ʚïɞ bored︰stranger things book two [m.w.]

0 7

the adults had now gone, steve being the only one to watch the kids. people would call him a mom by now. mike was pacing back and forth, biting his thumb while lucas helped violet clean the glass from the floorboards.

"mike, would you just stop already?" lucas hissed.

"you weren't in there, okay, lucas? that lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs," mike replied.

"demo-dogs!" dustin called from the kitchen.

"the chief will take care of her."

"like she needs protection," violet mumbled, quiet but loud enough for mike and lucas to hear.

steve walked in besides dustin, swinging a rag around. "listen, dude, a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. all right?"

"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!" mike groaned in resonse.

"right. so my point is..." everyone stared at steve, waiting for his response before he slung the rag onto his shoulder and nodded. "right, yeah, we're on the bench, so, uh, there's nothing we can do."

"that's not entirely true," dustin said, violet nodding and agreeing. "yeah, i mean, these demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. when they ran away from the bus, they were called away."

"so if we get their attention..." lucas stared, his thinking face on.

"we can draw them from the lab," violet added with a small smile.

"and clear a path to the gate," mike finished.

"yeah, and then we all die," steve shouted, though they weren't really listening.

"that's one point of view," dustin replied.

"no, that's not one point of view, man. that's a fact," steve responded.

mike suddenly jumped up and gasped, "i got it!" he trots around, then to a specific piece of paper on one of the walls. "this is where the chief dug his hole. this is our way into the tunnel. so.." mike looked around, running to another paper. "here. right here."

"it's like a hub," violet realized, looking at what he was.

"right. so you got all the tunnels feeding in here. maybe if we set this on fire-"

"oh, yeah? that's a no," steve interrupted him.

"the mind flayer would call away his army," dustin said, ignoring steve's response.

"they'd all come to stop us," lucas added, folding his arms.

"we circle back to the exit."

"guys-" steve began but once again was cut off.

"by the time they realize we're gone..."

"el would be at the gate!" violet smiled.

steve suddenly clapped his hands, stopping their conversation. "hey. hey! hey! this is not happening," steve yelled at them.

"but--"

"no, no, no, no, no. no buts. i promised i'd keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what i plan on. we're staying here, on the bench. and we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. does everyone understand that?"

"this isn't a stupid sports game," mike remarked.

"i said does everyone understand that? i need a yes."

all of the kids gave him annoyed looks before car revving could be heard. a familiar rev that violet knew too well. violet ran toward the window, looking  out and back at lucas.