𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐀 // M. Wheeler

[𝚇] THE BATHTUB

Kathryn has never pedaled so hard in her short life. She's breathing hard as she keeps up with a frantic Lucas who is screaming into his walkie about the "bad men." His word choice is accurate, considering the items that were being loaded into those power vans. Her heart beats as fast the pedals spin around, carrying her bike forward. She hears him agree to meet up with Dustin and Mike (and Eleven?) at Elm and Cherry and she sends him the same worried look, creasing her brow. He keeps pedaling. 

Next thing Kathryn knows, Mike is on her other side, Eleven on the back of his bike and Dustin is on his other side. She smiles at Eleven, who tentatively returns it. Mike doesn't spare Kathryn a glance and she can't help but feel a pang in her heart. Yes, she ignored him earlier and yes, she's still mad but- 

"Lucas!" Mike calls suddenly. 

"Where are they?" Lucas asks, panicked. 

Mike sounds just as worried. "I don't know."

"I think we lost them."

"I don't think so!" Kathryn yells as tires screech behind them. She stands up, trying to increase her speed. 

From just behind her, Mike yells, "Go, go, go, go, go!" Dustin yells in the background as well.

"Go, go, go, go, go! Faster, faster!" Mike is still shouting.

 "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." Dustin.

Almost out of nowhere, a van appears in front of the four bikes and five kids. All of them are terrified and then Eleven uses her ability and the van flies over them, crashing on the road behind them. Tires screech once more and the four members of the party- minus Will- are shocked. 

When they reach the junkyard were things ended badly the day before, everyone drops their bikes next to a run-down school bus- except Kathryn, who uses the kickstand.

Dustin doesn't waste a second. "Holy... holy shit! Did... did you see what she did to that van?"

"No, Dustin, we missed it." Mike says, sarcasm lacing his tone. 

Kathryn's beaming. "That was pretty cool, Elly." 

"I mean that was..." Dustin continues, Mike's comment going in one ear and out the other. 

Surprisingly, it is Lucas who finishes the curly-haired boy's sentence. "Awesome. It was awesome." He kneels beside Eleven, sitting on the rough grass. "Everything I said about you being a traitor and stuff... I was wrong. I'm sorry." 

She looks up at him stoically. "Friends...friends don't lie. I'm sorry, too." She responds. 

"Me, too." Mike cuts in, offering his hand to Lucas who stands, shaking it. 

Kathryn plops down on the grass next to Eleven. "I'm sorry if you thought I didn't trust you Eleven, it wasn't that. It's just that I'm so worried about Will, I'd do anything to find him. As soon as possible- but I wasn't trying to make you feel bad." 

Eleven nods and Kat returns the nod, before standing. Both she and Mike consider saying something to each other, but when neither does, both take that as a sign that they're not ready. And so their shared silent-treatment continues. 

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

The kids have thrown their bikes under the bus- Kathryn admittedly very reluctantly- and are crouching in an abandoned bus. Kathryn is silent. Never in her life did she expect to have government helicopters searching for her. She doesn't even want to consider what they'd do with her and her friends if they found them. The whirring of the blades above them is loud- but the sudden crackling of Michael's radio is louder. Kathryn recognizes it vaguely as Nancy, Mike's older sister. She's glad Josh is at home with Amanda.