Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

chapter thirteen

THEY looked frantically for as much metal as they could find around the old bus. They found sheets and oil drums and lined their chosen vehicle with it; Steve used a can of gasoline Evelyn hadn't known he brought and poured it over the large pile of steak they'd dumped a few metres away and to the doorway of the bus. Admittedly, as night fell, it no longer felt like a game anymore.

Eve ushered the kids to get in the bus, not sure what she was getting gradually more afraid of. Steve nodded to her as she climbed in and then all they had to do was wait.

Evelyn was watching as Steve flicked the flame of his lighter in his hand, watching the orange light dance between his fingers and then disappear as he snapped the lid shut. She sat with her back against the wall and her arms around her legs.

"So-you really fought one of these things before?" Max asked and Evelyn's eyebrows furrowed. She looked up to Steve, hurt, who avoided her eye because he could see she didn't know why he wouldn't have told her that. All he could do was nod - he couldn't bring himself to answer when Evelyn sighed and looked at the floor. Evelyn was struggling to comprehend Hawkins anymore. She was either being lied too, crazy secrets being concealed away from her when she believed that they never were - or this was just a big practical joke they were all playing on her. She sighed, and stretched her legs out. "And you're a hundred percent sure it wasn't a bear?"

"Shit." Dustin scowled, "don't be an idiot, okay? Evelyn looked up at Dustin and looked at Max's surprised face.

"Dustin!" She scolded, wanting him to apologise, and he turned to his stand-in mother with his arms out.

"What? It wasn't a bear." Evelyn shook her head, muttering something like 'Christ' and crossing her legs when he turned back to Max. "Why are you even here if you don't believe us?" Eve sighed, wiping her forehead. "Just go home."

"Someone's cranky." Was all Max said, climbing up the ladder. Evelyn thought, 'good for her.' "Past your bedtime?"

"That's good." Steve said when Max had disappeared. "Just show her you don't care."

"Good?" Evelyn whisper-shouted. "It's horrible!"

"I don't care." Evelyn was looking at her hands, muttering something about boys being idiots. "Why're you winking Steve?" Evelyn looked up from beneath her hair at his face. "Stop." And she laughed at Steve's awkwardness.

As the silence settled, Evelyn closed her eyes, almost tired, but then she heard something she never expected too. Evelyn's eyes snapped open and she jumped so much her back thudded against the wall of the bus. Her eyes were wide and startled and she ran to the window they'd placed a wired gate over and almost climbed on top of Steve to get to it. It sounded like a dinosaur - a deep screech travelling from somewhere in the woods. It clicked now that everything Dustin had told her was true and not the excitable imagination of an twelve year old boy. She looked at Steve and he was looking back at her with the same panicked eyes.

"You see him?" Dustin says but both Evelyn and Steve shake their heads, no. At least Steve knew what to look for, Evelyn was panicking that the trees where going to pull themselves out the ground or something and come and kill them too.

"I've got eyes!" Lucas shouted from the top of the bus and Evelyn's grip latched on to Steve's coat when she heard a deep growl now closer than it had been. But she wasn't clinging to him for help, it was as if she barely noticed she was doing so because she was edging closer to the door of the bus for a better look.

"Eve!" Steve hissed, waving his hand towards her to come back to him but she didn't even turn. She just waved her hand in dismissal, her lips parted with curiosity.