ghosting

ACT II PART VI

Come morning, Xavier was dragging Dustin out of his room and onto his bike.

"Who were you talking to in there?" he asks confused.

"Myself."

"Werdio."

He watched as Dustin biked away and Xavier waited inside his house for Jonathan to come.

He didn't.

Xavier frowned as he debated calling the Byers' house but decided against it. He didn't want to worry Mrs.Byers, not any more than she already was with Will. He grumbled as he got up from his seat on the couch and paced back and forth.

He could call the Wheelers-

No, he wouldn't be doing that.

He sighed, frustrated, and stood in the middle of his living room. It looked like the only thing he could do was skip. He has no one to take him to school, not really. He didn't know if Eddie was already at school, didn't even know if Steve was as well.

-

He skipped and sure he could have taken the school bus but, what if Jonathan showed up?

He didn't and so Xavier stewed angrily though.

He had to stay hidden from his mom as she came home, napped, and then went back to work. He did leave her a meal in the fridge before she came home, he always did.

He sighed as he laid down on the couch and waited for Dustin to come home. Even waited for a phone call from Jonathan explaining to him why he was late. He only really got one of those things.

He went outside as he waited for Dustin to come home. He was a little later than usual but that was fine. It didn't bother him, not really. He was used to him coming late because of AV club anyway. He rubbed his face aggressively as Dustin made his way to him.

"Mom home?" Dustin asked.

"No, she got called in for a last-minute shift at the hospital," he replied.

Dustin nodded his head and the pair walked inside.

"Something's happening to Will," Dustin told him.

Xavier froze and turned to look at Dustin. Before he could ask any further questions, he heard a noise from Dustin's room.

"Stay here," he ordered.

"Xavi-"

"I mean it."

The older boy grabbed a knife from the kitchen and made his way to Dustin's room. He opened the door slowly and felt Dustin behind him.

"Que te dije pendejo?" he whispered angerily.

"Xavi there's something I need to tell you-" he replied.

"Not right now."

He walked in and walked further into Dustin's room.

"Stay behind me," he ordered again.

He was surprised to see Mews being eaten. His grip around the knife tightened at the sight. It was gruesome. The creature- he didn't know what it was, that scared him.

The creature looked up at the brothers and hissed at them. It's mouth opened up and-

"Is that a fucking baby demogorgan?" Xavier asked.

"Don't hurt Dart!" Dustin yelled.

Xavier turned to glare at his brother and maybe he was being paranoid but he swore it almost jumped at him. He led Dustin out of the room and locked it.