The sun was just starting to rise, casting a soft golden glow through the blinds as Dove and Dustin hurried around the kitchen, grabbing last-minute items before heading out the door for school. The usual morning chaos filled the air—backpacks being zipped, cereal bowls clattering in the sink, and Mrs. Henderson calling out reminders from the living room about lunchboxes and jackets.

Dove was packing her own bag when she noticed Dustin, huddled at the kitchen counter, looking unusually focused on something. His back was to her, and for a moment, she didn't think much of it. But then she saw it—the unmistakable shape of Dart, tucked inside Dustin's Ghostbusters trap.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Dustin, what the hell are you doing?" Dove whisper-shouted, rushing over to him.

Dustin jumped, quickly snapping the lid of the trap shut and giving her a sheepish grin. "What? Nothing. Just... packing my lunch."

Dove folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Don't even try it. I saw Dart in there. You can't bring him to school!"

Dustin looked down at the lunchbox, his grin fading but the spark of mischief still in his eyes. "Why not? I just want to show him to the guys. It'll be fine. They're gonna freak out when they see him."

Dove groaned, rubbing her temples. "Dustin, we don't even know what Dart is. What if something happens? What if he... escapes or something?"

"He won't," Dustin insisted, lifting the prop slightly as if to reassure her. "I've got him in here good. He's not going anywhere. Besides, it's just for one day. I'll bring him right back home after school."

"This is a terrible idea," Dove muttered, pacing as she thought of all the things that could go wrong. She shot him a look, her voice firm. "You need to leave Dart here. Seriously. What if Mom finds out? Or worse—what if something happens to him at school?"

Dustin gave her a pleading look, his hands still gripping the lunchbox tightly. "Come on, Dove. It's not a big deal. The guys will love him. And he'll be fine. I promise."

Dove stared at him for a long moment, feeling her resolve weaken slightly. Dustin was always good at wearing her down with that look, but this was different. Dart wasn't just some new pet—he was something they didn't understand, something potentially dangerous.

But before she could say anything else, Mrs. Henderson's voice called out from the living room. "You two better hurry, or you're gonna be late!"

Dustin shot Dove a quick, nervous glance before grabbing his backpack and shoving the lunchbox inside. "I'll be careful, I swear," he said, his tone softer now.

Dove sighed, her frustration bubbling up, but there was no time to argue further. She slung her own bag over her shoulder and headed for the door.

As they walked out the door and toward their bikes, Dove couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that bringing Dart to school was a mistake. Something about it felt off, like they were tempting fate. She kept glancing at Dustin's backpack, wondering if the creature inside could sense what was happening.

The bell rang, signaling the start of lunch, but Dove wasn't hungry. The day had already been tense, a constant knot in her stomach that seemed to tighten every time she walked down the hall. She could feel the stares, the whispers—people still talking about the rumors Billy had spread weeks ago, rumors she had tried to ignore. But it wasn't just the rumors that were gnawing at her.

It was Billy himself.

He had been quiet for a while, leaving her alone, but the way he looked at her in the halls—the smug grin, the mocking glances—made her skin crawl. Dove had tried to stay out of his way, hoping he'd get bored and move on. But that was wishful thinking. Billy wasn't the type to let things go. He liked control, liked power, and Dove was still in his sights.

As she made her way down the crowded hallway, she kept her head low, hugging her books tightly against her chest. She could feel his eyes on her before she even saw him.

"Hey, Dove." Billy's voice cut through the noise of the hallway, low and taunting.

Dove froze for a moment, her grip tightening on her books. She didn't need to look to know it was him. Her heart quickened, her pulse pounding in her ears.

"What, not gonna say hi?" Billy's voice was closer now, and she could hear the sneer in it.

Dove kept walking, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. Her pace quickened, but Billy wasn't the type to let her escape easily.

"Come on, Dove. Don't be like that," Billy called after her, his tone dripping with mockery. "You don't have to act all shy now."

The words made Dove's stomach turn. She could hear the laughter from some of the guys hanging around Billy, fueling his taunts. Her cheeks burned with anger and humiliation, but she kept walking, ignoring the pounding in her chest.

Billy's voice trailed off as Dove rounded the corner, finally putting some distance between them. She didn't stop until she reached the door of the school's library. The noise of the hallway faded as she stepped inside, the quiet atmosphere offering her some small comfort.

The library was nearly empty, as usual. Most students preferred to spend their lunch breaks gossiping in the cafeteria, not buried in books. She walked between the rows of shelves, her mind still buzzing with the encounter with Billy. The anger simmered beneath the surface, but there was nothing she could do. She was tired of feeling cornered, tired of being reminded of that awful night. But right now, she had more important things to worry about.

Dart.

The creature had been on her mind since she woke up, gnawing at her curiosity. She still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about him—something more than just his alien appearance. Dove wanted answers. She needed to know what they were dealing with, and if anyone could help, maybe there was a book in here somewhere that would offer a clue.

She made her way to the science section, scanning the shelves for anything on reptiles, amphibians, or even cryptids. Her fingers brushed against the spines of the books, her eyes flicking over the titles—"The Hidden World of Amphibians," "Strange Creatures," and "Unexplained Phenomena." None of them felt quite right, but she grabbed them anyway, stacking them in her arms as she headed to the nearest table.

As she sat down and opened the first book, she felt a shadow fall across the page. Dove looked up, startled to see Eddie Munson standing there, his arms crossed, a curious smirk on his face.

"Didn't peg you for the bookworm type," Eddie said, his tone light and teasing, though his eyes were curious as they flicked between Dove and the stack of books in front of her.

Dove blinked, surprised to see him here. She hadn't known Eddie spent time in the library, but then again, she didn't really know him at all. She gave him a half-smile, shrugging. "Yeah, well, I like to hide out sometimes. Keeps me out of trouble."

Eddie raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Trouble? You? I don't believe it."

Dove chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Trust, it finds me."

Eddie's eyes softened at that, the teasing look fading slightly. He pulled out a chair and sat across from her, glancing down at the books. "So, what's got you diving into the weird and wild world of amphibians?"

Dove hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. When she was sure they were alone, she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I, uh... I found something. Last night. It's... not like anything I've ever seen before."

Eddie leaned in too, his interest clearly piqued. "Found something? What, like an animal?"

Dove nodded slowly. "Yeah. Sort of. It's... strange. Like, really strange. I can't figure out what it is, and nothing I've read is helping."

Eddie tilted his head, his curiosity growing. "What does it look like?"

Dove glanced down at the book in front of her, biting her lip. "It's small. Kind of like a slug, but it has legs. And no eyes. It's... I don't know."

Eddie's brows furrowed as he processed the description, leaning back in his chair. "Huh. That's... definitely not normal. You think it's dangerous?"

Dove shrugged, though the unease was clear in her expression. "I don't know yet. It seems harmless right now, but I just... I have a bad feeling about it."

Eddie nodded, the smirk gone, replaced by a more thoughtful look. He tapped his fingers on the table for a moment before leaning forward again. "Tell you what, I'll help you look. I've got some books on weird stuff back home—cryptids, supernatural creatures, that sort of thing. Might be worth a shot."

Dove's eyes widened slightly, surprised by his offer. She hadn't expected Eddie to take her seriously, but here he was, offering to help without hesitation. "You'd do that?"

Eddie grinned, his teasing tone returning for a moment. "What, you think I'd leave you hanging after that description? No way. I'm all in."

Dove smiled, the tension in her chest easing a little. "Thanks, Eddie. I could use the help."

Eddie nodded, pushing back his chair and standing up. "No problem. I'll grab the books tonight and bring them by tomorrow. We'll figure out what your little slug monster is."

As Eddie turned to leave, Dove felt a small sense of relief wash over her. She still didn't have answers about Dart, and the tension with Billy was far from over, but for now, she had someone in her corner. And that was more than she'd had in a long time.

After the final bell rang at the high school, Dove wasted no time heading toward Hawkins Middle School. She hadn't seen Dustin all day, but her gut told her something was wrong. That uneasy feeling, the one that had been gnawing at her since that morning, only grew stronger as she made her way over.

The middle school wasn't far, but every step she took felt like she was running out of time. Dustin had promised to be careful with Dart, but "careful" wasn't exactly her brother's strong suit. She just hoped she could catch him before anything went wrong.

When she arrived at the school, the sun was already sinking lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the empty football field. Most of the students had already gone home, but Dove knew where to find her brother. She made a beeline for the back of the school, toward the AV Club room where she knew Dustin and his friends would be hanging out.

The hallways were quiet, echoing with the distant sounds of cleaning staff and the last stragglers packing up their things. As she turned the corner, Dove spotted a girl with bright red hair sitting on the floor outside the AV room, her back against the wall and a frustrated look on her face. She was fiddling with her backpack straps, clearly irritated, her foot tapping the linoleum floor impatiently.

Dove approached cautiously, her eyes darting between the girl and the closed door of the AV room. She could hear muffled voices coming from inside, though she couldn't make out what was being said.

"Dustin, what's going on in there?" Dove called, knocking lightly on the door as she stopped a few feet away.

From inside, Dustin's voice called back, "Nothing. We'll be out in a second."

The red-haired girl stood up abruptly, rolling her eyes in clear frustration. "Alright. That's it," she muttered, pulling a paperclip from her backpack. Dove watched in surprise as the girl expertly bent the clip and began picking the lock on the door.

"Wait—" Dove started to say, but before she could finish, the lock clicked and the door swung open with a creak.

No sooner had the door opened than a slimy, dark shape bolted out from inside the room, skittering across the floor with surprising speed. Dove's eyes widened in shock.

"Dart?!" she gasped, watching in disbelief as the creature slithered down the hall. But this time, something was different. Dart had grown... legs. Fully formed back legs that propelled him forward in quick, jerky motions.

In the chaos, Dustin collided with the red-haired girl, knocking her to the ground as he scrambled after Dart. "Where did he go?!" Dustin yelled frantically, his head whipping around as he searched for any sign of the escaping creature.

The redhead, now getting to her feet after being tackled by Dustin, dusted herself off and looked at them all with wide eyes. "What was that?"

"Dart!" Mike yelled back at her, his voice filled with urgency. "You let him escape!"

"Why did you attack him?!" Dustin stepped closer to Mike who ran down the hall. "Dont hurt him!" Dustin yelled after him. "Don't you hurt him!"

The group immediately split up, scattering in different directions to search for Dart. Dove's heart pounded in her chest as she hurried down the hall, her mind racing with the possibilities of what could happen if they didn't find the creature soon. Dart had grown back legs. A change like that in only a few hours was impossible.

Dove quickly slipped into an empty classroom, her eyes scanning the dimly lit space for any sign of movement. The rows of desks were undisturbed, and the only sound was the faint hum of the overhead lights. She crouched down, peering under the desks, hoping to catch a glimpse of Dart's slimy form.

Nothing.

She stood back up, feeling the tension rise in her chest. The longer Dart was out there, the greater the risk—not just for Dustin, but for everyone. As she was about to move to another room, the sound of hurried footsteps came from the hallway.

Dustin appeared in the doorway, breathless and wide-eyed. "Dove!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and urgency. "Will found him in the bathroom by Salerno's!"

Dove's eyes widened, and without another word, she followed Dustin as he sprinted down the hall, his sneakers squeaking against the linoleum floors. They rushed past rows of lockers, their feet pounding as they neared the bathroom at the end of the hall.

When they burst through the door, Dove's heart sank.

The bathroom was empty.

There was no sign of Will anywhere—just the faint dripping of water from the sinks and the eerie stillness of the room. Dustin's face fell as he scanned the space, his hands shaking slightly.

"Where is he?" Dustin whispered, glancing around in confusion. "Will said he was here."

Dove frowned, her eyes narrowing as she stepped further into the room. She stepped toward the only closed stall and slowly opened it. There he was, wriggling near the base of the toilet, his small legs twitching as he scuttled toward the corner.

Dustin hurried over, carefully scooping Dart into his hands. The little creature wriggled in his grasp, but didn't resist as much this time. Dustin glanced at Dove, his face pale and tense.

"We can't let the others see him," Dustin whispered, his voice low and urgent. "They'll freak out. Mike... he'll try to hurt him."

Dove's brow furrowed, her mind torn between trusting Dustin and the reality of the situation. She could see the desperation in her brother's eyes. Dart wasn't just some creature to him—he was important. Special.

"Dustin..." Dove hesitated, but before she could say more, Dustin pulled off his baseball cap and quickly tucked Dart underneath it. The creature squirmed for a moment but then stilled, hidden beneath the brim of the hat.

"Please, Dove," Dustin implored, his voice soft but filled with emotion. "Something is happening that I can't tell you about. I just need you to trust me."

Dove stared at her brother for a long moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see the worry in his eyes, the way he held onto Dart like he was protecting more than just a strange creature.

Finally, Dove sighed, giving him a small nod.

Just as they turned to leave the bathroom, the door creaked open, and Mike, Lucas, and the red-haired girl appeared in the doorway, their faces filled with worry and anticipation.

"Where's Dart?" Mike asked, his eyes darting between Dove and Dustin.

Dustin, his face the picture of innocence, shook his head. "I don't know. Not here. Maybe Will has him."

Mike let out a frustrated groan, looking into each stall. He stopped. "Where is Will?"

The tension in the air was palpable as the group left the bathroom, still reeling from the search for Dart. The relief Dove had felt at finding the creature was quickly overshadowed by a new realization—Will was missing.

"Will!" she called, her voice carrying down the empty corridors. But there was no answer. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind raced, wondering where he could have gone.

As she rounded a corner, Dove nearly collided with Joyce Byers, who was rushing down the hallway in the opposite direction, her face pale and drawn with fear.

"Dove! Have you seen Will?" Joyce asked frantically, her eyes wide with panic. She grabbed Dove's arm, as though she could pull the answer from her. Dove looked in her eyes, expecting to see a mother overreacting after her son went missing last year, but there was something else there.

"We'll find him," Dove said, though her voice wavered with uncertainty. She tried to sound reassuring, but the pit in her stomach told her otherwise.

Suddenly, Lucas pushed into the hallway from outside. "The field!"

As they got closer, Dove's heart pounded in her chest. Will wasn't moving. He stood there, eerily still, his eyes wide open but unfocused. His body was rigid, and his lips were parted slightly as though he were trying to say something, but no sound came out.

"Will!" Joyce cried as she reached him, grabbing his shoulders and trying to shake him out of whatever state he was in. "Will, honey, it's Mom! Sweetie, wake up!"

But Will didn't respond. He didn't even blink. His eyes stared blankly ahead, glassy and distant, as though he were trapped in some kind of nightmare. Joyce shook Will again, her voice growing more desperate. "Will! Will, wake up! Can you hear me?"

Dove stood back, watching in stunned silence. Her heart ached for Joyce, for the fear in her eyes and the pain in her voice. But something about Will's stillness, his vacant expression, sent a cold chill down her spine. This wasn't just a seizure. This wasn't something medical.

This was something else. Something deeper.

Dove glanced around at the others—Mike's face was pale with worry, Lucas was shifting nervously from foot to foot, and Dustin was standing still, his cap pulled low, hiding Dart. Even Max, who hadn't been a part of their group for long, looked shaken.

Joyce's frantic sobs filled the silence as she held Will's stiff body, her tears falling onto the grass as she pleaded with him to wake up. Dove's hands trembled as she stepped forward, feeling helpless. Whatever was happening to Will, it wasn't something they could fight with words or tears. It was something far darker.

Something that had come for him.