NO SURPRISES --- Steve Harrington

CHAPTER NINE.

- THE MIND FLAYER
              - luneetoilex

"KISS HER, YOU FOOL."

"HELLO?" Amelia called to the rustling darkness, earning her a 'are you stupid?' look from Steve who paused the group and swept the ground with his torch. Steve held his arm out in front of Amelia, keeping the rest of the group behind him while his bat was held high.

There was the calls of human voices, familiar voices. Amelia shouted back despite Steve's attempts to silence her. The cool metal of her gun was comforting against her fingers.

"Amelia?"

"Steve?"

"Maia?"

"Jonathan?"

"Nance?" Steve's previously light expression sagged, eyes darkening in real time as his eyes flicked to Amelia briefly.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, beginning to feel her head spin. She checked her wound to find she had bled through the bandage, now dampening the new shirt. "Steve.." She sunk to the floor, untying the old shirt from around her waist and stripping down to her bra, losing all care for the eyes on her.

"Shit, Lia." Maia crouched beside her, taking the first aid kit from Steve and dressing up the wound much more effectively than they had been able to previously. She could hear the chatter of a game plan behind her but all she could distinguish was the chill of Maia's hands and the burning of Steve's eyes into the back of her head. The pain throbbed dully. "You good?" Maia asked, sinking to the floor beside her. She nodded, gritting her teeth as the adrenaline began to wear off and the effects of the pain began to take their toll.

"...not sure." Steve's voice came back into focus as she tuned back into the conversation, she didn't remember how she ended up with the death grip on Maia's hand.

"Why?" As if on queue, the distinct screeching that haunted her nightmares rang through the night and all heads turned towards the eerie lab, silhouetted in the night sky. The flashing red lights attempting to deter the eight determined kids.

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"We haven't seen Will..." Nancy trailed off and the two best friends shared a look. Amelia lowered herself into the security guards seat tentatively. "I haven't seen him since..."