Chapter 15

They left the restroom, to see everyone exiting the movie theatre. The perfect opportunity. “And… blend,” Dustin said, and they all ran into the crowd.

“Well, shit, that worked,” Erica said.

“Of course it worked. We just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes and home sweet home, here we come.”

“Uh, Dustin?” Steve said.

“What?”

“Yeah, we might not wanna go to your house.”

“Why?”

“Well, I might’ve told them your full name.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Dude, I was drugged!”

“So?”

“So?”

“So, you resist. You tough it out. You tough it out like a man.”

“Oh yeah, it’s easy for you to say.”

“Guys…” Robin said, grabbing onto Claudia’s hand. They all looked up to see a man dressed in similar clothes as the Russians, talking to a girl.

“Abort,” Dustin said. The man turned it head to look at the group. “Abort, abort.”

They ran, Claudia and Robin doing their best to keep hold of each other. They came to the escalators, sliding down the middle part.

They hid. There were three Russians pacing the mall, searching for them. The hope that Claudia previously had of escaping was gone. As she tried her best to control her breathing, Robin rested her hand on her knee reassuringly.

Someone moved, making a squeak sound from her hiding spot. The man said something into his radio in Russian. They couldn’t tell what he was saying, but he was close enough to them for them to know he’d caught them.

When they got closer, the alarm of the car in the mall went off. Claudia winced, but let out a sigh of relief. It was as if God was on her side. Or, perhaps, there was another force acting on it. The five jumped as the car flew, crashing into the men.

They peaked over the counter, seeing the Russians knocked out, the car on the other side of the room, and a girl with a bloody nose stood on the balcony, surrounded by her friends, all of which Claudia recognised as frequents from the ice cream shop.

“You flung that thing like a Hot Wheel!” Dustin said, hugging the girl.

“Lucas?!” Erica said, running to here brother.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asked.

“Ask them! It’s their fault.”

“True, yeah,” Steve said, “Totally true. It’s absolutely our fault.”

“I don’t understand what happened to that car,” Robin said.

“Yeah, me neither,” Claudia agreed.

“El had superpowers,” Dustin informed them.

“I’m sorry?”

“Superpowers. She threw it with her mind,” Steve said, “Cmon, catch up.”

“That’s El?” Erica asked.

“Who’s El?” Robin and Claudia asked in sync.

“I’m sorry, who are you guys?” Nancy asked.

“I’m Robin, this is Claudia, we work with Steve.”

“Nancy, do you not remember me?”

“Oh! Sorry, you look a little different from when I last saw you.”

“Robin cracked the top secret code,” Dustin said.

“Yeah, which is how we found out about the Russians,” Steve said.

“Russians? Wait, what Russians?” Jonathon asked.

“The Russians!”

“Those were Russians?” Max asked.

“Some of them,” Erica said.

“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked.

“Didn’t you hear our code red?” Dustin asked.

“Yeah,” Mike said, “And I couldn’t understand half of what you were saying.

“Goddamn low battery!”

“How many times do I have to tell you with the low battery?” Steve yelled.

“Well, everything worked out, didn’t it, Steve?”

“Worked out?” Claudia asked.

“We almost died!” Erica added.

“Yeah, but we didn’t, did we?” Dustin said.

“It was pretty damn close,” Steve said. Claudia nodded.

“Okay, Russians?” Lucas said, “As in, they’re working for the Russian government?”

“What are you not comprehending?” Dustin asked. “Am I not speaking English? We have a full-blown Red Dawn situation.”

“So this has nothing to do with the gate?” Max asked.

“What gate?” Claudia asked.

“It has everything to do with the gate.”

Dustin’s explanation was cut off by a thud, and everyone turned to see El collapsed on the floor. “El, El!” Mike said, as they all rushed over to her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Erica asked.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Mike asked El.

“My leg. My leg,” El said.

Jonathon unwrapped the bandage on her leg to reveal something gruesome underneath. Before Claudia had a chance to look away, what it was began to move. She finally averted her gaze, trying to stop herself from throwing up, or collapsing. Robin noticed this and held her steady, keeping an eye of El’s leg.

Mike frantically asked if El was okay, only to be met with the sound of El’s grunting, and finally a loud scream.

El wailed in pain and sobbed as the thing beneath her flesh continued to move. Claudia was about to turn around, when Robin stopped her. “Don’t look, don’t look,” she said. Claudia obliged.

“Keep her awake, okay?” Jonathon said, before running off somewhere.

“You know, it’s not actually that bad,” Robin said, “There was a… The goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg and, like, the whole bone came out of her knee, six inches or something it was insane.”

“Robin…” Claudia said.

“Yeah?”

“You’re not helping.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jonathon came back, holding a hot knife. “Okay, El,” he said, “This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?”

“Okay,” El sobbed.

“Need you to stay real still,” he handed her a wooden spoon, “You’re gonna wanna bite down on this okay?”

Claudia couldn’t see what was happening, but poor El’s screaming and the cutting of flesh was enough for make her cringe she didn’t understand why everyone was so okay with watching what was going on.

Suddenly, El’s screamed were overpowered by the smashing of glass. Robin ran in front of Claudia and shielded her from it, as El threw the creature that was inside her leg across the mall.

When Claudia finally looked up, she was still wrapped in Robin’s arms. Looking across at the person who had stepped on the small creature, she saw someone she’d never expect to see in this type of situation: Jim Hopper.