1983 || Stranger Things

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴇɪɢʜᴛ | ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɴsʜᴇᴇ, ᴘᴛ. ᴛᴡᴏ

      The crew followed Steve through the tunnels with Steve leading the way, and Julie rounding out in the back. They stepped over vines and squelchy things. Julie wanted to throw up. They stopped in this disgusting area, standing and looking around.

      "God." Lucas said.

      "What is this place?" Max asked, her hand grasping Julie's tightly.

      "Guys, come on. Keep moving." Steve pushed, and the gang did what he asked.

      Julie let go of Max's hand and let her pass, not noticing Dustin standing behind. All of a sudden, Dustin was screaming wildly and and calling for help.

      "Dustin? What's wrong?" Julie asked as she rushed back to the boy, who was tripping over his own two feet.

      "Dustin." Mike said.

      "Dustin!" Lucas yelled with fear for his best friend.

      "Dustin!" Max said while she appeared at Julie's side, who was now kneeling at Dustin's level.

      Steve pushed through the group of kids. "What happened?"

      "It's in my mouth! Some got on my mouth! Shit!" Dustin whimpered, clinging to Julie's shirt while he coughed.

      After a moment, Dustin let go of Julie and looked at the lights shining on him. "I'm okay," he said.

      "You serious?" Max asked.

      "Very funny, man." Steve muttered. "Nice. Very nice."

      "Jesus, what an idiot."

      Julie shook her head, but looked towards Dustin again. "You good?" she asked.

      Dustin nodded, and stood up with Julie. "Hang on, wait. Wait." he called after the group, who had already started walking off.

      They continued to follow Steve through the tunnels, until Steve stopped. "All right, Wheeler. I think we found your hub."

      They did in fact find the hub. It was a moderately sized area in the center of all the tunnels. "Drench it." Mike said from in front of Julie.

      Getting to work quickly, Julie and Steve worked side by side as they drenched the hub in gasoline so it could be set on fire. All around them, the kids worked just as fast. When all of the gasoline ran out, Julie stood near Steve, lighter in her hand. The kids were behind them, waiting to run. With one hand flicking the lighter open and the other being grasped by Steve's, Julie tossed the lighter into the center, flames erupting immediately.

      Julie let go of Steve's hand to shield her eyes from the bright light of the flame, while hearing monsters in three different locations. Wherever Will was, at the lab, and right in front of her, as tentacles became covered in flames.

      "Go, go, go!" Steve yelled, grabbing Julie's hand and following the kids out. "Let's go! Let's go!" Steve ushered, looking behind him at the kids.

      "Oh, my God. Oh, my God." Dustin muttered to himself as he ran.

      More people muttered phrases similar to Dustin while running, but Julie couldn't tell what came from who. Julie had fallen to the back of the pack, waiting for the kids to pass her so she could watch from the back.

      "Hey, this way!" Steve yelled directions from the front. Everything was going as planned, until a vine wrapped around Mike's foot, sending him falling to the ground, tripping Julie as he fell.

      "Help! Help! Help! Help!" Mike screamed, while Julie scooted over to him and attempted to rip the vine off of the boy's ankle.

      "Does anyone have a knife?" Julie screamed, tugging harder on the vine that would not budge.