Freaks

Chapter 9

Dustin had broke out into a full out sprint, as darkness had fallen over us. The compass had been leading us in all directions, all over the forest, all evening. And I hated this forest at night.

We stumbled around in a line behind him, trying to keep up with his manic behaviour, "Something's happening!" He beamed. I grumbled at him, pulling yet another twig out of my matted hair.

"This kid," I rolled my eyes at Eddie.

"Dustin!" He yelled after him as Henderson continued to rush forward, "Can you slow down? Dustin!" We ducked under some shrubbery, the entirety of Lover's Lake laid out in front of us, reflecting the moonlight in sparkles.

I shuddered, it did not feel this beautiful last night. Looks surely could be deceiving.

"Watch your step big guy." Eddie just grabbed Dustin's backpack, stopping him from stumbling right into the water.

Everyone filed out from the shrubbery, standing on a small mound of muck that hadn't been swallowed by the tide.

"You gotta be shitting me." Steve panted.

"I thought these woods were familiar." Eddie murmured.

"Lover's Lake." Robin uttered, eyes scanning the vast waters.

"This is confounding." Dustin sounded pleased with himself.

"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max asked.

"Whenever the Demogorgon attacked," Nancy spoke, "It always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way."

"You mean to say there's an opening to hell?" I blinked, "Right above where we were swimming last night!" I paced back and forth, "God is really playing eeney meeny miney moe with my life right now."

"Only one way to find out for sure." Steve shrugged.

I squinted, stopping my pacing immediately, tarp down the lower of the beach grabbed my attention, "Oh my god. The boat." I made a dash for it, the rest of them slipping on the gravel behind me.

Steve shone his torch down as Eddie and I pulled back the tarp. No one had found the boat yet, we'd dragged it up onto the beach for safekeeping.

"Okay." Eddie rolled up his sleeves, pushing the thing with all his might. Steve stood for a moment before earning a shove from Robin.

With the two of them at it they managed to push the thing into the water, "Easy man, easy!" Eddie scolded as it splashed into the lake.

Steve offered his hand to Robin as she climbed over them and into the boat, "Just gonna do that." She ignored him, using both Eddie and Steve's heads as support, "Thank you."

"I like your style." I nodded in support, following her lead.

Eddie stepped in behind me, "Wheeler." He grabbed her arm, steadying her as the boat rocked. I looked up at him before scanning over the water once more, thinking.

Dustin tried to step aboard before Eddie shoved him back, "Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us? This thing holds four people tops, okay?"

Nancy and Eddie swapped places and he sat next to me, resting a hand on my bouncing knee, "Relax." He whispered.

"You guys stay here with Max." Nancy commanded, "Keep an eye out for trouble."

"You keep an eye out." Dustin stressed, "It's my goddamn theory."

"You heard Nance." Robin defended.

"Who put her in charge?" Dustin pointed accusingly at Nancy.

"I did." Robin stared at him.