CHAPTER SIX

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THE MONSTER

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THE MONSTER

As the sun set, Valerie had no choice but to lead Mike and Dustin home before their parents could worry but as the sun rose the next morning, there was still no sign of Eleven. Valerie and the Henderson boy stood in the Wheelers basement as Mike sighed, staring at Eleven's fort "I just... I can't believe she didn't come back."

"She's gotta be close." Dustin mused hopefully.

"She said it wasn't safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us." Mike shot back "She didn't betray us."

Valerie frowned as he paced aggressively "Mike, calm down."

"I shouldn't have yelled at her." He shook his head wildly "I never should've done that."

"Yeah, this isn't your fault." Dustin sighed.

Mike paused as he nodded thoughtfully "Yeah, it's Lucas'."

Dustin rolled his eyes "It wasn't his fault, either."

"It wasn't his fault?" Mike scoffed in disbelief.

"No."

Mike's eyes narrowed "So you're saying he wasn't way out of line?"

"Totally, but so were you!"

"What?"

Dustin shrugged "And so was Eleven."

Mike groaned "Oh, give me a break!"

"No, Mike, you give me a break!" Dustin snapped "All three of you were being a bunch of little assholes! Valerie and I were the only reasonable ones. But the bottom line is... you pushed first. And you know the rule. You draw first blood..."

"No! No way!" Mike denied instantly as Valerie frowned in confusion "I'm not shaking his hand."

Dustin gave his best glare, taking inspiration from Valerie "You're shaking his hand!"

"No, I'm not."

"This isn't a discussion. This is the rule of law." Dustin's eyes narrowed as he folded his arms across his chest in true Valerie fashion "Obey or be banished from the party, got it?"

Mike sighed, mumbling in defeat "Got it."

Dustin broke out into his usual grin "Good."

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