Cold

  HAWKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL

  "I still don't get why they call him zombie boy." Max said to Lucas as the two were walking down the hallway. "I mean, I get it. He got lost in the woods for a week or something, but why is he a zombie, because everyone thought he was dead?"

"Yeah. I mean, we had a funeral for him and everything." Lucas replied

"After a week?" Max asked in disbelief

"Well, see, some other kid drowned at the quarry. We thought it was will because he's body was super decomposed." Lucas said

Max stopped in her tracks looking at Lucas "What? Okay, that's not funny."

"It's not a joke, all right? It's public knowledge. You can ask anyone." Lucas seriously stated  "Except will, because he is really sensitive about it."

"Okay." Max agreed, she was going to go to Dylan so he could explain it more before Lucas stopped her, like he was reading her mind

"Don't ask Dylan either, he doesn't want us talking about it." Lucas said

"Why?" Max asked her eyebrows furrowed

  "I don't really know." Lucas lied to her, he knew Dylan didn't want anything that related to the Lab to be talked about in a public setting.

"Dylan's like the chillest person, he's nice." Max said as her cheeks warmed up.

"True, but don't piss him off, and if he finds out I told you this, I might. piss. him. off." Lucas responded "get what I'm saying?"

"Yea." Max said as she walked away.

________________________________

   "The case of Phineas Gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time. Phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish accident." Mr Clarke was explaining to his Class

Dylan was in the same spot he always sat but Dustin wasn't here, did he eat too much candy last night?

Dylan wished a upset stomach was his main problem but unfortunately it wasn't, he was tied between so many secrets it killed him and the fact he now knows there's a possibility he killed his own mother is just the cherry on top of this fucked up sundae he called life.

He couldn't even go to his sister, he just had to let her stay in that cabin like a prisoner,

*at least she's safe.* Dylan thought

The door then opened wide, an out of breath Dustin came running in the classroom interrupting Mr Clarke.

"I am so sorry, Mr Clarke." Dustin said as he walked to his desk "really I am so sorry. Please continue with the class."

Dustin put his bag down and leaned forward to the left, Dylan turned his head and saw Dustin face "we have to meet all of us at the Av club, at lunch. Okay?" Dustin whispered

"Okay?" Dylan whispered back as he watched Dustin turn around and face the rest of the group whispering to them as well.

"Dustin!" Mr Clarke scolded

"Yes, my lord." Dustin said a he spun around from Max.

"Would you care to join the class, now?" Mr Clarke asked

"Please, yes."

"Case of Phineas Gage"

"Phineas Gage."

Dylan pondered on what Dustin needed a meeting for. He then heard a slight chirp from Dustin backpack, he looked down and saw Dustin had his trap more than likely containing something.

Dylan rubbed his eyes, sighing. *well shit*

_______________________________AV CLUB

The group was surrounding the table, Dylan was in between Mike and Will as he looked at Dustin's trap.

Dustin opened it up and they were all faced with a creature no bigger than a mouse. Except it was mossy colored and gross.

"His name is d'Artagnan." Dustin told them a big smile on his face. He picked up the creature holding it in the Palms of his hand."Cute, right?"

"D'Artagnan?" Mike questioned

"Dart for short." Dustin replied not taking his eyes off the creature.

Dylan could think of a hundred words that described that thing and cute was not one of them.

"And he was in your trash?" Max asked

"foraging for food." Dustin responded "you wanna hold him?"

Max immediately disagreed but was ignored by Dustin as he handed it to her."Oh, good he's slimy!" She passed it to Lucas

"Eww he's like a living booger!" Lucas complained

"Uh, uh god!" Will passed it to Mike

Mike held the creature up close examining it, Dylan rested a hand on Mikes shoulder, just in case it decided to do anything.

"What the hell is it?" Dylan asked as he gently took it out of Mikes hand and placed it back in the trap, closing it.

"My question exactly." Dustin said excitedly

________________________________

Dustin took out the 5 library books and slammed them on the table "At first, I thought it was some type of pollywog."

"Pollywog?" Max questioned

"It's another word for tadpole." Dustin explained as she nodded "a tadpole is the larva stage of a toad-"

"I know what a tadpole is." Max said

"Alright then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, right?" Dustin said "we'll dart he isn't. He doesn't need water."

"Yea, but aren't there nonaquatic pollywogs?" Lucas asked

Terrestrial pollywogs? Yep. Two to be exact."

"Yea but those are located in India and South America." Dylan said crossing his arms

"Exactly! So how did one end up in my trash?" Dustin said as he opened the trap again taking dart out.

"You guys see that? It's like something is moving inside of it." Mike brought up as they all looked closer, he then put the lamp towards the creature which caused it to screech and run over to Mike and Will

Dylan slightly put his arm in front of the two to shield them as Dustin caught the creature, speaking to it how a someone would speak to a baby.

"There's another thing! Reptiles they're cold blooded. Ectothermic, right?" Dustin asked

"Yea." The group agreed

"Dart hates it. It hurts him." Dustin explained Dylan thought about it this, it brought him relief that he had a power that could kill dart or maybe just hurt him. Either way if dart really was something bad, he could stop it.

"So, it's not a pollywog or a reptile..." Lucas said

"Then I've discovered a new species." Dustin replied

The bell then rang causing them all to jump up and grab their bags.

"We have to show him to Mr Clarke!" Lucas said as they all walked side by side down the hallway

"No what if he steals my discovery! Dustin complained

"He's not gonna steal your discovery." Mike bluntly said

"You know I'm thinking about calling him Dustonious Pollywogus! What do you think?" Dustin asked Max and Dylan

"Uhh, I think you sound like a moron." Dylan sassily said snickering, as Dustin faced dropped and max laughed

"I agree." The girl said

"You know? When I become rich and famous for this one day, don't come crawling back to me, saying "o, my god, dustin I'm so sorry for being mean to you back in the 8th grade. Oh my god." Dustin mocked with a girly voice. _________________________________

Dylan was getting his book out of his locker, so he could go meet up with his friend to show Mr Clarke Dustin's prized discovery. He closed his locker and Mike immediately ran up to him Will following.

"DYLAN!" Mike yelled

"Whoa, what going on?" Dylan asked

"Will tell him." Mike said as Dylan looked at Will.

Will looked around before looking a Dylan with those terrified eyes.

_________________________________SCIENCE CLASS

"This is the reason I was late for class!" Dustin said as he presented his trap to Mr. Clarke

"Pretty neat do these doors function?" Mr Clarke asked

"Well, yeah, obviously but it's not about the trap." Dustin said "it's what's inside!"

"Now, this very well may change your perception of the world." Dustin explained

"Consider my interest peaked!" Mr. Clark said smiling.

"All right, first, let's clarify that this is MY discovery, not yours." Dustin explained

"Dustin Jesus! Just show him!" Lucas yelled

"Okay I'm just trying to clarify-"

"Dustin!"

"Okay."

The door burst open and Mike came yelling"Stop! I'm really sorry Mr Clarke it was just a stupid prank!" Mike grabbed the trap and ran with Will ignoring Dustin and Lucas's protest.

Dylan looked behind him seeing the three just standing there. "We have to go, right now!"

"What the hell-" Dustin started

"RIGHT NOW!" Dylan shouted running after Mike.

_______________________________AV CLUB

Max was pounding on the door asking the guys to let her in.

"I don't understand." Lucas said

"What do you not understand?" Mike asked leaning against the table Dylan right next to him there shoulders touching.

"Will saw something that looked like dart last year? Lucas asked

"Kind of, but there was no tail." Will replied

"But then he heard it yesterday. The exact same sound." Mike said

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Dustin asked annoyed

"I wasn't sure." Will responded

Dylan zoned out looking at the trap seeing it move every so often, like it was getting stronger...... it worried Dylan.

"Dart is from the upside down." Mike expressed

Lucas sighed "we have to take him to hopper."

"I agree" Mike said

"No! No way, we take him to hopper, Darts good as dead." Dustin said as the room grew quiet.

"No point." Dylan spoke up

"What?" Dustin asked

"I can kill him right here." Dylan looked at Dustin his face serious.

"Hell no! How can you say that!" Dustin yelled

"He's from the upside down Dustin!" Dylan counter argued

"Okay just because he is, it doesn't automatically mean that he's bad." Dustin argued back

"That's like saying just because someone's from the Death Star, doesn't make them bad!" Mike yelled

"What threat is dart? He's the size of my palm!" Dustin responded

"And then what?! He's just the size of your arm?! Your leg! Your whole goddamn body!" Dylan yelled getting close to Dustin.

The trap then shook, and screeched as the boys all slightly flinched. It flipped over, dart was trying to escape.

"Don't hurt him!" Dustin yelled at Dylan who was in ready position to burn, throw, or just smash this creature.

Dylan just looked at Dustin before focusing back on the trap.

"Only if he attacks!" Mike told Dylan.

"No promises wheeler."

Dustin opened the trap and the creature fell out a little bigger then last time, it started to squirm as it grew two back legs so it could run.

The creature roared at Dylan and the boy was about to attack when Dustin tackled him on the floor, giving dart a chance to run away and to make matters worse Max managed to pick the lock at the worse time and let Dart loose.

Dylan sat up seeing Dustin on his legs.

"Sorry I had to-" Dustin was cut off as Dylan glared at him in anger

"Get off." Dylan said as Dustin jumped off him running out the door along with everyone else.

Dylan ran down the left hallway separating from the group, he heard Dustin yelling out for him

"Don't hurt him! Don't you hurt him!"

______________________________

Dylan was wandering the hallways just looking around trying to see if he could spot Dart. He didn't have his super comm with him so he couldn't communicate with the rest of the group.

He was walking down a hallway that didn't really seem to end, it felt weird........Like someone was watching him, he took a glance at the posters that were hanging on the wall.

(YOU DID IT) the poster read in big bolder letters, Dylan looked at it confusingly, isn't it supposed to be "you can do it?"

Dylan ignored the typo and focused on walking until he saw another poster on the wall in the same bolder letters

(YOU KILLED HER) Dylan stared at the poster horrified, who made this? He looked at another poster and then another until the walls down the hallway were just filled with posters stating

(YOU DID IT)

(YOU KILLED HER)

(MONSTER)

(FREAK)

Dylan ran down the hallway hyperventilating, he could feel his heart pounding and his hands shaking. The ringing that played in his ears were torturous.

He turned the Corner and bumped into someone Catching them by their arm before they fell

"Eleven?" Dylan asked as he saw the girl in front of him.

"Dylan." Eleven whispered, she looked at the boy before frowning "What is wrong?"

Dylan was still breathing heavily like he ran a mile and his nose was now bleeding."I'm okay....yea, I'm good!" Dylan said to the girl nodding wiping away the blood. Looking around seeing the walls were now normal.

Dylan then looked at the girl worry in his eyes "Why are you here?! Did you leave on your own?" Dylan asked as the girl just opened her mouth no words coming out.

Dylan then heard some footsteps coming from the gym "okay you need to leave. Right now." Dylan hugged the girl "be safe."

The girl nodded before running away getting out of sight. The Gym doors immediately burst open Mike running out

"Did you see her!" Mike frantically asked Dylan

Dylan paused for a second, shit! Mike saw her "See who?" He played dumb, Mike paused looking at Dylan.

"Nevermind........have you seen dart?" Mike asks his eyes drooping.

"No-" Dylan was cut off by Mikes super comm going off

*Guys I found him, in the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's* Will said

Dylan and Mike immediately ran over to the bathrooms, Max following them along as Lucas met up with them.________________________________

"Where's dart?" Mike asked

"I don't know." Dustin replied

They made it to the bathrooms seeing Dustin there, his back pressed against the wall and no sign of blinking, his hair also suspiciously got bigger as his hat was slightly raised. Dustin gulped as Dylan stared him down. He could feel sweat trailing down his forehead.

"He said by Salerno's, right?" Max questioned

"Yeah, maybe Will has him." Dustin said

Dylan immediately looked around not seeing Will

"Where's Will?" Dylan asked his voice cautious.

Mike looked at Dylan the two boys sharing the same look of concern before running out of the bathroom.

________________________________ THE FIELD

Mike was slightly shaking Will as Dylan was next to him.

"Dylan you said you had visions too?" Mike asked looking at Dylan.

Dylan stepped closer to Will grabbing his shoulder "I never froze up like this though, Will never froze either.....this is new."

The rest of the group came running over to them Wills mom at their side.

"We found him like this! He's never frozen up before right?" Dylan asked Joyce as she grabbed her son, Dylan and Mike stepping away near each other.

"No! He's never done this! WILL! Will sweetie wake up! It's mom!" Joyce yelled shaking her son.

Joyce was begging for her son to wake up as the party looked at each other in fear. Dylan felt someone grab his hand, he looked to see Mike. He didn't step away or say anything as both him and Mike knew they needed each other.

_______________________________

Will walked out of the school with his mom. The group standing at the steps watching him leave, their faces anxious.

"Okay that totally freaked me out. Did that freak you guys out?" Max asked

"Two episodes in two days." Lucas said

"It's getting worse." Dylan responded

"You think it's true sight?" Lucas asked Mike

"What's true sight?" Max questioned, Lucas looked to see Dylan was staring at him slightly shaking his head no

"It's nothing." Lucas responded as the girl just sighed

________________________________HARRINGTON RESIDENCE

  Dylan parked his bike outside his garage as he dreaded walking into his house. He hadn't really talked to Steve after his little outburst and then immediately after Steve was told his adopted brother killed his own bio mom. This is gonna be awkward........

The boy set his backpack down and walked into his kitchen getting a bottle of water out.

In the corner of Dylan eye he saw his brother walk in, he turned to look at Steve who was awkwardly standing by the kitchen counter.

"How was school?" Steve asked breaking the silence

*Well we might be in danger because creatures from the upside down somehow made their way in our world*, "it was fine." Dylan responded ignoring his thoughts

"That's good, I didn't have the most spectacular day but it's whatever." Steve replied looking down.

"That sucks." Dylan said closing the fridge, before grabbing his backpack and walking back upstairs.

He can make up with his brother another day

_________________________________

Dylan opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness, an abyss, he could feel water at his feet. He walked forward his stepped echoing until he saw a Women in front of him.

It was his mother, she looked the same as the day she died.

"Mom?.....mom!" Dylan yelled as he ran to her

No matter how fast he went she was still far away from his reach, he couldn't get to her.He's head started pounding and his lungs were icy and cold. He felt stinging pains on his feet and face as blood dripped down from his scar.

He ran until he was tired and collapse on the wet ground, before someone gently placed their hands on his face. He looked up to see her smiling at him.

"My baby...." The women whispered as she lifted him up from the ground. Engulfing him into a hug.

Dylan buried his head against her feeling her warm embrace. He gripped on her shirt not wanting her to go away.

His mother gently pulled him away still holding his hand. "Please don't hurt me." The women said as her eyes welled up in tears

"W-what?" Dylan stuttered as he felt his mother let go of his hand.

"Please don't hurt me! Don't hurt me! Please!" She was shouting and crying as it looked like she was trying to run away from Dylan, but she couldn't move, she was only squirming.

Dylan was so distraught, his mother was screaming for him to get off her as he wasn't even touching her. "Wait. Please! Mom...I'm sorry I'm sorry." Dylan repeated as he cried trying to cover his ears as he didn't want to hear her agony.

_________________________________

Dylan woke up in a cold sweat. He thought about what he just saw and broke down, he had never felt guilt like this before. He killed her. His own mother.