The One || Steve Harrington

The Mind Flayer

They trudged through the woods along the train tracks in the direction the dogs left in. It was eerily silent except for the occasional bird and cricket. She couldn't see more than ten feet into the forest. The further they walked, the quieter it got.

Very eerie.

Every few steps, Steve squeezed her hand, comforting the girl. He hadn't left her side since the bus.

For once, she felt like the clingy one in the relationship. She couldn't bring herself to be embarrassed, not when he was so close to being food for a bunch of creatures that shouldn't exist.

"If you ever do that stupid shit again, Harrington, I'm breaking up with you, and I'm not joking," Georgia vowed. "Or I'm putting dye in your shampoo."

Breaking up with him was more of a punishment to her than him. Whether she wished to admit it or not, she needed him too much.

"Oh, can it be blue?" Max asked, giggling. "I bet it'd look great against his complexion."

"Yeah, Harrington," Lucas teased. "Blue is in."

Steve's movements faltered for a second as he made a face toward the kids, who turned to grin at him.

"Never again," he promised, tugging on her hand and bringing it to his lips, gently kissing the back of her hand before returning to swinging. "And can you guys stop being so excited about it?" Steve looked over his shoulder, glaring at the kids behind them. "It's like you're hoping for our breakup. Very uncool of you and not a great first impression, red."

He pointed the bat at Max, who simply rolled her eyes at his words. Max definitely made a good impression. Their plan would've taken far longer if she wasn't there.

"We just happen to think you'd look even better with blue hair than brown. We're being nice and providing you with honesty, Steve," Lucas shrugged.

"So, you're positive that was Dart?" he asked a moment later.

"Yes," nodded Dustin, certain. "He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt." For someone who claimed to lose all fatherly affection for Dart, he sure didn't sound like it.

"He was tiny two days ago," said Max hurriedly. "Those things were like the size of a thick, slimy, Great Dane...if Great Danes had weird tails n a million rows of teeth."

"Well, he's molted three times already," said Dustin.

"Malted?" Steve repeated.

Her face crinkled in amusement at his innocent mistake.

"Molted," Dustin corrected. "Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."

"Or snakes," Georgia said. She didn't know what hornworms were and doubted Steve did. Her flashlight pointed ahead of the path, looking for any signs of disruption. Her father would be proud of her tracking skills.

"When's he gonna molt again?" Max wondered.

She hoped he'd stop molting soon. Molting meant he was being fed, most likely feasting on the Hawkins housecat population.

"It's gotta be soon," answered Dustin. "When he does, he'll be fully grown or close to it. And so will his friends."

What an ugly sight that would be.

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats," Steve joked, pointing his flashlight back at Dustin. Georgia elbowed the boy. That was the one thing Dustin asked them not to say.

"Wait, a cat?" Lucas repeated, with a touch of asperity, moving so he stood in front of Dustin. "Dart ate a cat?"

"No, what? No," Dustin frantically shook his head, his eyes lasering in on Steve.