"C'mon." Iris leads the group, handing out the flashlights. "If they're going where I think they are, quickest way is the tracks."
"Woah, woah, where are we going?" Lucas holds out his hands. "And since when were you like Eleven?"
The entire group stops moving, Iris unsure of what to say. It wasn't long ago she had met Eleven, but she hadn't gone into detail about how she knew her. Dustin had briefly told her about it, how Eleven had saved them the year prior and was now presumed dead.
"I came from the same place she did." Iris held out her wrist, rolling up her string bracelets she always wore for that reason. The 000 was displayed in the dim lighting.
Iris made the mistake of making eye contact with Max as she handed the girl a flashlight. It was as if Max could see the horrors in her eyes, the abused child she used to be.
"Let's get moving." Steve changes the conversation, worry laced in his tone. It suddenly occurred to Iris that Steve never pressed about her powers. It was like he knew it was something she had trouble talking about.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, Iris and Steve completely aware of the three kids behind them talking about the prior conversation, even though they were trying to be as quiet as possible.
"You're positive that was dart?" Lucas asked loudly a few minutes later.
"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt." Dustin answered, now walking in between Steve and Iris.
"He was tiny two days ago." Max said.
"Well, he's molted three times already." Dustin replied.
"Malted?" Steve incorrectly repeated.
"Molted." Dustin and Iris corrected at the same time.
"Shed his skin to make room for growth, like hornworms." Dustin continued.
"When's he gonna molt again?" Max asked.
"Soon, I'd say." Iris said, earning a nod in agreement from Dustin. "He's going to be fully grown or at least close to it. If it follows the same logic as our species."
"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats." Steve added.
"Wait, cat?" Lucas stopped Dustin. "Dart ate a cat?"
"No, what? No." Dustin stammered.
"What are you talking about?" Steve asked, confused.
"He ate Mews." Iris reiterated.
"Mews? Who's Mews?" Max turned to the two.
"It's Dustin's cat." Steve said.
"Steve!" Dustin yelled.
"I knew it! You kept him!" Lucas shouted.
"No!"
"No?"
"No I-, no." Dustin stuttered. "He missed me. He wanted to come home."
"Bullshit!" Lucas argued.
"I didn't know he was a Demogorgon, okay?"
"Oh, so now you admit it?"
"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max interrupted their argument.
"I care! You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!" Lucas exclaimed.
"So did you!" Dustin points out.
YOU ARE READING
ZERO
RomanceAll Iris wanted was a normal, boring life. But, when you have a tendency to explode things with your mind, normal and boring things don't tend to attract you. Yet, strange things are happening all around her, and she's starting to think the normal...
