MY TEARS RICOCHET 𛲕 STRANGER THINGS

27. Hornworms & Heartbreak

CHAPTER 27: Hornworms & Heartbreak

If my wishes came true,
It would've been you
— The 1, Taylor Swift

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

November 4th, 1984: Junkyard

DAPHNE'S GRIP ON DUSTIN'S ARM WAS VICE-LIKE as they watched Steve stalk outside the bus, swinging his bat deftly as he whistled to the baby Demogorgon. Daphne watched as the monster circled the pile of meat, before becoming harder to make out as it was enveloped by the fog along with Steve.

"Come on, buddy," she heard Steve say before he disappeared out of hearing range. All Daphne could hear was his faint whistling amalgamated with the terrifying chittering of the Demogorgon.

"What's he doing?" asked Max, releasing her grip on Daphne's arm to press herself against the window of the bus.

"Expanding the menu," responded Dustin, an admiring smirk on his face.

Daphne didn't know how they were being so calm about this, acting as though Steve had merely stepped outside to chase off a rabid possum. Daphne knew Dustin looked up to Steve but this was ridiculous.

"He's insane," said Max, voicing Daphne's thoughts.

"He's awesome," corrected Dustin.

Daphne stood back, unable to watch. She paced the bus in a state of terror, with nothing but the foreboding silence to keep her company. Although she couldn't love Steve in the way that he wanted her to, she loved him in her own way. The only way she knew how. She loved him with every breath she took. Steve, who was kind, brave and selfless. Steve who had wanted to give her the world. She knew deep down that it should be her out there, not Steve. She was the disposable one.

A shriek from Lucas startled her. "Steve! Watch out!"

Daphne dashed back to the window, almost flinging Dustin to the ground in her haste. She scanned the surroundings desperately for any sign of danger other than the baby Demogorgon slowly circling Steve, but she couldn't see anything.

"A little busy here!" Steve called back.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!" Lucas yelled again and finally, Steve turned his head to look in the direction Lucas was indicating.

Daphne followed his gaze and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach as she made out what Lucas was yelling about. Another Demogorgon — bigger than Dart, but only slightly — was hiding in the shadows, eyeing Steve up like he was a piece of meat. She was right. More Demogorgons had been drawn to Hawkins and they'd just lured them all out here.

Daphne didn't stop to think as she bolted for the door. She felt Max and Dustin's hands latch onto her sweater, but she shook them off easily, wrenching open the steel door of the bus. Dustin and Max were screaming behind her, but their voices faded to nothing; her mind filled to capacity only with thoughts of Steve. She watched from the exit of the RV as the first Demogorgon lunged for her ex-boyfriend, causing him to roll over the hood of a nearby car to avoid its teeth.

Daphne clenched the handle of her machete tightly in her fist and let out a battle cry, leaping from the bus and hurtling towards him as fast as she could. She reached him just as his bat connected with the head of the first Demogorgon and she didn't hesitate to send a swift kick to the jaw of the second one which had just snapped at his ankles.

"Daphne, get back!" Steve cried as he scrambled hastily to his feet.

He swung at another Demogorgon, sending it flying backwards and then grabbed her by the collar of her sweater. Daphne's feet had never moved as fast as they did at that moment, with Steve hauling her back towards the bus like she was a paper doll. The kids were screaming at them to hurry up, the monsters advancing on them quicker than they could run.