Lady in Red [Max Mayfield]

[16]

"What?"

Max steps back, and it looks like she might pass out. I put my hands on her shoulders to try and stabilize her.

"I-I saw it." Steves eyes are wide, and his skin is as pale as a ghost.

"You saw what, Steve?" Dustin questions, standing up quickly.

"Steve? What did you see?" Joyce speeds into the room and puts her hands on Steve's shoulders.

Steve just stands in silence, looking completely out of it and petrified.

"He thinks- He thinks he saw a demogorgan." Robin starts. What the fuck is a demogorgan? I don't understand. Is this some sort of game? Is this a prank?

Joyce stands in silence and stares into the distance. Lucas jumps up and starts to hold his head in his hands.

"No he couldn't have seen it. The gate is closed! They're all fucking dead!" Dustin screams.

I glance at the losers, and they look just as confused as I am. Maybe this is really a game?

"Yeah, well I guess not!" Steve yells back "I saw one. I was sitting on my parents porch, and I heard something far in the woods. I looked over to the trees and I kid you the hell not, that thing was looking right at me!" He slaps his hand to his forehead.

"I'm sorry, a demogorgan? Like in Dungeons and Dragons?" Eddie speaks up.

"That's not possible" El says, ignoring Eddies question "Hop closed the gate."

Joyce puts her hand to her head and looks like she's about to faint.

"I don't understand. I saw Hopper close the gate. I saw Hopper-" Joyce starts before immediately putting her hand to her mouth.

"It's okay" El puts her hand on Joyce's shoulder "It's going to be okay. We beat this thing three times. We can do it again."

"Where's Will?" Joyce says, urgently.

"He-He went to go take Mike home." Max hesitantly spits out.

"Shit, shit, shit. Where's my keys?"

"Mom it's okay." Jonathan says, running up to her. When did he get here?

"No! I need my god damn keys, Jonathan!" She yells.

What the hell is going on?

Before she can say anything else, Mike W and Will come pushing through the door. Will looks petrified.

"Lock the doors." Mike W demands. Joyce and Nancy run around the house, locking every door and window as fast as they can. Mike W helps Will sit down on the couch. Will is holding the back of his neck.

"As we were going home, I felt it on my neck. The feeling hasn't gone away. I think...I think it's back." Will shudders. Everyone sits in silence.

"I saw..a demogorgan." Steve hesitates.

"Why are we talking about this in front of.." Mike W purses his lips and moves his head towards the losers and I.

"You're right. Come on." Joyce ushers everyone but the losers in I into another room.

"Alright what the fuck just happened?" Richie exclaims.

"It sounded like Steve was talking about D&D?" Eddie makes a confused face. A memory of my dad flying out of the door earlier resurfaces my mind.

"Well, remember earlier when somehow my dad flew out of the house? I mean what the hell happened?" I question.

"Do you think that has something to do with whatever they're talking about?" Mike H raises his eyebrows.