History Must Repeat Itself

Chapter 21

         Nancy produced a small first aid kit and I pulled my dirty flannel shirt off El's leg before she began dressing the wound again. Leaving her to it, I walked over to Madison who was biting on her thumbnail, staring down at her friend with worry. I grabbed her arm, pulling her to the side.

"How the hell did you end up in a Russian lair?" Madison asked before I could talk. I looked at her with surprise. I didn't realize I'd be the one in trouble.

"It's a long story," I said, "did you even try to get ahold of me? I haven't seen you in like three days."

"I was with El and Max," Madison rolled her eyes, the answer that explained everything. I sighed loudly, knowing this wasn't the time or place to have a parental discussion about staying in contact for safety purposes.

"Okay, we'll talk about this when we get home," I hugged Madison for the second time, "I'm really glad to see you."

Madison squished my ribs in response. Not expecting it, a hiss slipped through my lips. My sister stepped back, eyebrow cocked. I opened my mouth, pushing my tongue against my teeth. I couldn't avoid revealing my wounds.

"I've got a broken rib or two I think. I wasn't being very cooperative with the Russians apparently."

Madison smirked, "good. I would've been pissed if you'd co-operated them. Steve doesn't look good either."

"Yeah, they were more inclined to beat on him. I think Robin got hit once."

"That's sexist," Madison commented sarcastically. I snorted in agreement.

Everyone was slowly coming back together, the conversations morphing into one. I turned Madison around, teasingly pushing her towards the group. The attention was on Mike as he spoke, explain what was happening with El. 

"The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world."

I rested my head on Steve's shoulder. At least two days without proper sleep was starting to take effect, pain its companion. His cheek pressed against my head.

"And almost did," Nancy said, "that was just one tiny piece of it."

"How big is this thing?" Hopper asked, his bushy eyebrows scrunching as he glanced down at his daughter.

"It's big. Thirty feet at least," Jonathan answered, a tinge of disbelief in his voice.

Madison nodded in agreement, her eyebrows raised. She was seeing the monster in her mind. 

"Yeah, and ah," Lucas turned to Hop awkwardly, "it sort of destroyed your cabin. Sorry."

Annoyance crossed Hopper's face. If this were any other day, I would've laughed. That poor man lived in a constant state of annoyance because of his adopted daughter and her friends.

"Okay, so just to be clear," Steve said, "this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El - it's some kind of gigantic weapon?"

"Yes," Nancy answered.

"But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon with melted people."

"Yes, exactly."

Steve glanced at me. He wanted to believe that this was some group delusion. That we weren't going to be a part of. I shrugged, pursing my lips. I was ready to believe anything at this point. Sighing, Steve turned his torso towards Nancy.

"Yeah, okay. I'm just making sure."

The kids continued to discuss the huge flesh spider when the half bald man stamped his way back into the food court, waving papers in his hands.