𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ― stranger things ² ✓

( thirteen ) I kind of feel like a kid again.

That left Mackenzie, Megan, Max, Erica, Nancy, Robin, and Steve to go in together. The group of six marched into the store, looking quite disheveled because three of them had just been in the Upside Down and the other four had biked several miles. They were immediately met with a large store that sold any sort of weaponry imaginable. Signs stating knives, guns, survival, tents, and other things hung from the ceiling. The place was packed, mostly by older men with bandanas — hicks, as Eddie called them.

"So much for avoiding angry hicks," Robin said.

"Let's be . . . fast," Nancy suggested.

"Yep."

"Definitely," Erica agreed.

"Do not let go of my hand," Mackenzie ordered, holding her hand out to Megan.

Megan rolled her eyes. "Kenzie—"

"No. Now that you're sucked into this whole thing, I want you to stay by my side. Now hold my hand and don't complain."

Megan huffed, but gripped onto Mackenzie's hand anyways. The group split up to go to different sections of the store to cover more ground and spend less time there. Mackenzie grabbed a hand cart and started to pick up some items. So far, she had a couple of glass bottles, some gasoline, and some towels. She remembered that the one thing the monsters in the Upside Down didn't really like was fire. That meant Vecna probably didn't like fire either.

Also, she really just wanted him to burn. She was tired of all of his shit that he had pulled over the last few years.

"This is your solution?" Megan questioned as they stopped at the knives section. "You're going to throw a bunch of knives at this guy like a ninja?"

"If it causes a distraction, yeah," Mackenzie responded. "We caused a distraction last summer with fireworks. All Lucas' idea. It was completely genius."

"A distraction against what?"

"Oh, you know, a giant monster called the Mind Flayer that was made out of melted humans."

Megan blinked. "Huh?"

"I'm telling you, this shit's crazy," Mackenzie stated. She reached forwards and started to put a couple knives in the basket, hearing the metal clink against the bottles. "It started as a shadow, and then it turned to flesh. The Upside Down is truly something else. Oh my God, wait." She looked around for a moment, trying to find Steve. "We need Steve's bat. I haven't seen that thing in ages."

"Kenzie, we can buy a bat. There's literally some over there."

"No. This one has nails in it. It was made by Jonathan, but Steve used it to attack the Demogorgon."

"You're speaking a whole other language right now," Megan told her. "Could you at least provide me with a little context?"

"I said I would tell you after this," Mackenzie insisted. "Right now I'm just rambling. Take it as bits and pieces of the larger story. You'll understand everything later."

Megan suddenly tugged on her hand. "Kenzie."

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry. I'll start with Hawkins Lab—"

"No. Kenzie, the basketball team is here."

Mackenzie looked up, her eyes widening, suddenly on high alert. Sure enough, multiple teenage boys wearing the green and yellow Hawkins High varsity jackets were milling around the store. She saw some she didn't know the names of, but she did see Jason and Andy. Jason was standing by the guns with Nancy.