002 - Steve Harrington

Dig Dug

"We need to get mom out of the house." Dustin says as we try to come up with a plan.

I sniffle a little and try to quickly come up with a plan. "Okay." I start out. I begin to pace my room so I can get my crying under control. "Mom thinks Mews is missing. We could tell her that Mews was seen at Loch Nora or something. Maybe that will get her to go down there and away from here?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that could work." He says and comes to sit next to me on my bed. "Dani..." He says quietly. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know that Dart was going to eat Mews."

"It's okay." I sniffle and look at him. "Let's just get this over with." I say and walk out of my room.

**

"Okay, she's coming back in." Dustin says from the window. I pick the phone up and Dustin runs over to me.

The door shuts and Mom says, "Dani, baby, you're sure she's not in your room?" 

Dustin holds up his finger, signaling her to hang on.

"If you'd like to make a call..." The automated voice starts to say.

"Uh-huh. Thank you so much Mr. McCorkle. Thank you so much. You are a true lifesaver. All right, this was great. Thank you. All right. Have a nice day. Bye-bye." I say into the phone and hang up.

"Well?" Dustin asks trying to sound believable.

"Great news." I say walking up to Mom as she holds a toy in her hands.

"They found her?" She asks choking up a little.

"No. But they saw her wandering around Loch Nora." I say sadly. 

"How did the poor baby get all the way out there?" Mom asks crying.

"I don't know. Lost, I guess. But they're gonna look for her. Dusty and I will stay here, just in case they call again." I say as I hold onto her hands. I choke back my own tears. If only she knew. "And you're gonna go help look? Yeah? Yeah?" 

Mom nods her head and pulls Dustin and I in for a tight hug. 

"Give us a hug." I say as Dustin and I hug her back. 

"Go get her." Dustin says.

Smiling, Mom backs away and heads for the door.

"They're gonna find her." I say reassuringly.

"Okay." Mom says opening the door.

"We can find her." Dustin says.

"We can find her." Mom says as she puts on her sunglasses.

"I love you." Dustin and I say, but he blows her a kiss.

"I love you." Mom says to the both of us.

"I love you." I say.

"I love you." Mom says and opens the door.

"All right, go." Dustin says as he holds two thumbs up.

With one last glance at us, she shuts the door and leaves.

Dustin and I are quick to get started on setting up a trap. He runs outside to open the cellar doors while I go in the kitchen and pull out the bologna. As Dustin puts on some gear, I lay out the bologna on the carpet, making a trail out to the cellar. I come back inside to see Dustin standing there wearing gear from both hockey and baseball. Neither which he's all that great at. He's wearing oven mitts as gloves and is holding his hockey stick. 

"Ready?" He asks me.

"One second, let me wash my hands." I say walking over to the kitchen sink.

"Dani." Dustin exasperates. "We don't have time for this."