Secrets // Steve Harrington

Chapter Forty-Four - Demodogs

Word Count: 4,221 words. 

Warnings: None. 

Thalia's POV

I was pushed before I could think, body hurtling through the air. With open eyes, I could now see the new world around me. I had done it. A Gate had opened from the Upside Down to reality and Jack had pushed the two of us through.

Makeshift weapon raised, he faced the Gate, ready to attack the Demogorgan that threatened to follow through. It closed before it could and Jack let out a heavy sigh, dropping his weapon.

"That was lucky," he commented, turning to smile at me. "Looks like you aren't useless after all."

That was when the growl came and the both of us turned quickly. From all three corners large dogs approached. Except they weren't dogs. They were made of darkness and had mouths that opened like the creature we were running from.

"Oh fuck," I sighed, backing away.

Jack held up his weapon, moving it menacingly at the monsters. "Don't think you can cook up another portal that will bring us somewhere a little safer?"

I sent him an exasperated look. "You were lucky you got this one."

"Thought so."

Before the dogs could attack, they stopped. Suddenly. Too suddenly. All three of them rose their head simultaneously, as though there was a loud noise that only they could hear it. Then, they ran.

"What the fuck was that?" Jack asked, weapon still raised.

"Demodogs?" I attempted, playing with the word Demogorgan.

"Lia!" The shout came from behind us. By the bus. Dustin stood there, eyes wide and scared.

"Hey," she greeted. "What's with the Demodogs?" I questioned.

He ran towards me before I could say anything else, wrapping his small arms around my waist. I stumbled backwards slightly with a smile, hugging him back.

"Hey kid."

"I thought you were gone," he told me and I could hear the shake in his voice.

Shaking my head, I pulled him away and held his face. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Lia!" It was Lucas that time.

"Sinclair." Then I turned my gaze to the red-headed girl beside him. "Max? What are you doing here?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "These idiots got me involved."

I laughed lightly, turning again to Dustin. "Okay, Demodogs?" I asked again.

He looked nervous then. "You know that interdimensional space slug I kept?" he queried.

I sighed, closing my eyes in frustration. "The thing you called Dart?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Well... it... it sort of shed and got bigger and then it ate my cat."

I opened my eyes, confused. "It ate your cat."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I liked your cat."

"I know."

"Munson?" a different voice asked, an older voice.

I turned from the kid then, spotting Steve. He stood a little way back, nailed-bat hanging loosely in his grip. I couldn't help the relief that I felt upon seeing him alive, albeit a couple of bruises on his face. Brenner had told me that he hadn't been killed, but how could I not have feared the worse?