The One || Steve Harrington

The Upside Down

Sneaking into the station had been surprisingly easy. The night shift workers had the easiest job. A small town where little to nothing happened meant no calls and little paperwork. Napping on the job was inconsequential and essentially free money.

The three prepared in silence. Nancy and Georgia screwed bulbs back onto the string of holiday lights while Jonathan carefully prepared the bear trap in the hallway.

If anyone saw the three of them right now, they'd be admitted to the nearest mental institution, especially when Nancy poured a mixture of lighter fluid and gas in a line leading to the trap, Jonathan hammered nails to a bat, and Georgia set up a trip wire in a doorway and another to a chair. No bases were left untouched.

She had her axe and knife. She wished she had a shotgun, just in case.

"Remember," Jonathan said, his eyes bouncing between the two girls.

"Straight into Will's room-" Nancy started.

"Don't step on the trap; jump over the wire," Georgia continued.

"Wait for the yo-yo to move," said Nancy.

"Then," Jonathan said, holding up the lighter. "All right. We're good. Ready?"

Both girls nodded. This was for Barb, Will, and their parents.

Georgia took the knife Jonathan handed and held it up to her palm in unison with the other two. Her movements were hesitant. Accidentally cutting herself was one thing; doing it on purpose was another.

"Georgia, are you sure you're okay with cutting your hand?" Nancy asked.

Nancy knew Georgia well enough to know blood and pain were not her strong suits.

"We need to have enough blood to lure it here," Jonathan said plainly, implying the three of us needed to cut their hands.

Georgia made a face.

"Do we really all-"

"Yes, Georgie," Jonathan stated.

It was the last piece of the plan.

"Okay, okay," Georgia shifted on her feet. "I got this."

With their knives positioned over their palms and on the count of three, they made the cut.

Georgia's cut was by far the smallest and stopped bleeding the quickest. They made sure to leave droplets everywhere before bandaging their hands.

Her hand hurt, but the plan was in motion. If they stuck to the plan, it would all be okay. Georgia zoned out, tuning out Nancy and Jonathan's conversation as she wrapped his cut. There was something between the two, and Georgia felt as though she was intruding.

She jumped at the sound of harsh banging on the front door.

"Jonathan?" Steve's familiar voice yelled. "Are you there, man? It's...it's Steve!"

The three shared a look. They had no doubt the Demogorgon was on its way, and Steve was open bait. The two motioned for Georgia to answer the door.

"You're his...his, I don't know what to call you," Georgia whispered toward Nancy, who pushed Georgia to the door.

"Listen, I just want to talk! I can see someone moving. Please, man," Steve yelled, hitting the door again.

She flipped the two off before halfway opening the door.

His face was bruised, his right eye completely black, his lip split, and the skin broken where Jonathan had hit him hours earlier.

"Georgia?" his voice full of shock upon seeing her open the door.