Beauty & the Geek

Chapter 9

Maddy lay on the lumpy yet comforting bed, feeling as though a massive semi-truck had mercilessly rolled over her, crushing her heart with each relentless pass. The weight of grief bore down on her, making it difficult to even breathe. Despite the overwhelming sorrow, she found some solace in the tearful embrace of her friends. Exhausted, she eventually succumbed to sleep. As the girl awoke, the faint moonlight filtering through the window illuminated her tear-stained face, and she found herself unable to shake off the heavy burden of her emotions.

The fair-haired female turned onto her back, resting her arms by her sides, absently tugging at the comforter. Every inch of her body throbbed. She longed for relief in the form of medicine and the comfort of her own home. Maddy struggled to sit up, feeling the weight of weariness as she wiped at her swollen eyes. She's confident she looks terrible, but it can't be helped. With a sense of determination, she slowly left the room, her steps cautious as she searched for some relief in the form of headache pills.

Maddy's footsteps echoed softly as she made her way down the dimly lit hallway. The muffled murmur of conversation emanated from the small, lively kitchen, drawing her attention as she proceeded. When everything in your world comes to a standstill, it's natural to assume the same is true for everyone else. Except it hadn't. Everybody was gathered around, looking at something Mike was showing them.

Maddy stood listening as Max said, "So, this virus it's connecting him to the tunnels?"

Mike nodded emphatically and began to explain with great detail, "To the tunnels, the Upside Down, everything."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down!" Steve exclaimed, his voice tinged with impatience. He wanted nothing more than to be with Maddy, caring for her, even if she was asleep.

Mike described the situation as follows: "So, the shadow monster is inside everything. If the vines feel something like pain, so does Will."

Lucas comprehended the information with perfect clarity and responded, "So does Dart."

Maddy's mind, a chaotic void with a whirl of thoughts, suddenly clicked into perfect cohesion. "It's as if they're all sharing one collective consciousness, like a hive mind," she articulated to the group. Silence enveloped the room as all heads swiveled in her direction, their eyes mirroring a blend of intrigue, understanding, and compassion.

Steve's intense gaze locked onto Maddy's, pleading with her to meet his eyes, while Mike affirmed, "Yes, exactly."However, Maddy resisted the urge to engage with the big-haired athlete, seeking a distraction from the overwhelming grief that weighed heavily on her heart.

Instead of giving in to Steve, she played along with Mike. "Fascinating, it's almost like it's a superorganism."

Mike pointed to the shadow monster, explaining, "This entity controls everything. It's the brain of the operation."

Unprompted, Katie, Jen, and Maddy exchanged knowing glances with each other, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. Without needing to speak, they all recognized the looming threat before them and simultaneously uttered, "The Mind Flayer."

The trio found themselves at the center of attention, with all eyes, especially those of the younger boys, fixed on them. Unfazed, they exchanged nonchalant shrugs, and Katie delivered a sassy remark, "What? We don't babysit you dorks and not pick up on your habits of strangeness."

"We listen," Jen chimed in.

Lucas made his way over to Katie, offering a supportive pat on the back. "I'm proud of you, Sis," he said with a hint of admiration in his voice.

Everyone, not a member of the party, felt what Max said, "The what?"

Dustin slammed a Dungeons and Dragons handbook on the table and opened it to the page containing information about The Mind Flayer. He explained everything, to which Hopper brushed it off, saying, "None of this is real. It's just a kid's game."