The Strangest is Yet to Come

06.

Jonathan is indeed waiting for them in his car outside of Nancy's house. When he sees her mom's car pulling into the drive, he's out of the car and heading towards them.

"What did you mean?" he demands as they reach him, "What did you mean when you asked if he was safe? Why wouldn't he be safe?"

Nancy nudges Samantha, making Jonathan look at her with raised eyebrows. "We think it's back," she whispers, "The Mind-Flayer."

His face falls and he's shaking his head, "No. That isn't possible, Eleven, she closed the gate."

"Remember the cabin last year?" Samantha asks, "What happened with Will? The black lines spreading across his body? The same thing happened at the hospital."

He looks between the two of them, "You're being serious?"

"Deadly," Nancy says as she opens the door to her house, "That's why we need to find Will and ask him if-"

She stops when they hear hushed voices coming from down in the basement.

They head for the door, trying the handle to find that it's locked and she thumps on the door.

"Not now, mom!"

"Open the door, Mike!" Nancy demands and a few seconds later, her brother opens the door and just by looking at him, Samantha knows that something is up.

Everyone's down in the basement except for Dustin and for a moment, she worries but then she notices that Steve the Babysitter isn't here eiter and knowing that the two of them were now thick as thieves, her worry settles some. They were probably together.

She's been so focused on the missing party member that she hasn't listened to a word they've been saying, snapping out of it when Nancy calls her name, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was just telling them about Mrs Driscoll."

"Right," she looks at the group. "What we saw, it was the same thing. The exact same thing that happened to Will last year. And look," she digs through her bag for Nancy's notebook, "Look at her body temperature."

Will skims the paper, nodding in agreement, "He likes it cold."

"Hold on," Mike snatches the book from him, "So this crazy old lady who was eating fertilizer."

"Mrs Driscoll," Nancy and Samantha interrupt.

"Yeah, Mrs Driscoll. What time was this attack?"

"Last night."

"But what time?" Lucas presses.

The two girls look at each other, "Around nine."

Jonathan looks at her, "You waited all night to call?"

Samantha doesn't look at him, "We were waiting for the doctors to run the tests."

"Wait," Will frowns, "You weren't there?"

Both girls are glad to see that he looks uncomfortable, "I'm here now, aren't I?"

Max is the only one to see the blonde roll her eyes, raising her eyebrows.

She clears her throat, "So, did I hear someone say a sauna test?"

Mike nods, "That was at around nine too."

"Well that proves it," Nancy declares, "That proves my theory."

Mike nods, "She's flayed, just like Billy."

"Wait," Samantha holds up a hand, "Billy? As in Billy Hargrove?"

"It got him too," Lucas nods, taking a hesitant look at Max, "He uh, he almost attacked-"