"Wait a sec. How big?" Steve asked while retrieving his bat from the trunk. Dustin tried to explain using hand gestures, "First, he was like this, and now he's like this."

As Dustin explained everything to Steve, Ariana searched for her crossbow in her room. She couldn't believe her brother had recruited Steve for their mission, especially after what he had done to her, possibly jeopardizing her future.

"I swear to god, man, it's just some little lizard, okay?" Steve closed the trunk.

"It's not a lizard." Dustin retorted. "How do you know?" Steve asked.

"How do I know if it's not?" Dustin crossed his arms, wide-eyed, and challenged Steve. "Yeah! How do you know it's not just a lizard?" Steve asked, unsure.

"Because his face opened up, and he ate my cat," Dustin stated. Steve stood there, speechless, and then nodded. Ariana emerged with her crossbow.

"Found it. Now let's go," she said. "Wait, Ariana," Steve grabbed her shoulder. "Can we talk?" Ariana sighed.

"Steve, can we just focus on the more important thing right now? Like that thing in my storm cellar?" Steve removed his hand.

"Yeah."

They all walked to the back of the house where the storm cellar was. Steve turned on his flashlight and pointed it at the door. "I don't hear shit," he said.

"He's in there," Dustin insisted.

Steve banged his bat on the door. "All right, listen, kid. I swear if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead," he warned, shining his flashlight in Dustin's face.

"It's not a prank, Steve! Do you think I don't have anything better to do than make up a story about a creature eating my cat? Would you like to see the dead body for proof? We buried it in the woods." Ariana rolled her eyes.

Steve sighed. "You got a key for this thing?" he asked. Dustin handed him the key.

Steve tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge, so Ariana used her powers to open it. Steve jumped back when the doors opened.

"Watch out next time, Harrington," Ariana smirked, then moved next to Steve to look down into the cellar.

When they looked inside the cellar, they didn't see anything. "He must be further down there," Dustin said.

"I'll stay up here in case he tries to escape." Ariana and Steve both looked at Dustin. Ariana shook her head, took the flashlight from Steve, and started walking down the steps.

She turned back to look at Steve. "Coming?" he nodded, stood up, and followed her.

When they got to the actual room of the cellar, they turned on the light. They saw some gooey shedding from the creature, and Steve picked it up with his bat.

Ariana noticed a hole in the wall. "Steve," she tapped his arm, and he looked at the hole.

"Steve, Ariana? Guys, what's going on down there?" Dustin's voice echoed from above, and Ariana shined the flashlight in his face.

"Get down here," she said. Dustin walked down into the cellar, and when he saw the hole and shedding his eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

They all walked toward the hole and crouched down. "No way," Dustin said.

_____

Juliette was rudely awakened by someone persistently knocking on the door. She assumed that Jonathan, Joyce, or Will would handle it and yelled for someone to get it.

However, the knocking continued, annoyingly persistent. She grumbled and climbed out of bed.

As she walked out of her room, she realized that the house was empty. "I'm coming!" She yelled at the insistent knocker, still half-asleep.

When she opened the door, she was surprised to find Lucas standing there.

"Lucas? What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, blinking in confusion.

"I have proof, but we need to get Max before I show you any," Lucas said urgently.

"You have proof?" Juliette asked.

"Yes," Lucas affirmed. "Can I change first?" He rolled his eyes and nodded.

Juliette hopped on Will's bike, and Lucas followed on his own as they headed to Max's place.

When they arrived, they heard loud rock music blaring from inside. Juliette rang the doorbell repeatedly until Max finally answered. Max's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Lucas and Juliette. She glanced back at her brother and then stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"What are you two doing here?" Max asked, confused. "I have proof," Lucas explained. "Proof that what I told you was real. But we have to hurry."

"What kind of proof?" Max asked skeptically.

"It's about Dart. We have to meet Dustin at that old junkyard. Just trust me," Lucas urged.

Max sighed. "Well, I would have to sneak out. My brother is watching me, and he won't let me leave the house. Meet me by my window." Max went back inside the house, and Lucas and Juliette walked to Max's window.

A few minutes later, Max opened her window and climbed out. "Hop on," she said, and Max got on Juliette's bike, wrapping her arms around her waist.

As they rode away, Juliette felt butterflies in her stomach, a mix of excitement and nervousness.

______

After discovering that Dart had escaped, Ariana, Dustin, and Steve formulated a plan to visit the old junkyard and entice him with treats.

The challenge was the journey there, as tensions lingered between Ariana and Steve, while Dustin persistently scattered meat on the ground to bait Dart.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You kept something you knew was probably dangerous just to impress a girl you'd just met?" Steve asked.

"It sounds pretty foolish, doesn't it?" Dustin responded

"Okay, that's an oversimplification." Dustin chimed in.

"Why would a girl like some nasty slug, anyway?" Ariana questioned.

"An interdimensional slug? Because it's awesome," Dustin chuckled.

"Even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I just feel like you're trying too hard," Steve said.

"Not everyone can have your perfect hair, Steve." Dustin rolled his eyes.

"It's not about the hair, man. The key with girls is acting like you don't care." Steve responded.

"Please, Dustin, don't listen to anything he's saying. Girls like it when you show you care. It makes them feel comfortable sharing with you. Trust me, if you act like you don't care, they'll think you're not interested," Ariana explained.

"Not all girls are like you, Ariana. Trust me, it drives them nuts," Steve said making Ariana roll her eyes.

"Then what?" Dustin asked. "You wait until you feel it," Steve responded. "Feel what?" Dustin asked

Ariana smirked. "Yeah, feel what?" She turned to Steve.

"It's like before a storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like electricity," Steve explained.

"Oh, like the electromagnetic field when clouds form in the atmosphere?" Dustin said.

"No, no, no, like sexual electricity. You sense it, and then you make your move." Steve corrected.

Ariana sighed, "The boy is eleven, Steve. He doesn't need to be thinking about 'sexual electricity.'"

"He'll be fine," Steve reassured.

"So, is that when you kiss her?" Dustin asked.

"Whoa, slow down, Romeo. Some girls may want you to be aggressive, strong, and passionate, like a lion. But others, you have to be slow and subtle, like a ninja." Steve responded.

"I'm going to leave you boys alone to talk about...whatever you're talking about because I want no part in it," Ariana said deciding to distance herself from the boys.

"What type is my sister?" Dustin asked. Ariana overheard them despite walking a few feet away.

"Your sister is different from other girls. She's the type of girl you'd ruin a college application for." Ariana quietly laughed, still harboring resentment for Steve's actions.

"Hey, how much longer?" Ariana asked and Dustin replied, "Not much." She just wanted the walk to end to the awkwardness in the air.

They finally reached the junkyard and started placing meat as bait. They heard Lucas yell from the other side of the junkyard, "I said medium-well!"

Lucas arrived with two girls, Max and Juliette, whom Steve and Ariana didn't recognize. They waved at them. "Who are those girls?" Ariana asked.

"The redhead is Max, and the other is Juliette. She's Will's cousin." It dawned on Ariana that Juliette was the girl Dustin had been talking about.

After setting everything up, the group hid inside the bus and waited. Lucas used binoculars, Steve sat next to Ariana as she loaded her crossbow. Dustin was pacing nervously.

"So, you really fought one of these things before?" Juliette asked Ariana, who nodded in confirmation.

"Are you sure it wasn't a bear?" Juliette questioned.

Dustin stopped pacing and looked at Juliette. "Don't be an idiot. If you don't believe us, why are you even here? Just go home." He said.

"Someone's cranky. Past your bedtime," she rolled her eyes and moved up front with Max.

"That's good. Just show her you don't care," but Ariana playfully hit him on the arm. Dustin muttered, "I don't."

Steve winked at him, to which Dustin responded, "Why are you winking, Steve? Stop it."

"Maybe your advice didn't work," Ariana teased. "My advice always works." Steve defended himself.

Meanwhile, Max sat beside Juliette at the front. "It's kind of awesome," Max said, gazing out of the window at the fog.

Juliette turned to her. "What?" She asked.

"The fog, I mean. It looks like the ocean," Max replied, still staring out the window.

"Do you miss it?" Juliette asked.

"What?" Max asked.

"The ocean, the waves, California? Hawkins seems pretty lame. I used to live in New York City before this, so it's a step-down," Juliette explained.

"That's cool. I've always wanted to visit New York," Max said.

"Why did you move?" Max asked.

Juliette sighed. "My mom, she's...she's not the most loving mother. We had a huge fight, and I just couldn't take it, so she sent me to live with my aunt, which is much better than living with her. I just miss the city," she explained.

"What about your dad?" Max asked.

"He died when I was little. I don't remember much of him. All I have is a book full of Polaroids my mom took. He seemed like a great dad," Max was silent for a minute.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay. I mean, I can't really do anything about it, so I've learned to accept it," Juliette said.

"Do you ever miss California?" Juliette asked.

"My dad is still there," Max said.

Juliette sat up. "Why?" she asked.

"It's this legal term called 'divorce.' See, when two married people don't love each other anymore-"

"I know what divorce is," Juliette laughed.

"My mom and my stepdad, they wanted a fresh start away from him. As if...as if he was the problem, which is total bull. And things...are just worse now. My stepbrother has always been a dick, but now he's just angry...all the time, and...well, he can't take it out on my mom, so-"

"So he takes it out on you?" Juliette asked.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this. You probably don't even care," Juliette put her hand on Max's hand.

"I care," she said. Max smiled and then sighed.

"It's just...I know that I can be a jerk like him sometimes, and I do not want to be like him, ever. I guess I'm angry, too, and...I'm sorry," Max said, then started to cry a little.

"Jesus! What's wrong with me?" Max wiped a tear.

"Hey," Juliette held Max's hand.

"You're nothing like your brother, okay? You're cool and different. And you're super smart. You're like totally radical, dude," Juliette lightly punched Max's shoulder, making her laugh.

"Nobody says that, you know," Max said.

"Well, I do. I like talking with you, Mayfield," Juliette smiled.

"I like talking with you, Jules," Max smiled.

Their moment was interrupted by a loud growling in the distance. They all started to look out the window.

"Lucas, what's going on?" Ariana yelled.

"Hold on," Lucas looked through the binoculars to look for the creature.

"I've got eyes! Ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!" He yelled.

"What's he doing?" Steve asked.

"I don't know," Dustin answered.

"Wait. Are you sure that's not a dog?" Juliette asked.

They all watched as the monster sniggered around the bait, but it didn't take one bite. "He's not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?" Ariana asked.

"Maybe he's not hungry," Dustin said.

"Maybe he's sick of cow," Steve said.

Ariana straightened up. She thought of an idea and then grabbed her crossbow. "Ari? Ariana, what are you doing?" Dustin asked.

"Just get ready," Ariana threw him the lighter.

She was about to exit the bus, but Steve stopped her. "What are you, crazy? You can't go out there, it's not safe," Steve said.

"Steve, you're forgetting I have superpowers. I can take care of myself," Ariana said.

"I'm coming with you. I won't let you get hurt," Ariana sighed while Steve grabbed his bat.

They both exited the bus and slowly walked toward the creature. Steve whistled at the creature.

"Come on, buddy." He continued whistling.

"What are they doing?" Juliette asked.

"Expanding the menu," Dustin said.

"Come on, buddy," Steve and Ariana were right next to the bait. "Human tastes better than cat, I promise," Ariana said.

"They are insane," Max said.

"They're awesome," Dustin smiled.

The creature finally came out of hiding, and Steve and Ariana got ready. "Steve, Ariana, watch out!" Lucas yelled.

"We're a little busy here!" Ariana yelled. "Three o'clock! Three o'clock!" he yelled.

They turned to the side and saw another creature.

"Ariana! Steve! Abort! Abort!" Dustin yelled from the bus. A creature came running at Steve, and he swung the bat.

Then he turned to the side and saw one come up from behind Ariana. He quickly grabbed her by her waist, pulling her in as he swung his bat at the creature. Ariana looked at Steve, shocked.

"Guys, hurry, run!" they kept yelling from the bus. Steve and Ariana ran to the bus, and when they got there, Dustin closed the door.

"Are they rabid or something?!" Max yelled.

"They can't get in! They can't!" Lucas yelled.

Suddenly, the whole bus shifted, and one of the creatures got inside. Steve kept hitting it with his bat, and Ariana kept stabbing it with her arrows.

Everyone was freaking out when Juliette heard a noise coming from the roof. She looked up the emergency exit to see the creature right in front of her. She screamed, and Steve moved her out of the way.

"Out of the way! Do you want some? Come get this!" He yelled. The creature growled at Steve but then stopped and turned the other way. It suddenly jumped off the bus and ran away.

Everyone was confused and quiet. Steve went outside to check if everything was okay.

"What happened?" Max asked.

"Steve scared them off?" Dustin assumed.

Ariana shook her head. "No, they're going somewhere."

END OF CHAPTER