The Turnbows. Yeah. Great. Fantastic plan. I blow out a breath as we step into the garage, which is already yawning open like it knows it’s about to be part of something insane. Jonathan, Nance, Henderson, and everyone’s moving fast, and everyone's tense. Joyce backs the WSQK van in, and I move in, yanking the doors open.

Wheeler, Sinclair, Robin, and you pile out of the back. Henderson grabs the tool bag out. We haul the Turnbows, who are straight up dead weight, pretty much because they're unconscious, into the van. I slam the doors shut and bang on them three times, sharp and loud, the signal for Joyce to head to the barn.

God. This plan is nuts.

I mean, we drugged the Turnbows so we could kidnap them to save them. We’re trapping a Demogorgon, shooting it with a tracker, and following it back to Holly. When I actually lay it out like that… okay. Still nuts. But not the worst idea we’ve ever had.

Everyone splits into motion immediately. No arguing. No second-guessing. Just go. You and Wheeler shove a table out of the living room while Sinclair and I muscle the couch aside, legs scraping against the floor. In the garage, you, me, and Wheeler drill holes into a thick plank. We hammer nails through it, over and over, until it looks like something out of a medieval torture chamber. Henderson’ll rig it to the ceiling on the second floor near Derek's room, something for the Demo to slam into. Meanwhile, Jonathan, Nance, and Sinclair are filling balloons with gasoline.

Back inside, we peel up the carpet and draw the outline on the floor. That’s where we cut. That’s where it drops. Basement below, barbed wire waiting, Nance with the shot. My head’s spinning trying to keep track of it all.

Then comes the big part.

Nance, Jonathan, Wheeler, Sinclair, and you grab tools from the bag. When it’s my turn, Henderson hands me the axe. I turn it in my hands out of habit, and then I see it. My eyes widen. A grin creeps across my face.

I walk back into the living room. Everyone’s ready, tools poised. They all look at me.

Then... purrrr...

The chainsaw roars to life.

I slap on safety goggles and get to work, the blade tearing through the floor, noise echoing through the house. Wood splinters, the boards give way, and finally the whole section collapses inward.

I kill the chainsaw. Silence crashes back down.

We all stare into the hole, into the Turnbows’ basement below. Jonathan and Nance climb down to unroll an absurd amount of barbed wire, layering it thick so the Demo won’t get back up. We staple the carpet back into place, making it look just intact enough to fool something running at full speed. Not one of us says a word. It’s all muscle memory and nerves. We don’t know when it’s coming.

When everything’s set, you, Henderson, and I head for my car to track the thing while the others stay behind to spring the trap. As we reach the driveway, I glance between you both.

"Ah-ah Henderson, you're in the back."

I slide into the driver’s seat. You take the passenger side. Henderson hesitates, annoyed, but tough luck. Lately, he’s been pushing everyone away. Me included. So yeah. Back seat. Now all we can do is wait.

"Alright... Get comfy you two."