July 2nd, 1985
The Byers Residence

   "Byers residence." I yawned into the phone as I picked it up. It was far too early in the morning for it to be Will or Jon, I assumed that maybe it was mom since she had decided to go for a second night of staying somewhere else that wasn't home.

   After Will's breakdown, he and the boys had decided to go back to Mike's house to devise a plan to take down the Mind Flayer yet again, while I had the most terrifying job of all. Babysitting.

   "Eleanor, hi! It's Mrs. Sinclair." The woman's kind voice drifted through the phone, hitting me like a tone of bricks and instantly waking me up. "Mrs. Sinclair! Hi, is everything okay? Am I late? I'm so sorry, I'll be right over." I instantly assumed as I looked down at my watch fearfully.

   "No worries, hon. Actually, I wanted to let you know that Lucas said he could watch Erica today."

   Letting out a sigh of relief, I nodded along slowly before quickly realizing that the woman couldn't see the movement. "Oh, okay. Is everything alright?" I questioned as I toyed with the cord of the phone.

   Please tell me this isn't her way of firing me. I worried as I awaited her response.

   "Yes, of course... It's just that, money has been a little tight..." She explained over the phone sadly. I knew she felt bad by the tone of her voice, which made me feel guilty for even charging her at all. She was after all like family. But I need the money for college let alone to help mom with the house.

    "Right..." I started as I tried to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes, jeez why am I so sensitive. "I completely understand. Thank you for letting me know in advance." I quickly spoke on the phone before she disconnected me.

   "Shit..." I mumbled to myself as I rubbed my eyes with my fist. "There goes another job." I whispered to myself, this wasn't my first babysitting gig. I had two at the end of the school year when I had my free period at the end of the day. But those quickly got ended because of scheduling and money. Maybe I'm just a bad babysitter.

   The phone rang on the receiver again, bringing my hopes up as I quickly answered it. "Mrs. Sinclair?" I questioned hopefully into the speaker.

   "Code Red. I repeat, Code Red." Dustin yelled from the other side of the phone, causing my shoulders to slump slightly. "Didn't Steve ban me from whatever it is you guys are doing?" I questioned with a frown as I leaned my head against the wall sadly.

   "Doesn't matter, I'll explain everything once you get here." He started from the other side. "Yeah, I don't know, Dusty. Steve was pretty severe yesterday."

   "Forget about what Steve wants! This is a Code Red situation. Now, we need you at Scoops." And that was all the boy had left to say as I heard Steve's voice from the other side of the line, "Who are you talking to?" He questioned before the line went dead.

   Rolling my eyes, I hurried down the hall to get dressed into some of the new clothes I had bought with Max and El, just a simple pair of blue corduroy shorts with a white tank and block-patterned corduroy jacket. Before rushing back down the hall and towards the door just as the phone rang for the third time that morning.

   "Chill with the calls. I'm on my way." I stated into the phone before moving to hang up. "On your way where?" The voice of my mother hit my ears just as I was about to hang up.

   Quickly bringing the speaker back up to my face, I let out a relieved sigh. "Sorry, mom... You know, work. Babysitting?" I quickly lied, scrunching my nose as I did so, I felt bad but I didn't want her worrying over something that probably wouldn't matter at the end of the day.

   "Oh, right. I forget you and Jonathan are little adults now." She cooed into the phone causing me to gag slightly. "Gross, just call us adults. Please." I begged into the phone before looking back down at my watch. "I love you, but I seriously gotta go." I spoke quickly, barely waiting for her to say it back as I hurriedly placed the phone on the receiver and rushed out of the house.

~~~

   I don't think I have ever biked to the mall so fast in my life. I don't think I have done anything in my life that fast, to be honest, but I got to the Scoops in just under fifteen minutes. Much to the surprise of Dustin, especially Steve who stood behind the counter confused.

   "What are you doing here?" He worried as I walked past the counter and towards the staff-only door. "Code Red." I stated simply as I pushed open the door, joining Dustin and Robin in the break room, while Steve hurried in behind me.

   "What is she doing here?" He questioned Dustin, a look of disbelief cast over his features as he stared down at the boy. "Code Red." He said simply as he took a seat at the table with Robin.

   "I thought I made myself clear-" Steve went to start but quickly stopped once he noticed the hurt expression on my face. "Don't say it." I pleaded, lightly grabbing onto his hand. "Let me help."

   Looking down at me with sad eyes, Steve slowly nodded before letting a sharp breath pass from between his lips. "Fine... But you back out when I tell you too." "Deal." I stated happily as he wrapped an arm around me.

   "Are you two done?" Robin questioned, looking grossed out by us before we quickly took our seats at the table.

   "So, I went on the roof this morning to wait for the shipment to come in for that door we found last night." Dustin started, this confused me because I had no clue what he was talking about but I stayed silent and decided I would ask later.

   "It takes a keycard to open that door. That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun." Dustin explained before I quickly stopped him. "Wait, so you guys were telling the truth about the Russians?" I questioned, Steve nodding in agreement with Dustin before he continued.

   "Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it." He stated as Robin thought hard about what to do next. "There's gotta be a way in..." She mumbled before Steve quickly threw his hat onto the table. "Well, you know..." He started before leaning against the table. "I could just take him out."

   I couldn't help but giggle at the way he said that so simply. "Take who out?" I questioned him sarcastically. "The Russian guard." He explained seriously. "Right." I laughed lightly as I toyed with the edge of my jacket. "Any other ideas?"

   "What, I'm being serious. I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It's easy." Steve explained simply as he looked over us with disbelief that we didn't believe in him.

   "Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin questioned him. "Yes, Dustin, I did." Steve scoffed before continuing, "And that's why I would be sneaking." He gave an example by slowly walking his fingers across the table.

   "Oh..." Dustin started with a smirk. "Well, please, tell me this, and be honest, have you ever actually... Won a fight?" He questioned Steve with a frown, I shook my head slowly, much to Steve's annoyance.

   "It was one time!" He shouted out of annoyance. "Twice. Jonathan. The year before Billy." I stated with a roll of my eyes. "That doesn't count."

   I scoffed, smirking up at him. "Why wouldn't it count?" I questioned, punching him in his shoulder, "Cause it looked to me like he beat the shit out of you." I grinned as I thought back to that day. "Yeah, well... It was a thing that all added up--" "Crooked nose, fat lip. Lots of blood, like a lot of blood." I cut him off with a grin while he continued to try and defend himself.

   "That just might work." Robin mumbled as she looked away from us, quickly standing from her seat and making her way out of the backroom.

   Rushing behind the counter, the three of us watched as she stuffed her hand into the tip jar and pulled out whatever dollar bills lingered there.

   "Robin! Hey, what are you doing?!" Steve questioned as he hurried behind her. "I need cash." She explained as she walked towards the exit. "Well, no. Half of that's mine." Steve pleaded as he looked at the money sadly. "Where are you going?" I questioned her as she walked out of the shop.

   "To find a way into that room, a safe way. And, in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up." She stated before rushing out of our sight.

   "Oh, dude..." I groaned as I watched Dustin lick one of the scoopers that laid discarded on the counter. "Come on, man... Not my scooper." Steve complained before placing the scooper back in his holster.

~~~

   "It is fascinating what twenty bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office." Robin states as she laid the blueprints over the table with a grin plastered to her lips. "Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."

   "Not bad." I grinned up at her before looking back down at the blueprints.

   "So, this is us, Scoops." Robin began, pointing down at one of the rooms on the first level of the Mall blueprints. "And this is where we want to get." She moved her hand across the paper and onto one of the rooms on the other side of the Mall.

   "I mean, I don't really see a way in." Steve stated as he studied the print.

   "There's not if you're talking exclusively doors." Robin started before removing the first layer of blueprints to reveal the second page. The air duct system.

   "Air ducts..." Dustin exclaimed happily as he stared up at the girl. "Exactly." She muttered before grabbing a Sharpie.

   "Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts, lead all the way..." She circles the mysterious room before drawing a line over the air duct that led back to Scoops. "Here."

   The four of us stared up at the air vent just on the opposite wall. "Get me a screwdriver." Steve requested as he dragged one of the chairs towards the wall before standing on it.

   "Here." Dustin called out as he pulled a screwdriver from his fannypack, Steve looking down at him with a cocked brow. "You just... Carry that around with you?" He questioned as he took the screwdriver from his hand. "Always prepared." Dustin stated proudly as Steve unscrewed the air vents' cover.

   "Okay, I need a flashlight." He requested, Dustin quick to pull a flashlight from his fannypack as well. "Dude..." Steve groaned as he looked down at it. "Do you want it or not?" Dustin complained before Steve took the light.

   Shining it down the air duct, Steve's forehead wrinkled as he looked down the space. "Yeah, I don't know, man. I don't think you can fit in here. It's, like... super tight."

   Dustin rolled his eyes. "I'll fit. Trust me. No collar bones, remember?" He questioned as Steve stepped down from the chair, handing the flashlight to Dustin.

   "Uh, excuse me?" Robin questioned from beside me as she stared at Dustin with worried eyes. "Oh, he's, us... Yeah, he's got some disease. Chry- uh... Chrydo- um... Something. Yeah, I dunno." Steve struggled to find the right term. "Cleidocranial Dysplasia." I stated, Steve snapping his fingers in response.

   "Yeah, he's missing bones and stuff. He can bend like Gumbo." He stated in agreement causing us to stare at him with grins plastered to our lips. "You mean, Gumby." We stated at the same time.

   "I'm pretty sure it's Gumbo." He stated again. "Steve, just shut up and push me!" Dustin yelled, now sticking halfway out of the vent. "Okay..." Steve scoffed, stepping up on the chair and staring at the boy as he looked for a place to push.

   Grabbing onto his feet, Steve pushed and only succeed in bending the boy's knees. "Not my feet, dumbass. Push my ass." Dustin yelled out. "What?" Steve questioned in disbelief.

   "Touch my butt I don't care!" Dustin yelled at him from inside the vent. "Fine!" Steve yelled, now pushing against the boy. "Come on, harder!" Dustin yelled at him again. "I'm pushing!" "Push harder!"

   "You know what?" Steve grabbed onto the boy's legs. "I'm gonna just shove you, ready?" He questioned him as he lined himself up and shoved his shoulder into the wall, not pushing the boy anywhere.

   "Alright, this isn't gonna work." Steve complained, helping the boy out of the vent. "Nellie, your turn." He stated as Dustin jumped off of the chair.

   "As flattering as that is. Hell no." I stated as I stared up at him startled. "Well, what do you suppose we do instead?" Dustin questioned as the sound of someone slamming their hand on the bell on the counter hit our ears.

   "Ahoy, sailors! All hands on deck!"

   Erica?

   "Ahoy! Come on, get over here and serve me some samples."

Erica.