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Chapter Text

Barb doesn’t want to believe her friendship with Nancy is ending, but she doesn’t feel comfortable sitting with Steve and his friends. She either feels like she’s not included in any of the conversations or is cast aside by Tommy and Carol the other half of the time. So she just rather not be there at all.

Today she decides to go outside for lunch and finds an empty table, cause it’s better than eating in the bathroom. She reluctantly sits down next to Munson and his merry band of geeks. She won’t admit that she’s that type of person, but she sort of believes the rumors about Eddie and the hellfire boys, so she is trying very hard to make herself small and not be noticed by them.

But you know Eddie, he has a six sense for outcasts. Barb can feel him looking at her now and just tries to read a sentence in her book.

She’s reading More Than A Summer Love by Jeannette Eyerly.  Eddie’s not much of a romance novel kind of guy, but from the title of the book and Barb’s love sick face, he knows she got it bad for someone and he’s very curious who it is.

He sees her in the library later that day. She’s alone again and still reading that book, so he grabs one of his go-to’s and plops down on the chair next to her. She gets pulled out of her book with a startle and gets red when she realizes it’s Munson sitting beside her. 

“Hey there, Holland,” he starts in a whispered tone, “seems like a good day for a good read, ain’t it?”

“Uh, yeah…” she stammers and tries to find where she left off. 

As we know Eddie’s not one for subtlety so he just comes out with it. “So, I noticed you sitting outside at lunch earlier. I don’t mean to pry, but don’t you usually hang out with goody-two-shoes Nancy Wheeler? You two are usually inseparable.”

Barb looks at him confused and shocked how he knew so much about them. Didn’t say anything back. 

“I know how these sorts of friendships work. If my bf started going out with the most popular boy in Hawkins High I’m sure they’d dump my ass too.”

“She didn’t-!” She catches herself as her voice got loud, “she didn’t dump me for Steve.”

“Oh, didn’t she? Cause I bet it definitely feels like it on your end.”

And Barb finally realizes her feelings for Nance and how deep they’ve gotten. She’d been able to push them aside seeing as how they’d been able to hang out all the time, share everything with each other, but now it’s different. 

She can’t control the tears welling up in her eyes now, with one falling into her glasses before sliding down. Eddie plucks a tissue from a box nearby and hands it to her. He’s hesitant to offer a hand to her for comfort, but places his hand on her upper back anyway. She tries to soften her crying, but Eddie’s hand feels reassuring, letting her know it’s okay to let it out. 

She then excuses herself to the closest bathroom so she can be a little louder and wash her face. Eddie waits at their seat keeping an eye on her stuff while she’s gone. 

Barb comes back to Eddie leafing through her book, reading bits of the first chapter. He notices she’s back and adjusts himself in his seat.

“Hah, sorry, it’s not really my usual genre, but the back got me intrigued. Here,” he hands the book back to her with his finger marking the page she left off on, “I didn’t want you to loose your place.”

Barb wipes her nose with a paper towel, “thank you.” Than she takes the book and looks to the clock. *Shoot, it’s almost next period*, she starts to pick up her stuff when Eddie places his hand on hers for a moment.

“If you ever want to talk, I’m all ears, okay? I may know more of what you’re going through than you think.” He winks at her, and her face goes red again. 

“Okay,” she chokes out and rushes to the hallway.

Chapter Text

— The Day Before The Harrington Pool Party —

“C’mon Barb, please? I don’t want to go alone,” Nancy looks up at Barb with her big doe eyes. 

She’s had a bad feeling in her gut for a while now when Nancy first suggested she should tag along. But today it’s gotten even worse. “Nance, I don’t know. Didn’t they just invite you? I doubt Steve wants you to bring a plus one, especially if Tommy and Carol will be there.”

“They won’t mind-“

“I’ll be the fifth wheel,” she clutched her books tighter. “Or do you just need me to drive you there?”

“I-“ Nancy pauses long enough to make it loud and clear why she wanted Barb to go with her. 

Barb signs exasperated, “I’m going to band practice after school, so you’re going to have to find another way home.”

She turns and leaves Nancy alone in the hall, trying not to show the tears welling up in her eyes. She needs someone, anyone who would understand. 

She walks to the far end of the west side of the school, not realizing the next period bell has rung and she’s nowhere near where she needs to be. Or is she. 

Barb looks out the small window of the door to the outside and sees a mop of dark hair crouching under the bleachers. She opens the door and quickly gets the attention of Eddie who’s got a cigarette dangling from his mouth. They make eye contact as he rises to his feet and Barb starts to walk towards him. She has her body outside the door when she notices a girl with him, and hesitates for a second. Now they’re locking eyes and she’s trying to remember who she is, Robin, Robin Buckley who plays the trumpet in the row behind her. 

Eddie sees she’s flustered and trying to run back inside, but the door locks behind her. He walks over to her quickly “Hey hey hey, Holland, what’s up? Huh? What’s wrong?” He gives her some space to calm down but she’s just leaning her head against the door. 

Robin slowly approaches now, too, unsure if she should help in this situation. 

Eddie can see Barb’s face getting red and twisted with frustrated tears. ”Barbara? Hey, come on. Do you want a teacher to catch us like this?”

She shakes her head, no. 

“Alright, then let’s go over here. Sit with us a'while.”

Barb turns her head slightly to look Eddie in the eye, and then glances back towards Robin. 

“She’s cool, I promise.”

She sniffs in, the cold weather isn’t helping her leaking face, “Okay.” And Eddie takes her hand to lead her under the bleachers. 

Once they got situated Barb tried to get back some composure so she could tell Eddie, and Robin, what just happened.

“… and then I just left her there. I- I just got so mad for a second and...” the tears started welling up again. 

Eddie put his hand on her back again, “It’s okay Barbie, let it out.” It’s like magic how his touch just lets Barb release her tears so easily. 

Robin finally gets the courage to speak up, “You know, this could be a good thing. I mean, it’s never good to fight with your best friend, but having space is good.”

“Yeah, Buckley’s right,” Eddie assures, “Sometimes, time apart can be a good thing for friends. And spending time with new friends can help with that.”

Bard wipes her nose and face, “Huh?”

Robin looks at Eddie in a cautionary way. 

“Maybe we should have our own little party that rivals Harrington’s. I should know.” Eddie flashes his devilish grin. 

Barb straightens her back, “Nope, I’m not doing drugs! That’s out of the question.”

“When did I say that? Robin, did I say we were gonna do drugs?”

“No… but I mean, ya know. It’s fair to presume.”

“Buckley! I’m offended, truly!” Eddie gets to his feet, “Nay! We shall watch the Pirates of Penzance and eat as much candy as I can shoplift.”

“You like the Pirates of Penzance?” Barb giddily asks. 

“I am a man with the finest tastes of cinema. Plus it’s either that or any of the Monty Python movies.”

“I second the pirates,” Robin chirps. 

“The pirates it is!” Eddie says triumphantly.

Later that evening Eddie ventures his way to the local Family Video store and makes a deal with Keith on "discounted" candy with his movie rental.

Chapter Text

It was Wednesday and everyone was feeling lackluster for the middle of the week, everyone except Barb, because she was jazzed for this evening. Talking with Eddie and Robin really reassured her and made her feel less guilty. The only issue it seemed was every time she passed Nancy, especially if she was with Steve Harrington and his posse, it felt like they were staring holes into the side of her head.

She can feel her ears turning red with how embarrassed she felt. Nance had to have told them about how I acted yesterday. How I raised my voice at her. Did I raise my voice? That was awful of me. I should apologize, but maybe not right now. Tommy and Carol would probably laugh in my face. And I’d just embarrass Nancy. But I can’t let her go alone, even though she’s not technically alone. But I should go to Steve’s party with her. It’s what a good friend would do, right? Right?

Barb is then pulled out of her head by a soft hand on her shoulder. She looks low thinking it could, by chance, be Nancy to come to her aid. But no, it’s not. What her eyes do see is a dark t-shirt with a shiny pendant laying on top.

“Hey, eyes up here, Holland,” a soft yet raspy voice chirps.

“Sorry!” Barb blushes as she looks Robin in the eyes properly. “I just-”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Robin smirks, “But are you okay? It looks like you’ve been messing with your lock for a couple minutes now.”

“Oh, uh, yeah! I’ll be okay,” Barb took a breath to calm herself down a little. “Um… Oh! So, what kind of pop do you like? I know Eddie said he’s got everything, but I still want to bring refreshments.”

Robin gets a little half smile on her face, “Oh okay! Hm, I’ll drink anything really, but I like fruity flavored pop.”

“I like fruity too! Great then, thank you very much Robin.” That brings a smile to Barb’s face. Hopefully they have more in common than just their taste in soda pop.

Steve, Tommy, and Carol are talking between each other, not paying much mind to the other people around them, but Nancy can see Barb from where they’re standing. She can see she’s talking to some girl, someone she’s never seen talk to Barb before. And Barb is smiling as the other girl leaves. It’s a bit of an unfamiliar feeling, especially since she would’ve thought somehow Steve would make her feel jealous with his reputation. 

Barb, on the other hand, really needed that moment with Robin. She’s feeling reassured now and even a little giddy for tonight.

~

Later that evening, when Barb should have been driving with Nancy to Steve Harrington’s house, she instead glanced at a little note in her hand. It was an address to a part of town she doesn’t usually venture to, and pulled up to a little rickety trailer with 2121 plastered next to the door frame. Part of her was terrified to think if anyone saw her here they’d think less of her for giving into the peer pressure. And what her parents would think of her coming to this part of town. They thought she was going to Nancy’s house for a sleepover, but no, she’s actually at the local high school’s drug dealer’s house. Allegedly. 

She wasn’t completely sure if Munson was dealing outside of his friends, but she’s heard rumors. Regardless, she has to push those presumptions out of her head, because he was inviting her for a movie night, with Robin. She wouldn’t be alone with him, and if anything besides popcorn and pop was consumed, she would just refuse it.

Eddie doesn’t seem like the pushy type.

Barb takes a deep breath and turns off her car. She finally gets out and realizes Eddie is already looking at her from his doorway.

“You good Holland?”

Barb gets red in the face, “Uh yeah!” she quickly reaches to the passenger seat of her car, “I got soda pop! I hope you like Squirt?” she said while trying to hold the 8-pack in her arms and close the door without dropping it. 

Eddie rushed to help her, “Whoa there, let me take these. You didn’t have to bring anything.”

“Of course I did, you’re providing the movie, and I’m a guest in your home,” Barb smiled shyly and gets her purse before locking her car.

Eddie smiled back, and waved his hand for Barb to pass in front of him to enter his trailer. It’s definitely what she pictured his house to look like. Well, maybe a few more decorative curtains and pillows in the living room than she would’ve thought.

Eddie began, “We’ll be sitting out here for the most part, but if you need the restroom, it’s right around the corner there. My uncle will be out soon, he usually has the night shift, so we will have the place all to ourselves,” he grins devilishly.

It’s starting to grow on Barb, it’s getting less intimidating.

“You kids better not be throwing a wild party while I’m at work,” Uncle Wayne hollers as he’s coming out of his bedroom.

“Of course not, I wouldn’t dare put my new acquaintances through such a wild night.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” 

“Thank you for letting me and Robin hang out here tonight Mr. Munson,” Barb said sheepishly.

“So you’re Barbara,” he took her hand in a firm shake, “It’s very nice to meet you before I go. You seem like a responsible girl,” he leans in a little, “Be sure to keep an eye on Eddie, make sure he doesn’t break anything with his antics.”

Barb giggles, “I’ll make sure he doesn’t.” They release hands as Eddie rolls his eyes.

“A'ight, see you in the mornin', Eds. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Eddie responds, closing the door behind Wayne.

Barb finally gets a moment and takes off her jacket, “You’re uncle is really nice.”

“Yeah, he may look gruff, but he’s a good guy.” Eddie trails off, playing with a bit of fringe from the blanket that’s draped over the couch. “Oh, here, if you want I can put your Jacket in my room to keep it out of the way.”

Barb is hesitant for a moment, but obliges and hands him the jacket and gets comfortable on one of the stools at the counter.

“Do you know if Robin will be here soon?” Barb calls to Eddie.

“She might take a little longer, I don’t think she has a car,” Eddie calls back.

“Oh, she should’ve told me if she needed a ride earlier.” Barb looks out through one of the windows. You can see the sky getting darker fast. She worries a little about Robin getting snatched like poor little Will Byres.

“Hey!” Eddie scares the life out of Barb and she grips the side of the table.

“Jesus! Eddie, don’t do that!” She’s red in the face again.

“I’m sorry, you looked a little spaced out. You sure you didn’t do any,” He makes a smoking motion with his index and thumb fingers, “earlier.

Barb scoffs, “No. I don’t like any of that stuff, not even tobacco cigarettes.”

“Hurts your chest?”

“Yeah, I don’t do well around smoke.”

“Okay, okay, noted. I will say, however, I have some special treats, that aren’t candy, if you ever want to try that out.”

“Eddie,” she gives him that look again.

“Hey, it’s just an offer. You don’t have to partake if you don’t want to.”

Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking at the door. How did it get pitch black out there all of a sudden. 

A muffled, “Hey guys!” came from behind the door, and Eddie quickly went to open it. 

Robin, fairly out of breath and looking a little shaken, clamors in. “Oh God, thank you.”

Barb got down from the stool to help Robin if she fell, her legs looked like they were about to give under her weight.

“What happened, Robin? Are you okay?”

Eddie looks out into the night, and sees Robin’s bike haphazardly left leaning against his tiny porch. “Did you bike all the way here, Buckley?”

Robin let out a short “Ha” with her deep breaths.

“You could’ve told me earlier if you needed a ride,” Barb whined in concern.

“It’s no big deal. I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Eddie locked the door and went over to the living room TV, “That is true, however, both of us have vehicles that we could’ve picked you up in. And based on recent events,” he rustled through his bag, “You gotta be careful out there at night.”

Robin finally gets her breath back, “Okay, but something like what happened to the Byres kid, that hasn’t happened in years. Before we were born anyway.”

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t’ve been more careful,” Barb chimed in with a hand on her arm.

Robin blushed a little and cleared her throat, “Okay, okay, I don’t need to be lectured. Let’s watch this movie, ey?”

Almost on queue, Eddie triumphantly raises the tape from his backpack, “Hah! Found you!

Chapter Text

As they make themselves comfortable on the couch, Eddie sets up the TV for the movie. 

“Have either of you seen this musical before?” Barb sits excitedly with her Squirt.

“No.” “Not really.” Eddie and Robin respond.

“Hey, if it has pirates, I’m game,” Eddie reassures.

“Oh boy, this is gonna be a treat then!”

The movie begins slowly, but as the music builds Robin gets a suspicious look on her face. “Wait, is this like a traditional musical?”

Eddie sees the pirate flag and waves his bandana as the first song plays.

“Yeah!” Barb replies, giggling at Eddie as he bounces on his side of the couch.

Robin grimaces.

“You don’t like these kinds of musicals?”

“I mean, I don’t hate them, it just depends.”

“Well, I heard that Linda Ronstadt is in this. She’ll probably appear later with the sisters.”

“Linda Ronstadt, huh?” Robin raises her eyebrows, “Okay,” and she leans back in the couch grabbing one of the miscellaneous candy bags Eddie bought.

~

“Damn, did Fredric just let down his Nanny easy?”

“Yeah, sounds like he wants to bust it down with some other chic,” Eddie says in between mouthfuls of popcorn.

“ “Bust it down?” ” Barb asks.

“Well, in this he wants to marry someone, but he really just wants to fuck.”

Barb scoffs.

Eddie playfully nudges her, “C’mon, that’s what he’s thinking. Don’t be a prude.”

Barb blushes but stays quiet.

“Dude,” Robin throws a candy at Eddie’s head.

“Hey, it was a joke,” Eddie whined, hoping the candy didn’t get stuck in his hair.

Barb puffs us, “You shouldn’t call a girl a prude, it’s annoying and rude.”

Eddie looks at her sincerely, “I’m sorry. Won’t happen again.”

Barb gives him a nod and turns her attention back to the movie, just in time for the sisters to show up.

~

“Wha- how is he mad that Ruth said she thought of herself as pretty?” Robin solds the tv set.

Barb rolls her eyes, “He doesn’t understand. Angela Lansbury is beautiful! Especially when she was younger.” Barb sighs.

Eddie doesn’t move his head but looks to the side, I think she likes Angela a bit too much.

He then makes a motion to get up, “Well, if there’s gonna be any more of this misogyny, I have to have a little of my special brownies . Robin, you want a bit?”

Robin looks at the movie and at Fredric singing about how Ruth lied to him about her looks, and looked back to Eddie, “Yes, please. But just a tiny piece.” She scrunches her arms and hands in a way that makes Barb giggle softly.

He gives her a thumbs up and walks over to the fridge, pulls out a little Tupperware with a label on top.

Barb looks over her shoulder to see him take out a brownie and cut it into smaller pieces. She opens her mouth but no words come out. Her eyes turn up and sees Eddie looking back at her, caught staring.

Eddie asks softly, “Do you want to try it?”

They do look good, like normal chocolate brownies. How bad can it really be? “Um, why not. They look good.”

“Barb, these are my weed brownies. Are you positive you want to try a piece?”

“Yes,” she says more firmly.

“You don’t have to Barb,” Robin assures her. “Just because we’re having a bit, doesn’t mean you have to.”

Barb is getting frustrated now, “Just give me the darn piece.”

Eddie smirks, “Language, Barbara! But okay, if you insist.” He brings over the cut pieces on a napkin and sets it on the coffee table in front of them.

Eddie eats his piece whole, while Robin at least savors the piece with little bites. Barb gulps before she takes a small bite, but as soon as she tastes the velvety chocolate flavor she doesn’t realize she has already eaten the whole piece. She stalls for a moment and looks at Eddie.

He laughs a little, “Don’t worry, it won’t hit for a couple more minutes. And I didn’t make this batch that strong… this time.”

Barb takes a breath and calms herself, tries not to make herself so stiff as Robin slowly adjusts herself closer to her.

~

Eddie is definitely loosening up a little when he says, “Hell, I’ll take your hand Freddy. Those girls can’t see what a catch you are.”

Robin chuckles at that proposition, “You wish you were his type.”

“Eh, he’s too prim for me, honestly. But it would be a fun night.”

“SHUSH you two! It’s Linda!” Barb interrupts them as Linda Ronstadt begins to sing from off screen.

~

As the Major-General’s song starts Robin begins softly humming the tune, unaware of the others looking at her. 

“I thought she said she never saw this before,” Eddie whispers to Barb.

“I guess she’s heard this song, maybe,” she whispers back.

~

Finally the first act is over and Barb gets up to go to the restroom. I shouldn’t have drank so much Squirt.

She shuffles over to the restroom, but not without peaking through the open door of Eddie’s bedroom. It’s dark in there, except for one lava lamp in the corner that gives the room a red-ish, purple glow. All sorts of metal memorabilia line his walls and all the corners of his room. Then her eyes land on his bed where the sheet on one of the corners is lifted up. She squints her eyes and sees a noticeable stain on the corner. She gets shivers for a moment but then remembers why she’s over there in the first place.

Just as she’s finished relieving herself and gets up, she gets dizzy for a moment, catching herself on the wall in front of her. 

“That’s weird,” she pauses for a second and suddenly can hear how the wind flows through the air vent. 

Barb turns her attention to the sink to wash her hands and the sound of the water is so loud for some reason. She gets it done fast so she can turn off the faucet.

As she makes her way back to the living room the combination of the TV audio, Eddie munching, and the wind from outside hitting the trailer overwhelm her. She covers her eyes and just stands there.

Eddie turns back, feeling someone behind him, and sees Barb like that. “Oh no, Barbie, are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” she manages to say.

Robin looks, “Dude, it hit her already.”

“Damn, already. I guess she has a lower tolerance than us.” He goes to pause the movie just as the policemen enter the scene, then goes to Barb. “You want to lie down? How about in my room, it’s quieter there?”

Barb looks at him and shakes her head slowly with a horrified expression.

“I can’t say I’m offended, but I get it. Here,” he puts his arm around her to lead her to the couch, “Lay down carefully.”

Robin adjusts so she’s on the far end of her side of the couch. Barb lies down and is hesitant to lay her head near her, but Robin grabs a pillow and pats her lap for her to lay her head down. Her head feels so heavy it’s like dropping a bowling ball on the pillow, but she’s already feeling a little calmer. 

She can still hear the air flowing through the vents and the creaking of the trailer in the wind. Feels like the whole world is anticipating for something to happen, something bad. Her stomach turns a little, but not like she’s going to throw up, it’s the same feeling she’s been getting lately. Is it guilt? Maybe. She can see Nancy and her parent’s faces looking at her disgusted if they knew she ate a weed brownie.

But then, that thought goes away as she feels a hand stroking her hair and face.

“Here, give me your glasses so you can lay on your side better,” Robin says with her soft voice.

Barb manages and Robin closes them and puts them on the coffee table.

“I’ll lower the volume, if it’s still too much, let me know,” Eddie says.

Barb nods and closes her eyes. Thankfully the music drowns out the other sounds, but the feeling in her stomach still persists.

~

Barb watches the screen with blurry vision, and the darkness just makes the light of the TV more intense to look at. She closes her eyes just so she’s able to look through a sliver and some of the shapes become clear again.

Robin keeps petting her hair, and every once in a while she combs her fingers through the longer part. Barb takes a deep breath and sighs into the touch and curls a little more in on herself. Robin looks down at her, not watching the movie anymore. Just watches how Barb breathes slowly and how her hand is slowly creeping towards her knee. She rests her other hand on Barb’s waist, and that brings out a squeak of surprise from her.

Eddie is back to his popcorn, paying no mind to the girls, he’s very enthralled with the recent turn of events of the movie.

There’s a pause in the music, when all of a sudden a loud BANG is heard from outside. All three of them jump from the sound, Robin and Barb hold each other tight as Barb can’t help but begin to cry from the noise. Eddie jumps to his feet and makes a motion with his index finger to his lips to quiet down. 

He carefully makes his way to one of the windows facing the street and pears out. He sees his van and Barb’s car looking fine, then he looks to Robin’s bike and his stomach drops for a second and he ducks down. His breathing gets heavy and Robin sees his face go pale.

She whispers, “What’s wrong.”

Barb tries to hold back her whimpers.

Eddie croaks out, “There’s something out there. I don’t know what, but it looks like a big guy.” Then he crawls over next to Robin so he’s not close to the door. He reaches and pauses the TV again to stop the music, but the light is still on.

They hear another clatter from outside, then a second BANG. But what probably disturbed them most was the blood curdling screech they heard. Now everyone covered their ears from the noise. Whatever was out there, none of them knew what it was. 

But as fast as it appeared, it was gone. They could hear its heavy footsteps now, with the movie paused, as it ran around the trailer and into the woods.

Barb was breathing heavily again, and so was Robin, but she focused on calming Barb right now. 

“What the hell was that Munson?” Robin asked timidly.

“How the hell should I know?”

“You saw it, didn’t you?”

“Kind of, it was too dark to really make out who it was. All I could see was a big, long guy? Bipedal at least.”

“Could it have been a bear?”

“Too skinny to be a bear. Even if it were something like that, any animal that big would be in hibernation by now, right?”

“I’m no zoologist. How the fuck should I know?”

“Okay,” Eddie gets up carefully, “Whatever that was, we’re better off sticking together. We don’t leave the trailer until the sun comes up.”

“Agreed.”

Barb lets out a mumbled Mhm in agreement.

~

As their highs pass they all try to take turns while the others slept. Unfortunately, once it was Barb’s turn she ended up passing out despite her anxiety being on high alert. It wasn’t until Wayne unlocked the front door and greeted the trio that they all jumped at attention.

Poor uncle Wayne was scared half to death himself with the way the three popped up from behind the couch, especially with Eddie and his bandana wrapped around his forehead and wielding a wooden sword he thought would be good for protection.

They finally saw what the mysterious creature had been knocking around last night, it was Robin’s bike. Tires slashed and mangled and almost every piece of metal bent or scratched. 

“I can drive you home, Robin,” Barb offered.

Robin was hesitant for a second, but if she had to walk home, it’d literally take 2 hours, “Thank you Barb, I’d really appreciate it.” And they smiled at each other.

It wouldn’t be until Barb, Robin, and Eddie had gotten to school, that they would find out what happened at the Harrington Pool Party that same night.

Chapter Text

Jonathan is wandering the woods in search of anything, even a single sign his brother could be somewhere out there in these vast woods. He hears a scream coming from somewhere nearby. He runs with his camera ready, but before going too far stops just behind some brush, realizing the scream wasn’t out of distress, but it came from Carol Perkins just as Tommy H. pushed her into the Harrington’s pool. 

He hid there, watching for a moment, and almost out of instinct takes a picture. He pauses for a moment, but after realizing none of them noticed the flash, he continues.

What proceeds is some ruff housing in the pool of Tommy, Carol, Steve and Nancy, then they each get out of the pool one by one. Steve and Nancy head inside first, and Jonathan can see as they enter Steve’s room. Snap. Carol and Tommy are next to dry off a little, but Carol stays a moment longer outside as Tommy goes inside. Snap. Jonathan sees as she bends over to dry her hair with a towel, snap , when in a flash, she’s gone. Jonathan had looked down a second after he took that last picture to set up his camera for another, but his head jolted up with the sound of a scream. This time though, it wasn’t out of joy, it was a screech of fear.

He sees Tommy rush out of the house, surely hearing the scream too. 

Tommy calls out, “Carol? Carol, where’d you go?” He has a smile on his face, thinking it might be a joke and she’s just hiding. He looks around the patio, then around the sides of the house. He looks in the pool to see if she might possibly be in there, but there’s no luck. 

“Carol?” Tommy sounds distressed now. Almost like a lost puppy. Jonathan’s never heard that kind of tone come from Tommy as long as he’s known him.

Tommy runs back inside and yells for Steve. Almost immediately, even though he’s fumbling with his belt buckle, Steve comes running down stairs to a distressed Tommy. Jonathan can’t hear what they’re saying but it’s clear Tommy is trying to explain to Steve what happened. He can see Nancy has come down to listen, too, she has a t-shirt on that is clearly too big for her. Steve gets a dry sweater for both of them, but Tommy doesn’t bother to get more dry. He’s already outside again and heading towards the forest.

“Tommy, wait!” Steve calls with a flashlight pointing in his direction.

Jonathan realizes he’s coming straight towards the bushes he’s hiding in. He tries to get up carefully, but loses his balance and falls on a branch that snaps. The sound draws Tommy’s attention and he starts sprinting in Jon’s direction. 

“Who’s out there!”

Through his fumble to get up Jonathan drops his camera into the brush, but doesn’t have the time to pick it up. He runs as fast as he can.

“Where’s my girlfriend you bastard!” Tommy yells through gasping breaths.

Tommy is trying his hardest to keep up with the mysterious figure, but can’t quite catch up. “I’m going to strangle you!” He threatens.

Jonathan ducks and weaves through the tree as best he can, he almost loses his pace with a fallen trunk, but manages to jump over it. Unfortunately, Tommy doesn’t see it and gets tripped by the trunk. He falls face first into the dirt and leaves, yelping in pain as he grabs at his ankle. “FUCK!” he cries out as he looks up to see if the figure is still close by. He bangs his fist to the ground when he can’t see anything.

“Tommy!” Steve calls out as he tries to catch up. He sees Tommy on the ground and drops to his knees to help him up, “Tommy, buddy, what happened? Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, go after the bastard!” He points to the forest in front of him, but Steve can’t see anything.

Steve checks around with the flashlight, but can’t see anyone,“There’s no one out there Tommy. Or they’re gone by now.” He looks at Tommy’s leg and tries to lift his pant to see what happened. Tommy flinches and lets out a small whimper. “We gotta get you back inside, you could’ve broken your ankle.”

Tommy whimpers, “No.”

“Tommy,” Steve says sternly, “We can’t look for Carol in the dark. We need to go back inside.”

As Tommy reluctantly obliges, Steve gets an arm under him and helps him back to the house. 

Nancy is looking around where it seemed like someone had been sitting for a while. She looks down at the bushes around the spot and sees something catch the light from the house. It’s a camera, a familiar camera.

“What’s that?” Steve asks as he and Tommy slowly make their way back to the patio. 

“I found it in the bushes over there.” Nancy hesitates to say whos it could be, “Whoever was there might’ve been watching us.”

Steve makes an uncomfortable face.

Tommy says, “We need to see what’s on that film.”

“Yeah,” Nancy says while fiddling with the lens. “Tomorrow I can find someone from the Photo Lab to help develop them.”

For the rest of the night the three were anxious to do anything. Steve had gotten Tommy an ice pack to put on his ankle. Luckily it didn’t seem like he broke it, but he can’t be walking on it for a few days at least. But he needs to find Carol, his girl, his other half. Someone took her and he can’t have that. He knows she’s tuff, but if it’s the same psycho who took the Byers boy, who knows what kind of sicko he is to take a teenage girl. Tommy buries his face in his hands, not wanting to cry in front of Nancy.

Nancy was frightened to say the least. If not Carol, it might’ve been her who could have been taken. Or… Barb, God, Barb. She wanted Barb to come so bad but what if it were her. She told her she had a bad feeling about this party. Nancy scrunches her face feeling so stupid for not taking her concern seriously. She hoped she was safe, whatever she was doing tonight.

Steve was not just worried for his friend but what his parents would say. If the cops come to investigate in and around the house, how will that make them look to the neighbors? Hopefully the pictures will shed a light on who could’ve taken Carol. He doesn’t want to get in trouble with multiple parents, he can handle his own, but the Perkins are going to be livid. The three of them have been friends forever, and they trusted him and Tommy to take care of her, but now she’s gone and they have no idea who or what could’ve taken her. All Steve could do right now is wash dishes in the kitchen or pick up the empty cans around the house.

Chapter Text

Carol flipped her head forward to dry her hair, she should’ve known she couldn’t trust her Tommy from taking the opportunity to mess with her more.

“AH! Tommy, quit it!” she yelped.

But the grasp around her waist became uncomfortably tight, and she could feel long nails scratch into her back and legs.

“What the fuck!” she finally takes the towel off her head and sees this monstrous creature holding her. It’s face, if you can even call it a face, turned towards her and let out a chirping screech.

Before its mouth could fully unravel to bite her, Carol’s instincts kicked in and she took the towel and wrapped it around its face and neck. It’s grip on her finally loosened and it dropped her. Its attention went towards freeing itself from the towel, so she began to run. 

As fast as she could go before nearly collapsing out of exhaustion, Carol ran through this eerie forest. She had lived in Hawkins all her life, she explored the forests like any other kid, but this wasn’t Hawkins. It was similar, but there were all these extra vines that stretched across the floor bed and tangled in the trees. Maybe vines wasn’t the right word, but veins. Carol swore she saw one move.

And the air was thick, when she noticed spore like dust all around her she took her turtleneck and covered her mouth and nose. She didn’t know what it was and she didn’t want to breathe more of it. 

It was then she realized her clothes were still wet, and she was shivering. She was used to the usual Hawkins winter cold, but this felt colder. The kind of cold you feel seeping into your bones. She needed to find dry clothes soon, or else, if that creature doesn’t get her, hypothermia will. 

Thankfully she couldn’t hear the creature’s distressed screams anymore, but every sound set her on edge. 

Carol walked further into the woods, she knew eventually she would find someone’s house, there had to be someone out here to give her some explanation to all this. In the near distance she could see a small structure, it was like a little shed. She softened her steps to listen if there was another one of those monsters. But suddenly she heard a soft, hoarse voice. 

“Should I stay or should I go. If I go there would be trouble. But if I stay there would be double~,”

That’s definitely a little kid’s voice. Can those things mimic human voices? I hope not. 

The kid began to cough, Carol knew she had to be cautious but if that is an actual kid she can’t just leave them alone. 

She slowly made her way closer to the shed and she started to see it was actually more of a fort. With a little sign on the front that read Fort Byers. 

Is this? No way, that’s not possible. 

She slowly made her way to the front of the fort to look inside and what she found shocked her. It was the Byers kid! Alive! Well, barely. The boy looked like he hadn’t eaten or seen light in a few days. 

Carol knocked on the outside of the fort to alert him of her present. The poor kid nearly jumped out of his skin. 

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you kid. I’m human, see,” and she pulled down her turtleneck to show her face. 

Will calmed down a little, and tears fell from those big doe eyes of his. He was so scared one of those monsters had found him, but thank goodness it wasn’t. He was still too scared to actually come close to Carol but his whole body released from his tension. 

“Can I come inside?”

Will nodded. 

Carol climbed inside the small fort. If she were any bigger I doubt they both could have fit in here. It was already warmer in here, too. 

“Thank you. Let me tell you, I’m so happy to see you, Byers.”

“How do you know my last name?” He asked in a whispered voice. He’s probably been singing in hopes someone would find him. 

“Oh, well,” Carol was hesitant to inform him on what’s been going on while he’s been away. But he should know the truth. “You see kid, everyone’s been looking for you. We all thought you were snatched up by some child nabber.”

Will’s eyes grew wide again. 

“It is good to know you’re not-” she caught herself before she could say dead , “…hurt. Your brother and mom are gonna be real happy when they see you.”

“Do you know how to get back?”

“I- em,” Carol stammers for a second. She doesn’t even know how they got here, let alone how to get back to their town. “I don’t know yet, but we can figure that out together. What do you say, bud?”

Will gulps, but then sterns his face and nods in agreement. 

“Cool. Now we gotta find a better hiding spot.”

Chapter Text

Everyone comes into school the next day. For the time being Nancy, Steve and Tommy have not told anyone what happened to Carol last night. Steve and Tommy have agreed to tell Carol’s parents when they get the photos developed to hopefully give them something to work towards.

Nancy, very aware of the situation that can arise from those photos, fears what may happen to Jonathan if this really was his camera. His little brother has been missing for over 48 hours by now. She knows he and Ms. Byres are dealing with some really intense stuff at the moment, but her gut is wrenching with her concern and disgust at what could be on this film. How much did he see? Could he see into Steve’s room? She knew she should’ve closed the curtains before she changed out of her wet clothes.

Those thoughts went away for a moment when Nancy saw Barb. She walked through the school entrance with a big smile on her face. A big smile that mirrored the girl whom she was walking in with.

“I swear, Mr. Munson almost had a heart attack,” Robin said as they walked past Nancy and the boys.

“Gosh, I feel terrible. That poor man. I hope he can at least sleep after whatever Eddie told him about last night.”

“I think he’ll be fine,” Robin leans her back against the locker next to Barb’s. “But you, I’m surprised you were able to drive today. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Honestly, I feel okay, not bad, but manageable. But I haven’t had a fun night like that in a while. Probably since…” Barb’s attention gets caught by Nancy’s stare. She quickly looks away when Barb meets her eye. 

Robin sees Nancy and looks back to Barb, “Since your last hang out with Nancy Wheeler?”

Barb blinks her attention back to Robin and blushes out of embarrassment, “Well, kind of. I do still feel a little guilty that I didn't go with her to Steve’s party.”

“Not to invalidate your guilt, but you didn’t even want to go. You never promised her, did you?”

“No, but we’re still friends. And it’s a party with her boyfriend, what if he made her do stuff ?”

“Hopefully he didn’t,” Robin scrunches her face at that. “I’m sure Tommy and Carol livened up the party though.”

Barb looked over to Nancy again, but now noticed something was off about the group. The boys were quiet and she didn’t see Carol’s red hair peeking out from behind their shoulders. Maybe it was a livelier night than she thought.

~

There was a tension lingering about the teens the whole morning, Barb and Nancy hadn’t spoken to each other in any of their classes. 

Robin saw Steve fiddling a lot with his pencil in Mrs. Clicks class, he nearly hit her in the head when it went soaring out of his hand. 

Even Tommy was quieter than usual, there was a prime opportunity where someone made a loud frump sound with their chair, and he didn’t even make a fart joke. He just kept looking out the window or at the clock, waiting for lunchtime to come around.

~

Finally the bell rang for the first lunch period. Barb took a different route than usual to the outside tables. She looked over the lay of the land and finally spotted Eddie’s dark mop. Robin was already sitting with him and looking at something.

“Hey guys, what’cha looking at?”

“Barb, look at this.” Robin slid the notebook over as Barb sat down next to her. 

“It’s just some doodles I did during class, but I can’t get that thing out of my head. It’s haunting me!” Eddie stood over them, grabbing his hair like he was going to pull it out.

Barb looked intently at the drawings, it was of a humanoid figure, but the face, it didn’t have one. The body was long and lanky and skinny, like they haven’t eaten in months. But the head, Eddie had drawn what seemed like it turning its head and looking at her. She couldn’t help her hands trembling as she pulled them away from the notebook.

“Is this what you saw last night?” Barb asked in a low voice.

“Yeah, I think so. It was dark, but with the porch light I was able to see a little. I remember it was pale too. Like a gray, pale, zombie guy maybe.” Eddie scratched at his stubble anxiously.

“The undead are not haunting Hawkins,” Robin said with a scoff.

“You don’t know that! You didn’t see it. Who knows, maybe the undead are rising up and snatching people.”

“I sure hope not,” Barb tried to hold her hands in her lap to stop shaking, but it wasn’t helping. Until Robin reached her hand over to hers under the table. Barb was able to take a breath finally and calm down a little.

~

Nancy was heading towards the photo lab with Tommy. He insisted on joining her to see the evidence for himself. It was strange seeing him like this, so quiet and stone faced. He almost always had that shit eating grin on his face, but this almost scared Nancy more. 

“This is going to take a while, so don’t wait up,” she told Tommy.

“I’m not leaving till those develop,” he crossed his arms and leaned on the wall next to the door. His head was hanging a little. 

Nancy could see his stone facade lift a little as his eyebrows scrunched up with concern and he bit his lip. “Fine. I’ll let you know when they’re ready. Just don’t open the door while we’re in here.”

“Okay.”

~

Looking back to the lunch tables Eddie noticed the older of the Byres brothers sitting alone, twiddling his thumbs. Strange to see him without his camera, but he didn’t think too much of it. It wasn’t until he really noticed Jonathan nearly jump out of his skin when someone accidentally bumped into him. 

“Hey ladies,” Eddie started, to get their attention away from his super cool drawing of the creature, “Does Big Byres look a little spooked to you?”

“You mean more than usual?” Robin chuckled to herself, but stopped when Barb looked at her.

“He just seems jumpy.”

“To be fair, his little brother still hasn’t been found,” Barb says sadly.

“I don’t think that’s it. Maybe he saw something last night. And maybe,” Eddie snatched his book back, “it was our something.”

Eddie strides on over to Jonathan and definitely gives him a mini heart attack as he plopped down next to him.

“Hey Johnny,” Eddie said with a big grin.

“Hi Eddie,” Jonathan tried to straighten his back and look less startled, “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothin’ much, I’m just wondering if you may have seen something weird last night.”

Jon stiffened, “What? No, of course not.”

“Now, come on Jon, you don’t have to be defensive around me. Especially since you nearly turned into a ghost when Jacobs knocked into you there.”

“And?” Jon was still closed off and maybe he saw the creature or something else. Either way, Eddie was going to shoot his shot.

Eddie laid his notebook on the table in front of Jon and opened to the page with the creature, “I’ll ask again. Did you see anything strange last night?”

Jonathan was rightfully creeped out by the drawings, it looked like something in one of Will’s Monster books for his game. But as he stared at it, it became more clear in his head. Whatever tried to attack him last night, it looked eerily similar to this thing .

“Is this from one of your games? I told you I’m not joining, it’s not my thing,” Jonathan tried to cover his epiphany with something else.

“No- though I’m very saddened by your refusal to join our campaign, but no,” He leans in closer to whisper, “The girls and I saw this thing last night, well, I got a good look at it. Did you see anything like this too?”

Jon gulped, but now Eddie was being unnervingly serious, it was kind of intimidating. But Jonathan whispered back, “I don’t know if this is exactly what I saw, cause it was dark, but something did try to get me. And I think I got a good picture of it.”

“And where’s your camera?”

“I dropped it…” Eddie kept staring at him for more information, “In the forest…” His dark eyes burrowed into Jon, “Behind Harrington’s house.”

Eddie was taken aback, “You peeping Tom.” he said with no humor in his tone.

“I-I just, I was out there looking for Will and ended up behind his place.”

“Yeah, sure,” Eddie wasn’t sure to completely believe him, but there’s probably more pictures on that film than just the monsters.

The girls finally came over to the table, Jon and Barb shared an uncomfortable glance.

Robin asked Eddie, “So?”

“Our man right here may just have the evidence we need.”

Jon made a deep sigh, “I don’t know about that.”

All of them turned to look at him, “Nancy has my camera, and I think they went to develop the images.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide, “HOW ARE YOU STILL SITTING HERE?!” He tries to calm his voice, “You might have revealing images of this girl and you’re just fucking sitting here?!”

Barb gasped, “WHAT?!” Immediately covering her mouth.

Jon stammered and turned red with shame.

“That’s disgusting dude, what the fuck?” Robin said with disbelief, but she could still believe it. She was inclined to believe Jon was a bit of a creep, but he really is just a pervert to her now.

“Okay, we’re all caught up now,” Eddie announced, “So let’s go get the pictures before they’re fully developed.

And just as the four were getting up to go to the photo room, Tommy bursts out through the nearest doors.

His voice was like a booming siren, the type you hear for a tornado warning. But the only tornado coming was Tommy, and Jonathan was his target. “YOU’RE DEAD MEAT BYRES!”

Chapter Text

Tommy is currently in the Principal's office, probably looking at a week’s suspension at least, and Jonathan is in the Nurse’s office. Thankfully, Coach Bradley got between them just before Tommy could do more damage to Jon, but he was not looking great. Nurse Jackie kept a big ice pack to his head and she’d wrapped up Tommy’s knuckles before he went to see the principal.

Nancy was in there too, showing the pictures that she developed just before the fight. Tommy saw the photo Jon took of Nancy in the window, and then the image of Carol. (The next one something clearly grabbed her and was running off, but Nancy kept that one to herself for the moment.) He got so angry, first at himself that he just left her out there, but then at Jonathan, who was just standing there and didn’t do anything. He had to let out his anger one way or another, and he just decided Jonathan Byers was the guy he needed to punch.

Barb, Robin, Eddie, and Steve were kept in the waiting room as witnesses.

“Okay…” Steve’s confusion to the recap and drawings he’s holding is plain to see, “What?”

“If those pictures Nancy has are the same as what I saw last night, we have something so much bigger on our hands than just some local pervert,” Eddie continued to explain.

Barb interrupted with a shaky voice, “ But what can we even do about this? We don’t know how many of these things could be out there.”

“And I doubt the cops are going to go monster hunting,” Robin added.

Eddie sits there thinking, tapping his leg trying to connect the dots. Then just as he lifts his head to speak the assistant principal lets them know it’s their turn to come in.

They all share their sides of the events at lunch and where they all were last night. Of course the police write them off for the monster talk Eddie mentions and chalks Carol’s abduction to the same person who took Will. The cops have the great honor to notify Carol’s folks of her missing status, both Steve and Tommy have a lump in their throats. Tommy keeps hiding his face so no one sees the tears.

This all takes the rest of the day, and by the time they’re released the parking lot is empty except for their cars, and some of the teachers that usually work late. Tommy is still huffing and glaring at Jonathan, faint tear marks on his face, but doesn’t do anything when he sees Joyce looking out her car window. He may be tough, but he’s not messing with a grieving mother.

Eddie nudges Robin and Barb, “We need to talk more. I have a theory.”

Steve pipes up, “Hey Munson, this conspiracy shit is not funny! Our friend is gone and we don’t know where she is.”

“If you have a better idea on how to go about this, be my guest.” he says in a hushed yell, “Obviously the cops aren’t taking this seriously, and I know what I saw last night. There’s shit in these woods and I want to search for whatever the fuck is messing with my town.”

Nancy kind of perks up at what he’s saying. She understands the drive of this curiosity and wants to know too. “The police took most of the photos but I didn’t show them this one.”

She reveals the photo Jon took just as he was being attacked by the mysterious creature and the one where Carol was snatched. 

“What the fuck is that?” Tommy scrunches his face, trying to make out what he’s seeing.

Steve looks at it for a second, “Is that like one of those, um, you know, those plants that eat flies?”

“A venus flytrap?” Robin corrects him.

“Yeah! One of those!”

Eddie takes the photo and rotates it around, “Maybe? But, it’s like fleshy, and it has too many petals.”

“It also has legs,” Robin points out, “It’s not a plant. Jonathan said he was chased by something, and you say a big bipedal monster that destroyed my bike. Where the fuck does something like this come from?”

Something clicks in Nancy’s head, “The lab.”

They all go their separate ways for the time being, as suggested by Eddie, and meet back up at the Harrington house, before it becomes a crime scene. 

Nancy needs to grab some of her dad’s newspapers from the last few weeks that he’s kept before heading to Steve’s, and because Steve and Tommy are going straight to his house she needs a different ride. By instinct Barb chimes in and offers to take her to collect her things. Robin’s stomach drops a little at the awkwardness engulfing all of them as they drive. Especially since Nancy immediately took shotgun, making Robin slink to the back seat. 

Finally, with everyone gathered at Steve’s, Nancy explains about the lab with all these small articles in the newspaper throughout the last few months. 

“There hasn’t been much news about the lab for a few years, but the last time a woman claimed they stole her child to do mind control experiments on her. Who’s to say they’re not doing more weirder experiments?”

“Yeah,” Eddie chimes in, “They’re doing human experiments with these kids, this is just a different kind of one, where they’re changing their DNA and making actual monsters out of them.”

“God.” Barb holds her chest at this idea.

“I’m sorry to say Barbara, but people, especially scientists, can be really fucked up.”

Finally Tommy pipes up, “Okay, but say this lab is still doing experiments. Why would they steal Will and Carol?”

“I’m not sure if they took them,” Nancy answered, and she points at a small article from a few days ago, “but something from the lab did.”

An insider scoop from Hawkins Lab reports a breach in security. We are unsure if an animal from inside the lab escaped and could cause trouble in the local ecosystem. However, residents should not be concerned, this situation is being handled with care by security from the Lab.

“ Being handled my ass!” Tommy bangs his hand on the table.

“Tommy, calm down dude.”

He bats Steve hand away, “Don’t tell me to calm down! Carol’s in danger and I can’t help her. What if she’s already-” he cuts himself off at the word.

“We can’t think like that,” Barb resures, “If they haven’t found Will yet, it’s possible he’s still alive, and we can only think the same for Carol.” Her hands are getting clammy, she half believes what she’s saying, but she really hopes they’re both still safe.

~

Carol sighs, finally having some dry clothes to wear. “Mrs. Byers has pretty good taste.”

She walks out to the Byres' living room where Will is sitting on the couch. She hopes the real thing isn’t as decrepit as she sits next to him.

“At least it’s warmer in here.”

“Mhm,” Will musters out.

She can see the little Byers boy is still shaken up, so she puts her hand on his head. He sighs and his eyes get watery.

“Are we ever going to get back home? I miss my mom.” The tears start to stream.

Carol pulls him in closer so he can lean his head on her, “I’ll be honest, I don’t know. But the best thing for us to do is stick together. I may not be your mom, but I can be your big sister, and I’ll try to keep you safe.”

He hugs around her waist, feeling comforted by her words. “Thank you Carol.”

There’s a sudden shift in the air as Will stops crying. It doesn’t sound like one of those creatures, but like someone is walking through the house. They both listen. 

“Will always loved Christmas, you know.” The voice sounds distant, but still in the room, “So I thought if I... I put the lights up… I don’t know, he… I’d feel like he was home somehow.” They stammer for a moment, “It’s silly, I know.”

“No. No, it’s not silly.” A second voice reassures. “How is Jonathan holding up?”

The first voice takes a deep breath, “You know, he’s good at taking care of himself.”

“Is that, Mom?” Will realizes and jumps up to look in the kitchen.

On the other side, there’s a faint anomaly with the kitchen overhead light the two women don’t notice.  

Carol gets up and walks closer and the voices are easier to hear now.

“… We’re having electrical problems.”

“Joyce. I want you to know something. If you need anything, anything at all… Ted and I are here for you.”

“Thank you. Thanks.”

“It’s your mom and Mrs. Wheeler,” Carol realizes. 

“Do you think they could hear us?” Will asks.

“Hmm, I don’t want to be too loud and alert any creatures. Maybe there’s a different way to contact them.”

Carol looks up and realizes something different in this air. The particles in the kitchen feel slightly different than all the others. She lifts her hand higher, when all of a sudden the particles begin to glow.

“Woah.” Will says. “So that’s what that was before.”

She keeps her hand up but moves around in other parts of the kitchen, and realizes, “The glowing is only around the lights… I wonder.”

Carol begins to walk around other parts of the house, keeping her hand held high, and sure enough they found where Joyce hung up the lights inside.

Chapter Text

After some time of debating, none of the teens have settled on a way to find Carol, and potentially Will, too.

“We can’t just go up to the lab and confront them about the disappearances,” Steve says with his hands on his hips.

“It was just a thought,” Nancy says, “and I didn’t mean right now , we need more information before we confront any of these people.”

“It’s too late now, but we should scour the forest in the daylight,” Eddie chimes in, “Find anything that could be linked to this creature and track it down. We might not have to confront the lab if we can rescue Carol and Will ourselves.”

Barb clears her throat, “Do you think we should bring Jonathan in on this too? He’s the only one who saw the creature up close and is still here. He could show us where it attacked him.”

Tommy grumbles.

“It could save us time, Toms.” Steve says.

“Fine, bring the creep in,” he grumbles reluctantly. Barb does have a point, but he’s not happy about it.

“We should prepare too,” Robin adds, “We can’t go out there unarmed.”

“I know where we can find some weapons for max damage.” Eddie grins.

The next day they all meet up at the junkyard to gather some make-shift weapons. Eddie also brings his wooden sword to add some deadly additions to it, same with Nancy bringing a baseball bat to alter. Jonathan was the only one who had access to a gun, unfortunately he didn’t have much luck hitting a target so everyone took a shot at handling it and it eventually settled into Nancy’s hands. She was a natural sharp shooter.

Jonathan had also been doing his own research after the fight. He narrowed down the location to where the monster could be in a much smaller area in the woods. It was a good place to start at least.

The seven of them split up in groups to search the area, Barb and Robin, Steve, Eddie and Jonathan, and Tommy and Nancy.

Barb and Robin walked in silence for a bit before Robin began to talk.

“Hey, how are you processing all this?”

“Huh? Oh- I’m not sure. The last few days have felt like a blur.”

“Hah, yeah. It’s like, nothing ever happens in Nowhere, Indiana, and now right when I thought things were looking good, it all goes to shit again.”

Barb looked at Robin, she had her head turned searching the terrain. She grabbed her empty hand, which startled Robin. Her head snapped over to look at her hand, and then up at Barb’s eyes.

“I never thanked you for comforting me that night,” she squeezed Robin’s hand. They were both clammy despite the temperature being in the 40s.

“Uh, I-, em” Robin stammered, her heart racing just a smidge out of excited fear, “Yeah, it’s not a big deal.” Her cheeks got even rosier than they already were.

“I kind of hoped we could hang out another time,” Barb started, “without Eddie. And probably after finding everyone.”

Robin nodded in agreement, “I’d like that.” They smiled at each other and Robin knocked into Barb playfully, still holding her hand.

This moment was cut short with an eerie feeling in the air. They stood in one spot keeping their ears open to any sudden noise. Barb squeezed Robin’s hand, there was a nervous tremor in her breath. Robin looked at the trees, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Her eyes narrowed in on a hole in a tree, but it didn’t look right.

“Barb, do you see that?” she points to the hole.

Barb squints her eyes at the spot, “Yeah, but that’s the strangest fungus I’ve ever seen.”

They cautiously walk closer, Barb grabs a fallen stick and pokes at the growth. Barb makes a disgusted face at the squishy sound it makes.

“This looks like something from The Thing ,”  Robin comments.

Barb accidentally stumbles and punctures the fleshy fungus and she lets out an uncontrollable yelp .

A vine starts to emerge from the puncture point, up the stick, and begin to wrap around Barb’s hand. “HELP!” she yelps again.

Robin tries to claw at the vine but whatever bits she’s able to take off it just grows back.

The vine is at Barb’s forearm.

Robin yells into the forest for the others. “Anyone, we need help NOW!”

Barb screams. She’s trying to pull away but it feels like if she pulls too hard the vine will rip her arm off. The vine is at her elbow.

Suddenly an ax comes down on the vine, just in front of Barb’s hand. The vine lets out a screech and pulls back into the hole. The piece that was on Barb slowly shrivels and hardens, she’s able to break it off of her easily now.

Tommy huffs above them. Robin angrily blurts out, “Christ, man, you almost took her hand off!”

“Well I saved her, didn’t I?” He huffed back.

“What the fuck was that?” Nancy asked.

“A vine, i-it came out of that.” Barb points to the hole with her non-dominant hand.

The other two looked disgusted at the withering flesh.

Finally the last group ran up. “What happened?” Steve asked. The other two were too out of breath from sprinting to say anything.

“Barb almost got snatched by something in this weird hole,” Robin updated them.

A clicking, chirp noise came from behind the group. They all looked in the same direction, the boys brandishing their makeshift weapons.

Jonathan saw a branch move, but couldn’t be sure, the bare trees of the forest during the winter all looked intertwined and waved in the breeze. It was hard enough to make out where one branch started and the other one ended, let alone find a camouflage creature. 

Robin helped Barb up, she had a few friction burns on her arm, and probably some browsing later, but nothing some bandages won’t help. Barb held her arm tight and looked down at the hole. That aching feeling luring her mind in, she was so scared of what could be inside, but so intrigued too.

“Did you see anything else come through there?” Nancy asked.

“No, it seemed like it hadn’t been disturbed for a while,” Robin said, “but the vine that came out, it … healed itself? It grew back every time I ripped a piece off.”

“Weird,” Steve commented.

Eddie looked back at the hole, “What if that thing is the monster’s burrow, and it’s now trying to get back in, but we’re in the way. Do you think it’ll attack us?”

“I don’t know, man,” Jonathan said, holding up a large pipe like a sword, “and I don’t want it coming after us. That thing is fast, remember.”

A twig snaps a few feet away from them. They all look to see a form dashing away.

“Get it!” Eddie commands, and starts running towards the creature. Steve and Tommy follow. Jonathan can’t budge, the fear paralyzing him.

It takes a moment for the girls and Jonathan to catch up, but when they do it looks like the monster outran them. 

“Okay guys, it’s getting dark, if we’re not going to catch the creature today, at least lets make a marker to find it’s burrow later.”

Everyone is in agreement on that, daylight hours are so short and no one wants to be out at night with this thing, and whatever little friends it may have.

Back at Steve’s house Robin bandages up Barb, disinfecting the wounds, no one needs a bio-engineered infection at this point. They were in the ground floor bathroom that had the first aid kit. A well stocked one at that. Barb hisses at the alcohol hitting her wound, but once it dried it wasn’t too bad. 

“Robin?”

“Yeah.” she said with soft eyes through her bangs. She sat on a stool across from Barb who sat on the closed toilet.

“This whole thing is getting scary and crazy, and I never imagined this being our second hang out.” They both laughed awkwardly.

Robin sighed, “We really need to do something that doesn’t threaten your well being. Are you okay, like, really.”

“I don’t know how I can be okay when a vine shot out from a tree and tried to pull me in a burrow.”

“Valid point. I just don’t think it’s a good idea you should join the search next time.”

“Wh- I can handle searching for this thing. I can stand my own ground.”

“That’s not what I mean. You already got hurt once, and we’ve seen what the big guy can do. I just have a bad feeling that something wants you.”

Barb looks at Robin with a furrowed brow.

“Like, something wants to take you.”

Barb pauses for a moment, “You know, I thought it was nothing, that it was just my nerves the day we all hung out at Eddie’s. But I’ve had this aching feeling in the back of my head and a pit in my stomach that kept me from going to Steve’s house.”

“It was a gut feeling.”

“But it felt deeper than that. Like I knew something really bad was going to happen, maybe not to Carol, but to someone. Did Carol get taken because I didn’t?”

“Don’t say that. This was by happenstance. No one could’ve predicted this could happen.” Robin looked down at Barb’s wrapped hand and took it in her own, gently rubbing her thumb over it. “I-I’m glad you weren’t taken, and we got to hang out.”

They looked in each other’s eyes, Barb’s stomach was flipping, but in a good way this time. Her eyes impulsively looked to Robins lips for a fraction of a second, and  it didn’t go unnoticed. 

Just as Robin was about to move to close the space between them, Steve knocked at the door and slowly opened it. “Hey, so, how’s your hand? He said looking at Barb.

“I-it’s good.” she raised her bandaged hand and sat back a little. She could feel her ears turning bright red from the intrusion.

“Ey, nice. Um, I’m gonna go ahead and take Nancy and Tommy back to their places, and Eddie agreed to take Jonathan back home. Are you good to drive Barb?”

“Oh, oh yeah, I can drive Robin home. No problem.” She glanced over to Robin briefly, and smiled back to Steve. 

“Great! Well, we’re heading out now. We also agreed that tomorrow we’ll meet up again early.”

“Thank you, Harrington, we got it.” Robin stood up to open the door fully. “And we’ll head out now.”

While that was a very awkward intrusion, Barb and Robin were able to giggle about it in the car. The ride home was pretty quiet, even by 6 PM people didn’t want to leave their house in the pitch darkness. When they finally stopped outside Robin’s house, Barb parked, she could feel the air thicken.

“Remember to ice your hand if it starts hurting.” Robin looked to Barb as she unbuckled her seat belt.

“Yes, I know.” Barb looked back, her eyes did another accidental glance to Robin’s lips.

They were finally alone, if just for a moment, so in the darkness, with only a soft street light illuminating their view, Robin closed the space between their lips. Barb was thrown back for a second, not knowing if this was real or a second of daydreaming. But no, Robin was kissing her, for real. She’d truly never been kissed, but this is exactly how all those romance novels described it. She leaned into the kiss, Robin’s fingers patting the short hair at the back of her head. Barb reached her hand around to grab at Robin’s arm, shoulder, back, hip, somewhere to stabilize her, there were fireworks going off in her head and stomach.

Robin finally parted the kiss, Barb unknowingly tried to reach for more, but when she didn’t she opened her eyes. Robin was smitten with how sweet Barb looked at her, how needy for more kisses. She gave her one more peck on the lips.

“Good night, Barbie,” Robin whispered. Then she turned and opened the door to get out before her parents went searching for her too.

“Good night, Robin,” she hasn’t thought of a good nickname for Robin yet, but she will figure it out, she’ll think on it all night if she has to.

Barb watched Robin go inside her house, safe and sound, then she shifted the gear into drive and cruised on home.

–

Once they know Mrs.Wheeler is gone, Carol lifts her hand to where she feels the light particles. It eventually gets the attention of the family’s dog, Chester. They hear a distant bark and Will gets a gleam of hope in his eyes.

Joyce notices the lights she hung up all along her house are turning on in patterns, the string of lights leads her into the living room.

Will reaches up to the particles to lead his mother closer to him. He can hear his mom say “Will, are you here?”

Will says, “Yes mom, I’m here.” Reaching into where he feels a cluster of lights. 

The bundle of lights in Joyce’s hands glow bright.

“Okay, good, good, good,” She exclaimed in a hushed tone. “Are you- Um, blink once for yes, twice for no. Can you do that for me sweetie?”

The lights glow brightly once.

“Oh, good boy. My good boy.” She chokes out. “Baby, I need to know. Are you alive?”

The lights glow brightly once.

“Are you safe?”

Carol shakes her head no for Will to say. Truthfully, Will feels safe with Carol, but they need rescuing from this place.

The lights glow twice.

Joyce shudders, “I need to know where you are honey. Can you tell me where you are?” she stammers, “Please baby, I need to find you. Please. Tell me what to do.”

Joyce curls up on the ground hugging the cluster of lights and sobs quietly to herself.

Carol places a hand on Will’s shoulder, “ You did good buddy. That’s all we can do for now.” They can hear a distant sob.

Will turns to her with tears filling his eyes, “Okay.” 

Carol brings him in for a hug and holds him, she can’t help but cry a little herself. She wonders if her parents are trying to do the same Joyce is doing for Will. Maybe not. They wouldn’t think to watch the lights or start a seance to communicate to another plane of existence. She hopes Tommy saw her get taken, and maybe her boys are out searching the woods as she thinks.