Devil Doesn't Bargain

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/53032648.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Major Character Death
Category: F/M
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Relationships: Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Nancy Wheeler/Jonathan Byers, Mike
Wheeler/Eleven, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, dustin
henderson/suzie bingham, Christina-Jane Harrington/Eddie Munson,
Joyce Byers/Bob Newby, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler,
Jonathan Byers, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, Maxine
"Max" Mayfield, Mike Wheeler, Eleven, Erica Sinclair, Joyce Byers, Jim
"Chief" Hopper, Murray Bauman, Steve Harrington's Mother, Steve
Harrington's Father, Billy Hargrove, Jason Carver, Henry Creel | One |
Vecna
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-01-14 Updated: 2024-02-10 Words: 4,723 Chapters: 2/?
 Devil Doesn't Bargain
by georgiemunson

Summary

Christina-Jane Harrington has lived in Hawkins her whole life. Known around town for her
wealthy parents and known around school for her popular brother, the only time she felt
accepted was on the track team. Then Will Byers goes missing, and she finds family in
people she never expected.
 One.

"Are you seriously having a party when a kid's missing?"

CJ had been working on homework in the kitchen when Steve came in to tell her about a
party. Parties weren't unusual for Steve, especially when their parents were on one of their
'business trips', but CJ thought it was insensitive to hold one when a kid was missing.

"Why shouldn't I?" Steve asked. "I don't care about the kid."

"You don't have to care about him. Doesn't mean having a party is the right thing to do."

Steve shrugged.

CJ sighed. "At least tell me who's coming."

"Tommy H, Carol, Nancy. Oh, and Nancy's bringing her redhead friend."

"Barbara?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Fine. Just...keep it down."

--

It felt like it'd been hours since the party started. CJ had long given up on homework, instead
moving into the lounge room and turning the TV on. Lots of yelling and laughter came
through from the backyard, but CJ simply turned the volume up to drown them out. After an
odd moment of silence, Barb came through the lounge room, holding her hand.

"Whoa, Barb, are you okay?" CJ asked, getting up.

Barb didn't look at her, continuing walking. "I'm fine."

"Did you cut yourself?"

"I'm fine."

CJ followed Barb into the bathroom, seeing the girl's cut when she pulled her hand away. She
grimaced slightly before leaving to go to the kitchen, grabbing the first aid kit she kept
stashed away for when Steve did stupid shit. She walked back to the bathroom, putting it on
the counter as Barb ran her hand under water.

"Here," CJ said. "There's bandages and disinfectant and anything you might need. Use as
much as you might need."

Barb managed a small smile. "Thanks, CJ."

CJ smiled. "No problem. I'll be in the lounge room if you need anything." CJ left the lounge
room and headed out to the backyard, where the others had somehow ended up in the pool.

Tommy was the first to spot CJ standing there, giving a smug grin. "Hey, Chrissy. Wanna join
us?"

CJ rolled her eyes. "Party's over. Out."

"Oh, such a party pooper, Chrissy. Why don't you invite your freaky boyfriend over to join
us? Oh, wait, he's at one of his freaky satanic clubs."

"It's D&D, Tommy. And stop calling me Chrissy."

"Come on, Ceej," Steve said. "You don't get to control my parties."

"I do when someone gets hurt. Out."

--

"CJ!"

CJ turned around to see Nancy running towards her as she made her way to her next class.
She stopped to let Nancy catch up. "Hey, Nancy. What's up?"

"Did you see Barb leave last night?"

CJ thought about it. "Uh...no, I don't think I did. I know she was sitting on the diving board
for a while, but I just assumed she left through the back gate when I didn't see her anymore."

"So you haven't seen her anywhere...at all?"

"No, sorry. Why? Is something wrong?"

Nancy started walking away. "You know what, nevermind. Don't worry about it."

--

It was late on Wednesday night when it was announced Will was found. CJ had been sitting
in the lounge room when her session of Cheers was cut short by a breaking newscast.

"The search for Will Byers has come to unfortunate close. Byers' body was found in the water
of this quarry by state police earlier this evening. It was discovered by state trooper David
O'Bannon, just after dark. The state police are mounting an investigation to determine Byers'
cause of death, but an initial inquiry-"

CJ turned the TV off, then sat there in silence. She hadn't known Will personally, but she
knew Jonathan, and she'd been hoping that the boy would be safe and sound.

Steve walked into the room, eating a pack of chips. "What happened to Cheers?"

"They found Will."

"Oh. Is he okay?"

"They found him in the quarry. He drowned."

"Oh."

"Is that all you can say? Oh? A boy just died."

Steve shrugged. "Shit happens."

CJ stood up, shaking her head as she walked out of the room. "I cannot believe you
sometimes."

--

CJ didn't go to the funeral on Friday. Everyone was given the day off school in the hopes that
they would attend, but CJ felt it would be weird to go. She didn't know Will, or his family.
The only reason she knew Jonathan was because they shared a few classes together, but
they'd rarely talked. The closest she got was staying on the perimeter of the cemetery on her
way to the trailer park, but she wasn't close enough to hear anything. Even being there felt
like she was encroaching on a private moment, and she left quickly.

--

It was late Saturday afternoon when CJ returned home from track practice to find Steve
leaning against the kitchen table, holding a Coke can to the left side of his face. He glanced at
her briefly before looking away, clearly not wanting to talk. CJ walked past him to get to the
fridge, putting her water bottle inside before taking a swig from the cold water jug. She
closed the fridge door and turned around, able to see the other side of Steve's face from this
angle.

"Show me," CJ said.

Steve reluctantly pulled the Coke can away, revealing blood and cuts on his face.

CJ's face softened. "Oh, Steve. What did you do?"

"I got in a fight."

"Did you deserve it?" Steve made eye contact with CJ before looking away. That was all the
answer she needed. She grabbed her first aid kit and Steve's arm, pulling him towards the
bathroom. "Sit." Steve sat on the closed toilet, and CJ wet a cloth. "Do you want to tell me
about it?"

Steve winced as CJ started cleaning the blood away. "I was an asshole. I thought I was
defending my girlfriend from some creep, but I just made it worse."

"Who was it?"

"Jonathan Byers."
CJ paused. "Jonathan Byers beat you up?" Steve didn't answer, so CJ went back to cleaning
his cuts. He winced when she dabbed them with disinfectant. "So, here's what we're going to
do. I'm gonna finish looking after you, then you're gonna drive to Jonathan's and apologise to
him."

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't know Jonathan very well, but I know him well enough to know that he wouldn't fight
someone unless he was heavily provoked." CJ put a few Steri-strips on Steve's cuts. "The
least you can do is go to his house and apologise."

"But-"

"No buts. I will lock you in the car and drive you myself if I have to."

"Absolutely not. You cannot drive my car."

"It's either that or you go willingly."

"Fine. But you're coming with me."

--

The lights were on inside the Byers house when Steve and CJ pulled up. Steve turned the car
off but made no move to get out, staring at the house with his jaw clenched.

CJ turned to Steve. "Hey. I know King Steve doesn't apologise, but you're not King Steve
right now. Right now, you're just Steve. Tommy and Carol aren't here. No one is going to
know that you've apologised to Jonathan except you, me, and Jonathan."

Steve nodded, taking a deep breath. "Just...wait here."

Steve got out of the car and ran up to the front door, banging on it. Nancy answered, which
surprised CJ, but she didn't seem willing to open the door very far. Steve and Nancy spoke
for a few moments, unheard by CJ, before Steve pushed his way inside and the front door
closed. CJ stared at the house, unsure what to do, when colourful lights started flickering in
the windows. A roar sounded from the house, loud enough to be heard in the closed car,
which prompted CJ to get out. After a few more moments, Steve ran out of the car in a panic.

"Steve, what's going on?" CJ asked.

Steve fumbled for his keys, panting. He opened the car door and moved to get inside before
pausing.

"Steve?" CJ followed Steve's gaze back to the house, where the colourful lights were
flickering again. A car door closed, and CJ looked to see Steve running back to the house.
"Steve!"

CJ ran after Steve into the house, running into chaos. Christmas lights were strung along the
ceiling, flickering wildly. There was a hole in the ceiling in the lounge room, and Jonathan
was lying on his back in the rubble, a gel-like liquid glistening on his face. A creature with a
five-petal-like mouth was stalking towards Nancy, unaffected by the bullets she was shooting
at it. CJ couldn't see Steve.

"Go to hell, you son of a bitch!" Nancy yelled.

CJ ran into the kitchen and started opening drawers, desperately looking for a weapon. She
found the sharp knives, grabbing a handful and turning around. She aimed one at the creature
and let it fly, the blade embedding itself in the creature's arm. It screeched in pain, a sound
that made CJ want to cover her ears. It started advancing towards her, so she threw another
knife, this one landing in its thigh. Another knife, this time in its shoulder. It was closer now.
As CJ aimed another knife, Steve jumped out of the hallway and swung a nail bat into the
creature's side.

"Steve!" CJ yelled.

The creature swung at Steve, who dodged its arm. Steve started to back away, and the
Demogorgon followed him. Steve swung the bat again, this time into its chest, making it
shriek and swing at it again. Steve dodged and pulled the bat out, pulling out small chunks of
flesh with it. He swing at the chest again, then pulled the bat out and swung it into the
creatre's stomach, pushing it further into the hallway. The creature's foot landed in a bear trap
CJ hadn't seen, the trap closing and making the creature roar.

"He's in the trap!" Steve shouted. "He's stuck!"

"Jonathan, now!" Nancy yelled.

Jonathan ran out of the lounge room and into the hallway, tossing a lit lighter onto the carpet.
The carpet was set ablaze, the fire spreading and engulfing the creature. It screeched in pain,
and the quad turned to shield their eyes from the light. Jonathan ran and grabbed a fire
extinguisher, aiming it at the creature. Smoke filled the air, making them cough. When the
smoke cleared, the creature was gone. The carpet around the bear trap was charred black, and
the only sign of the creature was a small pile of sizzling flesh inside the trap.

"Where did it go?" Nancy asked.

Jonathan shook his head. "No. It has to be dead. It has to be."

CJ panted. "What was that thing?"

"That's the thing that took Will."

"Sorry, I'm a bit behind. I thought Will...died."

"It's a long story."

The Christmas lights slowly lit up, travelling from the kitchen down the hallway. The group
backed down the hallway towards Will's room, unsure of what the lights meant. The lights
turned off. After a few anxious moments, the lights lit up again, this time heading away from
Will's room and towards the lounge room. The quad looked at each other before cautiously
following the lights. The lights headed towards the front door, then turned off. Jonathan
opened the front door and walked outside, the others following him. They stood on the edge
of the porch, looking at a street light a few metres away. It flickered briefly before turning
off.

"Where's it going?" Nancy asked.

"I don't think that's the monster."

--

Like mostChristmases, Mr and Mrs Harrington were notably absent from their household.
Unline most Christmases, CJ and Steve had other people to share it with this year. The
Wheeler house was so much more inviting than the Harrington house. Karen was cooking in
the kitchen, the smell wafting into the lounge room where CJ sat on the couch next to Steve.
The boys could be heard yelling from down in the basement, all clearly enjoying their current
D&D game. The house felt like a home.

CJ had already spent most of the day with her boyfriend and his uncle, but she and Steve had
always spent Christmas Eve night in each other's company. It was something they'd started
doing when their parents started going on longer and more frequent 'business trips'. Being so
close in age, they didn't always get along, but they always put their differences aside to spend
the night together. It was nice to be sharing the night with other people for once.

Jonathan waved to CJ and Steve as he walked past, heading towards the basement to get Will.
After a few moments, and more yelling from the boys, the two Byers walked into the foyer.
Nancy ran up behind them, giving Jonathan something before he left. She walked into the
lounge room, sitting next to Steve and leaning into him.

"Did you give it to him?" Steve asked.

Nancy nodded. "Yeah."

After a few hours of TV watching and cookie eating, the clock struck twelve. It was officially
Christmas day.

Steve turned to CJ. "Merry Christmass, Ceej."

CJ smiled. "Merry Christmas, Steve."

 Two.

It was Halloween, and CJ was ready to spend the night listening to music and ignoring trick-
or-treaters. It seemed like Steve had other plans, knocking on her door while wearing
obnoxious sunglasses. CJ glanced up from her desk and sighed heavily.

"You ready yet?" Steve asked.

"Ready for what?"

"The Halloween party?"

"I am not going to that stupid party."

"Of course you are. I'll pick you up and drag you there myself if I have to."

CJ pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Fine. Now get out so I can get changed."

"Hurry up though. We've gotta pick Nancy up on the way."

"Of course we do."

--

The Halloween party was already in full swing, and CJ was completely regretting coming
along. The house was full of people, all teenagers who were getting wasted. The music was
so loud that CJ could barely hear herself think. At one point, Steve and Nancy walked off,
leaving CJ to awkwardly stand at the back of the room. She practically shrank into herself
when she saw Billy walking towards her, which made it easier for him to corner her.

"Hey, Christina," Billy drawled.

CJ cringed at the name. "It's Christina-Jane. There's a hyphen."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"What do you want, Billy?"

"I was hoping to get a cup of you."

"Um, ew."

Billy moved a step closer and put his hand on CJ's waist. "So, what do you say?"

CJ pushed Billy off, moving away. "Fuck off. Does that ever actually work for you?" She
started moving towards the door.

Billy winked. "I'm here if you want anything, baby."

CJ made her way outside, heading for Steve's car. It was chilly outside, which made her glad
that her makeshift Briar Rose costume had long sleeves and a shawl. She sat on the hood of
the car, pulling her shawl around her arms as she listened to the music coming from inside.
She was ready to wait hours for Steve if she had to, but she'd been sitting there for less than
ten minutes when he stormed outside.

"Get in the car," Steve said. "We're leaving."

"What about Nancy?" CJ asked as she got into the car.

"Don't worry about her."

--

It wasn't all that unusual to find Steve sulking in his room, especially if it was over Nancy. CJ
stood in his doorway, watching as he laid in bed and threw a ball in the air over and over. He
was clearly trying to ignore her, but he sighed after a while and looked at her.

"What do you want?" Steve asked.

"I want you to drive to the Wheelers and apologise to Nancy."

"I'm not doing that."

"Well, you fucked up. Again. Whether you want to stay with her or not, you should still
apologise."

"No."

"I will drag you there myself."

Steve sighed. "Fine."

--

CJ waited in the passenger seat as Steve walked down the front yard towards the Wheeler
house, holding a bouquet of red roses to give to Nancy. A boy walking away from the house
stopped him, and the pair talked for a few moments before the boy started walking towards
the car. He opened the door and seemed surprised to see CJ.

"Um, hi?" CJ said awkwardly.

The boy simply got into the back seat instead. She caught Steve's eye as he stared at the car,
and he sighed and walked towards it.

--

Steve's car drove along, with the radio playing ever so faintly. CJ had learned that the boy in
the back seat was named Dustin, he was one of Will Byers' friends, and he'd also fought the
Demogorgon the year before. Now he was explaining about a slug he'd found that had grown
into a demon dog and eaten his cat.

"Wait a sec," Steve said. "How big?"

Dustin held his hands up, close together at first. "First it was like that." Dustin spread his
hands wider. "Now he's like this."

"I swear to God, man, it's just some little lizard, okay?"

"It's not a lizard."

"How do you know?"

"How do I know if it's not?"

"Yeah, how do you know if it's not just a lizard?"

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat."

Steve shook his head as if to say 'that's fair'. They pulled up the driveway of what CJ assumed
was Dustin's house, getting out of the car. Steve tossed CJ his keys before grabbing his nail
bat out of the boot and closing it. Dustin led them to the storm cellar, which had a lock on the
door. Steve shined a torch over the doors, leaning forward slightly.

"I don't hear shit," Steve said.

"He's in there," Dustin insisted.

Steve glanced at Dustin before looking back at the cellar. He poked the doors with his nail
bat, but nothing happened. He hit the doors, but nothing still. He shined his torch in Dustin's
face. "All right, listen, kid. I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead."

"It's not."

"All right?"

"It's not a prank. Get it out of my face."

Steve didn't move the torch. "You got a key for this thing?"

Dustin ran into the house, coming back a few moments later with a key. Steve handed him the
torch and took the key, opening the cellar. He kneeled at the entrance as Dustin shined the
torch inside.

Steve grabbed the torch. "Let me see that."

Steve shined the torch inside, but there was no sign of anything.

"He must be further down there," Dustin said. "I'll stay up here in case he tries to escape."
Steve shot Dustin an incredulous look before standing up and slowly walking into the cellar,
the torch in one hand and the bat in the other. After a few moments, the light turned on, but
he didn't say anything. CJ anxiously stared into the cellar, unable to see Steve.

"Steve?" CJ asked. There was no response. "Steve, what's going on down there?"

Torchlight was suddenly shone in CJ and Dustin's faces, making them jump back slightly.
The torchlight moved slightly, allowing the pair to see Steve standing at the edge of the
cellar, looking up at them and holding his bat away from his body."

"Get down here," Steve said.

CJ and Dustin made their way down the stairs, spotting what looked to be moulted skin on
Steve's bat.

"Oh, shit," Dustin cursed. Steve shone his torch to the corner of the room, where bricks were
dislodged and a hole had been made. "Oh, shit!" The trio walked towards the hole, kneeling
down. Now that they were closer, it was clear that the hole was actually a tunnel. "No way.
No way."

--

The trio walked through the woods, dropping meat chunks as they went. CJ thought it was a
feeble attempt at baiting Dart, but the boys were convinced it would work, so she'd gone
along with it. Unfortunately, it seemed that all boys talked about were girls, with Dustin
basically spilling his whole heart about some girl he liked.

"All right, so let me get this straight," CJ started. "You kept something you knew was
probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who...who you just met?"

"All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things," Dustin protested.

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" Steve asked.

"An interdimensional slug? Because it's awesome."

"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I...I just...I don't know, I just feel like
you're trying way too hard."

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?"

"It's not about the hair, man. They key with girls is just...just acting like you don't care."

"Even if you do?"

"Yeah, exactly. It drives them nuts."

CJ snorted. "Absolutely not."

The boys ignored her. "Then what?" Dustin asked.

"You just wait until, uh...until you feel it," Steve explained.

"Feel what?"

"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can’t see it, but you can feel it, like this,
uh…electricity, you know?"

"Oh, like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere-"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like a…like a sexual electricity."

"Oh."

"You feel that and then you make your move."

"So that’s when you kiss her?"

"No, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo."

"Sorry."

"Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive. You know, strong, hot and
heavy, like a…I don’t know, like a lion."

"Mmm."

CJ pushed the boys aside and walked in front of them. "I'm gonna keep going to the junkyard.
When you boys are done discussing the worst ways to get with a girl, catch up with me."

--

After a while of walking, the trio reached the Hawkins junkyard. Beaten up cars and scrap
metal were scattered around the area, and an old abandoned bus was near the edge of the
yard. Steve sighed, then nodded.

"Oh, yeah," Steve said. "Yeah, this will do. This will do just fine. Good call, dude."

Steve walked into the junkyard, and Dustin and CJ followed. The boys scattered chunks of
meat on the ground as they walked, before dumping their buckets into a pile in the middle of
yard.

"I said medium-well!" A boy yelled.

The trio looked up to see a boy and a girl at the edge of the junkyard. The boy waved, and
they started walking over.

"Who's that?" Steve asked.

The pair reached them, and Dustin hugged the boy. "Steve, CJ, this is Lucas and Max. Lucas
and Max, Steve and CJ."
CJ waved awkwardly.

Steve clapped. "All right. Let's catch a monster."

--

Night had fallen. The group was holed up in the now fortified bus, with moonlight coming
through the roof exit and the small gaps they'd left to see out. Lucas was up top, using
binoculars to keep an eye out for Dart. CJ sat on one of the seats, twidling her thumbs. Steve
sat on the ground, flicking a lighter open and closed. Max sat on a chair, staring at Steve,
while Dustin anxiously paced.

"So you really fought one of these things before?" Max asked.

CJ looked up and nodded. Steve did the same.

"And you're, like, totally, 100% sure it wasn't a bear?"

"Shit," Dustin snapped. "Don't be an idiot. Okay? It wasn't a bear. Why are you even here if
you don't believe us?" Max at Dustin in disbelief. "Just go home."

Max stood up and moved to the ladder. "Geesh. Someone's cranky? Past your bedtime?"

Max climbed the ladder, and Dustin began pacing again.

Steve looked impressed. "That's good. Just show her you don't care."

"I don't," Dustin said. Steve winked. "Why are you winking, Steve? Stop."

After a while of more nothing, there was a growling sound outside. The trio scrabbled to look
out the window, but they could see nothing but fog.

"You see it?" CJ asked.

"No," Steve replied.

Dustin moved back and looked up the ladder. "Lucas, what's going on?"

"Hold on!" Lucas yelled down. He took a moment to look. "I've got eyes! Ten o'clock!
Ten...ten o'clock!"

CJ followed Lucas' directions and spotted Dart's silhouette in the fog. Steve pointed it out to
Dustin. "There."

"What's he doing?" CJ asked.

"I don't know." There was a chittering near the pile of meat, but nothing tried to eat it. "He's
not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?"

"Maybe he's not hungry?" Dustin suggested.

"Maybe he's sick of cow," CJ said matter-of-factly.

Steve stood up and moved back slightly, glancing at Dustin and CJ before moving towards
the door.

"Steve?" Dustin asked. "Steve, what are you doing?"

Steve grabbed his nail bat and walked towards the door.

CJ could tell what Steve was about to do. "Steve?"

Steve turned around, breathing heavily. He held the lighter up. "Just get ready."

Steve tossed the lighter to CJ before opening the bus' door and walking out. Dustin closed the
door, and he and CJ moved to look out through the gap in the barricade. Steve slowly walked
his way towards the pile of meat, gripping his bat tightly. He whistled, swinging the bat. Max
climbed down the ladder.

"What's he doing?" Max asked.

"Expanding the menu," Dustin replied.

The trio watched as Steve inched his way towards the meat pile, whistling and swinging his
bat every so often.

"He's insane."

"He's awesome."

"Steve, watch out!" Lucas yelled from up top.

"A little busy here!" Steve yelled back.

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

CJ realised in horror that Dart was joined by other demon dogs, all of them growling as they
advanced towards Steve.

Dustin ran to the door. "Steve!" He slammed the door open. "Steve! Abort! Abort!"

A demon dog ran at Steve, who dogded at the last minute and rolled over the hood of a car.
Another demon dog ran for him and was hit away by a swing of the bat. CJ and the younger
kids stood in the doorway, voices overlapping as they all yelled at Steve to get back to the
bus. He ran towards them, chased by the demon dogs. He jumped into the bus, and CJ
slammed the door closed just as the demon dogs launched themselves at it.

"Shit!" CJ yelled.

Steve grabbed a sheet of scrap metal and shoved it flat against the door, pushing on it. The
bus shaked violently as the demon dogs attacked, making everyone scream. A demon dog
arm smashed through the door right next to Steve's head, making CJ and the kids run to the
back of the bus, and Steve grabbed his bat and started hitting the demon dog's arm.

"Shit!" Dustin shouted. He grabbed his walkie talkie out. "Is anyone there? Mike? Will? God!
Anyone!" A claw stabbed itself through the scrap metal on the wall next to the trio, making
them scream and jump back. "Shit! We're at the old junkyard, and we are going to die!"

The bus suddenly stopped shaking, and there was no more noise from outside. Steve stepped
back from the door, panting. There was a suddenly banging on the roof, and CJ looked up to
see a dent right above them. Whatever was on the roof slowly moved towards the sunroof, its
footsteps echoing slightly. Max looked up the ladder as a claw appeared on the top ring and
screamed. Steve ran over and pushed her out of the way, holding his bat up as he looked up
the ladder.

"Out of the way! Out of the way! You want some?" The demon dog screeched. "Come get
this!"

The demon dog screeched again, then suddenly jumped off the bus, making it shake slightly
with the movement. All five of them breathed heavily, scared shitless but prepared for
another attack. Steve walked past CJ and went outside, looking around. The others followed
him, but they didn't travel much further than the door.

"What happened?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know," CJ admitted.

"Steve scared 'em off?" Dustin offered.

"No," Steve said. "No way." He turned around. "They're going somewhere."
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