CHAPTER SIX:  the monster
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PERSEUS WARD HAD BEEN INVITED TO DUSTIN HENDERSON'S HOUSE. The other boy had seen that Persues was hesitating to return home. Persues lied in saying that his father worked late and he wasn't sure if he was even there.

"Thank," Perseus smiled at the other boy, who had handed him a pillow and blanket. Perseus had removed his jacket, plaid shirt and the long sleeve shirt underneath.

Dustin had gone to question the other in why he had been wearing so many layers, but stopped when Perseus had turned to him with a smile. He was unable to speak, staring at the other boy.

Dustin had liked Perseus for quite a while, but didn't believe that the other even knew he existed. And, when he did, he knew that there was no chance that Perseus would like him back.

"Hey, what's all this?" Perseus asked out of curiosity, gesturing to the board game.

"Oh! That's D&D. Dungeons and Dragons." Dustin explained.

Perseus hummed, looking over it. "Never played. How do you play it?"

Dustin spent the entire night explaining the game to Perseus, later, getting to know a few things about the other. Dustin explained the upside down to Perseus.
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The two boys had gone to the Wheeler house. Luckily, Dustin had an extra bike. Which Perseus had thought was odd as the other didn't have any siblings. And from what Perseus knew, no cousins. Or at least, within Hawkins.

"My dad is going to kill me when I get home," Perseus says.

Dustin turned to face him. "Do you want to go back? I could go with you, if you want."

"Fucking hell no," Perseus immediately denied, before he tried to cover up his reaction. Instead, he forced a laugh. "He's at work. I'm good."
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The two had entered the Wheeler house hold, immediately going down to the basement. When they had, Mike had ranged to the two. "I just...I can't believe she didn't come back."

"She's gotta be close," Dustin told Mike.

"She said it want safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us. She didn't betray us."

"Mike, calm down," Dustin told his friend.

"I'm sure she's okay. Probably went to another place that she views as safe," Perseus suggested.

"I shouldn't have yelled at her," Mike continues, as though he never heard the two. "I never should've done that.

"Mike, this isn't your fault," Dustin tried to convince the other boy.

"Yeah, it's Lucas's," Mike shout back.

"It wasn't his fault, either," Dustin told him.

Mike paused, looking back at Dustin. "It wasn't his fault?"

"No."

"So you're saying he wasn't out of line?"

"Totally, but so we're you!"

"I have no clue what is happening," Perseus spoke.

"And so was Eleven," Dustin continued.

"Oh, give me a break!" Mike replied.

"No, Mike, you give me a break! All three of you were being a bunch of little assholes!" Dustin stepped closer to his friend. "I was the only reasonable one. But, the bottom line is you pushed first. And you know the rule. You draw first blood..."

"No! No way! I'm not shaking his hand," Mike denied.

"This is ridiculous!" Perseus spoke. "To find Eleven, you are going to need more people. Even if it's just one more."

"Correct. But, this isn't a discussion. This is the rule of law," Dustin told him. "Obey or be banished from the party. Do you wanna be banished?"

"No." Mike lowly admitted.

"Good." Then turned around to put back his jacket on.

"Where are you going?" Mike asked.

"Where do you think? We're going to get Lucas. And then we're gonna find Eleven."
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The three boys had rode their bikes to Lucas Sinclair's house. Mike hesitated to know, leading Dustin to ring the doorbell. A second later, the door opened, revealing Lucas. Lucas glanced at all three of them, still looking upset. He looked at Mike. "What do you want?"

Mike stayed quite for a moment, so, Dustin hit the other to make him speak. Mike sighed aloud. "I drew first blood, so..." he extended his hand.
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Lucas paced back at forth, thumbs in his front pockets. "Okay, I'll shake." He crossed his arms.

"Finally," Mike breathed out, extending his hand.

"On one condition," Lucas spoke. "We forget the weirdo and go straight to the gate."

"You do realize that she could end up getting herself in trouble?" Perseus asks the other.

"Then the deal's off," Mike quickly said.

"Fine!" Lucas yelled, throwing his arms into the air.

"Fine!" Mike yelled back.

"No, no, not fine!" Dustin screamed. "Guys, seriously?" He turned Mike to face him. "Do you even remember what happened in the Bloodstone Pass?"

Lucas and Mike looked at each other, then back at Dustin, shrugging. Dustin looked at them in disbelief. "We couldn't agree on what path to take, so we split up the party and those trolls took us out one by one. And it all went to shut. And we were all disabled! So we stick together, no matter what!"

"Yeah, I agree." Lucas spoke. "But this is the party, right here in this room."

"El is one of us now," Mike argued.

"Um, no, she's not. Not even close!" Lucas yelled back. "Never will be. She's a lair, a traitor-"

"She was trying to keep us safe! She didn't mean to hurt you. It was an accident!"

"Oh Geesh," Perseus sighed.

"An accident?" Lucas questioned.

"All right, accident or not-admit it, it was a little awesome," Dustin spoke.

"Awesome?"

"Yeah, she threw you on the air with her mind!"

Perseus forced himself to stop from laughing.

"I could have been killed!" Lucas argued back.

"Which is exactly why we need her." Mike spoke. "She's a weapon! Do you seriously wanna fight the Demogorgon with your wrist rocket? Gates like R2-D2 going to fight Darth Vader. We're no use to Will if we're dead."

"If you three want to waste your time looking for a traitor, go ahead, 'cause I'm not spending my time on her anymore. No way! I'm going to the gate. I'm gonna find Will." Lucas pushed pass Mike and Dustin.

"What now?" Perseus questioned.
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"This is weird without Lucas," Dustin spoke, as the three rode their bikes down the street.

"He should've shaken my hand," Mike replied.

"He's just jealous," Dustin dismissed.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asked back.

"Sometimes, you total obliviousness just blows my mind. He's your best friend, right?"

"Yeah...I mean, I don't know."

"Damn." Perseus muttered.

"It's fine. I get it," Dustin replied. "I didn't get here until the fourth grade. He had the advantage of living next door. But none of that matters. What matters is that he is your best friend. And then this girl shows up and starts living in your basement, and all you ever want to do is pay attention to her."

"That's not true," Mike denied.

"I've been here for only a few days, and even I know that it true," Perseus spoke.

"Yes, it is. And know it," Dustin said at the same time. "And he knows it. But no one ever says anything until you both start punching and yelling at each other like goblins with intelligence scores of zero. Now everything's weird."

"He's not my best friend," Mike quickly says.

Dustin laughs. "Yeah, right."

"I mean, he is, but so are you. And so is Will."

"Can't have more then one best friend,"

"That's so stupid." Perseus muttered.

"Says who?" Mike asked back.

"Says logic."

"Well, I call bull on your logic, because you're my best friend, too."

Dustin smiled. "Okay."

The three then stoped when seeing the gathering of people and police and the super market.

"You don't think..." Dustin hesitated.

"She wouldn't..."

"Uh...definitely," Mike says.

They went pass the supermarket.
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"El!" The three boys called out for the girl. "Eleven! Eleven!"

They paused, waiting to these for a response. They didn't get one.

"Shh. Do you hear that? El!" Mike yelled again.

Only to have revealed Troy and James walking up the small hill. Dustin dropped his bike, as did Mike. Perseus thought about throwing the bike at the two before Dustin pulled the back of his hoodie. He ran with the other two.
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Dustin was falling slightly behind. "Cramp!"

"Just keep going!" Mike yelled back "keep going!"

They came to a halt when James came from the other side. "Shit!" Dustin cursed, before picking up a stick. Mike picked up a rock as Perseus looked around for a weapon. "Stay back. Don't come any closer!"

Mike there the rock, but completely missed James, who laughed. "Nice throw, numb-nuts."

Dustin moved forward, trying to hit Troy but the other grabbed his arm, pulling him over before pressing a knife to his throat.

"Get off! Get off me!" Dustin yelled.

"What the fuck? Let go of him!" Perseus yelled
"No! Let him go!" Mike yelled at the same time.

"Stay back, or I cut him!" Troy yelled back at the two.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know how you did it!"

"How I did what?"

"I know you did something to me," Troy said. "Some nerdy science shit go make me go that."

"You mean piss your pants?" Mike shot back.

"Our friend had superpowers," Dustin spoke. "and she squeezed your tiny bladder with her mind."

Perseus moved forward, stopping when Troy pressed the blade closed to Dustin's throat.

"I think I should save Toothless here a trip to the dentist," Troy threatens. "Help him lose the rest of his baby teeth.

"No! Let him go!" Perseus yelled.

"Let him go!"

"I'll let him go, sure," Troy glared. "But first...it's your turn."

"Turn for what?" Perseus asked.

"Wet yourselves."

"What?" Mike asked, glancing away to see Perseus just as confused.

"Jump." Troy nodded over to the cliff. "or toothless here gets an early trip to the dentist."

"Stop! No!" Dustin gasped when the knife was placed closed to his face instead of at his throat.

"I'll cut him right now!"

"Fine! Okay!" Perseus says.
"All right, just hold on! Hold on!" Mike said at the same time.

"Mike, Perseus, don't do it. I don't need my bag teeth, guys!" Dustin yelled. "Seriously, don't!"

Both boys walked towards the cliff. Perseus glanced back. "Figures your to much of a coward to fight me off the cliff," he scoffed.

"Seriously, don't do it, man! Seriously don't!" Dustin yelled again.

"Troy, I don't think this is a good idea, man," James spoke.

"Guys, don't!" Dustin screamed once again.

"Dentist's office opens in five... four...three..."

Perseus jumped, a second later, Mike jumping off. But, instead of falling, both had been levitating in the air. They were forced back up.

"What the hell?" Perseus asked when he hit the ground.

Everyone turned to see Eleven approaching. She tripped James, making him fall flat in his back before breaking Troy's arm. The same arm that held the knife.

"She broke my arm! My arm!" Troy yelled in pain.

"Go," Eleven ordered.

Of course, both Troy and James started to run away. "Let's get out of here! Let's go!"

"Yeah, that's right! You better run!" Dustin yelled at the two bullies. "She's our friend and she's crazy! You come back here and she'll kill you! You hear me? She'll kill you, you sons of bitches!"

"Dustin are you alright?" Perseus asked, walking up to the other, gently loving his head up to see if Troy had cut him.

Eleven fell to the ground, which had made the three boys run to her side. She was bleeding from her nose.

"El, are you okay?" Mike asked. "El?"

"Mike...I'm sorry," El spoke , sobbing.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?"

"The gate... I opened it. I'm a monster."

"No. No, El, you're not a monster. You saved us. Do you understand? You saved us." Mike replied, before pulling the girl into a hug.

Dustin hugging the other two. Eleven glanced up at Perseus, extending an arm to him.
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"Are you sure you're okay to walk?" Perseus asked Eleven, pushing his borrowed bike.

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The four continued to walk, placing their bikes down and then entering Mike's back door to his house.

"Do-are you gonna stay?" Dustin asked Perseus.

The boy, lifted the bike up again. "Uh, I don't know if anyone would want me here."

"I want you here," Dustin smiled. "You're nice."

Perseus hesitated, looking away from the other, words replaying in his head. "I'm not...I'm not good. Not person wise or communication wise."

"What? What do you mean? You are one of the nicest people here." Dustin replied, shocked.

"There's no need to lie. I know what people say about me." And it was true, but it was mostly his father who said such things. Or teachers upset that he hasn't turned in his homework. Truly, the only teacher Perseus likes was Mr.Clark.

"I never thought you were a bad person."

Perseus wasn't sure what to reply. "Thanks..." he bit off the part about how he's barely known him for long. He wasn't about to give Dustin a reason to dislike him.

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{2214}

So, how do you like Perseus?