Me, Myself, and Her

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Oh My My My

Dustin came into the kitchen moments later. He stepped out of the way of Holly, who was caring her new light bright to a different room.

When he got to the counter, he set the walkie down and leaned on it, like Lucas and Annie were doing. Annie had one headphone off her ear so she could listen to what Dustin had to report.

"Anything?"

"Nothing," Dustin replied, disappointed.

Annie's own shoulders sagged. It got worse when Lucas said, "You don't think they went through..."

"Through Watergate?" Annie rolled her eyes at Dustin's new nickname. "Without us? Without plans? Without weapons? They wouldn't be that stupid."

"Yeah..."

"They must just be laying low cause the law got us," Dustin offered. Annie started to nod, but then got cut off.

"'The law'," came Erica's voice. The looked over as she walked into the kitchen. "What is this, Gunsmoke? The Stupid and The Ugly? Should I round up the posse? Saddle the horses?"

Erica came in and leaned up on the counter with them.

"Erica. Please, just... go away," Lucas groaned.

She didn't listen, something Annie was extremely familiar with. "Here's the deal," she said instead. "Either you tell me what's happening, or, I tell Dustin and Annie what I found under your bed."

The two mentioned looked over at Lucas, Annie's eyebrows up and eyes full of amused interest. "Oh really?" she asked, a smile spreading across her face.

Lucas perked up and shook his head. "Please, no," he begged.

"Spill your guts, cowpuncher."

Dustin put a hand on his hip and turned to Lucas. "What'd she find under your bed?"

"Nothing!"

He and Annie immediately looked at Erica. "Is it gross?" Dustin asked. Erica nodded.

"Scale of one to ten?" Annie asked, wanting to know just how gross they were talking.

"A hundred."

Annie gasped and looked right back over. "Holy shit, dude," she said.

"A hundred?" Dustin exclaimed.

"The serial killer is a dark wizard from the Upside Down! And, we've been looking for him, but! He's in the Upside Down, which we can't reach. At least we thought we couldn't, until we found a gate at Lover's Lake. That was the reason why we were there! But these stupid cops grabbed us. And if you tell anyone about this... that's including Mom and Dad and Tina... especially Tina... I will smother you in your sleep. Do you understand?"

"Hmm..." Erica hummed after finishing off her juice with a slurp.

"Erica." Lucas slid forward on the counter. "Do. You. Copy?" he asked, quietly but very strongly.

Annie looked at him, eyebrows nearly hiding in her hair. "Jesus, dude, what the fuck are you hiding under your bed?" she asked. Lucas turned his intense gaze to her, then back to Erica for an answer.

"The smothering in my sleep part, but not much else. Why would they open up a gate at Lover's Lake?" she asked.

Now Annie was confused. "What?" Lucas asked, his intense demeanor gone.

"The commies?" Erica said, as if it were obvious.

"The commies didn't do this," Lucas explained. It was fair, since Erica was only introduced to all of this last summer, when the commies did do this.