CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
DART

Kimmy was extremely worried for the youngest Harrington boy, fearful he would give himself a nosebleed from stress.

Despite his very evident stress, it was as if the boy simply could not look away from his brother who was outside, a worried expression on his face which refused to falter.

Kimmy grabbed ahold of his left shoulder, trying to avert his attention from the rising tensions going on outside.

"Aaron, don't look." Kimmy murmured lowly so Dustin wouldn't hear, but she assumed that he couldn't hear her anyway. "He's going to be okay-"

"No he isn't," Aaron stressed, not able to look away from the scene outside. "He is out there with a literal demogorgon and nothing but a baseball bat to defend him."

Kimmy winced, unsure how she was supposed to spin that into something positive.

In a brief moment of confusion, Kimmy gripped his shoulder tighter and ripped him away from the small window, the boy stumbling slightly.

Aaron looked to her with a look of great confusion, going to say something before Kimmy beat him to it.

"Aaron, listen to me." Kimmy spoke bluntly, trying to get the boy to take her words seriously. "Steve will be fine. He said he fought a demogorgon last year, remember? He'll be okay."

Aaron didn't seem to believe her, looking unconvinced as he stared back at her.

Kimmy sighed, searching through her brain for something to say that would bring even a slither of reassurance to the boy.

"He's going to be okay, Aaron." She spoke much more confidently than she was and definitely much more confident than she should have been. "He would not have gone out there if he had any doubts. Dustin and Lucas seem to be confident that he'll be fine, you know Dustin would be freaking out if he even thought for a second something would happen-"

"They don't get it though, he's my brother." Aaron stressed, a saddened yet anxious look on his face as he spoke in a low whisper so no one but Kimmy could hear. "He's my brother and quite literally the only person I have looking out for me. Asshole or not, I need him okay? My parents are never home, and I don't mean a weekend away every few months - I mean months at a time. If something happened to him I don't know what I'm supposed to do. They do not get it at all."

Kimmy was taken aback by his abrupt outburst but said nothing of it. The boy was quite clearly stressed beyond belief and obviously nothing the girl could say would calm him down.

"You don't have to think about what you would do if something happened, because it's not going to happen." Kimmy answered after a moment of silence had past between the two. "I know it's scary, but do your best to keep calm, okay. I promise you Steve will be okay."

Kimmy was more than aware that she could not promise the older boy would be fine, but she was doing everything she could to keep the boy as calm as possible.

Aaron hesitated, biting the inside of his cheek as he took a breath and reluctantly nodded. He would not take his eyes off of the girl in front of him, scared if he looked to his side and out the window he would spiral and the panic would come crashing back.

"What's he doing?" Max asked Dustin as she climbed down the ladder, returning from her spot on the roof.

Dustin shrugged, not looking away from his content spot in front of the window. "Expanding the menu-"

"Dustin!" Aaron groaned, suddenly panic struck once more as he moved away from his spot next to Kimmy and rushed to the window again. Kimmy following him. "Don't say that!"

Dustin only shrugged, ignoring Aaron's panicked words.

Max pushed her way next to Dustin, wanting to look out the window herself as she gasped at the boy outside. "He's insane."

Dustin laughed in awe as he watched the older boy, shaking his head as he watched. "He's awesome."

Kimmy heard Aaron take a shaky breath from next to her as he tried to calm himself down, the blond boy getting more fidgety with every step Steve took closer to the monster.

Everything seemed to be going good, well, as good as anything could be doing in the current situation. That was until the group could hear Lucas yelling from his spot on the room.

"Steve, watch out!" Lucas yelled loudly, his voice overflowing with fear as he was clearly panicking.

Reluctantly, Steve took his eyes off the monster ahead of him and looked to his right, taking a slight step back as another one of the monsters made themselves known.

Aaron jolted in what Kimmy guessed was a mix of surprise and fear, his breathing picking up once again as he turned to Dustin.

"What the fuck?" Aaron practically yelled in Dustin's face. "You had two?"

"No!" Dustin yelled back before rushing away from the group and opening the back door to the rundown van and yelling for the older boy. "Steve? Steve! Abort!"

However the older boy didn't listen to him, gripping his bat tighter as the monster in front began running straight at him.

Aaron gasped and his eyes widened as he watched Steve move out of way with seconds to spare. Kimmy reaching at him to grab onto his hand in order to try and pull him away from watching but he wouldn't budge.

It wasn't until Kimmy got a split second to think that she realised what she had done. Her eyes widened as she snapped her head round to look at the boy next to her, realising that she quite literally had a hold of his hand.

Kimmy felt horrible, knowing Aaron hated when she had grabbed his hand the year before, she didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

Kimmy went to remove his hand from her hold, but just as she went to do so Aaron gripped her hand tighter, watching with an anxious expression as his brother swung his bat at the monster coming at him.

Kimmy was sure that Aaron didn't even realise he was holding her hand, the only thing probably on his mind was his brother as he looked out at him.

Steve then began running towards the door of the rundown van at such speed that Kimmy worried he'd fall. The group of monsters right behind him.

The older boy made it just in time, crashing into the seats where Dustin had been stood next to the door, Dustin slammed the door behind the older boy.

It seemed that only then did Aaron realise the tight grip he had on the girls hand, unable to meet her eyes as he looked to their interlocked hands, the two instantly breaking apart. Aaron looked to her with an flustered expression, his entire face going pink in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," the blond mumbled, blinking furiously as he tried and failed to gain his composure.

"It's okay," Kimmy reassured, feeling quite flustered herself as she looked to the boy.

"Shit," Steve sighed from his spot on the floor, placing his hands over his face as he heaved. Suddenly he stood, making his way over to the window at the back of the van and grabbing a spare piece of wood and stacked it against the door.

"They can't get in Steve!" Lucas yelled, Kimmy and Aaron rushing over to the group.

Aaron rushed next to his brother, smacking the back of his head. "What the fuck was that, Steve?"

Steve didn't get a chance to reply because the wooden plank was beginning to come loose as the monsters banged against the door trying to get in.

Steve stuck his feet out and tried to keep the wooden plank in place, and for a few moments it seemed to work, until suddenly one of the monsters from outside and tried to attack the group.

Everyone screeched at the sight, clambering away and hiding behind seats in the van as Steve hit it repetitively with his bat until the animal went numb.

Kimmy was shaking, scared out of her mind as she hid behind a seat next to Dustin, the boy screaming into her ear as he tried to get ahold of Mike on his radio. "Mike? Is anyone there? Mike? Will? God, anyone!"

There was then another bang from somewhere else outside of the van, the group racing to their feet and huddling together as they each yelled once more.

"We're at the old junkyard and we are going to die!" Dustin continued to scream into his walkie, panting rapidly as he tried and failed to calm himself down.

More banging came from the roof, dents being made until it suddenly stopped. Kimmy looked to Steve with a puzzled expression, the older boy matching her expression as he looked back at her.

Kimmy slowly looked up the ladder she was now stood next to, the monster who had been trying to break in moments prior looking right back at her.

Her heart dropped.

The dark haired girl let out the loudest scream she'd ever heard, stumbling away as Steve pushed her back, moving to hit the growling monster right on the face before it retracted, much to everyone's confusion.

The monster looked to the side, howling before running off. Suddenly a loud chorus howls could be heard in the distance, Kimmy looking to Aaron who was stood before her with a startled look, only to find her already looking to her with a matching expression.

It was as if no one knew what to do, each stood still as they looked to each other with matching looks of terror.

Steve then moved past the group in the direction of the door, the boy pushing the door open slowly as he stuck his head out. Aaron rushing to follow him, most likely scared he would try fight one again.

Kimmy then rushed after Aaron, scared that he would blindly go out and follow his brother.

The girl kept closely behind Aaron as the pair watched Steve fully step out of the van, catching sight of the stray monsters running away.

"What happened?" Lucas asked in a small voice, looking as startled as Kimmy felt.

"I don't know." Kimmy answered just as quiet.

"Maybe Steve scared them off?" Dustin tried, unsure of exactly what happened.

"No." Steve shook his head, quick to shut Dustin's theory down. "No way. They're going somewhere."

...

The group were walking around the woods along the old railway tracks, headed in the direction it looked like Dart and the others had headed. Kimmy wasn't sure if everyone else knew where they were going, but she certainly didn't.

"Are you positive that was Dart?" Lucas asked Dustin, not sounding particularly convinced.

"Yes." Dustin groaned frustratedly. "He had the exact same yellow pattern on his butt."

Kimmy scrunched her face up as she looked to Dustin. "How the hell did you manage to spot the pattern on his butt during all that?"

Dustin shrugged, still looking straight ahead as he walked briskly.

"Are you sure that's Dart?" Max asked Dustin from her spot next to Kimmy, the redhead sounding skeptical. "He was tiny two days ago."

"Well, he's molted three times already." Dustin sighed, sounding upset at what his friend had become.

"Malted?" Max asked, now sounding more confused.

"Molted." Dustin corrected, unable to stop himself from explaining. "He shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."

"Well..." Max trailed off, taken aback. "When's he gonna molt again?"

"It's gonna be soon." Dustin sighed once more. "And when he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. And so will his friends."

"Yeah," Steve snorted, butting into the conversation. "And he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats-"

"Wait?" Lucas gasped, grabbing Dustin's shoulder to face him, the group halting their steps. "What, a cat?"

Kimmy scrunched her face up and winced, closing her eyes before opening them to find Dustin panicking.

The group of four had agreed not to mention Mews, obviously Steve had forgotten.

"Dart ate a cat?" Lucas asked with an understandably startled expression.

"No, what? No." Dustin shook his head, his voice raising as he tried and failed to lie.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked curiously from his spot next to Kimmy. "He ate Mews-"

"Mews?" Max asked from the other side of Kimmy, leaning over to see the older boy. "Who's Mews?"

Steve turned to the younger girl with a blank expression and shrugged. "Dustin's cat-"

"Steve!" Aaron yelled at him, smacking his arm as Steve turned to his little brother with a frustrated look.

"I knew it!" Lucas gasped, pushing Dustin's shoulder back as he spoke. "You kept him!"

"No!" Dustin tried to lie again, but it was getting him no where.

"No?" Lucas questioned, hoping he was missing something.

"No. I... I just-" Dustin trailed off, realising his lies were getting him no where. "He missed me. He wanted to come home-"

"Bullshit!" Lucas accused, his voice raising once more.

"I didn't know he was a demogorgon, okay?" Dustin yelled back at him, although the panic laced within his voice was transparent.

"Oh, so now you admit it?" Lucas scoffed in disbelief.

"Guys who cares?" Max interrupted, sounding as if she was sick of the bickering. "We have to go."

"I care!" Lucas retorted angrily. "You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!"

"So did you!" Dustin snapped back, his eyes blown wide as his temper got the better of him. Turning to face Max as he shone his flashlight right in her face. "You told a stranger the truth!"

Max scoffed, utterly offended. "A stranger?"

"You wanted to tell her too!" Lucas retorted, trying to hide his guilt.

"But I didn't, Lucas." Dustin rolled his eyes. "I didn't tell her! We both broke to e rule of law, okay? So we're even. We're even."

It was obvious Dustin was looking for an out so he wouldn't be the only one to blame for the entire ordeal. Lucas caught on quickly.

Lucas rolled his eyes, scoffing loudly. "No, no! We're not even. Don't even try that-"

Kimmy blocked the rest of the conversation out as she turned to look behind her, a sound of loud screeching in the distance that could only mean one possible thing.

"Do you guys hear that?" Kimmy asked Aaron and Steve, the blond of the pair turning to nod at her with a puzzled expression while Steve looked straight ahead. Although he looked more fearful than puzzled.

"Guys!" Steve snapped, turning to face the three arguing as he spoke. The trio shutting up instantly.

The creature screeched again, and Kimmy knew by the looks on their faces that they had all heard too.

Steve then took off in the direction, Kimmy not hesitating to follow. She knew the group was behind her, their frantic footsteps blaring in her ears

"No, guys!" Max yelled frantically from behind the group. "Why are you headed towards the sound? Hello?"

No one answered the girl, but Kimmy knew she'd came to her senses and decided not to stay alone unprotected when she heard her muttering to Lucas behind her.

"I don't see them." Aaron huffed after a while, panting from breath just like Kimmy was next to him.

"It's the lab." Lucas announced, his mouth parted in surprise as he spoke, removing the binoculars from his face. "They're going back home."

The group ran down the hill in the direction of the lab, each following Steve.

Kimmy grew more nervous the closer the group got. Not wanting to get tangled up in whatever it may be that happened behind those lab gates.

It wasn't long until the group came to an abrupt halt, Aaron crashing into the back of his brother at how suddenly the older boy had stopped.

Steve was looking to the two stood before the group with a disheartened expression that had Kimmy frowning even though she didn't know the circumstances.

"Steve?" The voices gasped in sync, sounding surprised to say the least.

"Nancy?" Steve repeated, onto addressing the girl, not the boy stood closely next to her before making his way over to them, the group of thirteen year olds following him once more.

Kimmy noticed how Aaron frowned at his brother upon seeing who the two faces were, the younger boy looking almost... worried for his brother.

"What are you doing here?" Nancy asked as the group approached the pair, her tone catching Kimmy by surprise.

She didn't sound happy to see him like Kimmy assumed she would considering the two were dating. She didn't even sound surprised. Kimmy didn't know what Nancy sounded like, but the younger girl got the impression she wasn't very pleased to see him.

"What are you doing here?" Steve retorted bluntly.

"We're looking for Mike and Will." Nancy shrugged.

Steve looked like he wanted to say something else, but Dustin gasped before the older boy could.

"They're not in there, are they?" Dustin asked Nancy fearfully, his voice shaking as he spoke.

"We're not sure." Nancy answered slowly, her features pulling down into a look of worry. "Why?"

There was another loud screech from the direction of the lab, causing Kimmy to flinch as she looked to Max worriedly.

...

CHRISTMAS CHAPTER!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS IF YOU CELEBRATE!!

What did everyone get for Christmas???

Sorry this chapter is REALLY bad but I just wanted to post for Christmas lol.

Anyway hope everyone has had a great day so far!!!

Thanks for all the reads!!

- AJ :)