EAT OR BE EATEN ✮ STEVE HARRINGTON

White Winged Dove.

• Time: 6:25 am.
Location: Mike Wheelers Basement.

The sound of a clock chiming in my sleep, made me toss and turn all night. Steve's soft snores couldn't even drown it out. Eventually, I gave up on actually sleeping. It was pointless anyways.

That's when I heard a pencil eraser ripping a piece of paper and then someone lets out a quiet curse, "Shit."

"Max?" I whisper from old mattress on floor.

"Yeah?" She's sitting at the desk, drawing when I turn over to look.

"Can't sleep either?"

"No. You?"

"It's better if I don't."

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

Gently, I remove Steve's arm from around me and slip out of the blanket. Running Up That Hill played softly from around Max's neck.

If there was anyone to pray to right now, it would be Kate Bush.

"Whatcha doing?" I asked, sitting next to her at the desk.

"Fixing El's letter."

Eraser makers on a once white sheet of paper. I could tell Max was frustrated, needing to perfect whatever she was trying to say.

"Jo?"

"Hm?"

"I'm really scared." The red head confided in me. "..And I can't tell them that because, because they don't understand. They just treat me like..."

"Like you're going to float away?" I joked, watching her crack a smile.

"Yeah."

"I might know how that feels."

The two of us listen to the others soft snores around the room. I wondered back over to Steve's unconscious sleeping body. He looks so peaceful, I can't help but wonder what he's dreaming about. My fingers run through his soft hair, lightly scratching his scalp the way I know he likes.

"Normally this would gross me out but it's sort of sweet." Max whispered to me.

"It's like he was hiding in plain sight this whole time." I smile to myself. "We've argued and lost each other along the way but... there are pieces of string that keeps us tied together."

Max didn't say anything but I catch her look over at Lucas who had Dustin's arm on top of his neck while they slept on the floor. There's foot steps upstairs letting us know someone's awake.

"Wanna go get breakfast?" She asks me.

"Sure." I shrug, getting up and following her.

Max and I walk up the stairs and into the kitchen. Mrs. Wheeler is making pancakes while Mr. Wheeler is reading the paper with coffee in his hand. Holly is at the table, coloring. The last time I saw her, she was barely talking.