What if something happens to me?'"
"Max, baby, nothing is going to happen to you."