Day 1

Dustin

"What do you mean slugs? Like, actual slugs? The kind you find outside?" Dustin asked, flicking the brim of his baseball hat up so he could get a better look at Will.

"What other kinds of slugs are there?" Mike asked, annoyed.

"How should I know?" Dustin shot back. He sat down heavily on the fractured edge of a block of shale they'd found inside the forest. The rock was on top of a hill, giving them an ideal spot for watching the camp's movement. Mostly people were waiting, though. The chief had driven off over an hour ago to get an update on Hawkins. No one wanted to stick around, sleeping in cabins and tents for another night, but until they had a status report that confirmed they couldn't return home, they also didn't want to leave for an extended stay with friends or family outside of the area. Some people – Dustin glanced at Mike – were still waiting for family members to arrive. Mike's mom and Mrs. Harrington had left together earlier that afternoon to find a payphone where they could each try calling their husbands.

"You said they were Demogorgon larvae?" Dustin asked.

Will shrugged uncomfortably and looked at his shoes. "Maybe, I don't know. It was just a theory."

"But why?" Dustin pushed. "Did they look like Demogorgon spawn?"

Will gave him a tight-lipped look. Mike rolled his eyes and asked, "How could they look like a Demogorgon? They were slugs, Dustin."

Dustin raised his eyebrows and frowned. He seemed to cool on the topic for a few minutes while the three boys lounged on the rock, letting the silence and calm soak in. "I know," he said finally, leaning forward and looking across at Mike and Will. "I know how they resembled the Demogorgon." He paused for dramatic effect. "They didn't have a face."

Mike and Will stared at Dustin with identical surprised looks. Then, shockingly, Will began laughing. "You're an idiot," Mike said, chuckling while Dustin adopted a fake offended expression.

The laughter wore off quickly and before they knew it, they were talking about Lucas again. "Where's you're comm?" Dustin asked Mike.

Mike shook his head. "In the cabin, but the battery died last night."

"I think mine's in Jonathan's car," Will piped in.

"Good, we should get it," Dustin said.

"I don't think Lucas has his comm with him," Mike replied.

Will lifted his head. "You think he's in the Upside Down?" he asked.

"I don't know," Mike admitted. "Maybe he went to his aunt's house."

"Did he fly?" Dustin asked sarcastically. When Mike looked at him he explained, "Remember what the chief said last night? Both of his parents' cars were still at home. They didn't drive anywhere. And he didn't take his bike."

"I don't know, okay?" Mike replied angrily. "I'm just trying to stay positive."

"And I'm trying to be realistic," Dustin shot back.

"By saying that Lucas got captured?" Mike asked, heatedly.

"So what if he did?" Dustin yelled, standing up and stomping his foot. "We got Will back. Now we're going to get Lucas back!"

Mike was left stunned into silence. Still sitting on the rock, Will looked from one friend to the other. The only sound was Dustin's heavy breathing as he continued to glare at Mike. After he'd digested Dustin's words, Mike asked, "Do you have a plan?"

"Mike, it's your mom," Will interrupted them.

Down the hill, two women were walking into the camp, talking to each other. Mr. Wheeler wasn't with them. Neither was Steve's dad. But when they reached the first cabin, a beige Blazer slowly pulled out of the woods and parked.

"And the chief," Will added.