Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
the monster in the car
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
. ✧ ・゜. +・o ✧
There had been a pleasant period of time where Gabriel Burton had actually thought he was going to survive for a little longer. Like, at least until he got to Murray's, and that had been an agreeable thought, especially with the addition of the fact that they were going to, for once, have some long-awaited peace and quiet. He had been thinking about how his birthday would be officially over in a couple of hours but maybe there would still be time to do a quick celebration as he slid into the car, which, of course, then didn't start. Now that had definitely jarred him back into reality, and, although it might have just been classic car troubles, panic was beginning to swell up inside of him.
"What's wrong?" Jonathan asked, his eyes widening at the sputtering of the car engine. Nancy clenched her jaw.
"I don't..." she turned the keys again, and Gabe had a glorious half-second of hoping the car would turn on when the engine sputtered yet again. "I don't know," she finished. She tried again, but to no avail. The car simply refused to turn on. "You can't be serious," she cried. "Come on!"
"Didn't your mom just buy this car?" asked Lucas, who was sandwiched between Alina and Max. Gabe and Will were by the windows.
"Yes." Nancy smacked the steering wheel in irritation. "I'm sure it's fine."
Gabe's heart pounded hard. What if the car never started? What if they were trapped at the mall? What if—and this thought chilled him to the core—it wasn't just normal car trouble, but something more sinister? Was it even possible for the Mind Flayer to wreck their car? Or a stray flayed who hadn't turned into a literal pile of slime? Shit, shit, shit. This was already going so wrong, and they hadn't even left the parking lot yet.
Will leaned forward. "Did you leave the lights on?" he suggested.
"No!" yelled Nancy.
"Do we have gas?" Lucas asked.
"Yes!" Lucas flinched slightly at Nancy's scream. Gabe knew she was just upset, and probably terrified, but damn, after all they'd been through, there was no need to yell.
