It Gets Stranger [Stranger Things x Reader]

fifteen

"i still don't get why they call him zombie boy." max says.

we were walking down the hall with lucas. i guess lucas and dustin had tried somewhat filling her in on everything with will.

"i mean, i get it. he got lost in the woods for a week or something, but why is he a zombie? because everyone thought he was dead?"

"yeah. i mean, we had a funeral for him and everything." lucas says.

"after a week?" max asks.

"well, some other kid drowned at the quarry. we thought it was will because his body was super decomposed." i explain.

"what?" max stops. "okay, that's not funny."

"it's not a joke. it's public knowledge." lucas rolls his eyes.

"you can ask anybody." i add. "except will, he's really sensitive about it."

"got it?" lucas asks max.

"yeah." max mumbles.

we walk to homeroom and see that some of the others were already there.

i sit behind mike as mr. clarke starts teaching.

"the case of phineas gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time. phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish accident." mr. clarke says.

"a large iron rod was driven completely through his head." he draws a thick, black line through the skull on the paper shown on the projector. "phineas miraculously survived. he seemed fine. and physically, yes, he was."

he was interrupted by dustin bursting through the door.

"i am so sorry, mr. clarke." he panted, "really, i'm so sorry. please, continue with the class." he sat in his seat.

"we have to meet. all of us. at lunch, av." he whispers softly to us.

"why?" mike whispers.

"i have something that you won't believe."

we all nod and continue to listen to mr. clarke.

dustin turns to max, who was sitting in the very back, and tells her. max sits up to try to hear him better.

"dustin." mr. clarke scolds.

"yes, my lord?" dustin turns back to the man.

"would you care to join the class, now?" mr. clarke asks.

"please, yes." dustin bends over and opens his book bag.

"the case of phineas gage."

"phineas gage." dustin repeats.

"page 104."

"104. 104."

"focus." mr. clarke says, still looking at him.

"focusing. focusing." dustin places his book on his desk and mr. clarke continues teaching.

dustin turns back to max.

"av club!" he whispers.

max nods, flashing him a sarcastic smile and a thumbs up. dustin smiles back before turning back to the front of the classroom.

—

dustin opened the box and an animal started chittering.

we all lean in to see a slug-like creature.

"his name is d'artagnan." dustin says, taking it out of the box. "cute, right?"

"d'Artagnan?" mike asks.

"dart for short." dustin says.

"and he was in your trash?" max asks.

"foraging for food." dustin looks up at her quickly then back down at dart.

"you wanna hold him?" he asks max.

"no, no." max shakes her head.

"he doesn't bite." dustin starts holding dart closer to max.

"i don't want to-" dustin places dart in max's hands and she makes a face. "oh, god! he's slimy!"

she hands him over to lucas.

"ugh! he's like a living booger!" lucas complains, passing him off to me.

"oh my god, gross." i pass dart to will.

"ugh, oh, god!" will passes dart to mike and mike just holds him, examining the creature.

"what is he?" he asks.

"my question exactly." dustin says, smiling.

he puts a pile of books on the table, "at first, i thought it was some kind of pollywog."

"pollywog?" max asks.

"it's another word for tadpole. a tadpole is the larval stage of a toad." dustin answers.

"i know what a tadpole is." max says.

"alright, then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, right?" dustin asks. max nods.

"well, dart, he isn't." dustin opens one of the books, "he doesn't need water."

"yeah, but aren't there nonaquatic pollywogs?" lucas asks.

"terrestrial pollywogs? yep, two to be exact" dustin opens one of the books. "indirana semipalmata. and the adenomera andreae. one's from india, one's from south america. so how did one end up in my trash?"

"maybe some scientist brought it here, and it escaped?" max shrugged.

"do you guys see that?" mike asked. we all looked down at dart. "looks like something is moving inside of it."

mike put the light over the creature and it screeched. everyone jumped. it started to get away but dustin caught it before it fell off the table.

"it's okay, it's okay. i got you, little guy." dustin smiled. he looked back up at us. "and there's another thing."

"yeah?" i say.

"reptiles, they're cold-blooded. ectothermic, right? they love heat, the sun. dart hates it. it hurts him." dustin explains.

"so, if he's not a pollywog or a reptile..." i say.

"then i've discovered a new species."