Stranger Things Are Happening. (Jonathan Byers)

12.

Samantha;

The five of them slowly made their way off of the bus, looking around as if at any second, those things would leap out at them. 

"What do you think it was?" Samantha asked, looking up at Steve, "You think something spooked 'em?"

"No," Steve shook his head, looking at her from over his shoulder, "Definitely not. They're going somewhere. Something was calling them. Come on." 

"Woah," Max said loudly as the other four began moving to follow after them, "We're going after those....those-" 

"Demogorgons." Dustin finished for her.

"Yeah!" she nodded, "Those! We're going after them?"

"Yeah," Steve nodded, "We are. We're finishing this. Tonight." 

Samantha's eyebrows raised as he headed in the direction of the railway tracks. Huh, compared to last year, Steve has certainly grown a pair. 

"Don't worry," she mumbled, picking up her hockey stick as she looked at the girl, "It'll be fine. You're with the professionals." 

They walked in silence for a while, until Lucas spoke up. 

"You're sure that was Dart?" 

"Yes," Dustin sighed, "He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt."

The older two looked at each other and Samantha leant in, "I didn't see any yellow pattern." 

"He was tiny two days ago," 

"Yeah, well he's molted three times already." 

"Malted?" Steve asked.

"No, molted," Samantha smiled, "He's shed his skin for growth. Like snakes. When do you think he'll do it again?" 

"It's gotta be soon," Dustin said aloud, "And when he does, he'll be fully grown. Or close to it and so will his friends." 

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats," Steve muttered and Lucas pulled his friend to a stop.

"Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?" 

"What? N-no?" Dustin stammered.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked, "He ate Mews." 

"Who's Mews?" 

"Dustin's cat." 

"Steve!" 

"I knew it!" Lucas yelled, "You kept him!" 

"No!" Dustin denied again, "No! I..he missed me, he wanted to come home." 

"Oh for Christ sake," Samantha muttered as the three kids started to argue, looking up when she heard some screeching coming from somewhere in the distance and by the look on Steve's face, she knew that she wasn't the only one who had heard it.

The two of them moved towards the edge of the track, to where the tracks met the forest. 

"Guys," she muttered but they didn't hear her and continued bickering among themselves, "Guys!" 

They shut up, listening as the screeching got a little louder before Dustin and Lucas were following Steve and Samantha into the dense trees.

"What? No, no! Guys!" Max yelled, "Max, where are you going? Why are you going towards the noise? Guys!" 

She followed them up the railway tracks, spotting the four staring out over Hawkins. 

"Where's it coming from?" Samantha asked and Lucas brought his binoculars up to his face. 

"Give me a minute," he murmured. 

"I don't see him," Dustin stated, referring to Dart, "Does anyone?" 

"It's coming from the Lab," Lucas finally informed us, looking at Samantha and Steve, "They were going home." 

**

Jonathan; 

"No, Caroline, it's fine, really." he said, leaning his forehead against the wall, "I'm sure Sammy said that she was working tonight. Thanks anyway." 

"Are you sure, Jonathan," her mother asked down the phone, "You're kind of scaring me." 

"Yeah, no." he said, trying to keep his voice light, "She'll just be at work. I'll swing by the arcade and give her a ride home." 

"Okay, well, if you're sure." 

After lying to his girlfriend's mother again, he hung up and bumped his head against the wall  a couple of more times before looking at Nancy, who was chewing on her nails, "Okay, come on," 

"What?" Nancy called as he tore out of his house, "Jonathan, where are you going?" 

"Something's wrong," he muttered, not stopping on his way to the car, "Listen to me, someone's been here, some Government people, people from the lab probably. Something's happened to Will, I can feel it." 

"So where are you going?" Nancy asked, "To the lab?"

"Yes," he answered, "Are you coming or not?" 

She wordlessly climbed into the passenger seat again, crossing her arms over her chest as he started the engine and backed out of where he was parked. 

Samantha was probably with his mom and Will so that gave him a little peace of mind; at least she was somewhere safe. 

They made it to the lab in record time, he may have broken a couple of speed limits but at the moment, he didn't care but what he did care about, was the fact that the whole place was in darkness and there was no one manning the gates when they pulled to a stop. 

"Why are the lights off?" he asked, climbing out of the car. 

"Maybe it's closed?" Nancy mumbled. 

"Yeah," he snapped, "And security took the night off? I don't think so." 

Nancy watched as he moved to the little guard station, pressing all of the buttons in an attempt to open the gate but when nothing happened, he let out a groan of frustration. 

"It's not working?" she asked, crossing the space to stand beside him. 

"No, the power's off." 

She spun around when she heard the snapping of twigs and the restling of trees, "Jonathan?" 

He sighed loudly, "What?" 

"I think there's something in the woods." 

Standing up, Jonathan quickly heard what she was hearing and whatever it was, it was getting closer and closer. 

They moved around his car, stupidly stepping closer to the noise and they stopped just mere feet from the treeline. 

"Hello?" he called when he saw flashlights, "Who's there?" 

The flashlights came towards them and then...

"Steve?" 

"Nancy?"

"Jonathan!" 

"Samantha?"

"What are you doing here?" Samantha asked, wrapping her arms around him tightly when she reached him. 

"We're looking for Mike and Will." Nancy answered, "What are you doing here?"

"They're not in there, are they?" Dustin gestured to the lab, ignoring Nancy's question. 

"We don't know," she mumbled, "Why?" 

Just as she finished speaking, there was some howling and screeching from inside the lab and Samantha's hand tightened around Jonathan's. 

Mike and Will were in there. They just had to be and now, they were going to have to go in there after them.