bitchin'

Chapter 8

"This is weird without Lucas," Dustin comments.

"He should've just shaken my hand," Mike remarks.

"Yeah, what's the big deal anyways?" Lindsay adds, "besides him getting thrown into a wall. But if anything, Eleven should apologize for that."

"He's just jealous," Dustin says.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asks. Dustin sighs.

"Sometimes, your total obliviousness blows my mind," he insults, "he's your best friend, right?"

"Yeah... I mean, I don't know," the Wheeler boy answers.

"It's fine, I get it," Dustin says, "I didn't get here until the fourth grade. He had the advantage of living next door. But none of that matters. What matters is that he is your best friend, and then this girl shows up and starts living in your basement. And all you ever want to do is pay attention to her."

"Ooo, does Mike have a crush on a girl?" Lindsay teases.

"That's not true!" Mike exclaims defensively.

"Yes it is. You know it and he knows it, but no one ever says anything until you both start punching and yelling at each other, like goblins with intelligence scores of zero. Now everything's weird," Dustin says.

"He's not my best friend," Mike scoffs.

"Yeah, right," he fires back.

"I mean, he is, but so are you," Mike says, "and so is Will. And you too, Lindsay."

"Can't have more than one best friend," Dustin remarks.

"Says who?" Lindsay and Mike say at the same time.

"Says logic," he retorts.

"Well, I call bull on your logic, because you guys are my best friends too," Mike states. Dustin looks at the boy and smiles.

"Okay," he settles.

"Yay! I get to be a part of the friend club too!" Lindsay cheers. The boys laugh as they continue searching for Eleven. As they ride into town they stop on a hill. At the bottom of the hill there is a grocery store. There's crowds of people and police parked out front, "Woah... you don't think..."

"Uh... definitely," Mike answers. They ride down the hill towards the grocery store. Eleven was at the grocery store, but has taken off since. The group rides behind the grocery store into the woods, getting off their bikes and walking.

"Eleven!"

"El!"

"Eleven, come back!" The kids shout in the woods. Lindsay walks between the two boys who walk their bikes through the leaves.

"El! El!" Mike shouts.

"Eleven!" Dustin yells.

"El!" Lindsay calls, cupping her hands around her mouth to maximize the sound.

"Eleven!"

"Eleven!"

"Hey, stop," Mike says, "do you hear that?"

The three stop walking and listen. Lindsay and Dustin don't hear a thing.

"What?" Dustin asks.

"El! El?" Mike calls out. Silence.

"Hey there, Frog Face," Troy's voice comes from behind them. The three turn around to find James and Troy approaching them. He has a switchblade in his hand.

"Toothless," James sneers. Dustin panics, dropping his bike to the ground.

"Shit! Run, Mike! Run!" he shouts taking off into the woods. Mike drops his bike and follows him. Lindsay, confused and also panicking, follows the boys.