ilysb ; steve harrington

ll . s e v e n • the mind flayer

We continued down the dark path of the train tracks, I was still trying to figure out where all of the creatures were headed, and why they all went together.

"And you're positive that was Dart?"

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt." Dustin stated answering Lucas' question

"But he was tiny two days ago"

"Well, he's molted three times already" Dustin replied

"Malted?" Steve asked looking towards Dustin

"Molted. Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms." My younger brother clarified

"When's he gonna molt again?"

"Probably soon. He'll most likely be fully grown" I responded with a guess, I looked over to see Dustin nodding his head in agreeing.

"So will his friends"

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats"

"Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?" Lucas asked upset forcing Dustin to look at him

"No, what? No." We all had stopped walking

"What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve said confused. I had clued in that Dustin had not told any of his friends he had known where Dart was this whole time.

"Mews? Who is Mews?" Max questioned

"It's their family cat." Steve informed her

"Steve!" Dustin yelled so Steve would shut up

"I don't think he told Lucas" I whispered to Steve as I continued standing beside him. We both slowly looked over to a glaring, obviously upset, Lucas.

"I knew it! You kept him!" Lucas yelled lightly pushing Dustin.

"No! No. No, I- Hazel did!" Dustin yelled looking in my direction, a long with the others.

"What? No, Dustin!" I yelled back at him, as everyone returned their sight back to Dustin.

"Sorry. He missed me. He wanted to come home." He explained, facing Lucas once again

"Bullshit!" He yelled

"I didn't know he was a Demogorgon, okay?"

"Oh, no now you admit it?"

"Okay! You two, enough, who cares. It is the middle of the night and we need to go." I yelled back trying to stop their argument

"I care! He put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!" Lucas yelled back to me and Dustin

"So did you!" Dustin yelled pointing

"What?" Lucas asked confused

"You told a stranger the truth!" Dustin yelled back shining his flashlight in Max's face

"Oh my God" I mumbled rolling my eyes

"A stranger!?" Max argued stepping towards the two boys

"You wanted go tell her too!"

"Yeah but I didn't, Lucas, okay? I didn't tell her!" Dustin yelled. Off in the distance I heard a loud roaring noise, I grabbed the flashlight from Steves hand and started slowly began walking away from the group, as everyone continued bickering.

"Hey guys" I called back keeping my head towards the dark forest. No one had answered me or payed attention so I yelled again.

"Guys!" I yelled while looking back to see Steve halfway towards me and the three kids turning around. I began walking south and the rest started following. I heard Max calling from the back of the group about going south but I continued walking.