THE GOLD | b. hargrove

chapter fifteen

"What is he doing?" Max descended the ladder after hearing the commotion from inside the bus and Steve's figure appear in the thick fog beneath them.

Dustin and Harriet were both back to staring intently out the window, more so now their friend had taken it upon himself to try and lure the demogorgan into their trap.

"He's expanding the menu." There was a grin spread across Dustin's face as he watched the older boy move across the rundown plane around them, leading with his bat. At first Dustin had been unsure on how much help Steve Harrington would be in this situation. He obviously had experience when it came to these things after last year, but seeing him now taking matters into his own hands had the younger boy looking at him like he was a superhero. Something straight out of comic books, but instead of supernatural powers he just had a modified bat and adrenaline pumping through his veins. Which in some ways, made it even cooler.

"He's insane." Max had placed herself next to Dustin, shaking her head as she watched Steve through the small window.

"He's awesome." Dustin's voice shone with admiration.

"He's gonna get himself killed. I can't believe he's gone out there. I can't believe we let him." Harriet stood up now, taking Dustin's previous place with the pacing though her eyes remained fixed on the window, tracking Steve's movements and bracing herself to have to take action. The lighter in her hand felt warm now from the heat of her hand, they were growing clammy from the stress and she kept having to alternate which was holding the thing so she could wipe her hand off on her jeans.

Steve was now mere feet away from the monster, waving his bat in front of him as they both stood still, almost like a western stand off. Everyone was waiting for the demogorgan to move, or snarl, or just do something, but the anticipation was broken by the sound of Lucas crying out from the roof.

"Steve! Watch out!" His voice cracked from the strain of shouting so loud, the panic in his voice infecting the three teenagers stood inside the bus.

"I'm a little busy here!" Steve's voice was muffled by the metal surrounding them, and he didn't take his eyes off the creature before him.

"Three o'clock! Three o' clock!" Everyone turned to look in the direction of Lucas's scream, and emerging from the fog was another monster, hopping onto one of the vehicles to give it the higher ground.

"Oh my god." Harriet whispered, the sheer panic running through her body constricting her voice box as she watched Steve realise he was now outnumbered. In the bus, it felt like the air was on fire. The heat from the dread they all felt choking them up.

Dustin quickly hopped to the front seat of the bus, whacking the doors lever to swing it open. "Steve! Abort, abort!"

No sooner had he clocked the second monster, the first had finally taken the distraction as it's moment to strike. Steve's head whipped around to see its face open up, revealing the same layers sharp teeth they knew from the demogorgan. It started to bound towards Steve, along with the other creature who'd hopped off the car to join the pursuit. Steve threw himself over the hood of a car to dodge the monster lunging towards him, only having a second to stabilise on his feet before hitting at the creature that was leaping up to attack him. He made a run for the bus, which now had Harriet hanging out of it beckoning to her friend. The teenagers all screamed for him to hurry, their voices combining into a chorus of fear.