𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄 | stranger things ✓

CHAPTER NINETEEN: FEELINGS

feelings; an emotional state or reaction

When the young group of kids and their pissed-off babysitter arrived at the hole in the pumpkin patch Hopper dug up earlier, they prepared themselves by protecting themselves from the upside down tunnels with goggles or something similar. They also made sure their mouths were covered, just in case (you saw what happened to Will). Mel wore a purple banana and a pair of swimming googles Dustin gave her. As they were getting ready, Steve continued to talk them out of it. Of course, they gave him the silent treatment.

"Are you guys deaf? Hello?" Steve asked them but just continued to ignore him. "I thought i made myself clear!" He eyed them one at a time to see if at least one of them were listening. "We are not going down there right now!" He watched Melanie pass him with a gasoline can. He stood in front of her and snatched it from her. "This ends right now!" which got their attention.

"We don't have time for your shit, Steve." Melanie told him, sounding a lot like Dustin. Dustin felt almost proud. Steve looked at her in shock, not expecting those words to come out her mouth.

"We get that you're upset but a party member requires assistance," Dustin took the can of gasoline back and gave it to Mel again. Steve rolled his eyes at Dustin's serious tone. "and it is our duty to provide that assistance. I know you promised that you'd keep us safe," Max passed Dustin Steve's baseball bat. "So keep us safe." He offered Steve the bat to take. Steve shook his head.

"Steve!" Mike yelled. "Stop being a lil bitch and help us!"

Steve sighed before yelling back, "Alright! Alright." He took the bat from Dustin who gave him a nod. "Dipshits..." He said to himself.

The group started covering (what they called) the hive mind, in gasoline to distract the demo-dogs. Steve threw a lit match into the middle of the hub as the kids stood back and watched. Panic shivered through Melanie's body when the ground shook causing them to fall over or stumble. "We have to go! Now!" Steve warned just before they heard the howls from the demo-dogs coming their way. The babysitter help the kids climb up the rope one at a time. This was when Mel thought she wasn't going to make it. She wanted to be last to safety, if she even got there in time. She didn't have to live, as long as her party made it out, she didn't care. The last three remaining in the tunnels, Steve, Dustin and Melanie, could feel the vibration of the massive heard of demo-dogs heading their way. Melanie wanted Dustin out of there now. She didn't want him to end up like Bob. "Mel. Go now!" Steve told her and helped her by boosting her up. Mike and Lucas pulled her up.

"Dustin! Come on!" Mike reached out his hand. But it was too late they were right in front of Steve and Dustin. There was no way for them to get out of there in time. Melanie gasped realizing that the dogs were inches away. She couldn't let him die. So she tried jumping back in but Lucas held her back.

"DUSTIN!" She screamed. Steve held Dustin close as the monsters ran by them. Not a scratch on either of them. Mel swore her heart stop for a few seconds. She really thought Dustin and Steve were goners. She wasn't the only one that thought that. This was the moment she realized she would do anything for this boy. She wouldn't know she had other powers without her first friend. And she really wanted him to never "nearly die" again.

Mike and Lucas helped Dustin and Steve from the tunnels. Before Dustin could even wipe the dirt from his cloths, Melanie basically jumped on him, giving him the biggest hug she could give making the curly headed boy blush. "I thought you were going to die." She told him, still holding on tight.

"So did I-I mean," He stuttered. "You're not gonna get rid of me that easy." He said, bravely.

"Holy shit." Steve thew himself on the ground in relief. "We nearly died. We nearly died." He nervously repeated. "I told you guys that that was a bad idea. But did you listen to me?" His talking turned into rambling but the kids just stood there listening to him go insane. "No! No one listens to me! 'Let's just ignore Steve!'" He mocked. "'It'll be really funny!'"

"Shut up, Steve!" They all yelled.

"I think we helped." Dustin reassured the group.

"Yeah," Mike agreed. "We did."