Another Stranger Things one-shot. Hope everyone likes. Drop a comment on your way out. :)
The human mind is truly the scariest thing of all. That was the only thought going through Mike's mind as he ran next to Dustin.
"How was I supposed to know it would explode, Mike! It was just a diagram! A diagram, Mike!"
"A diagram covered in flammable paper and set up next to a bunsen burner! Why did you set it up next to a bunsen burner?"
"Actually, I set the bunsen burner next to the diagram."
"Why, Dustin! Why?"
"It was a complete accident! I didn't know the flames went that high!"
"Next time, think!"
They burst out of the middle school doors and raced down the steps towards their bikes, then jumped on them and started pedaling at full speed.
"Oh shit! Oh shit! We're gonna get arrested for being arsonists!"
"Calm down, Dustin! They don't have any evidence to link us to the crime!"
"Mr. Clarke knows we were there, Mike! He'll have no problem ratting us out! We're doomed to spend the rest of our lives in jail! I can't handle jail! Think about the food they serve there!"
"Dustin!" Mike finally shouted at the top of his lungs.
"What, Michael? You can't blame me for freaking out! We're going to jail!"
"We're not going to jail, Dustin! We got out of the school in time, the sprinklers were going off, Mr. Clarke likes you enough to know that we wouldn't lie about it being a accident, and Hopper listens to El, and El wouldn't let him take us to jail."
Dustin finally stopped freaking out, and then both of them skidded to a stop.
"Do you think if we hurry back, we can clean it up so no one notices?"
Mike bit his lip, and then finally nodded.
"Yeah, let's do that. Then we don't have to worry Mr. Clarke with your reckless actions."
"Hey," Dustin snapped as they started to head back towards the school. "I'll have you know that I am not reckless. It was a complete coincidence."
0o0o0o0o0o0
"Why is he bleeding?" Mike asked with a sigh following close behind.
"Because he's a idiot," Lucas replied instantly.
"I didn't know idiocy caused people to just spontaneously start bleeding from the nose."
"I think it's a new phenomenon," Lucas said dryly, ignoring the sound of protest that came from Dustin.
"So, how did this happen?"
At that point, Dustin opened his mouth and started to talk, but then closed it before more that a 'He' could get past his lips.
"Ah," Lucas sighed, and then smiled widely. "I think I like him with a bleeding nose. He's a lot quieter."
Dustin glared from his spot on the couch, and promptly kicked Lucas in the shin.
"Hey! What was that for?"
Dustin mumbled something unintelligible without opening his mouth. Luckily for Lucas, he'd known Dustin long enough to know what he said.
"It was not my idea for the rocket powered skateboard, was it? And just because I helped, doesn't make it my fault!"
"Wait!" Mike exclaimed. "A rocket powered skateboard?"
Dustin nodded eagerly.
"Yeah," Lucas said with a wide grin. "He thought it'd make him look cooler to girls."
Dustin turned slowly towards Lucas, and then with exaggerated slowness, he drew his finger across his throat.
"So," Mike said slowly, like he wasn't quite sure what was going on, and he didn't want to know. "Want to hear about this new book I read?"
Dustin nodded eagerly, and Lucas leaned forward.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"This is my life now.I have climbed this hill, and now I will die upon it," Dustin exclaimed dramatically before falling to the ground.
"Shut up," Max told him matter-of-factly. "We've only been hiking for twenty minutes."
"Hiking is hard work," Dustin insisted from the ground with his eyes closed.
"Dude, fifteen of the minutes we were hiking was you checking your bag," she huffed.
"One must be sure to include the proper snacks when one is facing the dangers of wilderness."
"I can literally see the road from here, Dustin."
"Still, we must rest."
"Dustin! We have to beat them! I refuse to allow Lucas, Will, Mike, and El beat us to the treasure. We have to get it before them. Who knows what they'll use it for?"
"And you think I'm being dramatic?"
"Dustin," she whined, whined! "You know how everyone put something they thought someone else would like in the chest before Hopper hid it?"
"Yeah?"
"I know what El put in."
Dustin looked at her curiously, and raised an eyebrow.
"3 Musketeers and Nilla Wafers."
Dustin's eyes widened and he shot off the ground.
"What are you sitting around for, Max? Let's go!
0o0o0o0o0o0
"Literally everything about this is illegal," Will whispered.
Dustin waved his hand around. "Details. Besides, when has that stopped us?"
"Yeah, but we were in danger. You just want those-"
"Shhhh! You can't say that. They have ears like bats. They hear all."
"Dustin, I hate to break it to you, but I doubt that you'll get caught right now, no matter how bad this is to do."
"No," Dustin snapped. "I know. I know they'll see me if we're not like ninja."
"I think you're being paranoid."
"I'm not!"
"Seriously, how would your mom hear me say Nilla Wafers?"
"Dustie, are you home?" a voice called from by the front door.
Just as Will was about to answer, Dustin tackled him and covered his mouth. Then they slowly crawled underneath the table.
"I guess he's not here," came the voice of Mrs. Henderson from the kitchen. "Now, where did I set my keys? Oh, here they are, right next to the wafers. I think I'll have one."
A beat passed, and once they heard the front door close, both were out from under the table.
"Now, for the reward," Dustin proclaimed gleefully.
He snatched the packet of cookies from the counter, opened it, and screamed.
"What's wrong?" Will asked as he rushed to look inside the box.
Then he saw the issue. It was empty.
"She ate the last one!"