Insane in the membrane-Stranger things

Chapter 41

The quintet were now settled at the Wheeler's basement with Nancy and Robin, Jess lay peacefully on the sofa, her head leaning on Steve's chest as he had an arm hooked around her waist. Jess was enjoying a nice long sleep until she could have sworn she heard a voice through the walkie. ''Dustin, earth to Dustin!'' the voice exclaimed. Jess shot up and rubbed her eyes, before crawling over to pick up the walkie and pressed the button.

''Hey, it's Jess,'' she exclaimed.

''Older Henderson, hey, um I'm gonna need a food delivery like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world,'' Eddie's voice replied through the walkie.

''No, no don't do that, stay where you are and we'll be there soon,'' Jess told him.

''Too preoccupied for me?'' he asked.

''Oh, yeah too preoccupied for you,'' Jess replied, rolling her eyes.

''Yeah, yeah...listen um...can you pick me up a six pack? I know, it's stupid as shit drinking right now but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves,'' Eddie explained as Jess had stopped paying attention, her eyes had danced over to the sofa where Max suddenly wasn't seated.

''Hey...uh I'm gonna have to call you back,'' Jess said.

''No, don't you dare...Henderson, Henderson!'' The walkie turned to static and Jess rushed over to her brother, shaking him by the shoulders.

''Dustin!'' she yelled.

Dustin's eyes slowly started to open. ''Mmmm?'' he hummed in response since he was still half asleep.

''Wake up,'' Jess yelled again, poking at her brother's chest.

''What?'' Dustin asked.

''Aren't you supposed to be on Max watch?'' Jess asked.

''Yep, yep, yep, yep,'' Dustin replied, rubbing his eyes. ''Sorry.''

''Then where is she?''

''She's right there,'' Dustin said, pointing to the couch to see that Max wasn't there. ''A second ago.''

Jess gave Dustin a worried look and rushed down the stairs, Dustin following after his sister and Jess sighed a deep sigh of relief when she saw that Max was safe and sound, listening to her music while sitting at the table with Nancy's little sister Holly.

''Morning, guys. Everything okay?'' Mrs Wheeler asked.

''Yeah, yeah everything's okay, Mrs Wheeler,'' Jess replied.

''I think it's so great you guys are sticking together like this,'' Mrs Wheeler smiled.

''Could try sticking together at a different house for a change,'' Mr Wheeler exclaimed in his usual bored tone.

''You know you're welcome anytime, you're like family.''

Jess smiled at the older woman and headed over to the young red head, she could faintly hear Kate Bush's angelic voice echoing over the headphones that Max had pulled down to her neck as she looked up from her drawing. ''Hey,'' Jess exclaimed, placing a hand on the young red head's shoulder.

''Hey,'' Max exclaimed back.

''Are you okay?''

''Just couldn't sleep, people kept blasting music into my ears for some reason but Holly let me use some of her crayons we've been having fun right, Holly?'' Max smiled, looking over at Holly who was staring at her lite-brite.

''Mmmm-hmm,'' Holly hummed in response.

Jess looked down at the drawings that Max had. ''Is this what you saw?'' she asked, eyeing them carefully.