World's Best Babysitter | Stranger Things

2 - Tell That to Your Cat

"Okay, so, what's going on?" Steve asked as he drove down the road. He shot a quick glance at Dustin before looking back out the front windshield.

"On Halloween, I heard something in my garbage," Dustin began. "It was like this rumbling sound, and I thought it was my cat, and I looked in there, and there was some toad looking thing and it was really small, probably the size of a frog, and so I kept it, and now it's the size of a cat."

"I'm pretty sure you just skipped a lot." Said Steve.

Dustin turned to look at Steve, who's eyes were still on the road. "What do you mean, 'I skipped a lot'?"

"Does that even need an explanation, dude?" Steve asked. "You said it was the size of a toad, and now you're saying it's the size of a cat."

"First of all, I said it was the size of a frog," Dustin corrected, "and second of all, he grew really fast!"

Steve rolled his eyes, "Toad, frog, it's the same animal!"

"Actually, it's not because--"

"Don't. Because now I'm starting to think you're messing with me."

"I'm not messing with you, Steve!"

"Well, I think you are, Dustin!"

"Would I mess with you?"

"I don't know! I barely even know you! You just invited yourself into my car and told me that there's some... thing in your garbage that's rapidly growing!"

Dustin was silent after that. Steve was right. But, at the same time, what was Dustin supposed to do? Just sit and chat and suddenly bring up the monster he found in his trash? This was urgent! And Steve was the only one he could really get to.

It didn't take long before the car got oddly silent. The only sounds that were audible were the two boys breathing and the car. Soon, the music bleeding through the speakers of the radio came into the mix.

Dustin stared out the window while Steve looked at the road as Hammer to Fall played on Steve's stereo. The more Steve thought about it, the more he realized that: maybe Dustin might not be joking around. To be honest, he didn't know why he didn't believe him in the first place. Maybe because he's a nerdy little child.

Most likely the main reason.

Having a slight feeling of guilt for snapping at the kid, Steve decided to speak up. "Wait a sec, how big?" He asked Dustin to recap.

"First it was like that," Dustin held out his thumb and index finger and slightly pinched them together, simulating the size of a frog. "Now he's like this." He put his arms out and spaced them out, now simulating the size of a cat.

"I swear to God, man," Steve sighed. "It's just some little lizard, okay?"

"It's not a lizard!" Dustin protested.

"How do you know?" Steve asked.

"How do I know if it's not?"

"Yeah, how do you know it's not just a lizard?" Steve began to yell.

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat." Dustin stated, turning to Steve. Hopefully that was enough to do it.

Steve didn't reply. He just looked out the windshield with wide eyes, not knowing how to reply to what Dustin just said. Instead, he just nodded and silently agreed that this was not a lizard.

He pulled up to the Henderson driveway and hopped out of the car with Dustin following behind him. Steve unlocked his trunk and threw the keys to Dustin, who just nearly missed them.

Steve reached in and grabbed his all famous bat with nails. He spun it around in his hands for a moment before looking at Dustin and slamming the trunk.

In all honesty, Steve loved the bat. It just made him feel somewhat powerful in a way. It was like a confidence boost. He hadn't touched it since last year at the Byer's home with the giant demogorgon and the flashing lights which made him feel sick to his stomach after. So, holding the bat made him feel a little bit better about this situation.

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The two made their way to Dustin's backyard where the entrance to the dark cellar was. Steve carefully and reluctantly took slow, small steps to the doors and ever so slightly tapped them with his bat. He shined his flashlight onto the rusted doors and frowned. "I don't hear shit." He scowled.

"He's in there." Dustin said.

Steve shot him an annoyed glare and looked back at the doors. He began to think that Dustin was pulling his leg again. He took a tiny step forward and hit the doors slightly harder, still to be met with no response. He stared at the doors for a moment and licked his lips and prepared himself. Now he was beginning to feel a bit paranoid. Last year was enough. He really didn't feel like doing it again. With the thought of the year prior and the memory of the monster's screeching and the strobing Christmas lights spinning through Steve's brain, he lifted up his arm and slammed the bat against the door, causing the sound to echo throughout the yard.

Yet, still, no response.

"Alright, listen, kid." Steve turned to Dustin and shined the flashlight in his face, causing him to look away and squint his eyes shut. "I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead."

"It's not." Dustin tried to reason with him.

"All right?"

"It's not a prank." Dustin said. "Get it out of my face." He demanded, referring to the flashlight.

"You got a key for this thing?" Asked Steve.

"Yeah, I do, but I'm not giving it to you if you don't take this god damn flashlight out of my face!"

Steve sighed and turned off the flashlight, fidgeting with it in his hands.

"Let me see it." Demanded Dustin, laying his hand out. Steve plopped the flashlight into the boy's hand. Dustin pointed the flashlight to the ground and turned it on. "It's over here." Dustin said, lifting the flashlight up and pointing it directly at Steve's eyes.

"Ow! Dude! What the hell?" Steve complained as he scowled and put his hand in front of his eyes, trying to block the light.

"Yeah, not so fun, is it?" Dustin teased.

"Yeah, sure, sorry." Steve pouted. "Now get it out of my eyes before I go blind."

Dustin giggled and turned away from Steve, heading to the shed where the cellar keys lay hung up on the wall. He opened the wooden door and grabbed the keys off the shelf, handing them to Steve.

"Thanks." Steve pouted, not sounding very thankful.

He walked back over to the cellar doors and put the key into the lock. Before he turned the key and opened the door, he looked up at Dustin and said: "If I die down here, it's on you, understand?"

"You're not gonna die, Steve."

"Tell that to your cat."