LITTLE DARK AGE ━━ stranger things

[ 018 ] feels like drowning

She rolled her eyes and excused herself from Lucia and Max's unfolding conversation. As she approached, Dustin's gaze shifted from Steve's face to Stephanie's. The corner of his mouth arched up into a gentle smile, and he waved, gesturing Steph forward.

"Are we ready to torch this thing?" she asked upon arrival. The cerulean lighter stuffed into her pocket felt heavier than usual, alongside the packet of untouched cigarettes that sat crinkled in the bottomless pits of her leather jacket. She just wanted to get the damned thing over with already.

In response to Steph's inquiry, Dustin pumped a fist into the particle-strewn air and cried out, "Hell yeah!"

"That's what I like to hear."

She thrust her hand out toward Dustin, fingers encased into a tight fist. His eyes instantaneously widened in realisation ── because being offered a fist-bump from Steph "the Hothead" Miller was like being awarded a knighthood from the Queen, truly. She didn't propound friendships to just about anyone, hence her minuscule circle of companions. Although, the same could be said for Dustin; he was wise when choosing which people would surround him, day by day, as nothing short of close companions. He looked into their minds, their souls, finding the goodness within, rather than loosely weighing the pros and cons of associating himself with someone higher up in the food-chain.

Bearing this in mind, Dustin connected his fist with Steph's. His lips rolled together to create a crescendo of noise ── a boom as if their clashing knuckles had caused irreversible devastation inflicted by an explosive bomb.

"Alright, alright," Steve obnoxiously wafted his hand between them. Envious, was it? That Steph was able to consider Dustin a friend in a mere minute, and him not after days? "Save your secret handshakes for later, we have way more important things to be doing ── so chop chop."

Stephanie barged past him, nudging her shoulder against his with a force that almost knocked Steve onto his backside. Her words rolled off her tongue venomously, but with an almost indecipherable lilt of playfulness, "Bite me, Steve."

He rolled his eyes and turned his attention toward the one wall that hadn't been soaked in gasoline.

Behind him, however, Dustin's mouth had fallen agape ── opening a dark cavern resemblant to the one they stood in. He prodded Steve's shoulder vigorously, hissing the boy's name beneath his breath with unhindered excitement. Steve whipped around, clutching the gasoline canister with intent, agitated by the distraction in the form of Dustin Henderson, "What, man?"

"She said Steve!" Dustin whispered harshly. "Steve, Steve, Steve ──"

"Yeah, that's my name, don't wear it out."

Clueless, Steve planted a hand against Dustin's forehead and shoved him backward lightly, sending the boy stumbling over a tight formation of slimy vines, squirming amongst one another on the ground, slithering into opposing tunnels. To his left, a thick tentacle protruded from the obsidian block of squidgy matter, clawing through the darkness in an attempt to reach Dustin's face. Dustin batted the tendril away with the back of his hand, seemingly unbothered.

"Steve!" he cried, attempting to coax his attention toward the more prominent matter at hand. "I knew you weren't exactly the brightest, but this ──"

"All right, Henderson. I'm this close—" Steve parted his hands, leaving an inch distance between them. "—to leaving you here, on your own, if you don't shut your damn mouth."