𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄
NOVEMBER 4TH, 1984

The group shuffled back inside, the air thick with an uneasy tension that clung to them like a heavy fog. In the living room, Henry stood with Lucas and Max, working together to clear the shards of glass strewn across the floor. The silence was palpable, each heartbeat echoing louder than the last, as they struggled against the weight of their unspoken fears.

Henry's gaze drifted toward Mike, who was pacing anxiously like a caged animal. There was something frantic about the way he moved, a whirlwind of nerves and anticipation. With a gentle nudge to Lucas's side, Henry subtly gestured toward their friend's restless energy.

Lucas paused in his sweeping, annoyance flashing across his face. "Mike!" he called out, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Max, momentarily distracted, glanced from Lucas to Mike, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Henry leaned against the wall, arms crossed, taking in the scene with a mix of concern and curiosity. He wondered where Scarlette had wandered off to, recalling that she had gone to assist Dustin and Steve with the rather peculiar task of storing the Demo-Dog in the fridge. It was a strange choice, yet nothing seemed too unusual anymore.

"Would you just stop already?" Lucas's frustration boiled over, halting Mike in his tracks. "You weren't in there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs!" Mike shot back, his voice rising with a mixture of fear and anger.

Dustin's voice drifted in from the next room, correcting him in his typical exuberance. "Demo-Dogs!" The boy's shout echoed through the house, followed by a sharp yelp. Scarlette had just smacked his arm, and Henry couldn't help but smirk at the familiar banter.

Amidst the tension, there was a flicker of warmth, a reminder that even in the face of chaos, their bonds remained unbroken.

"The chief will take care of her!" Lucas defended, his voice rising with a mix of frustration and urgency. He was trying to cut through Mike's spiraling anxiety. "Like she needs protection," Max chimed in, annoyance creeping into her tone.

Henry furrowed his brows, his mind racing. He hadn't formally introduced himself to Eleven, feeling that now wasn't the time to overwhelm her with new faces and names. That had been Max's mistake, and he had no intention of repeating it. He would wait until the girl returned, safe and sound, before offering his name.

"Mike, seriously, she's going to be fine," Henry interjected, hoping to offer some reassurance. "Man, I know I wasn't in there, but she's badass; she'll be okay." He held his arms crossed, but there was a subtle shift in his stance, a hint of determination in his voice that suggested he meant every word.

Just as he finished speaking, the trio of Steve, Dustin, and Scarlette burst into the room, instantly shifting the atmosphere. Steve strutted in like he owned the place, the swagger in his step at odds with the gravity of the situation. "Listen, dude," he began, sounding like a complete jerk. "A coach calls a play in a game; bottom line, you execute it. All right?"