Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

chapter fourteen

EVELYN and Steve herded the children back down the train tracks they'd successfully tempted the demogorgans down. They were discussing if one of the creatures had definitely been Dart and Evelyn prayed it was because she didn't fancy trying to find him again.

"And you're positive that was Dart?" Lucas was saying and in his frustration, Dustin waved his hands in the air as he spoke.

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt."

"He was tiny two days ago." Max pointed out and Dustin sighed.

"Well, he's malted three times already."

"Malted?" Steve looked at Dustin but Evelyn, who was pinching the bridge of her nose, answered for him.

"Shed his skin to make room for more growth." Dustin pointed to her in agreement.

"Like hornworms."

"Well when's he going to malt again?" Max said in a panic.

"Probably soon." Dustin said matter-of-factly. "When he does he'll be fully grown or close to it - so will his friends."

"Yeah and he's going to eat a lot more than just cats." Evelyn sighed as the crazy truth surrounded them but Lucas stopped and grabbed hold of Dustin's jacket.

"Wait. Cat!? Dart ate a cat?"

"No?" Dustin shouted quickly, and then he looked away from Lucas's eyes. "What? No!"

"What're you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve added and Evelyn groaned. Steve turned to look at her, shining his torch over her face and gave her a look that asked what he'd done wrong.

"Mews?" Max whispered. "Who's Mews?"

"It's Dustin's cat." Steve said, as if stating the obvious.

"Steve!" Dustin screamed accusingly but Lucas just pushed his shoulders.

"I knew it! You kept him!"

"No!" Dustin argued, rocking on his heels, "No, no-no, I-" but he swallowed and began to pout. "He missed me. He wanted to come home."

"Bullshit!"

"I didn't know he was a demogorgan!" Evelyn moaned again and spun around on the spot throwing her arms out in annoyance.

"Now you admit it!"

"Guys who cares," Max shouted as the voice of reason, "We have to go."

"I care! You put the party in jeopardy. Twice!" Evelyn groaned.

"Lucas." But Steve just shook his head at Evelyn and motioned to the boys with his torch.

"Just leave them."

"You broke the rule of law!" Lucas howled.

"So did you!" Dustin fired back, and Max rolled her eyes.

"You told a stranger the truth!" Dustin put his torch light directly in Max's face and though Evelyn thought Max may have been mature enough to ignore him, she was wrong. Max scoffed and took a step forward.

"A stranger!?" Evelyn looked at Steve with unimpressed, half-lidded eyes.

"You wanted to tell her too!"

"Yeah but I didn't! Lucas, okay? I didn't!"

"You told Evelyn!" There was a frightfully familiar growl somewhere in the distance and as the kids argued, Steve and Evie looked behind where they stood with furrowed brows.