What Are You Hiding? | Henry Creel / Peter Ballard / 001

Part 11 - Tis but a Scratch

Third-person POV

"Something's wrong," Hopper mutters as he pulls through the entirely-unguarded security gate at the Hawkins Laboratory. "This place is usually locked down tight; the only reason they would leave the security gate unguarded is if there's an emergency going on inside."

"You aren't suggesting the monster is in there, are you?" Joyce asks worriedly.

"Demogorgon," El mutters in the back.

"Huh?"

"The monster's called a Demogorgon," Dustin explains. "It's a D&D thing."

"There's only one way to find out," Hopper states, ignoring Dustin as he puts his car in park at the front entrance. He quickly turns to the four kids squished in the back row of the car. "Whatever happens in there, I need you four to stay safe. We have enough dead kids."

The group of four nods. "Got it, chief," Dustin replies as he does a cheesy salute.

Hopper nods. "Okay, perfect. Remember what we do if we see Jules with Henry?"

"If she appears to be safe, we wait to address it until after we close the portal," Lucas states.

"Because if we call Henry out it could anger him and put Jules in danger," Mike finishes.

Hopper gives them an affirming nod as he turns to Joyce. "You ready?"

She sends him a small, determined smile. "Let's get my son back."

First-person POV

As I stare at the Demogorgon in shock, watching my life flash before my eyes, the man holding me shoves me to the side. He turns on the metal shocking device, reels back, and throws it at the monster.

The monster recoils as the device hits it, quickly shaking its head - almost like a dog - to get the device out of it. As the metal wand hits the floor, the Demogorgon turns to the man who threw it.

The man begins to step back, but within split seconds the Demogorgon charges at him and eats him. I wish there were some way to describe it besides that, but that's literally it. The Demogorgon wraps its teeth-filled head around the man's upper half and simply eats it.

I freeze, staring at what's left of the man's body in horror. Holy shit. That is not the fucking way to go.

Strangely enough, I find myself wishing that El were here so that I at least had somebody with superpowers to help fight this thing.

Wait a damn minute...

I'm such a dumbass; Henry has powers! I got that chip out from under the nerve, so all that he has to do is rip it out!

"Henry!" I shout. "Rip the chip out!"

Realization flashes across Henry's face, and he immediately reaches for his neck.

Meanwhile, the Demogorgon attacks the man nearest to the previous man, ripping his head clean off. After the body has fallen to the floor, it turns towards Henry. Oh shit. Henry is bleeding, making him a prime target.

Without thinking, I grab the metal chair in the middle of the room and slam it into the Demogorgon, praying to distract it for long enough for Henry to pull the chip out.