STICKS AND STONES ↝ S. HARRINGTON

[12]

The sound of Becca's tires crunching against the gravel of the Byers' driveway was soon accompanied by a sharp screech as the blonde hit the brake, bringing the red BMW to a stop with Jonathan's Ford not far behind. The girls quickly threw open the doors to the car, rushing over to where Jonathan, Nancy, and Michelle got out of the Ford, Jonathan hurrying to the trunk and pulling it open to reveal the supplies inside.

While Becca grabbed the bags of dog food and other supplies they'd gotten at Melvald's from the back seat of her car, Jonathan picked up the box from Hunting and Camping, which had been initially confiscated by Officer Powell before Hopper had eventually released him. The five teenagers filed into the dark house, only dimly illuminated by a lamp Michelle flicked on in the living room.

"Okay," Jonathan said, setting the box on the ground and surveying its contents. "First up, we need to finish putting up the rest of the Christmas lights. The bulbs are all in a box on the dining room table. If you guys want to start getting those put together, Nancy and I can get started on the trap."

The girls murmured their agreements as they got to work, and Anna retrieved the boxes of colored light bulbs from the kitchen, bringing them back and handing a box each to Becca and Michelle. As the girls got to work, Jonathan and Nancy carried the box containing the trap to the living room, putting it into position to where they could attempt to trap the monster if all went according to plan.

"So, how do we lure this thing here?" Becca asked as she began screwing in the tiny colored bulbs.

"Well, the monster likes blood, right?" Jonathan asked. "It took the injured deer, and you guys said Barbara cut her hand, so maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe that's what summons it."

"Mike called it something." Nancy suddenly spoke up. "He said it had a name, something the boys and El were calling it. A Demo-something. Demogoon?"

Anna paused, looking over at her with a confused expression. "A Demogorgon? Like in D and D?"

"That's it!" she said, but her voice was soon cut off by that of metal clinking as the trap fell apart, pieces clashing into one another as Jonathan's attempt to assemble it began to fall futile.

"Shit," Jonathan muttered, picking up one of the pieces as he began to start over.

"Do you need some help over there?" Michelle asked, screwing on the last light bulb from her box.

"I can't get these pieces to fit together." Jonathan said, squinting to try and read the instructions in the dim lighting. "Have any of you ever assembled one of these before?"

"Have you met my mother?" Anna asked, smirking. "She'd have a fit."

"Dad put a couple together when he took us on hunting trips, but I wouldn't have a clue where to start." Michelle added, taking the instructions from Jonathan as she began to look them over.

"I've got it," Jonathan insisted, attempting to put the pieces back together again, but the mouth of the trap snapped shut, nearly taking his finger off in the process as he pulled back quickly. "Shit!" he hissed, shaking his hand out and inspecting his fingers for any damage.

"If we don't have that trap, we're screwed." Becca pointed out.

Nancy looked around at the others before sighing. "We could always call for help." she suggested.

"Who?" Anna asked. "Hopper and Mrs. Byers are already on their way to the Upside Down. If we called them for help, they'd just make us go back to the school."

"I didn't mean the adults," Nancy said, exchanging a look with Jonathan, who nodded in response after a moment.

"Any of you know if Landon's around this evening?" Jonathan asked them. "He'd have to know how to put one of these together, right?"