Any Time At All

Chapter Fourteen

You and Connor have been going out for two months now. You're still in the honeymoon stage and you don't want to leave it. Hanging out with Connor is always the highlight of your day. You haven't only been hanging out with Connor though. You have been hanging out with the party too. You wouldn't stop being with them just to make out with some boy. You even introduced them to Connor. They all hit it off. Connor has a brother their age. You haven't been seeing much of Nancy. Halfway through October, she became distant. You miss your best friend and hope she comes back to you.

For now, you play your worries away with the party. "Somethings coming," Mike says mysteriously. "Something hungry for blood." We all sit in the Wheeler's basement, surrounding the table playing Dungeons and Dragons. You opted out of playing this time and so you just watch. "A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness," he continues dramatically. Dustin, Will, and Lucas all look at him, waiting for him to reveal the monster. Dustin wipes his nose on the back of his hand. You sit there amused at their reactions. "It is almost here."

"What is it?" Will asks anxiously.

"What if it's the Demogorgon?" Dustin says worried. "Oh, Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the Deomogorgon," Dustin puts his hand to his face.

"It's not the Demogorgon," Lucas reassures him.

"An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" Make says louder, placing a piece on the board.

"Troglodytes?" Dustin questions.

"Told ya" Lucas rubs it in his face and laughs. All of them laugh together and you join in at their goofiness.

"Wait a minute," Mike says softly and he turns his head around. "Did you hear that? That...That sound. Boom, boom, boom," he screams the last word and slaps his hands on the table. The boys are taken back. "That didn't come from the troglodytes. No, that...that came from something else," Will leans in closer. "The Domogorgon!" He shouts. All of the boys groan.

"We're in deep shit," Dustin says and I nudge him to watch his language.

"Will, your action!" Mike shouts.

Will sits their confused on what to do. Lucas tells him to fireball him but Dustin says to cast a protection spell.

"The Demogorgon is tired of your silly human bickering," Mike yells over them. They all yell together, getting louder and louder. Will decides to fireball and he throws the dice across the table but they roll off. The boys look all over the basement for them and you help.

"Mike!" You hear Mrs. Wheeler call from upstairs. She opens the basement door. "Mike!"

"Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign," he says annoyed.

"You mean the end? Fifteen after," she says and taps her watch. She walks away and Mike runs up the stairs after her. The boys complain about leaving in the midst of all of this excitement.

"Did anyone find it yet?" You ask. You can hear Mike beg his mom for twenty more minutes.

"Oh, I got it!" Will calls out. "Does the seven count?"

"It was a seven?" Lucas looks at him and asks. Dustin is already getting his coat on. You put your coat on as well and listen in on the conversation. "Did Mike see it?" Will shakes his head, "Then it doesn't count."

You all start to go upstairs when Dustin stops us, "Yo, hey guys. Does anyone want this?" He holds the pizza box in his hands. You all simultaneously say no and head upstairs. You say goodbye to the party and Mrs. Wheeler and head out to your car. You start the engine and pull out of the driveway. When you get home, you look at the time and see that it's early enough to call Connor. The phone rings several times before his mom picks up.