𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀, ( 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 )

[47] SITTING DUCKS

THEY PILE INTO WILL'S ROOM, Mariella trailing behind the apprehensively as Mike hurriedly begins to shuffle through the piles of drawings Will had made. He picks up the drawing of the shadow monster, all of them peering down at it curiously.

"The shadow monster," Dustin chimes.

Mike nods, looking towards him before pointing at the drawing with his index finger. "It got Will that day on the field. We know that. The doctors said it was like a virus, it infected him," Mike explains looking between the group on confused faces. Noticing how Mariella lingered off in the corner of Will's room, blinking her eyes rapidly and biting her lip.

"And so this virus, it's connecting him to the tunnels?" Max adds in, more so as a question, her eyes squinted curiously.

Mike nods rapidly. "To the tunnels, monsters, the Upside Down, everything," Mike responds before his head snaps back to Mariella who tumbled with her fingers dazed. "Mariella Sloane! Come here," He snaps, gesturing her over.

Reluctantly, she complies, situating herself between Mike and Lucas. "Okay, let's slow down," Steve tells them, hands up to signal them to halt.

Mike turns to him. "Okay, so, the shadow monster's inside everything. And if the vines feel something like pain, so doesn't Will," He says before nudging Mariella on the shoulder. "Mars figured that out before any of this happened," He attempts to lift her down spirit.

She shrugs, Lucas patting her back as a sign of comfort before adding in. "And so does Dart,".

"Yeah. Like Mr. Clarke taught us. The hive mind," Mike nods, eyes darting between each person.

Steve stares back at him confused. "Hive mind?" He asks curiously.

"A collective consciousness. It's a super organism," Dustin responds as Mariella began tapping her thumb against her thigh impatiently.

"And this is the thing that controls everything. It's the brain," Mike gestures to the drawing.

Dustin's eyes widen. "Like the Mind Flayer," He says. Lucas and Mike mirroring his expression. Mariella staring at them blankly.

Max and Steve exchange looks. "The what?" They ask as Dustin, Lucas, and Mike rush off, beginning to search the Byers house for the Dungeons and Dragons encyclopedia which was oh-so-worn-down.

The two of them look to Mariella who stood with her eyes shut. "What are they doing?" Max asks her.

She sighs, opening her eyes and rubbing the temple of her nose. "They're onto something," She responds, voice sounding disappointed.

Steve squints his eyes at her. "Isn't that good?" He questions, tilting his head.

Mariella nods. "Yes. But what they're onto doesn't sound good. The Mind Flayer, it's not good," She answers him before turning to Will's bookshelf. "Start searching for a Dungeons and Dragons book. Seems stupid, I know, but trust me," She tells them as she begins to pull book after book off the shelf.

♧

Dustin slams the encyclopedia onto the dining room table, everyone except Joyce crowded around it. "The Mind Flayer," He begins, hands at either side of the book.

Hopper stares down at the book, face scrunched up. "What the hell is it?" He asks.

"It's a monster from an unknown dimension. It's so ancient that it doesn't even know its true home," Dustin explains, staring at the confused looks everyone except, Mike, Lucas, and Mariella gave him.