The Babysitters: Steve Harrington x Reader

Chapter 31

"The Mind Flayer built a monster in Hawkins," Mike explained. We all joined in a circle near the center of the mall. El sat against Hopper; he was holding a damp towel to her head as she rested. Her eyes flitted open and closed as our conversation went on. "The monster is trying to stop El. To kill her and pave a way into our world."

"And it almost did," Max jumped in. "That thing in her leg was just one tiny piece of it."

"And how big is this thing?" I asked from where I sat, my fingers intertwined with Steve's. When I spoke up he lifted his head up off my shoulder so he could listen better.

"Pretty big," Johnathan chuckled dryly. "30 feet at least."

"Jesus," Steve whispered under his breath.

Lucas nodded sheepishly, "Yeah, it sorta destroyed your cabin, Hop... Sorry."

"Okay just to be clear," Steve began, his words slurring slightly to avoid splitting his lip open again, "This big fleshy spider thing that hurt El is some kind of big gigantic weapon?" I saw El, wrapped in Hopper's arms, looking exhausted. But it was nowhere near the hard stare Hopper was giving me right now. His brows were drawn together, and he squinted down at Steve and I's hands. Slowly, Steve's fingers unlaced and slid out of mine under Hopper's gaze.

"Yes," Nancy answered Steve. I took a good look at her, with her hair frizzed with sweat, losing its curl completely. She looked about 5 years older right now. I'm sure we all did.

"Okay," Steve nodded, "but instead of making the weapon out of screws and metal, it built it with... melted people?" I began to feel nauseous.

"Yes exactly," Nancy said.

"Yeah okay, just making sure," Steve mumbled. He looked to Robin, hoping she would back him up, but she couldn't take her eyes off the girl in front of her.

Joyce spoke up, from between me and Hopper. "Are we sure it's still out there, still alive?"

"El beat the shit out of it, but yeah. It's still alive," Max sighed.

"But if we close the gate again-" Will suggested.

"We cut the brain off from the body-" Max nodded.

"And kill it," Lucas concluded. "Theoretically."

"Okay well last year, Will was attached to the Mind Flayer. Are there any last- minute exorcisms we need to do?" I joked. But then the air turned heavy. Everyone turned to Max, who's shoelaces had suddenly become very interesting. "What," I asked quickly, "What's wrong?"

"Yoo-hoo!" The other man who came with Hopper and Joyce yelled from across the mall. All of our heads snapped in his direction.

He's in a white tank top and blue shorts, lounge clothes, and is waving fistfuls of papers above his head. We got up and slowly migrated to the few standing tables. Each and every one of our bodies were sore, but we pushed through. There was work to do.

"Okay, this is the hub Alexi was talking about," The man explained to Hopper and Joyce, pointing to a hand-drawn map he had. Every time one of us teenagers got too close to the table he would glare at us before continuing.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" I said, looking him up and down.

He sighed. "Murray Bauman, I'm an investigstor-"

I stepped forward and slapped him across the face. "You dick!"

"Woah!" Hopper said, stepping between us and holding me back.

"You're the bastard who gouged the Hollands of all their money! It's your fault they had to move! Tell me, did you already know she was dead when you took the job?" I yelled over Hopper's shoulder. Nancy moved to stand behind me, catching on to our conversation.