IF I FELL | STEVE HARRINGTON

eight | jeopardy

THE FOG MADE IT HARD TO SEE ANYTHING. Rachel stood glued to the window, her eyes scanning around the junkyard for any sign of Dart or whatever else might be out there. Steve and Dustin were pressed against her sides, so that they could look out of the window as well. "You see him?" Dustin asked nervously.

"No," Steve answered. 

Rachel remained silent, trying to calm her anxiety as she kept looking around. This time, she told herself, she had to be braver than last time. This time, her little brother was here with her. He was her responsibility. She had to take care of him. 

"Lucas!" Dustin called out. "What's going on?"

"Hold on!" Lucas shouted from the rooftop of the bus as he stood up and used his binoculars. They waited impatiently, until suddenly― "I've got eyes! Ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!"

"There," Steve whispered,  reaching over to point in the direction Lucas had told them. His voice was so close to Rachel's ear that it sent shivers down her spine.

"What's he doing?" Dustin asked, confused.

"I don't know."

"He's not taking the bait," Rachel realized, her eyebrows furrowing together. "It worked at the house, I don't― why isn't it working now?"

Her little brother shrugged. "Maybe he's not hungry."

Steve's face paled as his mind came to another conclusion. "Maybe he's sick of cow." He looked at Rachel and then pushed himself away from the window, making his way toward the door.

"Steve?" She asked, exchanging a look with Dustin before following after him. "What are you doing?" Steve didn't answer her as he leaned down and picked up his bat. "You're going out there? Are you crazy?"

"What else am I supposed to do, Rach?" Steve responded, turning to look at her. "I can't just sit here and wait for that thing to attack one of us."

Rachel swallowed thickly, glancing over her shoulder at Dustin, who was watching them with wide eyes. After a second she nodded firmly, knowing Steve was right. "Okay. Just... be careful."

He mustered up a smile for her. "You worry too much, Rach. I'll be alright. Here." Tossing his Zippo lighter to her, he added, "Be ready." Rachel caught the lighter easily, her heart in her throat as she closed the door once Steve had gotten off the bus. She hurried back over to the window with Dustin, watching closely as Steve made his way over to the pile of meat as he vocally antagonized Dart.

"What's he doing?" Max asked, dropping down from the ladder and squeezing herself up against the window with them.

"Expanding the menu," Dustin answered simply.

"He's crazy."

"He's awesome," the boy corrected firmly. "Rachel, if you don't marry this guy, I will."

If they weren't in such a dangerous situation, the older brunette would have laughed at her brother's statement. "Unfortunately for you, punk, I don't think you're his type."

"Yes, but you are."

Before she could respond, Lucas's voice echoed from the roof of the bus. "Steve! Watch out!"

"A little busy here!" Steve shouted back at him, not taking his eyes off of the creature stalking toward him.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

"Oh, my God." Rachel's voice shook as she noticed several other creatures beginning to emerge from the fog, circling around Steve. "There's more of them."