𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐑 | stranger things ✓

CHAPTER SEVEN: DEATH & DESTRUCTION

I awoke from my nightmare in sync with Eleven. Her screams rung in my ear as I tried to calm myself down. Her arms wrapped round her boyfriend as Lucas helped me to my feet.

"What the hell happened?" Mike asked the pair of us as he held his embrace with El.

"I have to go." I told everyone, applying pressure to my head with my palm, feeling like my head was about to burst any second.

"Go? Go where?" Will asked with wide eyes.

"It's Dustin," I told him, "He's at the mall and I think he needs help."

"You think or you know?" Lucas frowned in disbelief.

"I...think." I said quieter, knowing Lucas would snap or hit me with a sarcastic comment because it wasn't a vision. Therefore, I didn't know for sure.

"Oh, shit. In that case we all better to go the mall ASAP because Melanie thinks Dustin might be in danger...at a mall." Lucas exaggerated.

"Shh!" Nancy interrupted our soon-to-be-argument with a stern look on her face, "You guys hear that?"
All I heard was the sound of fireworks exploding in the distance.

"It's just the fireworks." Jonathan reassured her before we all heard the sound of trees falling not too far away. "I don't think that was fireworks."

"He knows we're here." Will shuddered.

Simultaneously, we all rose from our seats and jogged outside to the woods to investigate the ominous sounds that came from the trees. Our attention was drawn to the dirt road that led to the house. Where it came out from the shadows. Where it revealed its self in the firework lit sky. The huge black spider-like creature snarled once it saw us in its view. We could all feel the thudding of its steps under our feet as it paced towards us with a screech. It was him. The Mind Flayer.

"Get inside and barricade everything!" Jonathan yelled as we began to retreat back to the house.

"No." I thought aloud as I got to the porch. I couldn't barricade myself inside for God knows how long while Dustin could be face down in a ditch somewhere. "I have to find Dustin!"

"Are you serious right now!?" Lucas screamed as his voice cracked a little. He acted like I was about to betray him, "I think we're gonna need you!"

I shook my head, "He might need me more!" I yelled back before leaping over the worn wooden railing and disappearing into the woods. I could hear the creature maliciously screech behind me as I made distance from the house. "They don't need me. They'll be fine without me. They always are."

Ahead of me shone the bright neon Starcourt mall sign, studying it as it flickered irregularly. A man stood watch at the main entrance. A guard, I assumed. I stayed low, keeping my small frame hidden with the few cars scattered in the parking lot. Ducked down behind the hood of a blue Mustang, tiny pebbles shuffled beneath my feet. I glanced back up at unalarmed guard. He was armed with a pistol. Built big and broad, seemed professional as he scanned the parking lot, pacing back and forth. Kinda looked like the Terminator from a distance. "Evil Russian spy..."

I picked up a handful of the pebbles scattered around, holding them in my palm while I decided on where to toss them. I waited until the guard peeked into the mall windows before tossing the pebbles, hitting them off a dumpster a couple of feet away. He straightened up, before raising up his gun, he mumbled something in Russian then called out, "Who's there?"

I watched for a brief moment as he cautiously wandered off in the opposite direction to my distraction. Still staying low and quiet, I kept my footsteps light on arrival to the main door. I sigh of relief escape my lips as I pushed the door open with a squeak, entering the empty mall.