"I didn't need a hero, Billy." Darian sneers, dusting off his coat, eyes glaring.
Billy only smirks, reaching over and untangling one of Darians dark curls, quickly catching himself, pulling his hand back. "It didn't seem like that a minute ago." B...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Hawkins, Indiana
November 1984
。.✦ ☾
Junkyard.
。.✦ ☾
Darian was growing impatient. He didn't like the waiting. Before he can speak up and complain, there is a vibrating growl in the background.
They all quickly move to peer out of the gated window. Steve and Darian press against one another, struggling to see through the same window.
They couldn't see anything past the fog. Darian hated it. "Can you guys see anything?" Dustin asks, Steve and Darian shake their heads, "No." Darian mumbles. "Lucas!" Dustin calls out "Lucas, what's going on!" Darian calls out
Lucas peers through his binoculars, "Hold on!" Lucas calls out
He looks throughout the junkyard, still seeing nothing but fog, only to see a large figure past the thick dog, its body hunched over. The silent growling echoed throughout the graveyard.
Darian and the others saw it too. "I've got eyes! Ten o'clock!" Lucas exclaims, suddenly stuttering. "Ten o'clock!" Max exclaims
Darian points, "There." Darian breathes, his eyes wide with fear. Steve gulps harshly, nodding. "Yeah." Steve mumbles "What's he doing?" Dustin asks "I don't know." Steve answers, not moving his gaze, in fear that he might disappear.
Still not convinced, Max looks to Lucas, lowering her binoculars. "Are you sure it's not a dog?" Max asks
Lucas turns to her in disbelief, "what?" Lucas asks, confused.
....
Darian turns to Steve confused, shaking his head. "He's not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?" Darian asks, this seriously couldn't be happening. They couldn't fail. "Maybe he's not hungry?" Dustin asks, hopeful.
Steve thinks hard, only to resign himself. "Maybe he's sick of cow." Steve mumbles to himself, pulling away from the window, and standing up straight.
Darian looks up at him, their eyes meeting for a hot moment. Steve shakes his head and makes his way towards the bus doors. "Steve?" Darian calls out "Steve, what are you doing?" Dustin asks, also standing up.
Steve doesn't answer.
Darian follows after Steve, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to turn towards him. "What the hell are you doing?" Darian asks
Steve moves his hands up and grabs Darian's wrist gently. "You remember what I said when I told you I was discovering something about myself?" Steve asks, making Darian nod, confused and worried. "Well, it's you, Darian. I've discovered something I knew would ruin our friendship. And I couldn't have that. You mean too much to me, so promise me, if I don't make it through this, you protect those kids and yourself. No matter what?" Steve asks
Darian shakes his head. "Steve?" Darian breaths
"You are my best friend, no matter what." Steve states, his eyes wide and honest. "Now get ready, because we're about to face the fight of our life." Steve laughs, gently handing him the lighter. "I hate you." Darian laughs
Steve smiles. "I know." Steve breaths
....
Steve slowly pushes the bus door open, gripping tightly at his bat, slowly peering outside. He feels Darians stare at the back of his neck, making him even more nervous, but he shakes it off. He can't get distracted, definitely not now.
Walking further out, he adjusts the bat in his grip, softly flinching when the door closes on its own behind him.
He moves closer to the growling, ready to swing at any given moment. Steve softly whistles, goading it closer. "Come on buddy." Steve coos
Darian grimaces in fear.
Max makes her way down the ladder, hovering behind Dustin and Darian. "What's he doing?" Max asks "expanding the menu." Dustin's says grimly.
Darian really hated that thought.
Steve lets the bat hang, slowly closing in. "Come on, buddy." Steve whispers, "Come on, dinner time." Steve states
His eyes never waver from their spot. "Humans taste better than cats, I promise." Steve says, planting his feet, ready for Dart's attack.
"He's insane." Darian breathes "he's awesome." Dustin breaths with a small grin.
Steve was still swinging his bat as Dart prowled towards him, softly growing. Steve keeps his stare, waiting. The fear seemed to slowly drain out of him. But unknowingly another creature stalks him from above.
Demodogs surround Steve. "Steve! Watch out!" Lucas yells out, making Darian's eyes widen. No! "I'm a little busy!" Steve calls back, not moving his gaze.
"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!" Lucas screeches
Steve slowly turns and he spots the demodog coming from behind.
Dustin runs from the window, making his way towards the bus's doors, forcing them open. "Steve! Abort! Steve, abort!" Dustin yells
Steve looks around as he's surrounded. Dart's face suddenly opens up and starts lunging toward him. Steve quickly runs in the other direction, jumping over a car and sprinting towards their reinforced bus, slamming the doors behind him.
Darian jumps him, wrapping his arms around Steve's arms. Steve pants into his neck, eyes wide, hugging him back. "What the fuck Steve." Darian pants
Steve chuckles, only to jump, when the demodogs slam into the bus, making them pull apart and turn. Lucas jumps down from the bus's roof. "Shit!" Max exclaims, they are surrounded. "Are they rabid or something?" Max asks
"They can't get in! They can't!" Lucas yells, trying to reassure himself more than them. He's really praying they can't. The monsters keep attacking the bus, some piercing the metal with their claws. Steve quickly replaces it with a metal slab.
But at the other end, a Demodog claws its way in. Darian quickly grabs Steve's nail-covered bat and bashes its head in, yelling out.
Steve stares for a brief second, only to continue reinforcing the bus. The kids were screaming in fear as the bus was jostled by the monsters outside.
Dustin was trying to call for help over the walkie, but there was no reply.
Max suddenly comes to a realization, her gaze moving towards the open hatch on the ceiling. It seemed that the Demodogs came to the same realization. The bus tremors as Dart climbs to the roof, peering down at them through the hole.
Max suddenly screams, only to be pulled away, "Out of the way! Out of the way!" Steve yells, grabbing the bat from Darian and holding it threatening towards Dart. Just as Dart's face opens up, it stops, looking away.
Steve notices the change, confused.
Dart growls and turns away, jumping off the bus. Steve looks a little concerned. "What's going on?" Darian pants, still covered in demo blood.
Steve doesn't have an answer. "I-I have no idea." Steve whispers, shaking his head.
They push open the door and they slowly peer out, noticing all the demodogs gone. Steve fully exits, leaning the bat onto his shoulder, listening as the growls decrease.
"Did Steve scare them off?" Dustin asks "No way." Steve interrupts, turning towards the small party. "They're going somewhere." Steve says
