It Takes Two to Survive

Chapter 39

Morning came slower than any of them would've liked, the sun peaking over the horizon, a literal light in the darkness.

Steve and Eddie had spent the rest of the night prior waiting in anticipation for another attack, Steve explaining more of the Upside Down and his adventures with it. Eddie seemed spooked by it all, but after the night they had and the day before, he seemed to understand what they were up against, and was ready to face it, even if it was in the nervous way he approached everything.

But now they were both silent, waiting for Robin and the kids to get back, waiting for news. Steve hoped that they had managed to contact El, after the Demodogs, talking to One...they needed her. As much as he hated to put a young girl like her in the hero position again, they really had no choice.

"Shouldn't they be here by now?" Eddie asked, curling in on himself, sitting far away from the dead demodogs on the floor. "It's been 'morning' for hours."

Steve nodded, not letting the fear that built up in his stomach affect him. "They should be, but they might just be running late."

"Or, they could be dead. If these...dog things...attacked them, too, they're probably long gone!" Eddie exclaimed, clutching his hair. "Separating was a bad idea, Harrington!"

"I'm sure they're fine, Dustin would've radioed us if something was wrong. He uses that thing for everything."

"Radio? We had a walkie-talkie this entire time? Why didn't we radio them?" Eddie's voice was becoming hysterical, and Steve sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"We handled it, didn't we? There was no need to call them."

A loud bank came from outside, and both of the boys jumped, Steve instinctively reaching for the oar-spear that was still covered in blood. Dustin's head poked through the door eyes wide, getting even wider when the kid took in the monsters lying dead all around them.

"What? Demodogs? What happened?"

Dustin rushed into the room, kneeling in front of one of the corpses and poking it, glancing at Steve and Eddie in question.

"Three of them." Steve stated. "Middle of the night."

"Why didn't you call me? We have radios for a reason!"

Eddie scoffed. "Exactly what I asked, Henderson."

"As if things couldn't get more crazy." A new voice said, and Steve looked up to see Jonathan walk in, holding a bag full of groceries, followed by Will and Max. Steve stood up and greeted them, taking the bag of food and clasping Jonathan on the back.

"Thanks, dude."

Jonathan nodded. "No worries. And, I drove your car, I hope you don't mind."

"As long as Max or Dustin wasn't behind the wheel, I'm fine with it."

Steve glanced around, seeing Eddie and Dustin already in eager conversation, Will and Max standing by awkwardly, and he realized that people were missing.

"Where's Nancy? Robin? The other kids? Are they okay? Did One一"

"They're fine. Why don't you guys eat up and then we'll talk."

Steve nodded hesitantly, sitting back down, and he took a box of cereal from the bag, tossed it to Eddie, and took out a bag of chips for himself. He didn't eat many, and then turned his gaze back toward Jonathan, who found another clean spot on the floor to sit on.

"Nancy called me. She said that her friend...Fred, I think his name is? Anyways, he went missing last night, and the police found him dead this morning. Twisted up like..."