***

The group set up a base in an old, rusting bus that creaked in all the wrong spots, but it would soon make for a good shelter. From the junk, Steve, Max and Sophie started a gather loose scraps of worn wood and discoloured metal. The other two barely helped, squatting behind a nearby car to discuss something they deemed important.

Steve reached into his backpack, retrieving a hammer he'd stolen from his dad's toolbox. He'd swiped a couple of things that morning -- it's not like his folks were in desperate need of them. They were on a business trip once again, leaving their son on his own. That didn't matter now, he couldn't let it get to him.

He twisted the tool in his hand in a similar manner to his baseball bat, pointing it at the girls. "You know how to use one of these, right?"

Max tossed a piece of wood to the ground, crashing against a sheet of thin metal. It bent slightly under its weight. "Uh, yeah, we're not stupid."

"She fixes her own skateboard," Sophie remarked, taking the hammer from his hand. Her knuckles grazed his momentarily, locking eyes as she pulled away, grasping the tool and bringing it close to her chest.

"Okay." Steve nodded, leaving the girls to it. He went to gather more material for their base, taking any spare parts he could find.

A ray of sunlight emerged from behind a cloud, briefly blinding the young blonde. Sophie raised a hand, squinting through her fingers. They didn't have much time left in the day, and once darkness would fall upon the land, they would be in the danger zone. She turned on her heel, heading back towards the bus. 

Max leaned down, grabbing a narrow wooden board and pulling it upwards to avoid picking it up herself. In her pocket, she rifled through a small plastic bag Steve had given her, containing nails of various sizes. She handed one to Sophie before heaving the board off the ground. It wasn't too heavy, but her stepsister chose to aid her, taking the other end of the board in her hands. 

They placed it against one of the windows and Max did her best to keep it steady. "So, they haven't told you the whole story then?"

"Story?" She placed the large nail near the edge of the board, raising the hammer.

"You know, the one about alternate dimensions," she started, "and this girl who can move things with her mind?"

Sophie paused, her brows lowered. She turned her head towards Max, staring back at her with disbelief. "... I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Honestly, I don't believe a word of it," Max told her, "but Lucas says he can prove it."

"Wait, you don't think this thing exists?" Sophie asked, bashing the hammer against the nail. 

As it broke wood, Max declared. "Well, I'll have to see for myself, won't I?"

The teenager continued to hammer the nail into the board, watching it sink through the wood. Once that side was stable, Max handed her a second nail. Sophie shifted towards the other side, pressing the tip of the nail against the wood. 

For a moment, she hesitated, noticing Max back away from her in the corner of her eye. She sucked in her cheeks, dropping the hammer to her knees. It hung by her side as she turned around. "I am sorry," her stepsister stopped in her tracks, her head snapping towards Sophie, "for yesterday." She tucked the nail into her pocket, taking a step forwards. "Really I am -- you can blame Dustin for this whole mess."

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"He forced me to help him find a way to kill this thing." The hammer swung lightly in her hand, weighing her arm down. "And well, we found Steve, so here we are." She gestured towards the older boy, who continued to collect scraps. Sophie stopped in front of her stepsister, frowning. "I didn't want you to come home on your own because it would mean either me or Billy would get hurt, so that's why I told him to come get you. It was a last resort."

Max grew more reserved, tucking her hands into the pockets of her green hoodie. "He told me you ditched me on purpose." Her teeth tugged on the inside of her mouth, avoiding eye contact. "Said you thought I was a stupid kid."

It sounded like something he'd say. "And you believed him?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, her chin dipping to her chest. "It's just -- you weren't sure about the whole running away thing." Max sniffed, rubbing her nose with the back of her hands. Her palm was red from the biting cold, slipping it back into her pocket as she met Sophie's gaze. "I was worried you'd back out."

"Max, it's not that I don't want to. I'd give anything to get away from my dad." She bent her knees, settling into a crouch. "But going through with it would cause more damage than needed." 

Sophie sat down on the hard dirt, placing the hammer beside her. The teenager leaned back, squinting in the light. 

"I know your mom would miss you. I bet she wouldn't stop looking, and that would mean Neil wouldn't either." That seemed to spark a reaction. Max's lips pulled into a tight grimace and she looked down at her feet. "And Billy, well..." 

He'd suffer the most. Physically, of course.

"... Dad would just blame him for letting us out of his sight." Her arms wrapped around her knees, pulling them towards her chest. "We probably won't have much to support us -- we'd have to get jobs, and even then, it would jeopardise everything."

"I just..." A pang of regret sizzled in her veins. In her mind, running away seemed like the most viable option. Max hung her head low as she approached Sophie's right, sitting next to her. "... I can't live in that house anymore."

Sophie was right in her assumption -- Max was too young for this shit. Her stepsister used to have this aura of confidence, unafraid to take risks. She used to brave sexist skate parks and when someone would bite, she'd bite back.

Then the Hargroves came along and ruined everything, like weeds in a meadow. Her family wasn't cursed -- they were the curse.

Max was more or less a newcomer in their household compared to her stepsister, and she couldn't understand how Sophie had survived this long without cracking.

The teenager shifted closer, light-brown dust sticking to her palms. As she brushed her hands against each other, Sophie asked. "Max, why do you think I work so hard in school?"

"Because you're smart." She drew her shoulders together, tucking her elbows into her sides.

"I'm not that smart." She turned away with a light chuckle. "I do it because it means I'll get into a good college, far away from my dad." Sophie picked at the dirt under her nails. "I can have my own place, earn a living, and actually move on from all that..." her ribs grew tough under her skin, putting pressure on her lungs, "... pain."

The truth became evident to the younger girl, her eyes widening. Sophie was always planning to run away -- to leave the remnants of her dysfunctional family in the dust. She was in it for the long haul, and it hurt like hell.

"Could you take me with you?" wondered Max.

"You could try getting emancipated," she mentioned, nudging her arm, "if you find the right lawyer."

Max knew how to take care of herself, but she'd never really considered something like that. It wasn't a bad option, considering it would allow her to take control of her life and get away from Neil and Billy. "I guess I could."

"Maybe then you could come with me." Adulthood wasn't too far away and if Max would have her, she could become her guardian or just a roommate if she did get emancipated. Either way, they would have each other. "It'll take a few years though."

"I can try and wait." Her stomach hardened, twisting into knots. "I'm sorry for what I said last night." She swallowed the lump in her throat, meeting Sophie's solemn gaze. "You're not like your family."

Tears prickled on the rim of her eyes, her lips quavering into a tight smile. "I'm glad."

A loud, metallic slam caught them off-guard. Their heads snapped towards Steve, who clutched a folded chair in one hand, using it to startle the boys behind the car. "Hey -- dickheads! How come the only ones helping me out are this random girl and her screaming sister?" 

With a brief glance, he gestured to the girls. Upon seeing his agitation, they immediately jumped up and headed back towards the bus, not wanting to provoke more of his ire.

"We lose light in forty minutes -- let's go." The boys didn't move, frozen to the spot -- but Steve wasn't having it. "Let's go, I said!"

They heard the boys argue, following Steve with some reluctance, dragging their feet against the dry ground. Clearly, Dustin and Lucas didn't like people bossing them around.

But he was right -- they didn't have long. Twilight steadily approached, their shadows growing taller in this amber glow. Sophie's fingers wrapped around the hammer's polished handle, her other hand deep in her pocket, grazing the smooth ridges of the nail.

As the girls approached the wooden board, Max narrowed her eyes. "What did he mean by "screaming"?"

"It's nothing -- just an inside joke." Sophie wasn't sure her stepsister would approve of her weird, therapeutic methods. This was a girl who rolled her eyes at everything -- she was sure to judge her.

Max peered over her shoulder, observing Steve in the distance, his hands on his hips as he ordered the boys around. "So, is he, like..." her forehead wrinkled, "... your boyfriend or something?"

"What -- Steve?" His broad frame cast a shadow that stretched across the land, pointing in her direction. After a brief glimpse, Sophie stammered. "Oh, no, he's not mine-" The words caught in her throat, her veins standing out. "- I mean, we're just friends." 

Actually, she wasn't sure what they were. Sophie kinda barged into his life a few days ago and now he's letting her stay at his house for who knows how long. So, yeah -- she didn't know what to call this yet.

With a light shake of her head, Sophie returned to the task at hand. "Can you hold it steady?"

She nodded, fixing the board to the window. Sophie pressed the nail against the wood and the hammer struck its circular end. As she continued to force it through the board, Max took another glance at Steve. "He's cute, I guess."

A heavy yet short sigh escaped her. "I hadn't noticed."

Oh, she'd noticed. She'd noticed too many times. Steve couldn't help it if he had a pleasing exterior -- there's a reason most girls fall for his winning charm. But it was the contrasting opinions that threw Sophie off track. In Robin's eyes, he was an asshole through and through, and Billy seemed to think he was nothing but a rival.

What Sophie saw was different -- she saw a lonely king in his castle, who masked his insecurities and kept his emotions in a breaking jar. Maybe this was another version of Steve Harrington she was talking to, hiding his true self by putting on this show of righteousness.

And she wouldn't fall for a lie -- not like her mother did. But there was no doubt that Steve Harrington was fucking beautiful.

Sophie brushed those thoughts aside, noticing shortly after that Max was still looking back. At first, she thought her stepsister was still ogling Steve -- until she observed Max's wandering gaze, following the movement of her eyes.

She looked back at the boys and swiftly realised who Max was gawking at. Her lips into a small, satisfied smirk. "What about you and Lucas then?"

Max's head jerked back, her brows drawing together. "Er, no. He's a stalker."

"Yeah," Sophie took a step back, pivoting her body until they were both facing each other, "but you're still hanging out with him."

"Only to see if his story's true or not." She turned away, crouching down to pick up another wooden board. "And I needed to get out of that house anyway."

Crushes weren't usually Max's thing, so Sophie was pleasantly surprised by the way she was acting towards the accusation. She might deny it, but there was a clear gleam in her eye when staring at Lucas.

Sophie cocked her head to the side, folding her arms. "So, it's not because you think he's cute?"

"He's not." The reddening of her cheeks seemed to prove otherwise.

"Okay, if you say so." The pair had a bond, and that's what mattered. Sophie wanted her stepsister to have someone she could rely on from the start, so she was very glad to see how she'd quickly grown fond of this ragtag group of boys.

The group continued like this was the next half hour or so, chucking old bits of junk onto a pile before they moved on to working on the bus' interior. Nothing was discarded; every piece of scrap metal and wood was used to fortify their base. Stripped junk was handed to the boys by Sophie and Max as Steve wiped the sweat off his forehead, making plans for this place.

Once they were finished with the inside, the five worked on fortifying the outside as well. Under the setting sun, they rolled empty oil barrels across the jagged ground before setting them against the bus' exterior. And though they were working themselves to the bone, the group couldn't stop now.

Max found a ladder under some rubble and brought it inside the bus, fixing it under the skylight and allowing them rooftop surveillance. Worn tyres were placed on the roof, providing the watcher with a comfortable space.

The blazing dusk approached, painting the sky with shades of blue, orange and pink. Their makeshift base was complete, serving as a pretty decent barricade. Near the entrance, Steve poured a trail of gasoline that led to the pile of meat in the centre of the junkyard.

With night on their heels, the five made their way over to the bus. Sophie peered out at the landscape, observing a transparent haze shifting through the gaps. Uncertainty lingered like a dying ember, still burning under her skin. If this went wrong, their lives could end in tragedy.

As Steve placed his foot on the front step of the bus, one hand clutching the edge of the doorway, he acknowledged her downcast expression and shuffling feet. "You having second thoughts?"

"No." She sighed, cracking her knuckles against her thighs. Sophie tore her gaze away from the junkyard and tilted her head upwards, staring back at Steve. "You?"

He pressed his lips into a thin line, taking a moment of thought. "No."

People their age should be out partying, getting wasted and making out with almost strangers, but they were here, about to face something that shouldn't be real.

After a tight swallow, Sophie nodded. "Let's do this then."

Steve grasped the railing and pulled himself onto the bus, standing by a control panel. Sophie soon followed, passing the teenager as she found a spot to sit down. Her back slumped against the wall, her body sliding onto the breaking leather seat. 

Once everyone was onboard, Steve yanked a small lever, closing the doors as Dustin took a final look around. They really pushed themselves to the limit for this, and they hoped it would be worth something.

***

The roof creaked over their heads, hearing Lucas squirm through the thick metal. He stood watch overhead, spying through his binoculars for Dart's approach. Only flickering stars and moonlight gave him a good view, casting a soft glow across the dense fog.

Inside, the others waited with anticipation. The biting cold was no help, and if they knew they'd have to wait this long, they would have brought winter coats. Max sat with her arms crossed, occasionally gazing up at Dustin, who was pacing the floor as if his life depended on it. Steve and Sophie sat beside each other, though the latter chose to sit on her knees and peer through the gaps in the window.

The mist reminded Sophie of the morning ocean, calm and tranquil on the outside, but hiding secrets underneath. When the Californian tide would grow in height, the crashing waves would bring about calamity on their shore, and that's how the Hargroves liked it. The rush of it all was so inviting, and though they were wary of currents, the twins enjoyed their time bodyboarding.

Their mom encouraged Sophie to try surfing because she used to try and stand up on the little board, only to fall into the salt waters. Marjorie took her to a few classes and she was getting quite good at it. Then, of course, she left, and Neil thought it was strange for a girl to enjoy surfing, so he forced her to stop going.

She'd give anything to ride those waves again.

"You don't have to keep watch -- that's Sinclair's job." Steve flicked his lighter, watching the little flame dance in the cool breeze. The metal clink of the lid provided him with some serenity during the tense wait; it wasn't sharp nor was it too soft. The sound was perfectly balanced, and that's why he liked it so much.

"I know." Sophie sunk down, her knees sliding off the leather. "It just looks nice out there."

"Really?" he scoffed.

"Well, the sky's much clearer without all the streetlights and clouds." She settled beside him, but not too close to touch. "You can really see the stars."

His eyes remained on the lighter, letting fire ignite over and over again as a means to distract him. 

Max tilted her head to the side, her gaze fixed on Steve. "So you really fought one of these things before?" Steve glanced at her and nodded, his view returning to the lighter shortly after. "And you're, like, totally one-hundred per cent sure it wasn't a bear?"

"Shit -- don't be an idiot." Dustin paused mid-pace, chastising her. "Okay, it wasn't a bear." He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her. "Why are you even here if you don't believe us?" Max stared back at him with wide eyes, silenced by Dustin's agitation. "Just go home."

"Yeesh, someone's cranky." Max rolled her eyes, jumping to her feet. She grasped the ladder before returning Dustin a quick glower. "Past your bedtime?"

As she ascended to the roof, Steve's eyes followed her, his lips widening into a smirk. "I like her."

"Yeah, she has a tendency to fight back," said Sophie.

Dustin returned to pacing, cracking his knuckles and keeping his head low -- which kinda impressed Steve. "That's good. Just show her you don't care."

"I don't." He stopped, squinting in the dark as Steve gave him a sly wink. "Why are you winking, Steve?" The older boy shrugged half-heartedly in response, flicking his lighter again. "Stop."

He started to zone out, too focused on the outside world to care about the affairs of his friends. Something could go terribly wrong; Dustin knew that well. He hadn't meant to drag Max into this mess as well, but there was nothing really he could do about it. After all, Lucas was the one who brought her here, not him.

Sophie crossed her arms, biting her bottom lip. She leaned towards Steve, and, without turning to face him, she uttered. "You didn't act like that on Halloween."

"Like what?" he asked.

"You should really listen to your own advice." Steve didn't react much, his neck muscles tensing for a moment. His focus remained on the burning flame in his hand, ready to send that creature to kingdom come. "Come on, you cared about what Nancy thought of you that night -- it made you feel like shit."

His face remained slack, vacant of emotion. "I was drunk."

"That doesn't matter." She twisted the upper half of her body around, placing her elbow on the backrest. "I think what your problem is," he drew in a sharp inhale, turning his head, "you wish you didn't care so much. You just wanna breeze through life." 

"What's wrong with breezing?" his lip curled.

"Your life gets awfully chilly." It was a terrible pun, but it couldn't be more true. "I'm just trying to say that not everything goes the way you want it to." Sophie leaned away from him, resting her back against the seat. Her hands sat on her lap as Steve flicked his lighter once more, nearly burning the tip of her thumb. "What happened between you two?"

He closed the lighter, lowering his arm. "She thinks I'm bullshit."

"Yeah, but why?" she questioned. "What did you do?"

"No, it's just..." he sighed, "... she feels guilty about her best friend's de-" his breath hitched, pausing in reflection, "- disappearance. I've been trying to help her move past it, but she just..." Steve's dry throat nearly refused to let him swallow, "... she doesn't know how." 

He sniffed, rubbing his cold nose and taking a short breath through his mouth. Steve knew he shouldn't have left her there -- that she was stupid drunk. But he couldn't handle a breaking heart, and he couldn't just fall apart in the middle of a party; Steve had a reputation to uphold.

Sophie's lips parted, making a soft pop. "Sounds like you've got a saviour complex."

His brows arched. "A what?"

"A saviour complex." She looked down at her hands, wringing her fingers together. "You have this need to save people by fixing their problems -- kinda makes you feel good about yourself."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" his forehead creased, releasing a slight chuckle.

 She grew quiet, muttering in a delicate tone. "It's not, Steve."

"Oh." His shoulders drooped a little. "But why'd you think I've got it?

"You're making out like it's a disease." She hunched over, her elbows pressing into her thighs. "Look, all I'm saying is that you feel the need to save Nancy, don't you? You know, protect her from the world, solve her issues, etcetera." Her hands fluttered, not knowing exactly what to do with them. "I saw elements of that at the party."

Steve didn't need to hear this, not at this hour. He just wanted to forget about the entire thing. "What are you, a therapist?"

"I'm very observant." She angled her head to the side, leaning it against her shoulder. "You know you can't fix her, and trying to is only making the situation worse."

"What should I do then, hm?" He adopted a demanding tone of voice. Steve forced a laugh, waving his hands about. "I mean -- since you're 'the expert' and all."

"Let her heal on her own." Sophie retained her composure. "That's the best you can do."

Seeing how calm she was only made Steve wonder. "How do you know so much about this?"

She straightened up, her fingers curling into her palms, digging the nails into her thick skin. "Because I think I have a saviour complex too."

The tightness in his chest loosened, and any resentment towards her began to fade. Steve stared straight ahead, murmuring. "Billy."

"Yeah." Sophie nodded, chewing on her chapped lips. "Been trying to fix him for a long time." She caressed her thumb against her index finger, watching blood spread under her skin. "I think it'll kill me any day now."

"But he's just a jerk." He replied.

"He's more than just a jerk, Steve." Her voice cracked, trying not to break down in front of him. "Why do you think Max and I are even here?" Monster hunting isn't something they'd do for fun -- Billy would probably enjoy it more than them. "He's my brother, and I love him," she winced with a trembling chin, "but he destroys things."

A guttural roar echoed through the trees, drawing their attention. Steve and Sophie jolted up, and Dustin broke out of his daze, dashing over to the window. They peered through a section of cream-coloured grating, looking over the sea of fog.

"You see him?" asked Dustin.

Steve shook his head, hearing another growl. "No."

Flashbacks of the other day flood her mind, remembering how close that thing was to causing some real damage. She stared into its gaping mouth and its cool, rancid breath almost made her choke. Sophie was lucky to be alive -- so why did she think it was a good idea to face it again?

Within the mist, a faint chitter reverberated, and they could sense it was close. "Lucas, what's going on?"

"Hold on!" They waited for a few seconds, the low growling sounding much closer. "I've got eyes! Ten o'clock!" he stuttered. "Ten o'clock!"

Steve pointed a finger through the grating, acknowledging clear movement in the distance. "There."

Wisps of fog swirled around the shadowed creature, masking the beast from plain sight. It stayed at the back of the junkyard, barely making a move towards the pile of bait. "What's he doing?"

"I don't know." Dart chittered again, its paws clawing at the dirt; it was as if the creature wasn't waiting for something -- anything to happen. "He's not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?"

"Maybe he's not hungry?" Dustin suggested.

"We did throw out a lot of meat." She didn't know how full it could get. Hawkins was more or less a hunting ground, large enough for Dart to gorge on anything that crossed its path.

Nancy told him the monster feasted on those around its size, such as deer or, in most cases, people. Whatever had blood running through its veins, the Demogorgon would feast on its remains. He wouldn't be unusual if Dart were gaining a similar appetite. "Maybe he's sick of cow."

"Should we have given him more of a selection then?" Sophie spoke sarcastically. In the corner of her eye, Steve backed away from the window, contemplating. Briefly, he glanced at the pair with a debatable expression.

"Steve?" They watched him grab his bat and head over to the main entrance. "Steve, what are you doing? Steve?"

He held up his lighter, his breathing heavy. "Just get ready."

Steve chucked the lighter, safely landing in Dustin's cupped palms. Sophie's eyes bulged, realising what he was planning. Before he could pull the lever, she grasped his arm, pulling him back. "Hold on, you're not serious?"

"I've got a saviour complex, haven't I?" His offhanded remark did nothing to dispel her concerns. Steve slipped out of her grip, her fingers falling. "Stay with the kids, and close the door behind me. You got that?"

Her shoulders loosened, biting the inside of her cheek before taking a deep breath through flared nostrils. "Don't blame me if it chews your face off."

It was her way of saying, "Good luck, hope you don't die," and praying Dart wouldn't hurt him. She could picture the creature tearing his throat, blood gushing as he lay on the ground, eyes wide open and glassy.

One wrong move -- that's all it took.

He was good at hiding his fear, readying his bat as he pulled the lever. The door creaked, the metal sheets scratching at the floor. Steve carefully stepped out, nearly stumbling over his own feet when he touched the ground.

Sophie hesitated, her left hand wrapping around the lever. She pressed her lips together, squeezing her eyes shut as she pulled it towards her, the door squeaking closed. 

Steve was on his own now, creeping through the junkyard, his focus on the bump in the mist. He pulled his lips together and whistled, attempting to attract its attention. "Come on, buddy." He whistled again, lightly swinging his bat as he wandered closer.

Through the window, Sophie and Dustin observed with a cautious gaze. Behind them, Max descended from the rooftop, joining the two by the window. "What's he doing?"

"Expanding the menu," Dustin told her.

"And being an idiot." The whole idea of this was to stay out of danger, and he was going headfirst just to get Dart where they wanted him.

"Come on, buddy." Steve reached the pile of raw beef, clutching his bat with a firm grip. He planted his feet, keeping himself stable. "Come on, buddy." This was a stupid idea -- he's so stupid. "Come on -- dinner time. Human tastes better than cat, I promise."

Her stepsister's mouth fell open. "He's insane."

Dustin's eyes sparkled, an adoring smile forming on his face. "He's awesome."

He was gonna get himself killed if he wasn't too careful.

Steve swept his bat through the fog, revealing Dart staring back, its mouth salivating. It was larger than before -- Sophie could see from the bus. Her stomach hardened, causing her body to tremble. Dart snarled at the older boy as he readied his bat, both anticipating a sudden attack.

It was gonna be okay. All he had to do was swing, then Dustin would light up the gasoline and Dart would go up flames. They'd go home and order whatever fast food they wanted, feasting in celebration of their victory.

But then Lucas screamed. "Steve, watch out!"

"A little busy here!" he exclaimed, knowing a distraction would throw him off his game. Steve had to get this right -- his life was on the line.

Sophie ran under the ladder, grasping its sides and yelling through the hatch. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Three o'clock!" Lucas stammered, his voice squeaky. "Three o'clock!"

She returned to the window, her eyes darting to the far side of the junkyard. Steve's head snapped to his right, his face going slack. There, to the group's shock, stood at least two more creatures, both the same size as Dart. They followed the trail too, and unlike their friend, they hadn't faced humans before -- they wanted to know how they tasted. 

And Steve, well, he looked too good to waste. Oh, they were in some deep shit now.

***

Oh, this took fucking forever and I hope it was worth it.

Okay, so I had to split this one because it was gonna be like 8000 words and that's way too much for one chapter. The second part of this will most likely be released within the next week or so

I know I spelt saviour with a "u", but I'm British, darling. We spell most things with a "u". It's just how we do things.

Anyway, this is one of my all-time favourite Phoebe Bridgers songs. It's what inspired this chapter, and this book actually. At one point, I did think about naming this fic after the song, but then I thought against it because I like "I Know The End" better; it just suits the vibe, you know.

I hope you liked this chapter. Remember to leave a vote or a comment because they do tend to make me smile.

Also thank you so much for 5k reads xx

- Alice.