Complicated • Stranger Things

15 - The Mind Flayer

After we decided that it was safe, we started back through the woods.

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

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

"He was tiny two days ago." Max pointed out.

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

"Malted?" Steve asked and I shook my head.

"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." Dustin stated.

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

"Wait, a cat?" Lucas stepped in front of Dustin and held his hand out, stopping him from moving forward. "Dart ate a cat?"

"No, what? No." Dustin denied.

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

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

"He's Dustin's cat. Or he was Dustin's cat." I replied.

"Jordan!" Dustin shouted.

"I knew it!" Lucas hit Dustin on the shoulder. "You kept him!"

"No!" Dustin denied once again. "No. No, I...no, I...he missed me. He wanted to come home."

"Bullshit!" Lucas yelled.

"I didn't know he was a demogorgon, okay?" Dustin defended.

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

"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max stated, and I agreed with her. I was starting to get worried that the demogorgons would hear their yelling and come after us again.

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

"So did you!" Dustin accused.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"You told a stranger the truth!" Dustin said as he shined his flashlight in Max's face for a second, catching her off guard.

"A stranger?" Max scoffed, stepping forward.

"You wanted to tell her too!" Lucas pointed out.

"Yeah, but I didn't, Lucas, okay? I didn't tell her!" Dustin shouted.

"Oh my god." All their yelling was giving me a headache. Unconsciously, I rested my forehead on Steve's shoulder and closed my eyes. I lifted my head when I heard a screeching sound. I looked up at Steve and he seemed to have heard it too.

"You heard that too?" He asked and I nodded. We both looked to where the sound was coming from and slowly walked towards it as Dustin and Lucas continued their shouting. "Guys?"

When they just ignored Steve and continued arguing, I turned around and called over to them loud enough to get their attention. Steve and I started running into the woods, and the others must have heard it too because they followed. Max was calling after us, but we ignored her as we continued running. Eventually, we slowed to a walk as we reach the top of a hill.

"I don't see 'em," Dustin stated as we looked over the trees.

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