Alice the Amazing ⇒ STRANGER THINGS

[22] Dart Henderson Enters Stage Left

{Trick or Treat, Freak, Part III & The Pollywog, Part I}

Alice arrived home at midnight, meeting her curfew to the minute. When she got back, she didn't expect to be ambushed by Mews.

"MEEE-OUCH!" Mews hissed, scratching Alice's leg and hopping from one leg to the other.

"Mewsie, what's wrong?" Alice cooed, bending over to pick up the cat and cradle her close, ignoring Mews's agitation. "Do you want some catnip?"

Mews bopped her paw on Alice's nose, pushing against her chest and trying to escape. When Dustin entered the living room, Mews went berserk, flopping around until Alice had no choice but to let go.

The second her paws touched the ground, Mews darted into the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her?" Alice asked, eyeing the cat's ramrod-straight tail sticking up in the air.

"She's upset because she doesn't like my new pet," Dustin explained. "I want you to meet him next."

Alice gasped.

"New pet?" she asked, grinning. "Did Mom finally cave and let us get a dog?"

"Not exactly," Dustin said sheepishly. "Come on into my room and I'll show you."

Alice frowned, but followed him to his room. He looked left and right in the hall before closing the door behind them.

"Can't be too careful," Dustin said, leading Alice to the turtle tank in his room. "If Mom finds this thing, no way she'll let me keep it—"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!"

Alice involuntarily squealed in disgust when she saw it: the slimy, gross demon sitting in Yertle the Turtle's tank.

Dustin shushed her.

"Alice, keep it down! Mom is asleep—"

"What the hell is that thing!" Alice asked, voice in a falsetto.

"It's my new pet!"

Alice shuddered.

"Dustin, that thing is disgusting!" she hissed.

Alice didn't admit that the reason she was grossed out by the creature was because of her irrational fear of frogs and toads. She knew they couldn't really cause warts, but she never liked how their beady eyes followed her everywhere...

"It's just a lizard!" Dustin protested, taking him out of the tank. "Here, why don't you hold him—"

"Absolutely not!" Alice huffed. She shuffled backward so fast she stumbled over Dustin's backpack. "Keep him far from me!"

"Alice, please! Let me keep him, and don't tell Mom!"

Alice glowered at Dustin, but her expression softened when she saw how desperate he was to keep the creature.

"Look at him," Dustin said, holding up the lizard. "He just wants a home. He wants a place where he fits in, with people who love him no matter what!"

Alice could relate to that sentiment. She sighed, crossing her arms. 

"Even if I tell you to get rid of that thing," Alice asked, "you're going to keep it, aren't you?"

Dustin wryly grinned.

"You know me so well."

"Keep him," Alice said bitterly, "but keep him far from me."

"You got it, Al!"

Dustin plopped the lizard back into the tank. 

"What should I name it?" he asked, smiling at the lizard fondly.