𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘴 ~ 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:
Stupid Jacket
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"It's not like it was before. It's grown.. a lot." Hopper explained as Ramona mindlessly picked at the gauze on her arm. "And I mean, that's considering we can get in there. That place is crawling with those dogs."

"Hey, hey. Stop messing with that. I did a good job." Steve said quietly, pulling her hand away from the bandages.

"Did you, Harrington?" Ramona countered, putting a hand on her hip and raising an eyebrow, "Did you.. really?"

Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Uh, yeah. I did, García. I did."

"I said, uh, demo-dogs.." Dustin said slowly, "Like.. demogorgan and dogs.. You out them together.. sounds pretty badass-"

"How is this important right now?" Hopper cut the boy off, his voice raising.

"It's not.. I'm sorry." Dustin apologized, fiddling with his fingers as he looked down at the table.

"I can do it." Eleven said, causing Ramona to close her mouth.

"You're not hearing me." Hopper replied, "I-"

"I'm hearing you." Eleven cut him off, "I can do it."

"Even if El can, there's still another problem. If the brain dies, the body dies." Mike explained, pain clear in his eyes as he looked around.

"I thought that was the whole point." Max knitted her eyebrows together.

"It is, but if we're really right about this.. I mean if El closes the gate and kills the mind flayer's armry-"

"Will's apart of that army." Lucas realized.

"Closing the gate will kill him." Mike continued.

"Oh, fuck no." Ramona shook her head, "There is no way on God's green earth I'm letting that kid die. Hell would have to freeze over first. Over my dead fucking body-"

"Jesus, García." Steve cut her off, raking a hand through his hair. "Neither of you are gonna die."

"I have an idea." Joyce said quietly.

"Huh?"

"I have an idea!" She said, her voice louder as she stood up and walked into the hallway. "Follow me."

Ramona shrugged, motioning Steve to join her. The girl's heart fell to her stomach when she saw him laying in the bed.

"He likes it cold." Joyce realized as she walked over to the open window.

"What?" Hopper looked down at her.

"That's what Will kept saying to me." Joyce explained, shutting the window. "He likes it cold. We keep giving it what it wants."

"If this is a virus.. and Will's the host, then-" Nancy started, trailing her eyes down to Will.

"Then we need to make the host uninhabitable." Jonathan continued.