The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

something doesn't feel right

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"Something is coming. Something hungry for blood," Michael Wheeler said in an ominous voice. Samantha Hughes was hunched over her character's information sheet, raising an intrigued eyebrow as he went on. She pushed her glasses further up her nose as they began to slip. Mike was looking around at the entire Party, "A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness... It is almost here."

William Byers leaned forward, "What is it?"

"What if it's the Demogorgon?" Dustin Henderson asked anxiously.

Sam's eyebrows widened at Dustin's theory, "No! We'd be so screwed!"

"It's not the Demogorgon," Lucas Sinclair told the two friends, trying to calm the latter down.

Mike's hand slammed down on the table, placing down a figurine Sam had yet to distinguish, "An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!"

"Troglodytes?" Dustin scoffed.

Lucas smiled like a smart-ass, "Told ya!"

All of them chuckled at Dustin's overthinking and Sam's panicking. Sam took her time again to look around the table once more. Dustin, Lucas, Mike, and Will had been Sam's best and only friends since the second grade (well, Lucas joined the Party in third grade and Dustin in fourth, but that was irrelevant). They were her idiot, nerdy boys, and Sam loved them all.

Not that she'd admit that aloud, of course.

They were now reaching hour ten of their Dungeons and Dragons campaign — something the five of them loved more than life itself. It combined fantasy, imagination, combat, critical thinking, and adventure into one, awesome game they could play for the rest of their lives. "Ten hours" be damned. Each member had their own perspective roles and characters. Will (the Wise) was their Cleric, Mike was their paladin (and Dungeon Master), Lucas was their Ranger, Dustin was their Bard, and finally, Sam was their Druid.

"Wait a minute," Mike continued softly, eyebrows furrowing for suspense. "Do you hear that? That... That sound? Boom... Boom... Boom!" Mike slammed his hands on the table, getting Sam to flinch again.

"Michael!" Sam hissed.

Mike smirked at her, "That didn't come from the troglodytes, no. That... That came from something else.

Sam had a bad feeling it was the Demogorgon.

Mike slammed another figurine on the table, "The Demogorgon!"

Everyone began groaning, throwing up their hands helplessly. Sam gaped incredulously at Mike, glasses inching down again. Dustin eyed the game board miserably, "We're in deep shit."

"Will, your action!" Mike called to Will.

Will shook his head in distress, "I don't know!"

"Fireball him!" Lucas shouted.

"Cast protection!" Dustin disagreed.

Will's head darted between the two boys before he locked eyes with Sam. He was wordlessly asking for her input on the dire situation.