***

Sophie waited by the front door for her young stepsister, her arms wrapped over her chest as she shivered in the cold. Other than her denim jacket, she didn't have a coat to wear. Her dad declared a new one to be a waste of money, so Billy gave her an old one of his; she didn't like fitted jackets anyway.

She rocked on her heels slightly, sucking on the corner of her lip as she wondered if Max had fallen asleep again. But Sophie could recall the troubling look on her face when she was first awoken -- unless she just imagined the whole interaction.

But then a door creaked down the hallway, and Max emerged, clutching her skateboard under her arm. Sophie cleared his throat, brushing lint off her jacket with a light smile. "Hey, what is it you wanna-?"

"Not here." The girl spoke with a hushed tone, marching past her.

Max unlocked the door, opening it as quietly as possible. The girls strolled out, Sophie following her down the front steps and onto the road. The strawberry blonde kept peering back at the house, gritting her teeth and cracking her knuckles.

Sophie stared at her with a parted frown. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just-" She bit her bottom lip, looking straight ahead. "Wait until we're far enough away, okay?"

With a slow nod, she answered. "Alright."

Whatever it was she wanted to talk to Sophie about, Max didn't want anyone else to hear, and that only caused her concern to grow. She had never been this secretive before -- not for a long while.

They walked on in silence, wandering through their empty neighbourhood with hunched shoulders. Max's grip on her skateboard tightened over time, her posture rigid. During their walk, Sophie debated whether or not she should have left a note for their parents. Then again, everyone knew Max visited the arcade often. But on the other hand, her dad and Billy were always suspicious whenever she left the house, thinking she was going to visit a boy.

It didn't make sense. Neil never wanted her around, yet he feigned concern about her whereabouts. She knew he held a scant love for his little girl, so when he pretended to care, it only filled her with rage.

As they entered the busy streets of Hawkins, making their way through flocks of townspeople, clouds parted above their heads and spilt shining sunlight onto the road before them. Sophie caught up to her nervous stepsister, lightly chuckling. "I'd say we're pretty far now." 

Max didn't respond, only slowing down a little. She glanced behind them, eyeing the passing cars as if she expected one of them to be Billy's.

Sophie tucked her hands into her jacket pockets, flicking her tongue. "So, um, what do you want to talk about?

The headstrong girl remained silent at first, digging her blunt nails into her palm. Her stomach was in knots, and when she swallowed, it was thick and dry, burning at the back of her throat. She released a raspy sigh. "I'm gonna run away again."

Her features went blank, her gaze shifting away from her. "Oh." 

She wasn't going to lie and say that she wasn't expecting that. Max deserved so much more than what this town offered; a brand new start isn't possible in a place like this. Sophie wanted her stepsister to live in a safe home with people who would love her, regardless of her past -- it's what she'd wanted for years.

But Max had really grown on her in the last few days, and she wasn't sure how she'd cope in that house without her presence. "Max, are you sure-?"

"But I want you to come with me." She declared.

Her breath hitched, causing a slight tightness in her chest. She paused on the sidewalk, her eyes wide, stammering. "You want me to come with you?"

Max nodded with pleading eyes. "Yeah."

Now that -- that caught her by surprise. The fact that Max would even consider letting Sophie run away with her caused her nerves to spike.

"I, um..." It's something she's dreamt about for years, though she always saw that vision with Billy -- or at least she used to. But running away was a treacherous move to pull. "... I don't know."

"Please, I -- I can't let you stay in that house." Her voice shook, and she gulped down a quick breath. "Not with them."

She started walking again, keeping her head down. Sophie trailed alongside her with a tight grimace. "Max, I-"

"They treat you terribly," she interrupted, not wanting to hear her terrible reasons for staying, "and they're not gonna stop."

Sophie tapped her shoulder, angling her body towards her as they stopped again. The teenager leaned over her, bending her knees slightly. "I know, but I can't just pack up and leave." She looked up at the open road, releasing a brief sigh. "Where would we even go?"

"LA -- it's where my dad is. He's always looked out for me." Max answered.

"Yeah, but it's the first place the cops would look." She reasoned, bringing up the obvious. "And it might be worse for your dad. He doesn't have full custody, so he could get charged with kidnapping or something worse."

Her gaze shifted for a moment before shrugging. "Then, I don't know, we'll hop on a bus out of town -- go wherever life takes us."

She shook her head. "It's not that simple."

"I have enough money. I've been saving up." Her stepsister confessed, the muscles in her neck straining.

"I know, but that's not the problem." An older couple stared at the girls as they wandered past, their brows drawing together. Sophie straightened up, placing an arm on Max's back and ushering her down the sidewalk. She lowered her voice, looking around. "We could get caught, and things would only get worse from there."

Max spoke with a nonchalant tone. "I know a guy in LA who makes fake IDs and passports." 

Her forehead creased. "How?"

"Well, my dad knows him, but the point still stands." She looked up at Sophie with a determined look. "I don't want to do this on my own. This could be our only shot at freedom."

"I thought you liked it here?" It was only a couple of days ago when Max said she liked her new group of friends, even though she thought they were odd. But the girl shrugged again, her face falling as she grew silent. Emotions stirred in her eyes, ones she tried to keep hidden. "Did something happen?"

She pulled her skateboard closer to her chest, making her body small. "Just boys being stupid."

"Is Mike still bothering you?" asked Sophie.

"It's not just him -- it's all of them." Max scraped her fingers through her hair, ruffling it. She let out an irritated huff, grinding her teeth. "They say they want me around, but then they kick me to the kerb like I'm garbage."

Sophie stood by her previous claims -- boys were fucking stupid at this age. "You know, if they don't see how great of a person you are, it's their loss."

Max harshly pulled a lock of hair behind her ear, keeping her head down, her voice reduced to a whisper. "Billy's only made it worse."

He took her home yesterday, so he must have seen her new friends. With that and Steve added into the mix, no wonder he was furious. The way he was pushing his anger onto every little thing back home -- there was always a reason behind it.

What's more, Billy's words could hurt. And if he was judging Max for who she chooses to hang out with, then god forbid his sister's fury would ignite. "What did he say?"

"It doesn't matter." She uttered.

Whatever it was had caused Max to become closed off, and it made her want to run far, far away from him.

"Why should you care what Billy thinks?" Sophie pursed her lips. "Why should you care what anyone thinks?" Never before had Sophie seen so much confidence in a young child, defying odds and stereotypes by doing what she loved. "You can do what the hell you like -- no one's stopping you."

She tilted her head upwards. "Except Billy."

"Yeah, well, Billy doesn't know what he's saying." For all she cared, their brother could suck it. His opinions were not something to be concerned about. "He has no right to judge anyone," she expressed, "especially you."

Their conversation ceased, and the girls continued to stroll through downtown Hawkins, eventually reaching Palace Arcade. The scene was vibrant with kids running about in the small parking lot and others playing on cabinets inside. Sophie doubted that Max interacted with any of them, her focus was always set on her favourite game: Dig Dug.

They stopped by a set of small stairs that led to the main entrance. The place enticed Sophie with its high-spirited energy, seemingly vibrating through the walls. Max hesitated, glancing up at her stepsister. "Do you wanna...?"

"Oh, no, I'm good." The teenager insisted, even though the place tempted her. Max stared at her with a knowing smile, but all Sophie could return was a light chuckle. "No, seriously, I haven't got any quarters on me."

"You can have some of mine." She offered.

"But then you'll have less time playing." Sophie didn't want to ruin her Saturday. She deserved as much time here as possible if it meant she could be away from their house for a little while. "It's fine, Max. I'm probably just gonna wander around town for a bit."

"Can you pick me up in a couple of hours or so then?" Sophie gave a wordless nod, and Max returned a pressed smile. "Thanks."

The strawberry blonde stepped forwards, climbing the stairs. Sophie's teeth tugged on the rim of her mouth as she watched her stepsister approach the entrance. The thought of running away played on her mind again, and she wondered if it were possible to flee from Hawkins with moderate success. 

Max was so close before, reaching the bus station and buying a ticket just before the police caught her. Both girls knew the risks this time and how to avoid the mistakes of the previous try.

Then Sophie thought of her twin brother and the promise they made all those years ago. She never imagined leaving his side until recently.

Yet, over the last week or so, his attitude was starting to worsen, especially with the unjustified spikes of overreactions. Sophie couldn't deal with nor could she really lessen his temper -- she felt helpless. She worried more for her stepsister's life than his own, and it hurt her so. But the thing he was turning into...

She couldn't stop that.

There was one thing she could do to save their lives, and if it meant agreeing to Max's idea, then so be it. "I'll think about it."

Max spun back, freezing halfway up the stairs. "What?"

"Running away together." She stated. "I'll think about it." 

It was the only plausible solution -- the only way to escape their tainted family. Because Susan wouldn't listen, too scared to lose another husband and end up alone again. And though Sophie felt some kindred towards her stepmother, she cared more for Max's safety. 

Billy wouldn't stop hurting her -- not until she was gone for good. So what if they left his life first?

Yes, it meant leaving high school behind. She'd be giving up her college plans in the process, but Sophie didn't want to die in that house, especially not by her father's hand.

The corners of Max's plump lips curved upwards as Sophie spoke again. "But if this is going to work, we need to plan ahead-"

"Yeah, I'll come up with something." There was a euphoric gleam in her eye, her grin wide. "I'll see you in a bit, Soph."

Max jogged through the arcade doors, practically bouncing inside. Finally, someone in her asshole step-family agreed with her, and she was so glad it was her sister.

But uncertainty lingered behind Sophie's eyes, toying with her guilt for potentially leaving Billy with their father. Had he ever thought of running away before? Has he even tried?

"Feels like I should be the one making the plan..." she murmured softly.

Now that Max was gone, Sophie could go anywhere she wanted -- just not home. The teenager took a deep breath and backed away from the arcade, picking a random direction and following its invisible string, leading her somewhere.

***

Turns out, picking a random direction was a terrible idea.

"I'm not lost," Sophie muttered to herself, scanning the unrecognisable neighbourhood she had found herself in. Steve might have driven her through town, but he never took her down this road. "No, I'm not -- I'm not lost."

There were no street signs and the corroded metal mailboxes were unreadable. She could try retracing her steps, but she had already forgotten which turning she had previously taken. Okay, her sense of direction was fucked.

As she strolled through the unknown street, a tan Volvo came speeding down the road, only slowing down when the driver noticed her. Sophie stopped, watching the passenger seat window roll down. 

Inside was a middle-aged woman with short, tightly-curled blonde hair. "Oh, excuse me?"

Sophie hoped she might help. "Hi, do you know-"

"Have you seen a cat by any chance?" The woman questioned, barely letting Sophie finish her sentence.

Her brows furrowed, pausing for a moment. "I'm sorry?"

The woman let go of the steering wheel, gesturing with her hands. "She's around this big, she's ginger, and her name is Mews."

Her focus must have been on other things because a cat by that description had not crossed her path. With a solemn shake of the head, she said. "No, sorry, I haven't seen her."

"Oh, my poor angel." The woman pouted, struggling to hold back tears. She grabbed the steering wheel again, starting the car again. As she sped off, she yelled. "Mews!" Sophie's eyes followed her as she turned a corner, her shrill voice echoing. "Mewsy!"

All hope of finding her way back to the arcade was short-lived, and yet, she marched on. Perhaps there was another turning nearby, or maybe another passerby would find her lost and alone. She just needed one person to guide her to where she needed to go -- where Max would be waiting for her.

But as she was lost in her thoughts, her attention was drawn towards a small hill where a one-storey house sat. As she began to pass it, Sophie noticed something odd. A boy, no less than thirteen bounded through his backyard in full adult-sized hockey gear, carefully watching his feet to avoid tripping. In his hand, he clutched an ice hockey stick, weighing him down slightly.

Sophie's eyes widened when she recognised the distinct red and blue cap on his head. She stumbled backwards, waving. "Hey -- hey! Dustin!" 

It is Dustin, right? It wasn't something like Drake or Dirk -- or maybe it wasn't even him at all. Nevertheless, it was a person, and she had to try. He didn't hear her though, vanishing behind a hedge. Sophie didn't give up, climbing the unsteady slope that led up to his house.

She approached his backyard, slightly out of breath. "Hello?" Her eyes searched the spacious garden, but Dustin was nowhere to be seen. "Hello!" Sophie raised her voice, jerking her head forward. "Hey, it's Max's stepsister -- we met the other day." 

There was no response. She considered the possibility that Billy might have left a nasty impression on him; it wasn't an unlikely occurrence. 

"I promise my brother didn't send me -- I'm just lost." Still, no one emerged and Sophie was left wandering through a stranger's backyard. "Hello-!"

The sole of her left sneaker stepped on something that squelched. Slowly, she looked down, discovering it to be a circular slice of salami. Sophie's brows drew together as she crouched down, picking up the thin piece of meat with two fingers.

She turned her head to the right, noticing a few more strewn across the garden. The trail of salami led to an exterior basement hatch, its doors wide open. Sophie pondered whether or not Dustin was down there as, from the looks of it, he was planning to lure something outside.

Before she could investigate further, the sound of glass shattering drew her attention towards the house. In the doorway, the silhouette of a dog stood, shrouded in darkness. It didn't look too big nor did it have much fur.

She glanced back at the slice of salami, raising it a little higher. "Is this for you?" 

It made a sharp growl, its tail wagging. Sophie always wanted a dog, but her dad thought the animal to be a nuisance and insisted it would only make a mess in the house. But whenever a cute dog crossed her path, she couldn't help but fawn over it.

Sophie grinned, patting her left thigh. "C'mere! C'mere, boy!"

Behind her, the shed door burst open. "Run!" Her head snapped towards a panicked Dustin, hearing his screeching. "Get away from there! Run!"

The dog's growl grew louder as she slowly looked back, her smile falling. The animal emerged from the darkness, revealing itself to be a furless mammal with no ears and blunt claws for paws. Its translucent skin shimmered in the dim sunlight, and dark red splatters covered the odd slits in its face.

Her feet were rooted to the spot, the salami slice slipping from her fingers. The hairs on the nape of her neck stood on its ends, a chill travelling through her nerves. Her chin trembled as it stepped on the patio, sniffing the air.

It reared its twisted head, the eyeless creature sensing her presence. Then its face unfurled like a flower, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. An unearthly screech resounded from its thin throat, and a trembling scream materialised from hers.

The creature charged towards her as she took off running, sprinting across the yard. Dustin held the shed door open for her, attempting to provide her sanctuary from the small monster.

But before she could reach him, her foot slipped on another slice of salami, causing her to fall on her face. She twisted onto her back as the monster leapt forward, landing on her stomach. Its petal face opened again, releasing another deafening screech.

"No!" Dustin's scream drawled, raising the hockey stick slightly above his waist. He gave the creature a harsh whack, knocking it off her body. It rolled across the thick grass, disorientated by the surprise attack.

After giving it a second whack, the creature tumbled through the basement hatch and down the concrete stairs. Sophie stumbled back onto her feet, peering inside. From the shadows, it reappeared, roaring at the pair as it clambered back up the stairs.

"Shut it, shut it, shut it!" Dustin and Sophie each grabbed a door, pulling it over the hatch and sealing the monster inside. They collapsed over the metal, hearing it bang its head on the other side. "I'm sorry." It snarled as Dustin apologised. Not to her -- but to his weird pet. "You ate my cat."

He grabbed a chain and a rusty padlock, wrapping the former around the handles. The creature continued to pound on the doors, demanding to be released. Sophie trembled, shuffling back from the door, her gaze fixed on it.

"What..." Her heart pounded under her ribcage; she could hear her pulse racing in her ears. God, it was gonna kill her. "... What the hell was that?"

Dustin straightened up, glancing over his shoulder. "Dart."

Her form swayed a little, her chest rising as she tried to regain oxygen. "The weird reptile thing we were looking for the other day?"

"Yeah." He confirmed.

She scratched the back of her head, her fingers raking through her thick hair as her chin trembled. "How the hell did it get so big -- it was tiny?!"

"I think I fed him too much nougat..." his posture slumped, bowing his head in regret, "... and then it ate my cat."

Sophie froze, glaring at him. "Wait, a ginger cat?"

He tucked his elbows into his sides. "Yeah...?"

"The one your mother's out looking for right now?" The boy gulped, averting his gaze momentarily. Sophie's mouth fell open. "You didn't tell her?!"

"I can't tell her I've been raising something from an evil, alternate dimension. She'll think I'm insane!" his voice cracked.

She didn't understand half the things he said. Her eyes narrowed, her arm going limp by her hip. "What?!"

His gaze darted from side to side, backtracking. "Forget I said that."

Sophie closed her eyes for a second, rubbing the sweat off her forehead. "Okay, uh -- so what are you gonna do now? You gonna just leave it down there?"

Dustin unfurled his chest, pointing the hockey stick towards the hatch. "Of course, I can't leave it down there! He'll die!"

The creature in the basement began to calm down, the metallic thumps ceasing. She folded her arms, staring him down. "Okay, so you care more about his life than your cat's?"

"Hey, I loved Mews!" he argued.

"Yeah, and I bet your new pet loved the taste of her." Sophie retorted before her jaw went slack. "Wait, I thought you couldn't find him at school?" 

His signature hat crossed her mind again, recalling how he kept adjusting it -- as if he had something to hide. 

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Oh, you little liar."

"I couldn't let them hurt him," he hesitated, gently pulling the hockey mask off his head, "but now I've possibly endangered the life of one of my best friends by keeping him."

The muscles in her face and neck tightened, her lips flattening. "Okay, you're not making any sense."

"What are you even doing here? How'd you find me?" questioned Dustin, changing the subject.

"I got lost. I was hoping to ask you for directions before your weird lizard dog thing tried to eat my face." As she spoke, the creature made another attempt to escape, hitting the metal with a harsh thud. Sophie flinched as it screeched. "I'm sorry, but you have to get, like, Animal Control down here or something. This thing's dangerous."

His bright blue eyes bulged, panicking. "No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"You don't understand."

"Then tell me what's going on!"

Dustin pursed his lips, knowing he couldn't tell her the truth. If anyone found out what really happened the year before, the Party would be put in jeopardy again. "Listen, if we call the authorities, we could be putting our lives at risk."

"And imprisoning that thing isn't?" This situation was insane -- why the hell did she wander off? She should have stayed with Max at the arcade; the outcome would have been so much different. "You need to get it out of here before it hurts anyone else."

"No." He angled his head towards the door, a heavy sigh escaping from his mouth. "He needs to be put down." It was time to make an executive decision, for the sake of his friends. "We need to kill it."

There was a flash of horror in her eyes, her jaw dropping. "I'm sorry, did you just say "we"?"

His head snapped back. "Yes."

She raised her outstretched palms, stepping back. "Okay, um, I don't wanna be involved in this."

Dustin shifted forward, pleading with her. "Please, I can't do this on my own."

"Yeah, if we call Animal Control, you won't be. They can put him down, nice and easy." Or take it in for government testing. Either way, it meant their small town could be safe once more. This kid couldn't kill it on his own -- Sophie wouldn't let him.

Yet, he continued to protest, arguing. "This thing's different, its metabolism is far superior to a regular animal."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" she drawled, folding her arms again.

He started to remove the rest of his hockey gear, chucking the foam armour onto the ground. "We need to find someone who can."

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "What -- now?"

"Yes, now!" he exclaimed.

"Uh, no way." She stammered, pinching the sleeves of her denim jacket. All she wanted to do was find the arcade again, take Max home, and plan their inevitable escape -- even though she remained unsure about going through with it.

But Dustin wasn't backing down. "Look, I need someone to corroborate my story. You know, provide a witness statement."

"It sounds like we're going to the police." Sophie wasn't sure how big the police station here was, but it would be better than nothing.

"No, we're going to the next best thing..." he glanced off to the side with a clenched half-smile. "... I hope."

"Look, I'm not interested, okay? Just -- just find someone to take care of this." She wiped the dirt off her shirt and jeans. "I'm leaving."

Sophie faced away from him, ready to leave all this craziness behind her. What a story to tell, would Max even believe it? Then again, she didn't want to believe it herself.

Even when freedom was within reach, Dustin had one more trick up his sleeve. "I'll say you killed my cat."

She halted on the tiled pathway, her body swivelling back towards him. "What?"

The boy shrugged with a blank expression. "I'll say you killed my cat."

"And you think people will actually believe you?"

"I know my mom will -- she'll believe anything I say."

Shit, this kid...

The teenager refused to give in. "You're bluffing."

"Wanna risk it?" Dustin wondered, slowly moving forward. "Because if my mom finds out, she's gonna be devastated." He emphasised with a slight shake of his head. "She adored Mews."

His mother did appear quite attached to their deceased cat. Even though the animals themselves were meant for wandering, it was clear she kept Mews close to home. The deep love one has for their pet is ineffable.

She broke eye contact with him, her muscles tensing. This creature was dangerous, but she couldn't let anyone else get hurt. That thing was ready to tear the flesh from her bones, and if they left it alive, it could do so much worse.

With a sharp intake of breath through flared nostrils, she looked down at Dustin with a grimace. "Can I at least make a quick phone call first?"

***

"Hello?" Billy's gravelly voice spoke through the receiver.

Sophie twisted the telephone wire around her fingers. "Hey, it's me."

"Where are you calling from?" he wondered.

"My friend's house." In the background, Dustin was dealing with the mess in his room, his door wide open, insisting that he listen to her conversation with Billy. "Listen, um, Max is at the arcade, but something's come up so I can't take her home."

"You know she can walk, right?" Billy snidely remarked.

"Yeah, but Dad will go livid, won't he?" Her eyes squeezed shut, her expression pinched. "She can't arrive on her own -- not without someone there with her. I just need you to do this one thing for me, okay?"

There was a momentary pause on the other end. "Who's your friend?"

Of course, that's the part he focuses on. Billy couldn't care less for their stepsister, let alone her whereabouts. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it does." He replied, his flint tone cutting through the phone's static.

If Billy knew who Max's new friends were, then the truth would only cause more suspicion. From the top of her head, she could only think of one name her brother didn't know. 

"Robin -- Robin Buckley." She hoped he didn't notice the raised octave of her voice as heat flushed through her body. 

"Why are you round her house?" 

"Well," Sophie's elbow leaned against the shabby wallpaper, rubbing her eyes with the bridge of her wrist, "... her cat just died." 

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, it got..." She was gonna tell him it was hit by a car, but then a realisation came to mind -- she didn't have to lie about the whole thing, "... it got mauled to death."

His interest seemed to grow. "Really? By what?"

Just then, Dustin exited his bedroom, wearing a headset and clutching a plastic bag in his right hand. Her gaze drifted over to him as she stated. "A rabid dog," he went still, his stare fixed upon her, "whose idiot owner decided to let loose."  

An angered squeak escaped from his gaping mouth before Sophie slapped her palm over it, glaring at him with bulging eyes. His protests were muffled by her hand, but to her luck, Dustin didn't try to fight back.

"Why don't you give it a good old-fashioned Viking funeral?" Her brother commented. Sophie could practically hear him smiling through the phone.

"That's not funny, Billy." Droplets of warm saliva made contact with her palm, causing her to grimace. "Look, I'm just comforting her. She's devastated." His eyes dulled, making a soft "oh" behind her hand. Sophie nodded, pleased that he understood. She loosened her grip on his face, watching him take a step back. "So, if you wouldn't mind taking Max home", she wiped her hand on her jeans, suppressing her disgust, "then that would be great."

Billy returned a long, heavy sigh. "Alright, I'll pick her up."

"Thanks. I'll be home later." She hesitated for a moment, frowning. "Tell Max I'm sorry."

"Whatever." The off-hook tone followed shortly after he abruptly hung up, leaving her with little hope for a good outcome. Max had just admitted she wanted to run away from Billy, and now she was leading him straight to her.

As she returned the phone onto the hook, Dustin piped up. "Why would you tell him that?"

"Because it's true," she pointed out, "you let that thing kill your cat."

His free arm swept upwards. "It was an accident!"

"Listen, I did you a favour. It means my annoying brother won't come looking for me. You're lucky I'm here, instead of him." She glimpsed a look at her palm, quickly wiping it on her jeans to remove any excess slime. "Also, why the hell did you lick my hand?"

Dustin's eyes narrowed. "I didn't lick your hand. I just expectorate a lot," he pointed at his teeth, "especially since I got these pearly whites."

Then, he rolled his tongue and bobbed his head, purring at her. She blinked a few times, her expression blank. There was clearly more than one reason Max disliked the boys, and if Dustin was purring at every girl, then he was not going far.

Sophie glimpsed the clear plastic bag swinging by his knees, identifying the dried blood smeared across the interior and the cat corpse inside. "What are you doing with that?"

He lifted the bag above his waist, answering. "We're burying my cat."

She didn't realise the animal was still in his room, its body most likely abandoned when Dustin saw the creature. "I thought we were-"

"Mews deserves a proper burial." He turned away from her, marching outside.

Sophie's lip curled and her nose wrinkled, scowling at the bag. Well, at least they weren't burning it -- that would give her flashbacks.

Eventually, she followed him outside and he handed her a shovel. They started digging a small hole in his backyard, not too far from his house, but not too close for Mrs. Henderson to see. Once it was deep enough, Dustin carefully unfurled the bag, barely missing Mew's body as the cat fell into the hole; it didn't have much of an odour to her relief.

Dustin sighed, chucking the bag away. "I'm really sorry, Mews." His shoulders drooped, staring down at her carcass. "You were a great cat, and you didn't deserve such a grim fate." He sniffed, trying his best to withhold his tears. "I wish I could have saved you." The boy turned his head towards Sophie. "Do you want to say something?"

The teenager lowered her brows. "She's your cat. I didn't know her."

"So?" his voice broke.

His puppy brown eyes watered, his despair clear as day. Her lips parted, releasing a soft exhale as she gazed back at Mews, a true innocent. "I'm sorry you died. I hope you're in cat heaven playing with a ball of string."

After taking a moment of silence, the pair grabbed their shovels and commenced the burial process, pouring dirt over the cat's half-mauled corpse. Dustin activated his walkie several times, attempting to reach his friends and ask them for help, yet no one answered.

He continued trying once they were back inside, retrieving cleaning products from his kitchen cabinets. For the next hour or so, Sophie and Dustin battled the bloodstain on his bedroom carpet, scrubbing as hard as they could to remove it.

Any evidence of Dart's attack on Mews' was removed or chucked into the bin -- but it was that one stain that threatened to haunt Dustin as long as he stayed in that room. "All right, it's Dustin again. Seriously, I have a code red!"

She inhaled deeply, her face clenched. "How many times are you gonna-?"

"Could you please shut up?" a voice expressed through the walkie.

The pair stopped scrubbing, their heads jerking up. "Erica?" 

"Who's Erica?" whispered Sophie.

"Shh!" Dustin sat up, his voice shaky. "Erica, is Lucas there? Where is he?"

"Don't know. Don't care." She announced as he stood up.

This Erica must have been related to Lucas, the only boy Max liked in the group. "Is -- is he with Mike?"

The girl sounded roughly around nine or ten, snidely remarking. "Like I said, I don't know, and I don't care."

"Please tell him it's super important. Please tell him I have a code-"

"Code red?"

A tentative smile built on his face. "Yep, code red, exactly."

"Mmm-hmm. I got a code for you instead." Erica projected her voice through the walkie, full of bluster. "It's called code shut-your-mouth."

The radio shut off, leaving Dustin with ringing static. "E... Erica?"

Sophie bowed her head, smirking. "She's got a point."

The mark began to fade as she continued to scrub. In the corner of her eye, Dustin paced from wall to wall, unsure what their next step should be. "Shit, shit, shit..."

"Well, I think that's most of the blood." She sat up, removing the pink washing-up gloves on her hands and wiping the back of her hand against her forehead. "There might always be a patch, so if you wanna cover it over with a chair or something-"

Dustin stopped in front of her, looking down. "Can you ride a bike?"

"Yeah, why?"

***

Honestly, I love writing Sophie and Max's newfound sibling bond. It just goes to show that you don't have to be blood relatives to be sisters.

I loved putting Sophie into this crazy situation, especially when it came to writing the Demodog attack. At first, I was unsure how to pull Sophie into the plot of season two but I knew I wanted her to be with the Demodog group, so here we are.

She won't know the full story of the Upside Down and the monsters until much later on, so she'll just be asking a bunch of questions for now.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was supposed to be much longer, but I just wanted to get this out as soon as possible. I feel like this was a bit weak, but it really depends if you enjoyed it or not. Please, if you would leave a vote or a comment telling me what you thought, then that would be much appreciated. The next chap will be a bit of a gut-wrencher (not literally) because I keep throwing Sophie through shit.

Thanks for reading.

- Alice.