The lights overhead flickered violently, casting the corridor in harsh flashes of orange and white. Somewhere above you—scre@ms. Shouts. The pounding weight of the Mind Flayer hammering against glass and steel. The others were fighting. Bleeding. Holding the line.

And down here… you were facing what was left of Billy.

He stood like a statue in the center of the room—white tank drenched in sweat and bl0od, shaking, his chest rising in slow, unnatural movements. His eyes locked on you, but there was nothing familiar in them. Just darkness. Hunger. And something else clawing behind it—rage, maybe. Or pain.

Max stood behind you, her voice trembling. “You really think he’s still in there?”

“I have to.” You didn’t take your eyes off him. “Because if he’s gone… then what the hell are we doing here?”

You stepped forward and he tensed—barely. A twitch in his jaw. A shift in his breath.

“Billy,” you said, voice low and shaking. “I know what this thing is doing to you. I know it’s inside your head, making you think you’re alone—but you’re not. You’re not alone.”

His expression didn’t change. But his fingers flexed at his sides. Subtle. Like he was fighting something.

“I know you remember me,” you kept going, heart pounding like a war drum. “You have to. You remember my voice. You remember the way I looked at you in your Camaro when you first let me touch the scar on your shoulder. You remember how I said I wasn’t afraid of you—and how you finally believed me.”

A low sound broke from his throat. Not quite a growl. Not quite a word. His breathing picked up.

“Don’t listen to it,” you pleaded, eyes burning. “Whatever it’s telling you—it’s lying. You’re not this. You’re still in there. I know it.”

Billy’s lips twitched. His jaw clenched and finally—he spoke.

“Why’d you come down here?” His voice was raw, guttural. Like something inside him was scraping to the surface. “You should’ve run when you had the chance.”

“I’m not running from you,” you said, stepping closer. “I never have.”

Max gripped your arm tighter. “He’s changing again,” she whispered. “We’re running out of time.”

But you didn’t move. You looked straight into Billy’s eyes. Searching. Hoping.

“I’m not giving up on you.”

For a second—just one—his breathing faltered.

The lights buzzed louder. Somewhere above, the Mind Flayer screamed and Billy… didn’t move.