Ambivalence

S2 Chapter 13 - Dig Dug

"No fair, why do you get all the protective gear!" I protest as Dustin grabs a handful of sports gear from the hall closet.

"Because I'm the child!" Dustin screeches as I roll my eyes. "While I arm up, make the lure."

"Lure? You mean the bologna." I scoff. He just sends me an annoyed glare before storming off.

"Yes, the bologna!" He huffs from down the hall.

Dustin steps out in all his glory as I throw the remaining pieces towards his room.

"Wow, if we were in a different situation, I would totally be laughing at you right now." I tease.

He steps forward. "Shut up Y/n." He takes in a shaky breath walking closer to his bedroom door. "All right, Dart. Breakfast time." Dustin reaches out his clothed arm before flopping his way down the hallway, with me gracefully taking the lead in front of him.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God." He rambles. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit."

"Dustin, quit freaking me out even more!" I plead, skipping out the front door.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit."

"SHUT UP!" I groan, jumping over the concrete stairs.

I enter the shed, ducking off into the corner. Dustin's grumbling continues until he makes it in, closing the creaky wooden door. We both took this Moment to catch our breath.

"Do you think it'll work?" I mutter.

"It better," He huffs, before moving to peek out of the spaces between the wood. "Come on. Come on, we know you're hungry." Dustin states, as a matter of fact.

"Do you see him?"

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes." He whispers. I grow impatient and get up to view its movements through the cracks. Holy shit it's close. "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." Dart whips his head towards us, we step back in fear.

"Shit," I mutter. Dustin takes another peak, before attempting to hide himself from Dart's line of sight. He starts taking deep frantic breaths.

"Don't even think about it!" I whisper shout.

Dustin charges out of the shed, marching towards Dart in full force, before nailing him with a swing from his hockey stick. I run in front of Dustin slamming the doors to the cellar shut, and laying on top of them as a precaution for his escape. Dart rams his head against the metal.

"Get some rope or some shit!" I groan against the cold red doors.

"I'm sorry. You ate my cat." Dustin huffs looking down at the cellar.

***

Saturday, November 3, 1984

Returning to the Henderson's house I start grabbing a plethora of cleaning products from underneath the Henderson's kitchen sink.

"I really need someone to pick up here," Dustin speaks into his headset pacing behind me. "Hopper's MIA, and I've got a code red." I snap on a yellow rubber glove. "Code red!" He shouts louder.

"You gonna keep screaming or are you gonna help me out here!" I huff.

***

Dustin vigorously scrubs at the carpet, while I clean up the glass shards from his terrarium.

"All right, it's Dustin again." Here we go. "Seriously, I have a code red."

A voice breaks through. "Could you please shut up?" A young girl's voice sasses.

"Who's that?" I turn towards Dustin.

"Erica? Erica, is Lucas there?" Dustin beams with hope. "Where is he?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Erica retorts.

Dustin stutters. "Is he with Mike?"

"Like I said, I don't know and I don't care."

"Please tell him it's super important. Please tell him that I have a code--"

"Code red?"

"Yep, code red. Exactly." He confirms.

"Mmm-hmm. I got a code for you instead. It's called SHUT-YOUR-MOUTH." It goes to static.

"Erica?" Dustin calls out to nothing.

***

"Why couldn't we take my car again?" I pant, biking down the Wheeler's driveway.

"Because you're feeding into the oil industry!" He shouts over his shoulder before demounting his bike, letting it fall to the sidewalk. This kid and his conspiracies. I groan at his actions while he runs up to their front door.

I pick up Dustin's bike as I notice a familiar burgundy sedan coming to a slow stop in front of the Wheeler's. Steve? Dustin now appears beside me.

"Perfect, just perfect." He walks up to a clearly overwhelmed Steve who holds a bouquet of flowers. "Steve. Are those for Mr. or Mrs. Wheeler.?"

Steve looks at me then down at the flowers. "No." He says confused.

"Good." Dustin grabs the bouquet before heading for Steve's car.

"Hey. What the hell? Hey!" Steve storms after Dustin.

"Nancy isn't home." I fill Steve in.

"Where is she?" Steve asks.

"Doesn't matter," Dustin replies nonchalantly. "We have bigger problems than your love life." He opens Steve's passenger door. "Do you still have that bat?"

"Bat. What bat?"

"The one with the nails." I nudge his arm.

Steve turns to look at me. "Why?"

"We'll explain on the way. Now, Dustin, I get shotgun. Move." I demand walking towards Steve's car.

"Now?" Steve runs up to the car.

"Now!" We shout getting into the car.