the gate

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Billy's car had somehow managed to fit all seven of them, with Ben and Steve sprawled out in the back with Scarlett in the middle of them, holding ice to her and Steve, while Ben just had a big pack of ice laid on his entire face. With Scarlett being too dizzy to drive, and the two boys slipping in and out of consciousness, Max was the last resort. Taking the wheel, she got them away from the Byers house as quickly as she could.

A groan was heard as Steve opened his eyes the best he could and looked around. Looking up at Mike, confusion set in. "Nancy?" He mistook Mike for Nancy, the similarities popping out within his blurred eyesight. Mike looked at him as if he had seven heads. He groaned again, turning his head to see Scarlett. "Scarlett?"

"Got one right." She tried to laugh, but stopped herself as she became lightheaded.

"What happened to your nose?" He reached up to her head in concern, pointing to her nose before cupping her cheek.

"It's not that bad.." She sat in silence for a moment as she was rethinking, she hadn't even seen it herself. "Is it?" She took the ice pack off her nose, watching Steve's face soften.

"Kinda." He said with caution, not wanting to make her upset. A sudden stinging sensation took over his face, and his instinct was to reach for it. A hand launched to stop him.

"No, don't touch it." Dustin exclaimed, causing Steve to look up at him. "Hey, buddy.. shhh. It's okay, you put up a good fight. He kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. You're okay."

"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for a half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai." Lucas said from the passenger seat, directing Max to the tunnel entrance.

"What's going on?" Panic set in as Steve realized he or Scarlett weren't driving. He relaxed as he realized Ben was probably driving, but turned to the drivers seat and noticed Max at the wheel. "Oh, my god. Ohh-"

"Just relax. She's driven before." Dustin reassured, shushing Steve as he panicked.

"Yeah, in a parking lot." Mike scoffed and shook his head.

"That counts!" Lucas defended her.

"Funny joke." Scarlett scoffs, tightening her grip on the roof handle.

"Ohh, my god. Oh my god."

"Steve, shut up. Your panic makes me want to throw up." Scarlett groaned, now holding both ice packs to her face.

"They wanted to leave you and those two behind," He motioned to Scarlett and Ben. "I promised that you'd be cool, okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on?" Steve yelled as Max hit the gas. "Oh, my god. No! Whoa! Stop the car. Slow down."

"Steve, I'm literally gonna knock you out again." Scarlett yelled over his screaming. "Who let her drive again?"

"You!" The kids all yelled in unison.

"I told you he'd freak out!" Mike sassed, shoving Dustin's shoulder.

"Stop the car!"

"If you throw up, throw up on Mike." Scarlett instructed, not wanting to smell like Steve's vomit forever.

"Everybody shut up! I'm trying to focus." Max screamed, shaking her head.

"What's.. What's going on?" Ben jolted awake, beginning to panic as well. "Why is Max driving? Oh, shit! Max is driving!"

"Oh, wait, that's Mount Sinai. Make a left." Lucas jumped in his seat, pointing to the road they were about to pass.

"What?"

"Make a left!" Lucas screamed. Max cussed under her breath before turning the wheel, accidentally driving through a few trash barrels and a mailbox. Screaming in the car erupted, Steve turning and holding onto Scarlett for dear life, Scarlett's face contorting into one of disappointment and frustration. Ben took ahold of the grab handle and Scarlett's shoulder, continuing to scream. Lucas was screeching, and Scarlett thought it resembled an eight year old girl. Turning the wheel as far as she could, she made it onto the street and the screaming came to a stop, as well as the car as they reached their destination.

When the car jolted to a stop, so did everyone in it. "Hello!" Steve yelled, grabbing onto the seats in front of him.

"Incredible." Mike gasped, sitting up in his seat.

"I told you. Zoomer." She swung open the drivers door, stepping out as everyone else followed her actions. Steve flopped out and onto the grass. With his best effort, he stood and leaned against the car door.

Scarlett had put on her mask, hissing as it touched her nose, which with no surprise had remained tender to the touch. Her goggles sat on her head, and she swung the shotgun over her shoulder, grabbing a can of gasoline and shoving a lighter in her pocket.

"Guys," Steve groaned. "Hey, where do you think you're going? What are you, deaf? Hello? We are not going down there right now. I made myself clear." He scolded, turning to Scarlett. "What, you're on board with this?"

"It's really not a good plan, but they need someone down there with them. And since they wanna be so stubborn, I'll be right behind them in case things go south." Scarlett shrugged, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"No, no. There is no chance we're going in that hole. This ends.. right now!" Steve yelled.

"Steve!" Dustin grabbed his arm. "I get it. You're upset. But the bottom line is, a party member requires assistance, and it is our duty to provide that assistance. Now, I know you promised that you would keep us safe. So keep us safe." He held out Steve's backpack. "I mean, look at Scarlett right now." He motioned to the girl following the three kids into the tunnel, Ben tailing her. Steve looked over, sighing and snatching the bag from him.

Soon enough they had all landed in the tunnels, preparing themselves for what was to come. "Holy shit." Steve looked around in awe, having never seen anything like this. Though Scarlett knew it all too well, shivering at the view. The snowy flakes falling all around them, the dark cold air that seemed to reach her through the jacket, everything.

Ben came to her side, he had a feeling that she would feel a little uncomfortable. And although it wasn't directly the Upside Down, it came from it and was most definitely nightmarish material. "Hey." He walked beside her, nudging her arm. "You alright?"

"I'll be fine." She nods, pushing herself forwards to proceed to the route.

"Uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure it's this way." Mike began walking, following the map drawing he had made, hoping it was accurate.

"You're pretty sure? Or you're certain?" Dustin asked him.

"Be one hundred percent sure, I'm not really interested in getting lost in these tunnels." Scarlett added truthfully.

"I'm one hundred percent sure. Just follow me and you'll know." Mike answered, leading the way.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, I don't think so. Any of you little shits die down were we're getting blamed." Steve pushed past everyone to Mike, motioning to himself, Scar and Ben. "Got it, dipshit? From here on out, I'm leading the way. Come on, let's go." He announced, pulling Mike behind him. "Hey, a little hustle?"

Making their way through the tunnels was no easy feat. They had to jump over vines and holes, dodge barfing plants, and Steve had to figure out his right from his left. But after almost getting lost a couple times, they made it to an opening seemingly near the hub, and by taking a look around, it definitely wasn't too welcoming.

"God." Lucas grimaced, picking up his foot and some slime as well.

Below Ben's foot, a horrible crunch was heard. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut before looking down at what he had stepped on. "Oh my god, those are bones." He said quickly before stepping off and walking forward.

"What is this place?" Max asked curiously, wondering what part of the tunnels they happened to be in.

"A graveyard, apparently." She took into account the numerous bones below their feet, and couldn't help but wonder if maybe they weren't animal bones.

"Guys, come on. Keep moving." Steve urged the group forward, pushing through the tunnels. Suddenly, Dustin began screaming and thrashing around. Everyone rushed to his side, trying to figure out what had just occurred. "What happened?" Steve pushed by them, looking at Dustin.

"It's in my mouth! Some got on my mouth! Shit!" He cried, coughing up some of the flakes and spitting them out. He looked up at everyone, "I'm okay."

Everyone's concerned expressions contorted into ones of anger. They mumbled a few 'what an idiot' and 'you serious?' before continuing on. And just through that tunnel was the entrance to the place they had been looking for the entire time, the hub.

"Alright, Wheeler. I think we've found your hub." Steve announced, shining his flashlight around the large domed section.

"Let's drench it." Mike said confidently after a moment of staring at it. And following Mike's orders, everyone began pouring and spraying the gasoline around the entirety of the hub, careful not to step on the vines. After pouring the remaining gasoline in the center, they met back up near the entrance, preparing themselves to escape as fast as they could.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Steve asked as Scarlett tossed him the lighter, kneeling beside him. Everyone nodded, 'ready' escaping their lips. He turned to Scarlett, "We are in such deep shit." He flicked open the lighter, tossing it into the gasoline drenched hub. Immediately, it bursted into flames, the vines squealing. "Go, go, go!" Steve urged, and everyone made a run down the tunnel, back to the room where Dustin had fallen in no time.

As Steve led them down another path, Mike had fallen, a vine quickly wrapping around his foot. "Help! Help! Help!" He cried, begging for someone to come back and save him.

Scarlett whipped her head around, pulling the gun from her shoulder and slamming the butt end into the vine, "Oh no you don't!" She screamed in between swings. She was able to free the boy, pulling him up just as the other had come to the rescue. "You alright?" She asked him, gasping for breath. But he was looking at something else.

Following his gaze, there was a sight to behold. There stood a Demodog, specifically Dart, ready to lunge at them any second. "Holy shit." Ben mumbled from behind her.

"Dart." Dustin put his hands in front of him, taking a step forward before everyone's hands tried to pull him, pleading for him to stay back. "Trust me, please." He said to the others before turning back to the Demodog. As the two stepped closer to each other,  Dustin tore off his mask and goggles. "Hey. It's me, it's me. It's just your friend, it's Dustin. It's Dustin, alright. You remember me?" He crouched down to the creatures level, causing Scarlett to get nervous. He was too close to the dogs face for her liking.

"Will you let us pass?" He asked Dart. The creature opened its face, letting out a roar and causing the others to jump. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar. That was a pretty douchey thing to do. You hungry? Yeah?"

"He's insane." Lucas hissed.

"Exactly what I was thinking." Ben agreed in a whisper, the two earning shushes from everyone in the group.

"I've got our favorite. See? Nougat." Dustin grinned, waving the chocolate bar in front of him. The Demodog became curious, inching closer at the smell. "Look at that. Yummy. Here, alright? Eat up buddy." He placed the opened bar in front of the dog, waving everyone forward. They swiftly moved past Dart as if he were the smallest of obstacles, Dustin not too far behind. He said his goodbyes, and they were off once again.

Just as they were about to arrive at the tunnel's exit, snarls and barks were heard. And they weren't too far away. "They're coming." Mike warned, urging everyone to run.

"Move, move!" Steve yelled, waving everyone forward towards the exit.

"Run, guys run!" Scarlett screamed over the others panic and the thundering of the dogs, turning the corner she felt relieved, seeing the rope hanging from their exit.

"There!" Lucas pointed, sprinting towards it.

"Go, go, go! Let's go!" Steve hoisted up Ben, who grabbed each middle schooler as Steve lifted them. "Come on! Come on!" The boy yelled to the remaining two in the tunnel. Scarlett and Dustin stayed put. They didn't have a chance to grab onto the rope before the shadow of a Demodog appeared at the end of the tunnel. Scarlett and Steve pushed Dustin back readying their weapons for what was about to come.

They were prepared for the mass amount of Demodogs that came charging at them, but they didn't expect the dogs to run right by them as if they weren't even there. Grabbing the two beside him, Steve held Scarlett and Dustin close as the creatures blew by, waiting for it to stop but wondering why it was happening at the same time.

They looked up at Mike, who had a worried expression on his face, "Eleven."

Ben hoisted the three up, and they sat on the dirt in front of the tunnels. Scarlett placed a hand on Mike's shoulder, "Mike, she'll be okay. She has Hopper with her and she's proven time after time she can take care of herself."

Mike nodded slowly, trying to convince himself zek would be okay by listening to Scarlett's words, but still worried. The seven got up and brushed themselves off, pulling themselves out of the dirt hole. 

An intense light emitting itself from the cars headlights caught their attention. They shielded their eyes, confusion growing. After a moment the light dimmed, leaving them in the dark to wonder what had happened.

With El,

With Will,

With the gate.

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