EAT OR BE EATEN ✮ STEVE HARRINGTON

Hiding in Plain Sight.

🦷
"Next left." Max instructed as I raced down the empty road.

"Maybe we should turn around." I mumbled to myself.

"El needs us!" Mike yelled.

I hate to agree with him of all people but he might have a point.

"Nancy?"

That was Steve's voice.

"Oh shit!" I heard the Wheeler boys voice behind me.

"Ahh!!" Steve screamed, realizing what we were doing."You took guys Billy's car??"

"Yes! Everyone shut up!" I yelled back at all of the boys. The turn was sharper then I intended but we made it to the tunnels.

Quickly all the kids got out and opened the trunk. Mike left Steve to stumble his way out so I went to help him.

"Hey, you scared me back there." I admitted.

"I scared you?" He stated dramatically.

"Yeah, you passed out."

The kids walked by us, gearing up. Steve's attention was no longer on me.

"Guys! No." Steve yelled, stepping forward. "We are not going down there right now."

They completely ignored him, except Dustin.

"Look, we know you aren't happy about this but the bottom line i, a party member needs assistance, and it's our duty to provide that assistance." Dustin tells Steve as the rest of them head towards the tunnels. "I know you guys promised to keep us safe. So, keep us safe."

The kid handed Steve, his bat while I went to get a bandana from the trunk. I wrapped the bandana around my lower face then did the same for Steve. Once we were all covered and had our weapons, he slid down the rope first into the tunnel and I soon followed.

"Holy shit." Steve mumbled as we looked around.

The flashlights lit up the tunnels that we started to walk through. The kids looked at the map to find which direction we should go in next. Mike and Dustin argued over which direction then Mike runs and tell us, "Look, I am 100% sure, just follow me!"

"No way!" I yelled, looking at Mike."We aren't letting any of you get hurt or die down here."

Steve snatched the map way before announcing, "From here on out, I'm leading the way. Let's go."

I walked in the back with Lucas and Max. The kids talked about the map when Dustin suddenly stopped, looking up.

"Dude, what are you-"

There was a hole above us that was moving. In a split second, it released something down on him, causing Dustin to scream and freak out we all tried to help him.

"I GOT SOMETHING IN MY MOUTH! ITS IN MY MOUTH!"

"It's going to be okay, Dustin!" I said, patting his back as he coughed something up. The rest of the gang looked back with concerned stares.

A moment later he announces, "I'm good!". The rest of us roll their eyes and walk away. There was only a few more feet until we reached what must have been the center.

"Alright, Wheeler." Steve said, turning to the younger boy. "I think we found your hub."

"Let's trench it."

Everyone split up around the center and poured the gasoline from our backpacks onto the ground. Once we knew it was fully covered, Steve gathered the kids and me behind him, just far enough for us to be safe when he threw the lighter.