"I'm sorry my heart's too big for my own good! I just want to be a good person!"
~
Theodore Chambers moves from his home in London to Hawkins and realizes this town isn't what it seems
Or
In which the new kid in town is thrown into all sorts of insa...
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chapter twenty-one; back in the mall
Back at Starcourt Mall—in all its luminescent beauty. The neon lights flashed in their faces as they pulled up to the empty parking lot. Teddy didn't think he'd ever be breaking into such a place in the middle of the night just after it closed and the final movie ended. He also didn't think there would be a gate here either... but here he was. Going to the mall after closing hours to help Dustin and close the gate once again. It's what every kid wants to do at the mall.
It was quiet. Dead silent in the mall as the group crept inside to find Dustin. From the top floor where they entered, they vaguely heard some voices... speaking another language. Russian, if Teddy recognized that right. Teddy assisted El to the edge of the banister to see the commotion, with the others joining by their side. Four men with guns searched around the food court, eyeing one shop in particular. They needed to stop the men or distract them to get down there.
El released herself from Teddy's arms, shuffling toward the very edge. She stood firmly, her arm stretched out over the banister. Her mind focused on the car. It shook and honked before the men on the floor with their guns. It gained their attention. In one swoop, she threw her hand forward, flinging the car, crashing into all four men. The car flipped and turned on its side numerous times before slamming into another food counter. It definitely killed those men.
Below stood Lucas's little sister Erica, Steve, Robin, and Dustin hiding behind the counter those Russians were stalking. Even at a distance, Teddy noticed Dustin's huge toothless smile. El saved them. Those above moved quickly as they could to the food court to meet the other four. Teddy carried El down the unmoving escalator first, leading the group down. They met together just as they turned the corner of the way down, just before the Gap and JCPenneys.
"You flung that thing like a Hot Wheel!" Dustin greeted with jovial laughter, running toward El and Teddy and engulfing them in a hug. That certainly was one way to put what just happened. Teddy and El wrapped their arms around him, large smiles on their face as well.
"Nice to see you too, Dust." Teddy whispered. He missed his friend. He just got home and the two barely spent any time together... perhaps it is all the Mind Flayers fault, but still.
"I needed your genius with me, Ted." Dustin informed him. From the choppy message he received from Dustin, he could only assume what he (and the other three) went through with... Russians? (If he heard that correctly) was horrible.
Teddy smiled softly. "And we needed yours, Dust."
"Lucas?" Erica exclaimed in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?" Lucas questioned, surprised to see his sister involved.
"Ask them. It's their fault." The little girl sassily jutted her thumb, motioning toward Steve and Robin.
"True, yeah. Totally true." Steve sarcastically agreed with his arms crossed. "It's absolutely our fault."
