~Arcade ❄︎ Lucas Sinclair~

THE MENTAL HOSPITAL

"You're positive that was Dart?" Lucas asked, walking next to Dustin while Kate and Max were behind them and Steve behind them.

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt." Dustin said.

"He was tiny two days ago!" Max exclaimed.

"Well, he's molted three times already." Dustin said.

"Malted?" Steve asked.

"Molted. Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms." Dustin explained.

"When's he gonna molt again?" Max asked.

"It's gonna be soon." Dustin said. "When he does, he'll be fully grown; or close to it; and so will his friends.

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats." Steve said.

"Wait, a cat." Lucas stops while Max and Kate's eyes widen.

"Dart ate a cat?" Max asked.

"No, what? No." Dustin stammered.

"What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve said, completely oblivious to the fact that Dustin didn't want them knowing.

"Mews? Who's Mews?" Max asked.

"Dustin's cat." Steve said bluntly.

"STEVE!!" Dusin yells.

"I knew it!" Lucas shoved Dustin a little. "You kept him!"

"No. No, I... No, I... He missed me. He wanted to come home." Dustin said timidly.

"Bullshit!" Lucas said.

"I didn't know he was a Demogorgon. Okay?" Dustin said.

"Oh, so now you admit it?" Lucas retorted.

"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max said, tired of the unnecessary fight.

"I care!" You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!" Lucas shouted.

"So did you!" Dustin shouted louder.

"What?" Lucas hissed.

"You told not one but TWO strangers the truth!" Dustin shouted.

"So I'm a stranger now. I thought I was a part of the party." Kate said angrily.

"You wanted to tell them too!" Lucas said, completely ignoring what Kate said.

"Yeah, but I didn't Lucas! I didn't tell them! We both broke the rule of law, okay? So we're even. We're even." Dustin said.

"No, no!" Lucas said. "We're not even. Don't even try that!"

Steve started walking away from the group of fighting boys and annoyed girls to listen to a strange noise.

"Guys?" Steve called to the kids.

Dustin and Lucas were still fighting, not paying attention to Steve.

"Guys!" Steve said louder.

The fighting died down and suddenly they heard a loud screech coming from the distance. Steve and the kids headed towards the noise much to Max's dismay.

"Hey, guys, why are you heading towards the sound?" Max asked trailing behind them.

"I don't see him." Dustin said.

"It's the lab. They were going back home." Lucas said, looking through the binoculars.

They walked towards the lab slowly, scared to see what they were going to find. They got to the edge of the forest where they saw two figures and walked towards them.

"Steve?" Jonathan and Nancy said at the same time and started walking towards the group of 5.

"Nancy?" Steve said in the same tone.

"What're you doing here?" Nancy asked, mainly towards Steve.

"I could ask you the same thing." Steve retorted.

"We're looking for Mike and Will." Nancy said.

"They're not in there, are they?" Dustin asked, pointing towards the lab.

"We're not sure." Nancy answered.

"Why?" Jonathan asked worriedly.

Before they could answer they heard another demogorgon screech come from the lab while the lights flickered on and off.

"The power's back." Nancy said suddenly.

Jonathan rushed to the control booth to try and open the door.

"Let me try." Dustin said.

"Hang on-"

"Let me try, Jonathan!" Dustin exclaimed. Dustin kept banging on the control button which resorted in nothing happening. "Son of a bitch! You know what..."

Dustin trailed off when the gate slowly started opening.

"Hey, I got it." Dustin said with a slight chuckle.

Nancy and Jonathan ran towards his car.

"We'll go get them." Nancy said to Steve through the window.

"Be safe." Steve said.

Jonathan took off speeding in his car. A couple of seconds later they saw a car speeding towards them.

"Look out!" Steve said, grabbing the kids out the way. After Jonathan's car passed by, the chief of police's care showed up.

"Let's go!" Hopper yelled. Steve opened the door and ushered all the kids into the car then got in after them. After they all got in the car Hopper drove them to the byers house.
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IM BACK!!! My publishing schedule will be creating and publishing stories after school. I will try and do up to 2 stories a day and maybe more on the weekends 🤍.