Stay or Go

Chapter 29

Dustin comes back with none of his friends, feeling rather rejected with Steve Harrington in tow. "Hey boys." I say leaning against the shovel firmly lodged into the ground with a cocky smile on my face. Steve does a once over of my body which I try to ignore, I stand up straight and clear my throat "we gonna get rid of this thing or what?" I ask.

The two boys come closer and Steve sighs "why is it we always see each other when the world has gone to shit?" He asks and I chuckle stepping towards them "because it's always going to shit." I muse. We share a smile. I take the boys over to the cellar and Steve leans in close, holding tightly to his spiked baseball bat.

"I don't hear shit." He muses after a second of listening. I roll my eyes and slowly clap my hands "there we have it ladies and gentlemen. King Steve has spoken, we must have been mistaken." Steve shoots me a glare and swings his bat round once. "You are a real asshole sometimes Lori, you know that." I smirk and send him a wink which makes him look away. "So I have been told sweet cheeks."

My brother just rolls his eyes "when you two are done flirting can we get rid of it please." Steve and I share a confused look because we certainly weren't flirting. Instead of opening the doors like a normal person Steve decides to hit them with his baseball bat several times. I lean closer and fake whisper "I don't think that's how you open doors Harrington." He whirls around to me and snaps angrily "will you back off Henderson." I throw my hands up in surrender and move to stand next to Dustin.

"All right, listen kid." Steve says turning to my brother and shining the torch on his face "I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead." Dustin shakes his head, his face completely serious "it's not." He assures him. "You got a key for this thing?" Harrington finally asks and I throw him the key in question.

Once the doors are open Steve takes the torch from Dustin and shines it down the dark stairwell. "He must be further down there." Dustin muses, sticking behind us "I'll stay up here in case he tries to escape." Steve and I both look up at him before shaking our heads. "Your bravery has been noted brother." I tease before heading to the steps and into the cellar, Steve slightly in front of me.

We reach the bottom and still no sign of Dart so we venture further inside. I find a light in the centre of the room and turn it on, Steve grimces and picks up slimy shedded skin from the floor with his bat. He swings it slightly in my direction and I swerve out of the way, wrinkling my nose in disg"disgusting." Steve smirks and tries to get me with it again. I scream and leap away from him.

Steve chuckles, laying down the discarded scales "your bravery has been noted." He echoes my earlier words.I roll my eyes and as I do so I spot something in the wall. "Steve, Lorelei?" Dustin calls from the safety of upstairs "what's going on down there?" Steve moves back over to the stairs and shines the torch up them. "Get down here." He orders as I move closer to the hole in the wall.

Once my brother has finally graced us with his presence Steve shows him the present Dart left behind. "Shit." He curses and I clear my throat, carefully pointing at the hole "that isn't the only thing we found." I say. Dustin turns to the hole and curses again "oh, shit!"

We all move closer to get a better look and Dustin mutters "no way." But it is clear, Dart is gone.

-

It's the next day now and the three of us are currently fishing raw meat out of the back of Steve's car. Since mine is still getting fixed. "Well, well, well, look who it is." Dustin says into his radio he pauses while the other person talks. When they are done Dustin replies "well, when you were having sister problems, Dart grew again, he escaped and I'm pretty sure he's a baby demogorgan."

I place a bucket on the ground and brush my hair back with the back of my hand, already sweating. "I never said thank you." Steve says out of the blue and I look over at him, his fluffy dark hair falling into his eyes. "For what?" I try to act casually, picking up my work again. Steve throws his bat on the ground and hands me my gun "for telling me your story." He answers "I know that must have been difficult to talk about."

I let out a breathy laugh and pick up another bucket "you have no idea." I state "you were actually the first person I told." Steve's expression softens and he tilts his head slightly to the side "I am?" He asks gently and I nod my head. "Yep, but don't let it go to your head Harrington, it's already big enough as it is." Steve snorts and takes the bucket out of my hand. We look at each other deeply for a moment before he replies "too late Henderson."

I clear my throat and look away before shutting the trunk of the car and ordering "all right, let's go." and Dustin follows us, speaking into his radio "just be there, stat. Over and out."

We make our way to the old junkyard. I have my gun safely tucked into my jacket along with a chocolate bar which I now take out of my pocket and unwrap. As I take a bite into it Steve glances back at me "how can you even eat right now?" He asks and I shrug. I swallow my bite before answering "why can't you eat right now." I argue and he rolls his eyes turning back to the way we are walking "very mature response."

I frown and start forward, tripping him up. Steve catches himself before he can fall completely falls on his face and he stops, whirling to face me. "What the hell was that for Henderson?" Steve snaps and I cock my head to the side "stop being judgemental of my eating habits then." I counter. Steve opens his mouth to say something back when my brother cuts through us "oh my god! will you stop your bickering." He groans "we have more important things to do right now."

And for some reason we listen to the child and carry on walking.