The Girl With The Flamethrower

II.VI.II

Steve sighs, "Oh, yeah. Yeah, this will do. This will do just fine. Good call, dude."

Kimberly pointed at the bus. She and Steve placed their bags inside and started placing scrap metal around it.

Lucas shouted after pulling up, "I said medium-well!"

Max was next to him.

"Who's that?" Steve asked.

Kimberly gently whispered, "That's Max."

Dustin pulled Lucas off to the side behind a car, and Kimberly could tell they were arguing.

"Hey Max! This is Steve," Kimberly nodded her head towards him, she just raised a hand.

She furrowed her brows, "What are you two doing?"

"Placing sheets of scrap metal to fortify the bus."

"Why?"

"Precautions. Did Lucas fill you in?"

"Ya, don't know how much of it I believe though."

"Fair, it's a little hard to believe if you don't have any physical evidence. Still want to lend a hand?"

Max nodded and started helping the two teenagers.

Steve slammed a piece of metal on the car the two were hiding behind to talk, "Hey! Dickheads! How come the only one helping me out is this random girl and K? We lose light in 40 minutes. Let's go."

The younger boys weren't really moving.

"Listen to Steve boys! We have work to do!" Kimberly shouted at them.

Steve hit the car again walking away, "Let's go, I said!"

"All right, asshole! God!" Dustin complained.

Lucas said, "Okay! Stupid."

🌳✨🌳

Steve is playing with his favorite lighter while they wait.

Kimberly is reorganizing her backpack, Steve watching her.

"So you really fought one of these things before?" Max turned to Steve, "And you're, like, totally, 100% sure it wasn't a bear?"

"Shit. Don't be an idiot. Okay? It wasn't a bear." Dustin spit out, "Why are you even here if you don't believe us? Just go home."

Kimberly's head shot up, and she made eye contact with Max. "Geesh. Someone's cranky. Past your bedtime?" Max climbed the ladder, and went to talk with Lucas instead.

"That's good. Just show her you don't care," Steve encouraged.

"I don't. Why are you winking, Steve? Stop."

"No no-no. That was awful and never do that again! I'm not kidding. There's a difference between whatever the hell Steve told you to do and being mean. Don't be mean, especially for no reason. Dustin dude come on!" Kimberly looked at her brother, eyes still wide.

He ignored her and just stared out the window.

"You are a terrible influence!" She turned to face Steve.

"What? No I'm not."

"Oh yeah? And what do you call what just happened? Good strategy?"

"Well what would you have told him?"

"Like I said earlier, just be yourself."