𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

lounging at the pool

"I don't know, he looks pretty normal to me" Max says, looking away from Billy.

"Normal? How many times have you seen him with a shirt on?" Lucas asks, knowing that Billy having a sweater on nevermind a shirt was very unusual.

"I mean, it's a little weird" Max admits with a shrug.

"More than a little" Mike corrects "He was in a tub of ice. The Mind Flayer likes it cold. Plus everything else--"

"But he's just lounging at the pool" Asher cuts Mike off "If I was a weird thing from a different world possessing someone, the pool would not be the first place I go to. An abandoned warehouse? Yes. A pool? No."

"Not necessarily" Will says, making the group look at him "The Mind Flayer likes to hide. He only used me when he needed me. It's like... like you're dormant. And then, when he needs you, you're activated."

"I still don't get why he's at the pool of all places though" Asher brings up, making Mike roll his eyes "If the Mind Flayer hates the heat, why is he just out in the sun? And as well, he's not going to be activated when there is this many people around so it's useless being here now."

"Well how to you suggest we find him when he's not surrounded by loads of people?" Mike asks Asher.

"Come by later, maybe after he's finished work?" Asher asks Mike, making him stay silent "See, I have good ideas sometimes. So we spy on him after work and wait until he's activated?"

"No" Mike says "What if he hurts someone?"

"Or kills someone?" Will adds on.

"We can't take that chance" Mike says "We need to find out if he's the host."

"Should I go home and get my gun?" Asher asks which makes the rest of the group give him a weird look.

"Since when do you have a gun?" Lucas asks Asher.

"And why does someone trust you of all people to have a gun?" Mike asks with a scoff.

"Well, it's not mine, it's my old man's" Asher tells the two "But I could go home and get it. We might need it."

"Absolutely not!" Max says defensively.

"Why can't I use the gun?" Asher asks Max "If he really is being controlled by the Mind Flayer we probably will need it."

"Because I'm not letting you kill my brother!" Max whisper-yells at Asher, thinking that Asher has gone insane.

"Why not? He's an asshole!" Asher whisper-yells back at Max "And I wouldn't actually kill him, I'd probably just shoot him in the leg."

"Either way, I'm not letting you shoot my brother" Max says, glaring at Asher.

"Fine, but if he beats our asses, I'm going to tell you that I told you so" Asher says with a huff, turning away from the girl as Mike starts to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Eleven asks Mike as they all turn to look at him.

"I have an idea, boys only" Mike says, making Lucas, Will and Asher follow him.

"Seriously?" Max asks, not being amused in the slightest.

"Just trust me on this one!" Mike yells to the girls before leading the boys to the men's changing rooms "Okay, so just like Ash said, we wait until the pool closes, until everyone leaves" Mike starts to explain as they walk through the changing rooms "And we somehow get him to come from here and... get him into here" Mike says right before opening the sauna door.

"Hey shut the door!" One of the old men yell.

"Hey, come on, kid! Shut it!" Another man yells, making Mike shut the door.

"Well that's going to be in my nightmares for weeks now" Asher mutters before gagging.

"I think I just threw up in my mouth" Lucas mentions to his friends.

"And look, the controls are right here" Mike says, looking at the controls for the sauna "It's perfect."

"Will it get hot enough?" Will asks.

"Two hundred and twenty degrees" Mike answers "We just have to figure out how to get him in here."

"I mean, if someone pissed him off enough, he'd want to fight anyone, no matter what the place is" Asher mentions, making the three boys look at him "What?"

"You just gave me an idea" Mike says to Asher with a smile "And you are the bait."

"I dragged myself into this one, didn't I?" Asher asks, making Mike nod his head.

"Shit."

736 Words