/ "and i have to speculate that god himself did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces from the clay" /
Michelle "Mickey" Hopper has a lot of problems. An alcoholic father ignoring the loss of his youngest daughter, her sister, Sarah...
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...Thursday, July 4, 1985... don't you (forget about me) - simple minds
The group of five poked their heads around the bathroom door, watching the crowd funnel out of the theater after the last frames of Back to the Future had played out. Dustin waited for the perfect moment before saying, "And... blend."
"Well, shit, that worked," Erica said as they easily made their way towards the parking lot.
Dustin scoffed. "'Course it worked. We just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes and home sweet home, here we come."
"Uh, Dustin?" Mickey said.
"What?"
"Yeah, you might not want to go to your house."
"Why?"
She took a deep breath before rushing out, "I might have told them your full name."
He looked back at her repeatedly in disbelief before hissing, "What is wrong with you?"
"Yeah, you should know by now that I am useless when drugged."
"Dude!" Dustin whisper-shrieked.
"I'm sorry, okay?! You don't know until you've been there... Don't take that as an excuse to go there. Hugs not drugs, children."
"Uh, guys?" Robin interrupted as they followed her gaze forward in the crowd.
A man with dark hair tied back in a low ponytail and dressed in all black was questioning passersby in a thick, Russian accent. As soon as Dustin saw him, he said, "Abort. Abort. Abort!"
Though they started their run immediately after, they were seemingly a second too late as the Russian man caught sight of their retreat through the mass of people. He pursued them through the mall as the five took turns sliding down the space between the flights of escalators.
Steve shuttled them over to one of the food court storefronts, helping each of them jump up and over the counter before climbing over himself. They crouched down behind it just in time for the Russian along with a few of his companions to begin prowling the space, guns drawn.
Mickey held one hand over her mouth to quiet her rapid breaths. Steve scooted an inch closer to her, pressing their shoulders together, and laid his hand palm up on her thigh. She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation, but reached down and weaved her fingers through his.
Not ten feet away from the storefront stood the Russian guard who had first spotted them. He spoke quietly into his walkie in his native tongue, alerting his buddies that he'd located the five. His comrades slowly drew in around him as they all pointed their weapons towards the Scoops Troop's hiding spot.
Dustin dug his forehead into Mickey's other shoulder, almost as if he knew they were drawing in on them. They could all feel it, sitting there in the dark. This was the end of the line. Their only comfort was that they wouldn't be facing it alone.
