𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 - the mind flayer

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 "𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, okay?" Scarlet muttered as softly as she possibly could. Eleven's arm was slung over her shoulder, another tossed over Mike as they all hastened their departure from the mall.

 The plan was to heave inside Nancy's car with a billion children and three very stressed teenagers and get the hall out of dodge... or, rather, Hawkins. To travel as far and as fast as they possibly could was the only option they had left.

 With Scarlet, Eleven and Will all in one little place, there would be no doubt that the Mind Flayer would sniff them out like a police dog; they had to keep moving until Hopper, Joyce and Murray made Hawkins safe again — if it ever was.

 Max, ever the zoomer of the party, skidded to a halt behind the car while her fingers swiftly popped open the trunk. Eleven needed to rest, to lie down and close her eyes... and to be honest, Scarlet did too. So with Mike and Max's help, Eleven was ever so carefully hoisted into the car.

 Scarlet climbed in after her and the two sisters didn't waste a moment in crushing themselves together, relishing in the comfort they provided for one another.

 Soon enough, each door was slammed shut and the jingle of keys could be heard. Scarlet, quite frankly, couldn't wait to see the borders of Hawkins, to see the trees pass by beneath the stretch of twilight... but the car didn't start.

 The engine spluttered like a pitiful smoker, wheezing rather dreadfully until it gave up entirely.

 Scarlet twisted her head, peering over the sea of children's heads to where Nancy twisted that damned key again and again, yet even still, the car refused to budge and sat as still as a stone.

 It didn't take long for Jonathan to hop out of the car, urging Nancy to follow... it should have filled Scarlet with some sense of relief; she knew Jonathan could handle a stupid old car... god, the number of times he had to fix his own was astounding. The poor thing looked like it'd crack like an egg and leave wheels and doors littered upon the roads.

 But there was something... lurking. Scarlet felt a shiver trail over her spine as though someone had reached out to drag their finger across her cold skin. There was a tug right at the very base of her skull, in the pit of her stomach... then, as she continued to stare over the jostling heads of hair, Will craned his neck and met her eyes.

 Even from the very back of the car, Scarlet could see a smattering of goosebumps smeared over the boy's neck. She could spy the tremble lingering atop his fingers, the fear glossing over his face... They were on the same page.

 Scarlet couldn't have known how long they stared at one another. Flashes of terror... yet flickers of comfort. They weren't alone, and they both knew it. Will, however, never said a word; the others might have known about the chills that wracked his spine, the light whisper that called into his ears, but they didn't know about Scarlet. They didn't know that she felt it too.

 So it could have been seconds, minutes, or even hours... the only thing that could tear the magnetism to shreds was the glaring gleam of a vibrant light. It streamed into the car, hastening Scarlet to blink through the glimmer.

 With the utmost difficulty... Scarlet could spy their problem. On the other side of the parking lot was a lone and beaten-up car. The engine was rumbling — Scarlet could hear it now. It didn't take a genius to guess who it was just biding their time beneath the pale moonlight.

 Of course it was Billy.

 Scarlet knew something had changed within her mind and heart back down in those tunnels when she'd finally snapped and let every ounce of anger pull her limbs upon strings... so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to her when rage bubbled within her gut, as her heart pounded until her heartbeat echoed within her ears.

 A haze turned her wide view into tunnel vision...

 She was going to kill him.

 He'd already hurt Eleven.

 He'd tried so hard to hurt Lucas.

 He'd been hurting Max since he'd known her.

 He'd covered Steve in bruises and cuts.

 He's the enemy now...

 ...The chime of a clock pulsed within her ears.

 Just when Scarlet could make out that sweet and fickle buzz alighting within her palms... Max's voice cut through the murk like a freshly sharpened knife.

 "We have to get inside!" The redhead had called, flinging the car door open. Scarlet could hear her thumping footsteps until they paused right in front of her. The trunk was ripped open, and there Max stood with her arms already outstretched to heave Scarlet to her feet.

 Scarlet's eyes fastened together, willing the glossy sheen to disappear; she had to clear a way through the anger. The dam had been broken, and Scarlet wasn't entirely sure it could ever be mended.

 She had been right about everything she'd thought; Billy had hurt her girls. Billy was the enemy now... but even despite that, even though he was the biggest asshole known to man... He was still Max's brother.

 While Maxine Mayfield tried to keep an air of nonchalance, or perhaps even arrogance... Max wouldn't be able to stomach it. She'd blame herself for not reaching out — for not trying harder to get through to him. Not that it was her responsibility, of course.

 So, with a final glance Billy's way, Scarlet curled her fingers into her palms. Her nails chewed through her skin, leaving behind raw crescent moons. it was enough to stifle the hatred... for now.

 Scarlet grabbed Max's rattling hand, and together they heaved Eleven from the car, scuttling back into the 'safety' of Starcourt Mall.

 "Scoops Troop, I repeat, do you copy?" Mike called through the walkie clutched within his fingers. His knuckles had grown ever whiter with each repeated word. Time and time again had the boy muttered through the device, pleading for somebody to reply... hell he — for once — would have been thrilled to hear Steve Harrington's voice.

 His desperation was growing minute by minute... and so was Scarlets.

 No confused word from Steve. No rasp from Robin. No sass from little Erica. No hearty yell from Dustin. Scarlet was almost tempted to storm out the doors and trek all the way to Cerebro on foot just to smack each of them upside the head.

 But for now, she had a promise to keep. Scarlet had left Eleven alone for just a few moments; both girls needed to clear their minds. Eleven was filled to the brim with worry, but more than anything, it was stuffed with utter confusion.

 The youngest of the Hoppers had been trying again and again to get a neon sign to stop flickering. The pink glare was hurting her eyes... but it simply wouldn't obey her. Her powers vibrated beneath her skin, and yet they were refusing to surface.

 As for Scarlet, she was trying her damned hardest to keep a level head. It had been easy to upkeep before, but now it was like reaching for a ghost. Any semblance of sanity was starting to slip through her fingertips; her rage was all-consuming.

 It was bound to happen at some point. All those years ago, when she'd killed that little girl's father before she could even question if the man had changed his malicious ways... that had been the second instance of billowing anger. The first had been the day she'd escaped the lab. Now the third had occurred... Each instance was only doused further in crimson, though not from her powers, but rather from the blood she'd leave behind.

 A hearty breath was pulled from her lips while she pressed her palms against her eyes and dragged them down her cool cheeks. It wasn't even the anger that was at the top of her concerns, it was the hollowness that followed when the fogginess cleared. When she finally regained her control there was only the slightest wisp of guilt. That was the scariest part.

 Scarlet dropped her hands, feeling her fingers twitching against her shorts. Unease still laced her stomach and that lingering sense of being under the gaze of watchful eyes continued to trail over her spine... She blinked, swallowed and stepped forth.

 Slap on a facade, put up the shields, and pretend everything was okay. That was the Hawkins way, wasn't it?

 As it happened, Billy Hargrove had not only taken to stalking them whilst shining a limelight upon the group... he'd also gotten his hands dirty whilst plucking the ignition cable from Nancy's car.

 But while Scarlet had taken a moment to ensure her head was still above the water, the others had found their solution; the car that Scarlet and Eleven had tossed like a ball.

 It was clever, really. While the cherry-red paintwork had been dented and crushed, and whilst one of the wheels had deflated like Eleven would upon finding anything but Eggo's on her plate, they didn't need the car to work.

 They just needed to crack it open like a can and tear the ignition cable free.

 However, such a thing was far easier said than done... or it was for those without glowing fingertips or the ability to toss objects with the flick of a wrist.

 Scarlet should have called out to them rather than watch as Nancy, Jonathan and the kids broke a sweat trying to lift a whole damn car... but she couldn't help but dwell within their atrocious — and impeccably misplaced — trust in their rather lacking muscles.

 She cleared her throat after a moment, "Hello?" A slow smile spread like butter as each head whipped her way, eyes narrowed upon her wiggling fingers that were already summoning a cloud made of crimson, "Powers? Or were you really going to try and lift a car?"

 A beat passed them by. Sheepish glances were passed around. An embarrassed scratch of the neck, the slap of a hand against a forehead. Scarlet shook her head; perhaps she was the last one left to suffer through the responsibility of having a brain cell to her name.

 But before Scarlet could truly shoulder such a burden, there was a light pinch on her wrist. With a stooping glance, Eleven fell within Scarlet's sights.

 The poor girl had dragged herself over with nothing but fatigue and determination within her soft-brown eyes. Eleven had thought that maybe her powers would rear their head once more if they knew they were truly needed. Not just to crush a can, or pluck a piece of crumpled paper from a sticky table...

 "I can do it," Eleven voiced through the strain in her throat.

 Scarlet nodded her head, a sweet smile dusting her lips like powdered icing, "I know you want to help but you need to rest. You said it yourself, didn't you? Your battery is drained..." Upon Eleven's indignant huff, Scarlet flicked the very tip of her button nose, "You promised Hop and Steve... Now promise me."

 The girl's lips parted, yet soon enough they fell to a pitiful close. She did promise them, didn't she? And friends don't lie. Eleven felt her shoulders drop, her defeated eyes peering up at her sister but even though she wanted to argue, reach out a hand and try her might... she only nodded, "Fine. I promise."

 "Hey," Scarlet chirped, hands finding her sister's cute little cheeks. Her lips swiftly found Eleven's forehead, "I'll join you in a minute."

 Scarlet watched her go, dragging her sneakers along the ground as Mike hastily made his way to assist her. He still called into the walkie, voice as shrill as it had been... they still hadn't gotten a reply.

 But there wasn't enough time to dwell; The Mind Flayer wasn't after the Scoops Troop, it'd have absolutely no indication where they were and, hopefully, wouldn't choose them as its target. For now, they just had to focus on getting themselves out and away as fast as they could.

 Scarlet's fingertips were overcome with a glow. Crimson glossed over her digits, spreading over her palms until it gathered into a ball. All it took was a light jolt of her fingers to send forth a burst of mystifying energy. The pulse of maroon collided with the car and crawled over the doors like a swarm of bugs until the hunk of dented metal was encased entirely.

 With a simple tug of her hand, the toppled-over car was forced back onto its wheels. They could all hear the sad little squeak of air filtering out of the popped tire. Any trace of crimson dissipated into the air like a plume of chimney smoke.

 Max bounded over, ginger braids hopping atop her shoulders. There was a wide smile on her face, an absolute contrast to the frown that had come with knowing that her step-brother was their enemy. That he'd have to be taken out if he became too much of a problem.

 So to finally see some of that weight disappear from her shoulders was nothing but a relief for Scarlet.

 "I'll never get tired of that," Max said, fingers poking at the little wisp of crimson that twirled around Scarlet's finger, "You're so cool."

 Scarlet hummed, a light and sweet buzz as she tossed an arm over Max's shoulders; she'd missed her. Back down in the base, when that gun had been planted right against her stone-cold skin... Scarlet could only think about them — Eleven, Max, Will, Dustin, Erica, Lucas and Mike. The kids that had instilled such self-worth within her, the ones who looked at her as though she'd been the one to hang stars in the night sky.

 Nancy and Jonathan were all too busy digging through the sorry-looking car; their fingers were covered in grease as they plucked at pieces until they found exactly what they needed... however, Max hadn't a care and was only paying attention to the young girl who had once scorned her... yet within a mere few days had become her best friend.

 Max pointed Eleven's way,  and Scarlet spied a cute little sticker atop her nail. Certainly Eleven's doing, "What's she doing?"

 Scarlet finished swiping a finger beneath her nose, brushing away the little droplet of blood that had trailed towards her lips. She followed Max's finger, landing upon Eleven. Her sister had pushed a hand into a trash can, tossing crumpled burger wrappers and old pieces of soiled cutlery until her digits closed around an emptied can of Coke.

 Eleven placed it atop a table, ignoring the leftover crumbs sprinkled about... then, she focused. Her brows curled inwards and her eyes hardened like a stone as she glared at the can. She tried with all her might, summoned every remaining ounce of willpower to jolt it, to dent it.

  Nothing happened.

 Scarlet frowned; it had never been a difficult feat for Eleven before. A Coke can was nothing compared to tossing a car or pushing a hoard of 'bad men' back... yet the can remained entirely unscathed, "She's trying to crush it with her powers."

 "Why isn't anything happening?"

 "She's probably just tired..." But did Scarlet really believe that? Did she really believe that it was a matter of rest that was preventing Eleven from summoning even a sliver of her powers? She'd been through a lot before and yet never had there been a block stopping her powers from blossoming.

 There was just one thing different about all of those times compared to this one — the injury she'd sustained on her leg. Maybe the pain had simply been too much for her, perhaps it had been so much of a shock that it flipped that switch within her mind. Only time would tell.

 Scarlet cleared her throat, aware of the burning gaze she'd held upon her sister, "I'm sure she's just overexerted herself."

 Max believed her words; anyone would have. What knowledge did they have that could refute them? So the girl brushed away any worry she had for Eleven, plastered on a renewed smile, and tugged forth the teenager at her side.

 Eleven only barely perked at their presence... and that was how Scarlet knew there was something else to it — it wasn't just fatigue. It was something more. Eleven, no matter the circumstance, would always push aside any smattering of emotion for Scarlet; sadness would turn to awe. Anger would fade into comfort. She would always have a glimmer in those adorable little eyes... now they were hollow.

 Max approached first, her fingers gliding over Eleven's shoulder, "You okay?"

 Eleven could manage a half-hearted curve of her lips, and a small, pitiful nod... but that was it. No grin with crooked teeth, no glimmer within narrowed eyes, and no rosy cheeks that made Scarlet want to smother her within a hug. She didn't look like herself at all.

 Max and Mike didn't buy it, that much was obvious... but neither pushed the matter further. They could understand hiding things away after everything Eleven had done for them. From fighting Billy, finding Heather and descending into the void; they had to rely on her and now the guilt of doing so was beginning to build — but what else could they have possibly done?

 Scarlet had moved to say something and comfort her sister in the best way she could... but before the words could even begin to trail to the tip of her tongue, her body went rigid. Like that, everything was drowned out. Her head started to ache, and that was always the first sign... but then came the chills along her spine and the echo of that stupid fucking clock.

 "Will?" She whispered, snapping an eye open.

 Will could only nod, his palm already cupping the nape of his neck as terror shone through his eyes. He felt it too.

 The Mind Flayer had come for them; they'd taken too long, given Billy more than enough time to reach out to the beast... Scarlet heard a rumble, a crack like shattering glass.

 Her heart lept into her throat, and with a stilted breath, Scarlet rose her gaze. Her honey-flecked eyes drifted by the food court, bypassed the spluttering fountain and the railings on the floor above. They trailed up the walls, narrowing as neon signs flickered and flashed... and then, they found the glass rooftop.

 "Oh, God." The deep dread within her voice had enraptured Mike. Hed never heard it before... none of them had — Scarlet had always seemed untouchable to them, but when Mike followed her gaze, he soon figured out the source of such terror.

 His stomach twisted, bile beginning to rise, "Nancy..."

 There was no response, everybody was still chattering, cheering and whooping with the ignition cable in hand. Mike's eyes remained fixated, just as Scarlets did. They couldn't tear their eyes away from the growing cracks, watching as they weaved through the glass like a spider web.

 Then, Mike snapped and his voice rived through his throat, "Nancy!"

 His voice was enough to shatter the naive peace and bring light to their horrific reality. The Mind Flayer was above them, grotesque limbs made of melted flesh forced the glass to splinter and shriek out... each second that ticked only produced further shards that were beginning to tumble, slivers floating down like snowflakes.

 Once every set of eyes had blown wide at the sight high above, the glass shattered and gave way

 "Go!" Scarlet yelled, and without much thought, her fingers immediately curled around Will's. She tugged him along, spying Eleven just over the way. She was safe enough with Max and Mike, for now.

 Scarlet could feel her legs trembling as she pushed Will onwards, watching as he dropped to the ground beside his brother. They took shelter behind the very car that provided them with their way out; Nancy and Jonathan were holding one another, lips curled into their mouths to stifle any harsh breaths.

 Lucas swallowed beside Will, and the boys seemed to lean closer together just for that extra sense of comfort amidst the terror.

 Glass rained down from above, a smattering of shards thundering down like a storm. Pieces bounced upon the ground, others breaking into nothing more than whispers... Scarlet could feel a piece lodged itself upon her cheek, drawing blood almost immediately.

 The ground rumbled as the mind Flayer landed, a ghastly shriek echoing around the room as the beast shook off the glass within its limbs, and the force in which it had landed. The monster seemed to pause, its head twisting this way and that... searching for Eleven, or, was it searching for Scarlet?

 No matter the case, when the Mind Flayer couldn't find so much as a hair on their heads, it's jaw unhinged like a boa, pointed teeth formed from the bones of misfortuned Hawkins residents were on full displace while an almighty roar blasted throughout Starcourt.

 It was a show of frustration, but of challenge too. Scarlet knew it. The shivers and pounding against her skull could only have meant that the damn thing was calling to her, trying to blast through the hold she kept on her mind... it wanted to call her out. It wanted to taunt her.

 She almost fell for it, until a crackle sparked through the air, "Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you —"

 The Mind flayer snatched up the walkie that had been all but abandoned on a broken table... the beast dragged it closer and closer until it wailed once more. There was no time for Dustin's panic voice to call through, no chance for Steve to cry out, for the beast slammed the walkie on the ground.

 It lay silent in a thousand broken pieces.

 Thunderous footsteps, terrifying roars and the squelch of fleshy limbs never ceased. Minutes had already ticked by, leaving the Griswold family with but one choice; hide and cower like scared little children.

 If they could have prepared for even a little longer, Scarlet would have been all too happy to alight the mall with crimson. She'd have been utterly ecstatic to encase the beast in a maroon trap... but that wasn't the case. Scarlet wasn't alone.

 There were children to be accounted for... and they didn't exactly have the high ground. They were all as big as bugs compared to the towering Mind Flayer — Scarlet couldn't be sure that she'd even be able to take it down, let alone ensure that nobody else was harmed in the process. So while that usual rage dwelled within her veins, puppeteering her fingers... she snatched them back. Safety was a priority right now. Eleven was a priority.

 The beast hissed and snarled as it made its rounds of the mall, twisting and turning as blood smeared beneath it. The colossal creature knocked through pillars and smashed into railings, and yet it wasn't even slightly slowed. The vile sound of squelching flesh resonated as it moved.

 Even the lights above seemed terrified of the beast lurking about, for they flickered and flashed, plunging them into darkness one moment, only to shine a spotlight the next. Each time the lights buzzed, it was like watching curtains part for a play... they could only be left wondering what would happen next.

 Would Scarlet open her eyes to see the Mind Flayer right before her? Before Will or Lucas? Would she peer through the haze and see Eleven or Max within its clutches?

 Scarlet was forced to swallow back those terrible thoughts as the creature only meters away let out an earth-rumbling roar. Spittle flew to the ground, only to mix within the bubbling blood its fleshy limbs had left behind. It was scrambling towards one of the stores... Had the others moved? Had Eleven, Max and Mike been too loud in their escape?

 Scarlet couldn't know, and there was hardly time to dwell when after a shrill BANG! Lucas Sinclair toppled back to the ground. Scarlet hadn't even seen him move, nor draw his Wrist Rocket to fire a piece of rubble at a balloon.

 The sound of the popping balloon bounced from wall to wall. The vast mall only enhanced the sound, forcing it to echo through empty stores and vacant hallways... It drew the Mind Flayer's attention immediately. It withdrew the flesh-like tentacle that had been forced from its body, forgot all desire to trail through The Gap and swiftly chased after the sound.

 Its heavy stomps made the mall rattle.

 With the sound drawing their nightmare away; Eleven, Max and Mike seized their chance to escape. A careful hand pried a door open, and in a flash, the three children disappeared.

 Scarlet wanted nothing more than to rush after them, to throw away all rationality and race through the mall all the while the beast tailed her... but that would only put them in danger. So without wasting another vital second, Scarlet grasped Will's clammy hand.

 They all kept their heads low as they shifted from their hiding place. Sneakers manoeuvred around hunks of glass and trash that had been abandoned on the ground... They followed after Jonathan and Nancy, steadily picking up their place the closer the door grew.

 Their legs burned as they twisted around corners, and up a flight of stairs... all in a desperate attempt to get back to the car and make their grand escape.

 Scarlet could only hope that Eleven, Max and Mike would be alright without her.

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06-06-2020

edited version: 26/11/2022

:･ﾟ★ FOUR CHAPTERS LEFT!! I REPEAT FOUR CHAPTERS LEFT!! bring tissues, babes, it's a wild ride.

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