THANTOPHOBIA | WILL BYERS ² ✔

The Mind Flayer [Pt.1]

"You're positive that was Dart?" Lucas asked.

We were on the railroads right now.

"Yes. He had the exact same yellow pattern on his butt." Dustin replied.

"He was tiny two days ago," Max said.

"Well, he's molted three times already."

"Damn," I said.

"Malted?" Steve said.

"Molted," Dustin corrected. "Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."

"When's he gonna molt again?" Max asked.

"It's gotta be soon. When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. And so will his friends."

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats." Steve commented.

"A cat?" I said.

"Wait, a cat?" Lucas said. "Dart ate a cat?"

Oh, Lord.

"No. What? No!" Dustin said.

"What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve said, clearly clueless.

"He ate Mews?!" I said.

"Mews? Who's Mews?" Max asked.

"It's Dustin's cat," Steve replied.

"STEVE!" Dustin yelled.

"I knew it!" Lucas yelled, shoving Dustin lightly. "You kept him!"

"No!" Dustin retorted, in a tone like he was trying to defend himself. "No- No, I... No, I..." He paused, and I raised my eyebrows. He missed me. He wanted to come home..."

"He MISSED you?" I said, trying to comprehend.

"Bullshit!" Lucas said.

"I didn't know he was a Demogorgon, okay?" He shouted.

"Oh, so now you admit it?" Lucas said.

"Guys, who cares? We have to go."

"I care, but she's right, we have to go," I said.

"I care! You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!" Lucas shouted.

"SO DID YOU!" Dustin shouted.

"What?"

"You told a STRANGER the truth!!" He shouted, shining the flashlight into Max's eyes.

Max scoffed. "A stranger?!"

"Well, she already knew about Dart!!" I said. "She had to find out sooner or later!"

"Oh, so now you're taking sides?" Dustin shouted.

"I never said I was taking sides!" I shouted. "It's common sense, Dustin!"

"You wanted to tell her too!" Lucas shouted.

"Yeah, but I didn't, Lucas, okay? I didn't tell her! We both broke the rule of law, okay? So we're even. We're even." Dustin shouted.

"No, no! We're not even. Don't even try that! Your stupid pet could have ate us for dinner!" Lucas shouted.

"And not just Dart, but all the other Demogorgons!" I said.

"That was not my fault!" Dustin yelled. "He wasn't gonna eat us!"

"And how would you know that?" I said.

"Oh, so he was crawling to say hello?" Lucas said.

"GUYS!!" Steve yelled, making us yelp, and we heard a Demogorgon screech in the distance.

"Shit," I muttered.

We started running along with Steve.

"No, n, no. Hey, guys, why are you headed TOWARDS the sound?!" Max yelled. "Hello?!"

We kept running, and Max then caught up to us, and we went along another set of tracks.

We then stopped, and we heard another screech.

"I don't see him," Dustin said, as we looked onto the horizon, which was just a ton of fog.

"Ever heard of blending in?" I said, looking out.

There were faint screeches and shit, but I couldn't see anything.

"It's the lab," Lucas said, looking through his binoculars. "They were going back home."

-

We then crept up to the lab, through the forest.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

Wait--

Oh, Lord,

I just realized.

I'm breaking the rule of law.

I'm lying to the party about my powers-

Would that be considered lying?

I just want to wait until all this shit it over with, then I can tell them.

Then we heard a faint "Hello?"

It sounded familiar...

"Who's there?!" It shouted. "Who's there?!"

We all then stopped in our tracks right next to see... Nancy and Jonathan?

"Steve?" They jinxed.

"Nancy?" Steve said.

"Jonathan," Dustin said.

"What are you guys doing here?" I said.

"What are YOU doing here?!" Nancy said.

"What are you doing here?" Steve asked.

"We're looking for Mike and Will," She responded.

Just like me...

"They're not in there, are they?" Dustin asked, looking towards the lab.

"We're not sure," Nancy said.

"Why?" Jonathan asked.

Then we heard a screech-- coming from the lab. It kept lingering on and on.

-

"We haven't seen Will--" Steve began.

"The power's back," Nancy interrupted.

That caught our attention, and we all darted to the front, and Dustin and Jonathan zoomed into a tiny thing to try and get in.

We all waited frantically.

"They have to be in there," I said.

"Let me try," Dustin said, getting in with Jonathan.

"Hang on--"

"Let me TRY, Jonathan!!" He yelled, shoving him aside.

However, no matter how hard they tried, the gate wouldn't open.

"Son of a bitch, you know what?!" Dustin yelled.

-

Nancy and Jonathan got into their car to find the others, like Will, Mike, Hopper, Mrs. Byers, and her boyfriend, Bob.

"Guys?" Max said, and two cars came screeching into view.

"Look out!" Dustin said.

"Guys, get back!" Max said, as Jonathan's car whizzed by and the chief's car stopped for us.

"Let's go!" He said, signaling for us to get in the back.

We all piled in, yelling at each other to hurry up, and we started speeding away.

(a/n: Second part today, wow. I'll try to update as much as I can, loves <3 It's actually pretty late but who cares lol)