Steve sped down the highway, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white. The wind rushed through the open convertible, the music from the radio long since turned off, replaced by the low rumble of the engine and the tension that hung in the air. His jaw was set, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes were locked straight ahead, refusing to look anywhere but the road.
Dove sat in the passenger seat, glancing over at him. His usual confident demeanor was gone, replaced by something darker, more frustrated. The tension was palpable, and it was starting to grate on her nerves.
"Can you go any faster?" Dove asked, leaning forward slightly, her voice strained with urgency.
Steve's eyes flicked toward her for just a split second, his brow furrowed. "I'm going as fast as I can," he snapped, his voice sharp and biting.
Dove blinked, taken aback as she turned to face him more fully, her own frustration rising. "What's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem," Steve shot back, not taking his eyes off the road. "I'm trying to save our friends. That's it."
Dove frowned, confused by his sudden hostility. She had no idea why he was so upset, but before she could press further, Steve slammed on the brakes as they screeched into the parking lot of Starcourt Mall. The bright neon lights from the mall's sign flickered erratically, casting strange shadows across the lot.
As the car skidded to a stop, Dove's heart dropped into her stomach. Parked just ahead of them was Billy's car. Her breath caught in her throat, a cold wave of fear washing over her as memories she thought she had buried came rushing back with overwhelming clarity.
"Shit," she whispered under her breath, her body tensing. She watched as Billy revved the engine of his car, his focus dead set on the front entrance of the mall, where Nancy's car was parked.
Nancy stood at the side of her car, gun raised, firing off shots at Billy's vehicle as he gunned it straight toward her. The screech of tires and the flash of gunfire lit up the night. Everything seemed to slow down in that moment, the chaos of it all making Dove's heart race faster. She felt paralyzed for a second, her mind flashing back to the last time she faced Billy, the terror still fresh.
Suddenly, Steve's voice cut through the noise, urgent and commanding. "Hold on!"
Before Dove or Robin could react, Steve floored the gas pedal. The convertible roared to life, tearing across the parking lot. The wind whipped through Dove's hair as the car shot forward, speeding directly toward Billy's vehicle, which was just feet away from slamming into Nancy.
"Steve!" Robin yelled from the backseat, gripping the sides of the car as they careened across the lot.
Dove grabbed onto the door, her heart in her throat. Everything was moving too fast. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she could do was hold on.
Just as Billy's car was about to plow into Nancy, Steve slammed the convertable into the side of Billy's car with a bone-rattlingcrash. Metal crunched and glass shattered as Steve's car t-boned Billy's, sending it skidding sideways. The impact knocked Billy's vehicle off course, forcing it to come to a screeching halt.
Nancy stumbled back, eyes wide with shock, her gun still raised. She looked from Billy's car to Steve's, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps.
Dove's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the scene in front of her. For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat, thudding in her ears.
Steve sat behind the wheel, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His hands were still gripping the steering wheel tightly, his eyes locked on Billy's car, waiting—anticipating what came next.
Billy's car caught fire, small flames licking up from the hood.
"You guys okay?" Steve asked, his voice strained with concern as he leaned forward, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Robin, still breathless from the impact, managed to crack a grin as she leaned back against the seat. "Ask me tomorrow," she replied with a huff.
Without another word, the three of them pushed their way out of the car, stumbling onto the asphalt. The parking lot was eerily silent for a moment, the air thick the acrid scent of burnt rubber.
But then, a noise from above—metal creaking and bending, followed by a low, guttural rumble—drew their attention upward. Dove froze, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes were drawn to the roof of the mall. At first, it was just a shadow, something impossibly large moving in the darkness. But as it crawled forward, its grotesque form came into full view.
The monster was unlike anything Dove had ever seen. Its massive, spider-like legs twisted and contorted as they smashed into the roof, each step cracking the surface beneath it. Its entire body looked like it was made of flesh and twisted bone, as if it had been stitched together from the remnants of something terrible, something human. It moved with a terrifying grace, its bulk somehow both slow and unnervingly quick as it made its way toward to the peak of the building.
Dove's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and disbelief flooding her senses. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. This thing—it wasn't just a monster. Every inch of it felt unnatural, as if it didn't belong in this world, and the sight of it sent a cold wave of nausea through her body.
How are we supposed to fight that?she thought. Its size alone made her feel small, insignificant. She had known the stakes were high, but staring at it now—its grotesque form towering over the mall—everything felt hopeless.
Dove turned just in time to see Nancy's car screeching to a halt next to them, the tires skidding across the parking lot. Nancy leaned out the window, her face tense with urgency as she honked the horn. "Come on! Get in!"
Without hesitation, Dove, Steve, and Robin scrambled toward the car, diving into the back just as the monster let out a low, rumbling growl. Its enormous body began to move again, creeping toward them with deadly purpose.
Nancy floored the gas pedal, the car lurching forward as they sped away. The monster's massive legs slammed into the parking lot behind them, cracking the asphalt with every step. Dove's heart raced as she turned to look out the back window, watching in horror as the creature gave chase. Its body loomed over them, impossibly large, each step shaking the ground like an earthquake.
The mall faded into the distance as they tore down the empty highway, but the monster wasn't stopping. It was gaining on them, its huge form easily keeping pace, its shadow stretching over the car.
Just when Dove thought they were out of time, the tires screeching as Nancy sped down the dark, empty road, the radio in Robin's hand crackled to life. The static hissed and popped, and for a moment, Dove expected to hear more chaos, maybe another terrifying roar from the monster still pursuing them. But instead, a girl's voice—soft and almost too calm for the situation—cut through the noise.
"Dusty-bun," the voice called, uncertain, "you copy?"
Dove blinked in disbelief, glancing at Robin and Steve, who were just as was so out of place, so absurd, that for a second, Dove wondered if she was hallucinating. Her heart was still hammering from the chase, her body tense with the adrenaline coursing through her veins, but this voice was something entirely different. It didn't fit with the nightmare they were in.
"I copy, Suzie-poo," Dustin's voice came through, his tone way too casual for the gravity of the situation. "It sounds much better now, thanks."
Dove exchanged a bewildered glance with Steve and Robin, the three of them momentarily dumbfounded. Amidst everything, Steve looked at her as ifthiswas the strangest thing that had happened all day.
"Okay, so listen," Dustin continued, his tone steady but with a hint of that familiar boyish charm. "Do you know Planck's constant?"
"Do you know the Earth orbits the sun?" Suzie replied, her voice dripping with mock exasperation.
Dove couldn't help but crack a smile, despite the chaos surrounding them. They were literally being hunted by a giant flesh monster, and Dustin was casually chatting with his girlfriend about physics. Suddenly, it all made sense—why Dustin was so obsessed, why he had been so adamant about her. This girl—Suzie—was everything Dustin had said she was. Smart, sassy, and apparently very unfazed by the fact that the world might be ending.
"Okay," Dustin said, his grin practically audible over the radio. "So, I know it starts with two sixes, and then a.." He trailed off, clearly expecting Suzie to finish the thought.
But instead of rattling off the number like he'd hoped, Suzie's voice came back, laced with playful annoyance. "Okay, so let me be clear on this. I haven't heard from you in a week, and now you want a mathematical equation that youshouldknow so you can.. save the world?"
"Suzie-poo, I promise," Dustin's voice was pleading now, "I will make it up to you as soon as possible."
"You can make it up to me now," Suzie insisted.
"What?" Dustin asked, clearly thrown.
"I want to hear it," Suzie said, her voice firm.
Dove's eyebrows shot up. She glanced over at Steve, whose face was contorted in a mix of confusion and frustration. Steve's grip on the seat tightened, his frustration barely contained as he exchanged a look with Dove.
"Not right now," Dustin's voice came through, his tone verging on panic now.
"Yes, now, Dusty-bun."
"Suzie-poo, this is urgent!" Dustin sounded desperate, his voice higher-pitched than usual, and Dove had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. This wassonot the time, but there was something bizarrely heartwarming about it.
"Yes, yes, you're saving the world," Suzie responded, clearly unimpressed. "I heard you the first time. But Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off."
"Wait, wait, wait! Okay!" Dustin's voice came back, filled with resignation. He took a breath as if preparing for something terrible, and then his voice—soft and hesitant at first—came through, singing.
Dove's jaw dropped.No way.
But sure enough, Dustin's voice carried through the static, clear and unmistakable as he sang the opening lines of the theme song from The NeverEnding Story. And then, to Dove's shock, Suzie joined in, her voice lilting and sweet as they sang the duet together, their voices harmonizing over the walkie.
Everyone in the car stared at the walkie-talkie in Robin's hand, disbelief written on their faces. Steve's expression was one of pure horror, as if he couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. Robin's eyes were wide, her jaw slack, but a laugh escaped her lips despite herself. Dove, meanwhile, could feel the tension in her chest loosening, the absurdity of the situation momentarily overshadowing the fear.
As the two continued singing, the monstrous footsteps behind them seemed quieter, almost distant. Dove found herself laughing softly, shaking her head in disbelief. Maybe this was the strangest thing that had happened all day.
As Dustin and Suzie's duet finally came to an end, the last note ofThe NeverEnding Storyhanging in the air, there was a brief moment of stunned silence in the car. Everyone exchanged wide-eyed looks, as if they were all still trying to process what had just happened.
Suzie's voice crackled through the radio again. "Planck's constant is 6.62607004."
"You just saved the world!" Dustin practically shouted into the walkie, his voice dripping in relief.
Suzie giggled on the other end, "Gosh, I miss you, Dusty-bun."
"And I miss you more, Suzie-poo." Dustin replied.
"I miss you more, multiplied by all the stars in our galaxy."
"No, I miss you-" Dustin was cut off as the radio went silent, the connection lost. The car was filled with a thick, stunned quiet, the reality of their situation settling back in. The absurdity of the musical moment had given them a brief reprieve, but now the weight of everything crashed down on them again.
The quiet didn't last long.
"Uh, guys.." Steve's voice broke through the silence, the edge of panic creeping back into his tone. "The monster.. it's turning around!"
Dove whipped her head around to look out the back window, her heart lurching in her chest. Sure enough, the Mind Flayer had shifted course, its massive form twisting as it began to lumber back toward the road, back towardthem.
"Hold on!" Jonathan shouted from the front, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. He jerked the wheel to the side, executing a sharp U-turn that sent the car skidding across the road.
The sudden motion threw everyone in the back forward. Steve, who hadn't been bracing himself, toppled over with the force of the turn and landed directly on top of Dove. They both let out a surprised yelp, Steve's body pressing down against hers as they crashed into the floor.
For a brief moment, they were frozen, breathing heavily, their faces inches apart. Dove's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. She could feel the heat of Steve's breath against her cheek, his weight on top of her, and for a split second, everything seemed to still. His eyes searched hers, and there was something in his gaze—something she wasn't ready to unpack in that moment.
"Get off," Dove muttered, shoving Steve off her, the tension between them dissipating as she scrambled to sit up. Steve rolled off quickly, his head hitting the cieling in his haste.
Dove quickly climbed into the backseat, squeezing herself between Will and Lucas, who were both wide-eyed and gripping the seats in front of them. She glanced at Jonathan, who was gripping the wheel tightly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice still breathless from the sudden jolt of adrenaline.
Jonathan shot a quick glance at her through the rearview mirror, his jaw set. "Back to the mall," he replied grimly, his voice low but determined.
The car roared down the dark country road, speeding back toward Starcourt Mall, the monster looming in front of them.