Chapter Fourteen: Monster Hunting

We headed over to the Military surplus story, getting spikes and a mallot, a gas can, everything that we would need to test our hypothesis of the Demogorgan being drawn to blood.

Nancy stood beside me with a basket, grabbing spikes as I surveyed the mallots. Jonathan came up behind us and we all paused, looking at the shelf on the end of the aisle that contained bear traps. I nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely want that." Jonathan grabbed it and I took the gas can from him and we went up to the front of thr store, putting everything on the counter. The owner eyed us warily as Nancy began emptying out the basket.

"And we'll have four boxes of the .38s." Jonathan told him. He walked over, grabbing them and putting them on the counter.

"What are you kids doin' with all this?" He finally asked.

"Um..." Jonathan and Nancy both looked at me, unsure of what to do. I looked at the man, and with the most serious face I could muster, replied:

"Monster hunting."

"Huh." He nodded, going to ring us up. I looked at them, my eyes wide in surprise that that actually worked.

"Monster hunting?" Jonathan asked, amused as we took our stuff out to his car. I shrugged.

"Sometimes the best excuse isn't an excuse at all." I said, laughing as I put the stuff in the trunk.

"You know, last week I was shopping for a new top I thought Steve might like." Nancy said suddenly. I nodded.

"It took the three of us all weekend...to find a shirt." I told Jonathan.

"It seemed like life or death, you know? And...and now..."

"You're shopping for bear traps with Jonathan Byers." He finished for her, closing the trunk.

"Yeah."

"What's the weirdest part? Me or the bear trap?"

"You. Its definitely you." She said, smiling at him. He chuckled and I did too, shaking my head at the pair who, from where I was standing, had way too much chemistry to just be friends. Now that I think about it, maybe Steve should be worried. Not that they would ever do anything while she was dating him, but they definitely like each other.

Suddenly a car honked and a bunch of guys from Nancy and Jonathan's class slowed beside us.

"Hey Nance, can't wait to see your movie." One boy said as they sped away. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What the heck was that?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't know..." Nancy said. My eyes widened in realization as I recalled Steve from last night.

"Oh no." 

"What?" Jonathan questioned. "What?" Nancy and I shared a look before taking off down the sidewalk towards 'The Hawk', which was Hawkins' local movie theater.  "Hey! Where are you guys going? Nancy, wait!" 

Nancy took off running, and Jonathan and I did too, trailing after her until we were standing in front of the theater, where the marquee read 'All The Right Moves' with the words 'Starring Nancy The SLUT Wheeler' in red spray paint.

"Geez."

"I'll kill him," I said, looking at Nancy, "I'll straight up kill him."

We both looked up as we picked up on the sound of spray paint and walked around to the alley to find Tommy, Carol, Steve, and Nicole still using the spray paint they'd used on the sign to write on the wall. Nancy stalked towards them, or Steve specifically, and I trailed along behind her.

"Aw, hey there princess." Carol greeted condescendingly.

"Uh-oh. She looks upset." Tommy said while Nicole made a mock-pouty face. She stopped in front of Steve before full force slapping him across the face, earning a verbal reaction from the others.

"What is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I was worried about you. I can't believe that I was actually worried about you."

"I can't either. I thought all you cared about was hairspray." I shot back, putting a hand on Nancy's shoulder.

"What are you talking about?!" Nancy exclaimed.

"I wouldn't lie if I were you. You don't want to be known as the lying slut now, do you?" Carol said.

"Speak of the devil." I turned around to see Jonathan coming up behind us. I turned back to Steve, shooting him a glare.

"Are you really this stupid?" I asked. " I told you nothing happened, you moron."

"You came by last night." Nancy realized.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Does she get a prize?"

"Stop talking or I'll give you one." I told Carol, causing her smile to fall.

"Look, I don't know what you think you saw, but it wasn't like that. Riley was there, what could we have been doing?!"

"I don't know...studying?" He said, clearly not meaning actually studying.

"Or for another pervy photo session?" Tommy asked, laughing.

"We were just-" Nancy started.

"What?" He took a stop closer to us both, slightly towering over us. "Finish that sentence. Finish the sentence." I shoved my hands full force into his chest, causing him to back up a couple of steps. I glared at him.

"Back up." I warned

"Come on, let's go." Jonathan put a hand on both of our backs, turning us around and beginning to guide us away.

"You know what Byers? I'm actually kind of impressed. I always took you for a queer, but I guess you're just a little screw-up like your father." He shoved him and before I could think about it, or stop myself, I turned around and punched him in the jaw. His friends whooped and cheered as he fell to the ground and I shook out my hand, grabbing Jonathan's jacket to pull him away.  Steve stood up, rubbing his face but continuing to talk."Oh yeah, that house is full of screw-ups I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I mean, you're Mom? I'm not even surprised what happened to your brother."

"Jonathan, leave it." Nancy said.

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you, but the Byers, their family is a DISGRACE TO THE ENTIRE-" Jonathan turned around now, also punching him in the face. Steve tackled him onto the hood of the car, before throwing him down the the ground.

"Steve! Knock it off you guys!" Jonathan rolled so that he was sitting on top of Steve now.

"Get off of him, seriously!"

"Kick his butt, man!" Steve drove his knee into Jonathan's side, shoving him off of him and standing up just in time for Jonathan to punch him in the face again. Carol pushed Tommy into the mix, and he tried to push Jonathan off, but Steve waved him off.

"Get off, get out of here, get out of here, get out of here." He told him as Jonathan swung on him again. He ducked, landing a blow to Jonathan's face this time, but Jonathan got another one in immediately after that.

"Jonathan, stop! Stop! You're gonna hurt him!"  He punched him again, knocking Steve to the ground and beginning to repeatedly punch him in the face as police sirens came up behind him.

"Cops!" Tommy yelled.

"Guys--Jonathan, get off of him!" 

Tommy, Carol, and Nicole took off as Callaghan and Powell showed up, and I ran over, yanking Jonathan off of him. Steve stood up, looking like he was gonna go for him again, but I stepped in front of him, getting in his face as he raised his fist.

"Go on, do it, Harrington. Hit a girl and regress yourself to a level of scum, if at all possible, more disgusting than you already are." I said. He  shook his head, turning and taking off after his friends.

When I turned around, Callaghan was chasing them, suddenly with blood pouring out of his nose and Powell had Jonathan on his stomach on the car with cuffs on his wrist.

"I got this one!" He called to Callaghan, his eyes falling on me. I offered him a two-fingered salute.

"Girl, don't make me call your Dad." He said.  I waved him off, walking over and wrapping an arm around Nancy, who had a hand pressed over her mouth.

~~~

Nancy and I stood with Flo at the Police Station, as she got ice and put it in a rag for Jonathan and I.

"Do you think we'll be out of here soon?" Nancy asked.

"You, yes. Them, no." She gave me a pointed look. I nodded. "Her, not necessarily for legal reasons but parental ones, and your boy, he assaulted a police officer."

"Well, how long are you gonna keep him?" She asked.

"You and your boyfriend have big plans, do you?" I pressed my lips together, trying to conceal a laugh.

"He's not my boyfriend." Nancy denied.

"I think you'd better tell him that."

"What?"

"Only love makes you that crazy, sweetheart. And that darn stupid." She handed Nancy and me a towel and I took it, pressing it against my bruised knuckles.

"Thanks, Flo." Nancy walked over, holding the ice to Jonathan's face while I stayed leaning against the counter, watching them.

"You see it to, don't you?" She asked me. I nodded.

"Yeah...its kind of hard to miss."