Not Just Another Number

Sarah Don't!

Sarah's POV

Christine and I make it to the cerebro. Dustin nods and picks up the comms speaker. "Bald Eagle, do you copy?" He asks. There's no immediate answer.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair, getting nervous already ."Bald Eagle, this is Scoop Troop, do you copy?" Dustin asks again.

"Yes I copy." Murry's sarcastic voice rings through the comm. Dustin chuckles in relief. "Call sign?"

"Bald Eagle."

"Please repeat."

"Bald Eagle, this is Bald Eagle!" Murry all but yells at him. Dustin laughs smugly. "Copy that. Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What's your 20?"

"We reached the vent. I'll contact you when I need you. Until then, silence."

"Copy that, this is Scoop Troop going radio silence." Dustin says before ending the comm. I sigh again and walk down the hill a bit.

I sit down and gaze out at the field, resting my chin in the palm of my hand. Our plan will work, it has to. Right?

I see Steve join me in the corner of my eye. We stay silent, just staring ahead. We hear the others talk to Murry on the cerebro, but we say nothing.

"Sarah?" I hear Steve ask. I look over at him, seeing him already looking at me. "Hm?" I respond.

He angles his body towards me, leaning closer to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yup, just thinking."

"About your vision?"

I nod, looking away. I hear him sigh. I feel him hold my shoulder, making me look back at him. His eyes hold a confident look. "We're going to be fine, the Mind Flayer is going down."

I hope so... I give him a tight lipped, grateful smile, placing my hand on top of his. He shuffles closer to me, wrapping his arm around me.

I lean into his touch, trying to relax. I feel him kiss the top of my head, and it just makes me feel guilty. He can't ever know about Billy's plan. It would break his heart, and I could never bring myself to do that.

We sit together in silence again, trying to soak up as much peace as we can, but, like all things, it doesn't last very long.

A sharp pain pangs through my chest, making me groan in pain. I hunch forward, holding my chest. Steve grabs my shoulders, concerned. "What's going on?" He asks, bending down to meet my eyes.

I grab one of his hands and try to stand up, making him come up with me. I use him as a crutch as I stand. I look around, looking for the mall in the distant, and when I find it, my heart stops.

The lights in the mall are flickering and flashing, and I know only one thing could make it do that. "The Mind Flayer's at the mall." I tell Steve.

He follows my gaze and audibly gulps at the sight. "Hey guys?" Steve says, getting the rest of the group's attention. I look back at them, and they all notice the mall.

Dustin immediately rushes to the comms. "Griswold Family, this is Scoop Troop! Do you copy? Over!"

Radio silence.

I grab the comm from his hand, pitch raising in panic. "Guys, are you there? Do you copy?!"

A loud shriek, like a monster, answers back. Then a roar. I drop the comm and run down the hill, ignoring the pain.

I almost trip, but I still run. "Where are you going?" Erica yells at me.

"To get them the hell out of there!"