The steady hum of the copier was the only noise filling the law office as Dove sorted through a final stack of papers. The last rays of afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting a golden glow over the empty desks. It was a typical Friday—most of the staff had already left for the weekend, leaving the office quiet and still.
Dove, focused as usual, was still at her desk, organizing files for her boss. Across from her, Danny Radcliffe was finishing up his own work, his sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened as he sorted through paperwork. They had developed a comfortable routine over the past few weeks, often being the last two in the office, silently working side by side.
"So," Danny said, breaking the quiet, "any big plans for the weekend?"
Dove smiled as she finished organizing the files. "Yeah, actually. My brother's coming home from camp tomorrow. He had the time of his life—met some girl named Suzie and hasn't shut up about her since."
Danny chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Nice. A family reunion sounds way better than what I've got planned. Just me, a lawnmower, and about five hours of yard work."
"Sounds like a blast," Dove teased, pulling another file from the pile. "But yeah, I'd take my brother's chaos over yard work any day."
Danny grinned, walking over to one of the filing cabinets with a stack of papers in hand. "Well, at least he's happy. And I get it—if I'd met a girl this summer, I probably wouldn't shut up about it either."
Just as he slid the last file into place, the lights flickered. A split second later, everything went dark, plunging the office into silence. The hum of the air conditioning died, and the faint glow of the sunset outside cast long shadows across the room.
"Seriously?" Danny muttered, setting some papers down on his desk and running a hand through his hair. "Seems like this place can't go a week without losing power."
Dove sighed, reaching for the desk lamp, hoping it would flicker back to life. It didn't. "I guess that's our cue to call it a day."
They made their way to the front door and Danny locked up the office behind them. The light from the food court was dim, but as they stepped outside, it was clear the outage wasn't just affecting their office.
The food court was filled with the murmurs of mallgoers and employees, all groaning about the sudden blackout. Store signs were dark, and the usual hum of activity had faded into an almost eerie stillness.
"Looks like it's the whole mall," Danny said, peering into the dimly lit food court. "Must be a bigger outage."
Dove nodded, glancing around. The food court, usually bustling, felt strange without the bright lights and noise. "Hopefully, it's just temporary. It's weird seeing this place so.. quiet."
They stood there for a few moments, listening to the scattered conversations and frustrated complaints of shoppers. A couple of kids nearby were shaking vending machines, and a group of teenagers laughed as they ran around the food court.
After a few minutes, the lights flickered back on, illuminating the mall once again. The air conditioning roared back to life, and the hum of electronics filled the space.
"Let's get out of here before anything else decides to malfunction." Danny suggested.
"Agreed," Dove said with a smile. They walked out together toward the main entrance, the warm summer air welcoming them as they stepped outside into the parking lot.
Danny glanced back at the mall and gave a mock salute. "See you Monday, Dove. Enjoy your weekend."
"You too, Danny," she replied, watching as he headed for his car. She turned toward her own car, glad the day was finally over. As she unlocked the door and tossed her bag onto the passenger seat, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief. Dove started her car and pulled out of the lot, the hum of the engine the only sound breaking the silence as she drove away.
Dove pushed open the front door quietly, careful not to make too much noise as she slipped inside. The house was still, the soft glow of a few dim lamps casting a warm light over the living room. Her mom was probably already in bed, the television humming softly from her room down the hall.
She kicked off her shoes by the door and made her way down the hall to her bedroom, the familiar creak of the old wooden floorboards echoing in the silence. Once inside her room, Dove let out a sigh, the exhaustion of the day finally settling into her bones. She dropped her bag onto the chair by her desk and headed over to her dresser. As she pulled her hair out of its ponytail, Dove caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Tired eyes stared back at her, but it wasn't the exhaustion that held her attention. It was something else—something behind her in the reflection.
A Polaroid picture, tucked into the edge of the mirror, half-hidden behind a small stack of papers. Dove reached out and plucked the photo from its place, her fingers brushing over the glossy surface.
It was a picture her mom had taken last fall. In the photo, she, Steve, and Dustin were standing outside, grinning like idiots. Steve had his arm wrapped around Dove's waist, pulling her close, his other hand playfully covering Dustin's face. Dove's head was thrown back in laughter, her joy so genuine it was almost palpable. Dustin had been mock-scowling, pretending to be annoyed by Steve's antics, but Dove knew he loved it. He loved Steve.
She swallowed hard, the familiar ache creeping into her chest as she studied the picture. Dustin didn't know. He didn't know she and Steve had broken up. It had happened right after Dustin left for camp, and she hadn't had the heart to tell him over the phone—not when he was so excited about everything, not when he loved Steve so much.
She thought she'd gotten rid of everything—every reminder of their relationship. But this picture, this one slip of a moment, had somehow escaped her purge.
Dove clenched her jaw, feeling the sting of emotion rising in her throat. With a quick, decisive motion, Dove crossed the room and tossed the photo into the small trash can next to her desk. The sound of the picture crumpling against the papers at the bottom was louder than she expected, but she didn't give herself time to dwell on it.
With a sigh, Dove turned off her bedroom light and crawled into bed. She pulled the blankets up to her chin, closing her eyes against the quiet ache in her chest.
But as much as she tried, sleep didn't come easily. The image of the three of them—Dustin, Steve, and herself—lingered in her mind, the echoes of their laughter refusing to fade.
The pounding on the front door jolted Dove awake, her groggy mind struggling to catch up to the sound. She groaned, dragging herself out of bed, her feet hitting the floor with a thud. The pounding didn't stop, growing more insistent as she stumbled toward the front door.
"All right, all right!" she mumbled, yanking it open with a frown. But her irritation melted away when she saw who was on the other side—Dustin's friends, all grinning mischievously. Dove blinked, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Oh, crap, I slept in." She quickly ushered them inside, closing the door behind her.
The group quickly scattered around the house, preparing to execute the plan they had thought up a week earlier. The kids slid into their hiding spots just as Dove heard her mom's car pulling into the driveway. Her heart raced with excitement as she peeked out the window.
Moments later, the front door creaked open, and Dustin walked in, looking more frustrated than she had expected. He rushed down the hallway and tossed his duffel bag onto his bed, muttering under his breath.
Dove followed him into his room, leaning against the doorframe. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Dustin sighed, flopping onto his bed. "No one's answering their walkie-talkies. It's like they don't even care that I'm home."
Dove smiled softly, walking over and ruffling his hair. "Well, I'm happy you're home, Dusty."
Before Dustin could respond, the sound of his toy robot roaring to life interrupted them. It whirred and buzzed from the closet, and Dustin jumped, his eyes wide with surprise. Dove tried her best to look startled too, though she knew exactly what was happening. El had begun her little trick.
"What the hell?" Dustin muttered, standing and moving toward the closet. The robot shuffled forward on its own, followed by more toys—marching in a perfect line toward the hallway.
Dustin grabbed a can of Farrah Fawcett hairspray from his dresser and held it out like a weapon. "Stay behind me," he instructed, his voice serious. Dove bit back a grin and nodded, following him cautiously down the hallway.
The toys led them to the living room, where they suddenly stopped, turning off in unison. The room fell silent, and Dustin rushed toward R2D2, picking it up and examining it with confusion.
"What is going on?" Dustin asked, his brows furrowed.
Dove stood in the doorway, watching as Dustin's friends silently emerged from their hiding spots. Lucas was holding a sign that said, 'Welcome Home Dustin!' and all at once, the group blew into their noisemakers.
Dustin screamed, spinning around in shock. Instinctively, he raised the can of hairspray and sprayed Lucas directly in the face.
Lucas yelled in pain, covering his face as the others burst into laughter.
Dustin blinked, lowering the can. "Lucas, oh my God! I'm so sorry!" He rushed over to help as Lucas tried to wipe the hairspray from his eyes.
Dove laughed from the doorway, shaking her head. "I think they're happy you're home."
Dustin turned, his shocked expression melting into a grin.
Max led Lucas to the kitchen, helping him rinse out his eyes, while the rest of the group followed Dustin into his room. Dove trailed behind, still chuckling at the chaos of the surprise. Once inside, Dustin began his grand tour of the various gadgets he'd made at camp.
"Okay, first up, I present to you.. the Forever Clock!" Dustin announced, pulling a contraption from his desk. It resembled a small windmill more than any clock Dove had ever seen, but Dustin held it proudly. "It's powered by wind, obviously, and it'll be super useful in the apocalypse."
He handed the device to Will, who examined it with a raised eyebrow. "Uh, so how does it actually tell time?" Will asked.
Dustin waved his hand dismissively. "That's not the important part. The point is, it runs forever."
Dove exchanged a look with Mike, trying not to laugh as Dustin pulled out his next invention. "And this," he said dramatically, setting something on his bed, "is The Slammer."
'The Slammer' was a hammer connected to a small motor, wires twisting around the handle. Dustin flicked a switch, and the hammer jerked to life, slamming down with a loud thud against the bedspread.
"What exactly is this for?" Mike asked, staring at the hammer with a mixture of amusement and confusion.
"Slamming things!" Dustin said, as if that explained everything. He gave it one more tap before turning it off and setting it aside. "But now for my masterpiece."
Dustin knelt down, laying his duffel bag flat on the floor. With a dramatic flourish, he unzipped it, revealing a mess of metal parts, wires, and switches. Dove peered down at the pile, trying to make sense of what she was looking at.
"What is that?" Mike asked, frowning.
Dustin grinned wide. "Behold, Cerebro!" he declared, pulling out a metal rod with a switch attached. "This is an unassembled one-of-a-kind, battery-powered radio tower. When it's up and running, it's going to be the most powerful communication device you've ever seen. I'm talking North Pole to South Pole."
Dove raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "And what exactly are you planning to do with this thing?"
"Talk to my girlfriend, of course," Dustin replied casually.
The room went silent for a moment as everyone stared at him. Mike's mouth dropped open. "Wait, girlfriend? Since when do you have a girlfriend?"
Dustin's chest puffed up with pride. "Since camp, duh. Her name's Suzie, and I can talk to her whenever I want—thanks to Cerebro."
His friends exchanged skeptical glances, but Dustin just grinned, standing tall. "And now, all we have to do is set it up."
Mike tilted his head. "Set it up where?"
"Weathertop," Dustin said confidently, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.
Dove blinked, surprised by the sudden request. "I'm assuming you'll be needing a ride."
Dustin gave her a hopeful look. "Come on, Dove. You'll love it! It's not far, and we can get it set up in no time."
Dove sighed, glancing at the eager faces around her. She couldn't help but smile. "Fine, fine. Let's go."
The group gathered by the front door, each carrying various pieces of Cerebro. Metal parts jangled as they moved, Dustin leading the charge with a triumphant grin on his face.
"Where are you guys going?" Max asked, looking up from the sink where she and Lucas were still rinsing out his eyes.
Will couldn't resist a small smirk. "We're going to talk to Dustin's girlfriend."
Max and Lucas shared a look, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Girlfriend?" Max repeated, her tone laced with skepticism.
Without missing a beat, they followed the others outside, trailing behind as Dove unlocked her car. The group piled in, Cerebro parts shoved between them as they settled in for the short drive. The kids buzzed with anticipation, though Dove couldn't help but notice Dustin's nervous energy radiating from the back seat.
After a few minutes, Dove pulled into the parking lot near Weathertop. The familiar hill stretched out before them, and the kids jumped out, each grabbing a piece of Cerebro as they started the trek up the incline.
"You know, I'm pretty sure people in Utah have telephones." Max muttered as they walked, already out of breath from the steep climb.
Dustin huffed, adjusting the metal rods in his arms. "Yeah, but Suzie's Mormon."
"Oh, shit." Lucas replied, processing the information. "She doesn't have electricity?"
Max rolled her eyes. "That's the Amish."
Dustin sighed dramatically. "Mormons are super religious white people. They have electricity and cars and stiff, but since I'm not Mormon, her parents would never approve. It's all a bit.. Shakespearean."
"Shakespearean?" Max gave him a sideways glance.
"Yeah," Dustin said, puffing up with pride. "Like Romeo and Juliet."
"Hey guys!" Behind them, Mike and El lagged a bit, walking hand in hand. Mike gave Dustin a sympathetic look. "This is fun and all, but El's got curfew." With that the couple walked back down the hill.
Dustin frowned, checking his watch. "Curfew at 4?"
"They're lying." Lucas said.
Will watched as the couple continued down the hill, his expression annoyed. "It's been like this all summer."
Max shrugged, her tone light. "It's romantic."
Will's face twisted in mild disgust. "It's gross."
Dustin, however, looked frustrated, kicking a stray rock off the path as he muttered, "It's bullshit. I just got home."
"They're missing out on the fun." Dove said, taking a few steps forward, and giving them a reassuring smile. "Come on, we're almost to the top."
The group trudged up the last stretch of the hill, groaning as they reached the top. Sweat trickled down their faces, and Lucas immediately unscrewed the cap of his canteen and chugged the entire thing in one go.
Will dropped the last of Cerebro's parts onto the ground, while Dove surveyed the open space. The view from Weathertop was impressive. She could see all the way to Starcourt from here.
"All right, let's get this thing up," Dustin declared, crouching down and picking up one of the metal pipes.
The others followed suit, and soon they were slotting the pipes together, the metallic clang of the pieces echoing in the open air. Dove and Will held two of the poles steady while Dustin secured them with bolts. Max and Lucas busied themselves wrapping the old umbrella frames with strips of tin foil, their makeshift antenna reflecting the sunlight in flashes of silver.
Dove stood back for a moment, watching as her brother took charge. Despite the seemingly random assortment of parts, it all started to come together, and as the structure grew taller and taller, she was impressed by how meticulously Dustin had planned everything out. By the time they were finished, Cerebro stood at least 20 feet tall, casting a long shadow over the hill.
Dustin wiped his hands on his pants, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Not bad, huh?"
Dove nodded, genuinely impressed. "You really outdid yourself this time"
Dustin puffed out his chest, obviously pleased by the praise. "You guys ready to meet Suzie?" he asked, his voice laced with excitement.
The group gathered around as Dustin crouched down by the radio, carefully adjusting the dials. Static crackled through the speakers as he flipped through the frequencies, his fingers moving with practiced ease.
"Suzie, this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over," he called into the mic, his voice full of hope. The air around them seemed to still, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the moment when Dustin would finally reach Suzie.
"Suzie, this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over," he repeated, still with no answer. He looked up at his friends, who stared back skeptically. Dove could see the doubt creeping into their expressions, but she kept quiet, not wanting to add to Dustin's frustration.
"I'm sure she's just busy," Dustin said, his voice faltering slightly. "It's around dinner time." The others nodded, though Dove could tell they didn't believe him.
He looked back down at the microphone and spoke into it again, "Suzie, this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."
As the minutes ticked by, the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the horizon. The heat from earlier in the day started to dissipate, leaving a cool breeze that ruffled their hair. The light dimmed, and shadows stretched long across the hill. Dustin remained crouched by Cerebro, his fingers constantly adjusting the dials, but the radio continued to hiss with nothing but static.
Max, now lying on the ground beside Lucas, sighed deeply and muttered, "How much longer are we gonna do this?"
Lucas, resting with his hands behind his head, shrugged. "As long as Dustin wants, I guess."
Dove glanced over at her brother, watching him fidget with the controls. His posture was tense, his brow furrowed in frustration. She could tell he wasn't going to give up anytime soon.
An hour passed, then another. The sun disappeared completely, leaving them in darkness with only the faint glow of the radio's lights illuminating Dustin's determined face. The stars had come out in full force, twinkling overhead as if mocking the still silence of the radio.
Max rolled onto her back, staring up at the sky. "Dustin, come on! She's not there," she said, her voice tired.
"She's there, all right?" Dustin insisted, gripping the mic tighter. "She'll pick up."
"Maybe Cerebro doesn't work," Will suggested gently.
"Or maybe Suzie doesn't exist," Lucas added, a teasing edge to his voice as he glanced at Dustin.
Dustin's face twisted in annoyance, and Dove could see his shoulders tense up. "She exists!" he insisted, his voice sharp.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "She's a geniusandshe's hotter than Phoebe Cates? No girl is that perfect."
Max sat up quickly, her eyes narrowing. "Is that so?" she asked, her voice challenging.
Lucas immediately backpedaled, his eyes wide. "I mean... you're perfect!" he stammered, scrambling for the right words. "I mean, like, perfect in your own way. In your own special way."
Max couldn't help but laugh. "Relax, I'm teasing. I'm obviously perfect, and Dustin's obviously lying."
Dustin stayed quiet, his face set in stubborn determination. Max stood and brushed the dirt from her pants, signaling for Lucas to join her. "Come on, let's head out."
Lucas gave Dustin a sympathetic shrug before following Max down the hill. Will apologized softly before he left too, leaving Dove and Dustin behind.
Dove stood and placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I know you're not lying, Dustin. But it's getting late. We can try again tomorrow, okay?"
Dustin nodded, though his eyes never left the radio. He was about to turn it off when a sudden burst of static came through. The radio screeched, and the siblings froze.
Dustin's eyes widened as he dove for the mic. "Suzie? Suzie, is that you?" His voice cracked with desperation, but instead of a little girl's voice, something else came through—an unfamiliar, deep voice speaking in Russian.
Dove's heart skipped a beat, and she exchanged a bewildered glance with her brother. Dustin's face contorted with confusion as the strange voice crackled through the speakers, the foreign words chilling in the stillness of the night.