𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐀 // M. Wheeler

[𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈] HOLD ON

a s h e s a s h e s w e a l l f a l l d o w n 

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"𝙊𝙃, 𝙈𝙔 𝙂𝙊𝘿", Dustin screams as they continue careening down the halls of Hawkins Middles, the sound of gunshots fading out ominously as they do. Kathryn, breathing harder the longer she pushes herself forward, wonders if the absence of the ping-ping-ping of bullets against walls is a bad thing. 

She decides it's both. The agents are probably all dead....but the Demogorgon is not. It's coming for them. Finally, Dustin, who's supporting Eleven, turns into a classroom- the science classroom, specifically. Kathryn follows Mike and Lucas in. 

Dustin is speaking to the air, maybe Eleven, and Kat is trying to focus on his words, feeling odd. "Sorry. Hold on, we're almost there. We're almost there. Come on." He fumbles his way over to a table. "Come on." With all of his strength, he tries to lift her onto the table. "Help, help." Lucas skitters his way over to the table and helps the curly-haired boy. "Come on, get her on the table."

Mike takes Eleven's hand as she groans from the table; already having glanced back at Kat to make sure she was there. The poor boy is clearly overwhelmed. "You're okay, just hang on a bit longer." He sniffs. " He's gone. The bad man's gone. We'll be home soon, and my mom... she'll get you your own bed. You can eat as many Eggos as you want." He squeezes her hand. "We'll all go to the Snow Ball." He wants to turn and catch Kathryn's gaze, but at the same time, doesn't want to take his eyes off of Eleven, in case she gets worse. 

Eleven looks into his eyes. "Promise?"

Mike nods, sounding exhausted. "Promise."

Kat, voice hoarse. "You'll be so pretty, El. We-We'll do our makeup together again." 

El smiles softly, even if Kathryn can't see it from her position in the back of the room. The peace is interrupted then, by the Demogorgon's screeching. The gunfire returns, startling Kat again. The sound of the bullets striking wall mixes again, with thuds and screaming. And then, again, it stops. 

Dustin, "Is... Is it dead?"

His response is the classroom door slamming in as a gigantic, disgusting beast throws itself into the classroom. Kathryn screams. 

Mike's eyes flick to hers, but right now, they've got more important monsters to murder than her fear. He resumes his earlier mantra of "Go, go, go, go!" 

Dustin is panicking again as well, screaming at Lucas. "Get the wrist rocket! Get the wrist rocket now!" 

The monster roars. Mike keeps yelling. Dustin adds to the cacophony of terror with his own shouting. To Kathryn, it becomes a muddled mix of 'rocks', 'go', and unintelligible monster sounds. She lifts her hands to her ears and presses them tightly against them, scrunching her eyes closed as the others deal with the impending crisis.