𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 | Max Mayfield

EIGHTEEN

Tara's eyes opened, and found herself laying in Max's lap.

Max's hand was stroking Tara's hair.

''Hey, shh, you're okay now,'' Max shushed Tara, her other hand caressing her cheek.

Tara blinked through her blurred vision, and found El screaming. El's hand was on Tara's arm and her own leg.

Two small creatures flew out of their arm and leg.

The creatures landed on the floor.

They began to slither away but a boot stepped on them.

Everyone lifted their heads up to find Joyce, Hopper and Murray.

They'd sat Tara and El up.

Tara's head was resting in Max's lap.

El's head was on Hopper's.

They were explaining to everyone what had happened.

''The Mind Flayer built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El and Tara and to kill her. And to pave a way into our world.'' Mike explained.

''And it almost did. That was just one tiny piece of it.'' Max added, her hand intertwining with Tara's.

''How big is this thing?'' Hopper asked.

''It's big. Thirty feet at least.'' Jonathan replied.

''Yeah. It sorta destroyed your cabin.'' Lucas told Hopper. ''Sorry.''

Hopper frowned.

''Okay so just to be clear, this big fleshy spider thing that hurt the girls, it's some kind of gigantic weapon?'' Steve asked which Nancy nodded to. ''But instead of screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon with melted people?''

''Yes exactly.'' Nancy confirmed.

''I'm just making sure.'' Steve muttered.

''Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?'' Joyce asked.

''El and Tara beat the shit out of it but yeah. It's still alive.'' Max replied.

''But if we close the gate again...'' Will started off.

''We cut the brain off from the body.'' Max finished his sentence.

''And kill it. Theoretically.'' Lucas added.

''Yoo hoo!'' Murray yelled as he approached the gang.

''Okay this is what Alexei called, The Hub.'' Murray explained. ''Now, the hub takes us to the vault room.''

''Okay, where's the gate?'' Hopper asked.

''Right here. I don't know the scale on this but I think it's fairly close to the vault room. Maybe 50 feet or so.'' Murray said.

''More like 500.'' Erica said. ''What? You're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie disneyland or something?''

''I'm sorry, who are you?'' Murray asked.

''Erica Sinclair. Who are you?'' Erica asked sassily.

''Murray Bauman.'' Murray replied.

''Listen Mr. Bunman; I'm not trying to tell you how to do things but I've been down in that shithole for 24 hours and with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die.'' Erica said to everyone.

''I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?'' Murray asked.

''I'm ten, you bald bastard!'' Erica snapped back.