ACT TWO, SCENE FIVE: Getting Hot, Hot, Hot "Max, get away from the door."
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**LONG CHAPTER**
ALTHOUGH THE BRONCO WAS SPACIOUS, no car should be filled with that many young teenagers. Mallory did not miss her younger days, that was for sure. She didn't remember being so annoying, though.
Mike, El, Max, and Lucas were all fighting. Somehow, their arguments were separate but in one big fight at the same time. Will and Debbie, the only two not fighting, just awkwardly sat. Mallory couldn't imagine how much those two had been through because she was already sick of it.
"Shut up!" She shouted. The four fighters jerked their heads towards Mallory.
"If I hear one more peep out of you four about boyfriends, girls, or El and her powers, I'm going to turn the car around and drive it straight back to Mike's house where we will sit and watch the Mind Slayer destroy Hawkins. Understood?" Mallory was still driving, obviously not going to let herself and Debbie be destroyed in whatever sci-fi mess was happening.
"Mind Flayer," Will piped up. Mallory practically glared at him through the rearview mirror.
"What?"
"You said Mind Slayer. It's called Mind Flayer," Mallory knew he was just trying to be helpful but now was really not the time.
"Will, no offense, but does it look like I care?" Will didn't talk after that. The rest of the car ride was decently silent. Perhaps a cough or two but no talking.
They arrived at the pool. Since the entire group was broke and didn't even have enough money to buy one ticket, they settled for staring at Billy from behind the fence.
"He looks pretty normal to me," Debbie said, unenthused by just staring at the pool and not going in.
"Normal? I mean, how many times have you seen Billy with a shirt on? It's a little weird to me," Max said.
Mallory mumbled, "More than a little."
"He was in a tub with ice," El spoke up.
"The Mind Flayer likes it cold," Will developed.
"But he's lounging at the pool which is, like, the least Mind Flayer thing to do," Max wanted to prove her brother's innocence.
Will shook his head, "Not necessarily. The Mind Flayer likes to hide. He only used me when He needed me. It's like you're dormant, and then, when he needs you, you're activated."
"So what do we do?"
"We activate him," Mallory said.
"How are we suppose to do that?" Lucas looked skeptical.
"You said he likes it cold, right, Will?" Will nodded and Mallory continued, "There's a sauna in the men's locker room— don't ask how I know. All creatures have a fight-or-flight response. We heat him up until we know for sure that he's the host."
