ACT TWO
the child sacrifice.

   ARLO HAD HIS BACK PRESSED against the metal chair, his eyes remaining trained on Steve as they spoke.

Dustin had been in the lobby of the ice-cream shop, claiming he needed to wait there until Robin came back. Neither boys questioned it, instead deciding to stay in the break-room.

"I just think—if aliens weren't real, why would the government work so hard to deny their existence?"

"Because—Arlo, if aliens were real.. Don't you think they'd try to talk to us? Try to kidnap us? I don't know, man. I don't think they'd just be silent."

"They aren't silent, they abduct people constantly."

"All i'm saying is they haven't abducted me yet, that tells me all I need to know." Steve then shrugged, fully believing he had a solid point.

Arlo furrowed his eyebrows at his words, a sly smile appearing on his lips. "Yeah, yeah. 'Cause you're the top choice for aliens."

"I am! I mean, if they wanted to clone somebody..." Steve trailed off, gesturing to himself with his hand making Arlo shake his head.

"I don't know, man. They might want someone stronger, cooler."

Steve seemed taken back at the boy's words. "C'mere." He mumbled, softly pulling the boy's chair closer to him.

He then placed his palm onto Arlo's forehead, feeling his temperature. The temperature that only grew hotter at Steve's touch.

Arlo's face burned red at the touch, thankful that Steve hadn't mentioned it.

"Hm, no fever.. Must just be delusional then." Steve murmered, still not leaning away from Arlo. Their chairs only four inches away from one another now.

Before Arlo could reply, Dustin and Robin reentering the break room caused them to pull out of their temporary happiness.

Steve slightly scooted his chair away from Arlo when his friends entered, his attention now on Robin and Dustin.

The girl had been holding a rolled up piece of paper, Dustin holding his pair of binoculars. Excitement written on his face.

Robin then rolled the paper out on the table in-front of Steve and Arlo, speaking as she did. "It is fascinating what twenty bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office. Starcourt mall. The complete blueprints."

"Not bad."

"Damn.. Where am I suppose to be looking?" Arlo questioned, glancing up a Robin for a moment.

"So, this is us, Scoops.." Robin ran her finger along the paper, now pointing to somewhere else. "This is where we want to get."

"I mean, I don't really see a way in."

"There's not. If you're talking exclusively about doors." Robin then removed the paper from the table, revealing a different paper. This one showing the air ducts throughout the mall.

"The vents." Arlo mumbled, Robin nodding as she rounded the table. She then walked over to grab a marker, he voice slightly echoing in the break-room.

"Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. These Air ducts, lead all the way... there." Robin drew on the map as she did, a bright red line now showing them exactly how to get there.

The four then turned towards the air duct in the room, hopefulness appearing on all their faces as they did so.

Steve popped the cover of the vent, temporarily placing the screwdriver in his mouth as he did so. Peering into the small space.

He took the flashlight out of his mouth for a second, handing the cover to Dustin who stood on the ground next to him. Steve currently on a short latter. "Flashlight."

Dustin handed his friend the flashlight, Steve handing him the screwdriver before using the light to get a better look. "Yeah, I don't know, man. I don't know if you can fit in here.. It's like, super tight."

"I'll fit, trust me.. No collar bones, remember?"

"Excuse me?" Robin questioned, her and Arlo having the same look of confusion on their faces.

Steve then hopped down from the latter, walking close to stand next to Arlo who watched as Dustin climbed up the latter. "He's, uh—he's got some disease, uh—it's chrydo—something, yeah, I dont know. He's missing bones and stuff, he can bend like Gumbo."

"You mean Gumby."

"I'm pretty sure it's gumbo—Hey, man, back me up. It's gumbo, right?" Arlo shrugged in response to the boy, his mind having trouble remembering the actual name. "Great, that's no help. You know what, it's still definitely Gumbo—"

"Steve, just shut up and push me!" Dustin called, only his legs hanging out of the tiny vent.

"Okay, i'll push you." Steve then walked back over to the latter, now holding Dustin's legs. Once he got ahold of his legs, he gave him a light push. Mumbling something about helping him up.

Dustin ignored his comment, yelling at his friend in response. "Not my feet, dumbass. Push my ass!"

"What?"

"Touch my butt! I don't care!" Dustin screamed, his voice muffled due to the fact his torso and up was already in the air duct.

Steve complied, once again attempting to shove Dustin into the vent. Ignoring as the child yelled at him to push harder.

"You're playing with my legs."

"I'm not playing, I have terrible footing!"

"Come on!"

"I'm just gonna shove, ready? One, two—" Steve cut himself off with a shove, the push doing nothing seeing as Dustin remained in the same spot.

Robin and Arlo were too in awe to speak, finding the entire ordeal amusing. They had their full attention on the scene at hand, only turning around when the bell for customers began to ring. A familiar voice following.

Once the duo turned around, they saw Erica and Ida. The teen girl had been standing beside the child, a smile on her lips as she waved at her friend and brother.

"Ahoy, sailors! All hands on deck!" Erica yelled from the counter, staring directly at Robin and Arlo through the tiny window. "Come on, get over here and serve me some samples!"

Ida smiled wider at the child, finding her sassiness amusing. She then softly pushed Erica's hand off the bell, replacing it with her own as she spoke as well. Her voice much quieter than Erica's. "Hurry the fuck up, she wants samples."

Robin's mind seemed to ding, an idea popping into her head as a smile appeared on her lips.

Erica stepped away from the latter, flashlight still in her hand as she stared at the five teenagers. "Yeah, I don't know."

"You don't know if you can fit?" Steve questioned, the girl smiling slyly in response.

"Oh, I can fit. I just don't know if I want to." Erica responded, crossing her arms as Ida stared at her with a proud smile. Erica was honestly the best kid she had ever met, which is why she didn't necessarily agree with the idea of making her grow through the air duct.

"Are you claustrophobic?"

"I don't have phobias.. The problem is, I still haven't heard what's in this for Erica." The child responded, dragging her words at slowly. In hopes they would catch on quicker.

"Uh—free ice cream?" Arlo questioned, unsure of what the child wanted.

When a smile had suddenly appeared on the girl's face, it was clear that he had hit the nail on the head. "Now we're talking.. I want a banana split boat."

When neither Steve or Robin moved, Erica sighed, her smile dropping. "That means now, or you can kiss your missions g'bye."

The coworkers shared a look before Steve sighed, going off to make the banana split boat. Leaving the rest to find an empty booth. Wanting to go over the plan.

Erica had grown quite the collection of ice cream, seeing as once the girl had received the boat. She decided she wanted three ice cream cones. And once she got that, she realized she also wanted a milkshake.

Three out of four teens were beyond annoyed with her ice cream requests, yet Ida didn't mind. After all, Erica had offered her an ice-cream cone. Which the girl had happily accepted.

"All right, You see this? This is the route you're gonna take. Then we just wait til the last delivery goes out tonight—then you knock out the grate, jump down, open the door." Robin explained while Steve had left to remake one of Erica's ice cream cones.

"You say this guard is armed?" Erica questioned, Ida listening intently as well. Still worried for the kid's safety.

"Yes, but he won't be there."

"What about booby traps?"

"Booby traps?" Arlo repeated, this time Ida talking for Erica.

"What if there's booby traps?" Ida questioned, licking her ice cream cone as she awaited an answer.

When none of the members replied, Erica spoke up again. This time much more annoyed. "You know what this half baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment."

"We'll be in radio contact with you the whole time."

"Child. Endangerment." Erica repeated, shushing Robin as she did so.

"Erica, Ida." Dustin spoke up, realizing that if either of them said no then they would have no chance to get into the room. "We think these Russians want to do harm to our country. Great harm, don't you love your country?"

Ida shrugged in response, she couldn't honestly say that she did love their country. Erica on the other hand did respond. "You can't spell America without Erica."

"Oddly, that's true—so, so don't do this for us! Do it for your country. Do it for your fellow man, do this for America.. Erica."

"Know what I love most about this country? Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is? It means this is a free market system. Which means people get paid for their services, depending on how valuable their contributions are. It seems to me, like my ability to fit into that little vent is very valuable to you all. So, you want my help? This USS Butterscotch, better be the first of many. I'm talking free ice cream, for life."

Ida had been nodding along the whole time, being sure to add on as well. "Yeah, yeah—and she's not some child sacrifice. If I see any danger, i'm taking her and Arlo, and we're gettin' the hell out."

The girl's voice was stern, much more serious than usual which the group noticed. They all nodded in response, watching as Erica had cheers'd her cone with Ida's. The duo continuing to eat the treats.

    The group laid on their stomachs, peering over the edge at the door. Robin had been tasked with holding the walkie talkie, the other four just intently listening in.

"Commence operation Child endangerment." Erica's voice sound muffled through the device.

"Can we maybe not call it that?"

"See you on the other side, nerds." Erica replied, the sound of her crawling through the vent now humming through the walkie talkie.

Robin and Ida shared a look, they both seem incredibly worried. Ida more so.

After about ten minutes of radio silence, Ida spoke. Her voice seeming angry. "I swear—"

"All right, nerds. I'm here." Erica's voice cut her off, making her let out a sigh of relief.

"Do you—do you see anything?"

"Yeah, I see those boring boxes you're so excited about." Erica answered. "No guards, though."

"Booby traps?" Robin questioned, a hint of playfulness in her tone.

"If I could see them, they'd be pretty shit traps. Wouldn't they?" Erica replied, causing Ida to temporarily take the walkie talkie from Robin's grasp.

"Watch the language." Ida reminded, remembering the long speech Erica's mom had given her about getting onto the girl for cussing.

"Alright, alright." Erica mumbled, kicking the vent cover off as she did so. After a few seconds she appeared, the doors swinging open.

Once the child fully stepped out of the room, she stared at the rooftop where her friends sat. Her voice loud as she yelled at them. "Free icecream. For life."

Smiles erupted on the five teens faces, immediately standing up from their spots. Wanting to get into the room as soon as possible.

     Arlo stood beside Steve, the boy cutting open one of the Chinese food boxes. Once the box was fully open, it reveal a smaller box. This one looked more modernized, high tech.

"That's definitely not Chinese food." Steve mumbled, pausing his task of pulling it out. "You guys should probably all step back."

Steve wasn't sure what was in the modern box, if it was a bomb he would rather only himself get hurt; rather than all his friends.

While the others listened, Dustin didn't like the idea, instantly going against Steve's wishes. "No."

"Step back, okay?"

"No! No! If you die, I die." Dustin stated, his words making Steve sigh. Knowing he wouldn't be able to convince the boy.

Steve glanced at the rest of the group before pulling the box out, revealing a cylinder tube. It contained a glowing green goo. It resembled a lava lamp. "What the hell?"

"What is that?"

Before anybody else could question the substance, the room rumbling temporarily dragged their attention away.

"Was that just me, or did the room move?" Dustin questioned, well aware it wasn't just him.

"Booby traps.." Erica mumbled, making Arlo's eyes widen.

"We—we need to go." Arlo rounded the box, grabbing onto Steve's bicep pulling him towards the door as he did so. "Let's go."

Dustin ran towards the door, pressing a button once he reached them. Despite the action, the doors didn't open. Making the boy instantly frightened. "Which one do I press, Erica?"

"Just press the damn button, nerd." Erica spoke while Steve placed the green cylinder into her backpack.

"Language." Ida warned, sending a look to the kid.

"I'm pressing the button!"

"Press open door!"

"I'm pressing open door!" Dustin yelled back. The yelling made Arlo stumble over to the door, Steve close behind him.

Arlo then began pressing the same button, Steve's head peering over his shoulder as he watched his friend repeatedly press the button.

"Press the other button—" Steve cut himself off when he pressed the button himself.

The button seemed to do something, seeing as a slam sounded from outside the room. The group went silent at the sound, listening intently.

Unfortunately for them, when the ground suddenly dropped downwards, they all lost their balance. Sending the group to the floor. Their screams filling up the elevator.

They were all far too terrified of the movement to think about how far they were falling, or how they would get out.

a/n !!! my stranger things hyperfix is coming back so expect more chapters