Paradise||Max Mayfield

008

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Chapter 8!
The Mindflayer
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Corey and Max trailed slightly behind the rest of the group, listening in as Lucas and Dustin argued.

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

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

"Well, he was tiny two days ago." Max added.

"Well, he's moulted three times already." Dustin explained.

"Wait... Malted?" Steve asked, frowning in confusion.

"Moulted," Dustin corrected. "Shed his skin to make room for growth like horn worms."

"So, when will he moult again?" Corey inquired, feeling unsettled by the creature's current size and dreading the thought of it getting any bigger.

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

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats." Steve interjected, causing Dustin to appear anxious. Lucas turned to face Dustin.

"Wait, Cat?! Dart ate a cat?"

"No... What? No." Dustin responded, unconvincingly.

Steve, Max and Corey were now ahead of the other two kids, and they turned to face them. "What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve recounted.

"Mews? Who's Mews?" inquired Max, turning to Steve with a confused look on her face.

"It's Dustin's cat."

"I knew it! You kept him!" Lucas accused.

"No... No... No, I... No, I... He missed me! He wanted to come home." Dustin stammered, finally giving up on his lie.

"Bullshit!"

"I didn't know he was a Demogorgon, okay?!"

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

"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max interjected, attempting to intervene.

"I care!" Lucas shouted, then turning back to Dustin he continued, "You put the party in jeopardy, you broke the rule of law!"

"So did you!"

"What?"

"You told a stranger the truth!" Dustin said flashing the light at Max, then pointing it at Corey he said, "And don't even get me started on him!"

"A stranger?" Max scoffed.

"What's wrong with me?!" scowled Corey.

"You wanted to tell her too!"

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

"No, no, we're not even! Don't even try that. Your stupid pet could've ate us for dinner!" Lucas fumed.

"That was not my fault!"

Frustrated with the ongoing bickering between the two boys, Corey turned to his older brother, who had wandered off slightly. Then, he heard it—the sound of Demogorgons coming from a distance.