Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER TWELVE: HELL GOES LOOSE
Dustin continued to empty the freezer to fit the dead demo-dog in, Steve held it carefully in a cloth, ensuring it was properly contained. The atmosphere in the house was tense and anxious, with everyone except the kids and Steve gone to try and close the gate, Eleven included in their plan for safety.
Meanwhile, Lucas and Max were sweeping up the glass from the shattered window as Mike paced back and forth, his anxiety palpable and affecting everyone around him.
Lucas finally spoke up to Mike, trying to calm him down. "Would you stop already?"
Mike, still agitated, responded sharply. "You weren't in there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs."
"Demon-dogs!" Dustin corrected from the kitchen where he was still busy.
Lucas tried to reassure everyone. "The chief will take care of her."
Max chimed in, her voice tinged with frustration. "Like she needs protection."
Rowan nudged Max, understanding her feelings but unsure how to comfort her in this tense moment.
Steve interjected with an attempt to rally everyone. "Listen, dude, if coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?"
Rowan looked to Steve in confusion, not fully grasping his analogy amidst the chaos.
Mike dismissed Steve's analogy, his nerves getting the best of him. "Okay, first of all, this isn't some stupid sports game. And second, we're not even in the game. We're on the bench."
Steve stammered, trying to make his point. "Right— so my point is..."
They all stared at Steve, waiting for a coherent answer.
"Right, yeah, we're on the bench, so, uh, there's nothing we can do," Steve concluded, somewhat defeated.
Dustin tried to inject some optimism. "That's not entirely true. I mean, these demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away."
Lucas picked up on Dustin's idea. "So if we get their attention..."
Max added, catching onto their plan. "Maybe we can draw them away from the lab."
Rowan nodded in agreement, sensing the urgency. "And clear a path to the gate."
Steve raised his voice, expressing his concern. "Yeah, and then we all die."
Dustin countered confidently. "That's one point of view."
Steve shot back, frustrated. "No, that's not a point of view, man. That's a fact."
Mike abruptly moved past Steve and Dustin, his mind racing with a new idea. "I got it!"
Everyone followed Mike as he pointed to a drawer on the bottom of the fridge. "This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way into the tunnel. So... here, right here. This is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this on fire..."
