The Long Game━ (l. sinclair)

fucked by the bats, fucked by the law

Auggie spotted two oars laying down on the ground, a few feet away from him. He nudged Nancy in the side, pointing at the paddles. Both of them, in unison, ran towards the wooden oars and each picked one up for themselves.

Then they were speeding for Steve like there was no tomorrow.

"Batter up, fuck-face," Auggie whispered, promptly one second before he was swinging the oar like a bat and the actual bats were a baseball. The creature Auggie hit went flying off of Steve, whimpering as it tumbled. It began retreating in pain, and Steve turned his head to the right to find Auggie and Nancy holding their paddles sternly, Robin and Eddie a little behind them.

"Hey, there," breathed Nancy.

Then, she swung her oar like Auggie previously did, and hit off the other Upside Down-bat that waschewing into Steve's torso. Just like the first creature, it was knocked away with a squeal. Robin ran forward towards the bat strangulating Steve.

"Quick!" Nancy exclaimed. "Hold it, Robin!"

Robin proceeded to stomp her combat boot onto the bat's tail for Nancy.

Nancy began beating the bat with her oar, and although it screeched in pain, it refused to let Steve's neck go. Auggie ran forward then, too, slamming the bat with his oar as well.

"KILL IT!" Eddie was screaming, a safe distance away. "KILL IT!"

Auggie whipped his head toward Eddie to glare at him for the obvious answer, but when he did, Auggie noted there was another bat flying towards him, unbeknownst to Eddie. It was probably the bat Auggie had knocked off, returning for revenge.

"Shit!" cursed Auggie. As much as he wanted to try and help Steve, he left Nancy's side and threw himself in front of Eddie before the bat could get him, too.

Auggie put the baseball skills he didn't even have to use, swinging at the bat again and making sure it didn't collide with Eddie. It squealed, going flying in Robin's direction, but the girl smoothly ducked down. Her foot was still keeping the bat's tail down while Nancy chucked at it with her paddle.

"Nancy! Come on! Please!" Robin shouted in a strained voice.

But—

"Nancy, behind you!" Eddie screamed. "Watch out!"

Before any of them could process, the bat Auggie just hit was rounding onto Nancy. It latched itself onto her back, teeth clenching painfully and causing Nancy to yelp.

Robin immediately forgot the bat she was trying to pry from Steve. She ran towards Nancy immediately, trying to help her. "Oh, my god, Nance!"

"Shit!" Auggie cursed again.

Robin grabbed the bat by the tail, trying to yank it, but it seemed that the creature had a firm grip on Nancy.

"Robin, get it off of me!"

Auggie wailed when a sudden pain burned in his ankle. He doubled over, noting there was a bat chewing into his limb. The amount of fiery pain had Auggie dropping his oar without even thinking properly.

"Santos!" he faintly heard Eddie's voice.

Auggie's head looked up, and through blurred tears of pain, he saw Eddie was grappling for the paddle Auggie dropped. He tried hitting the bat like Auggie and Nancy had been doing, but the bat was gnawing on his ankle so firmly that Auggie's ankle flew up into the air and sent Auggie falling down. The wind got knocked out of him, adding onto the pain, as he landed on his back.

"Eddie, please, man! Come on!"

"I'M TRYING!"

No one was helping Steve anymore, so he had to take matters into his own hands. Steve grabbed the bat's tail wrapped around his neck with his two hands. Then, Steve literally bit into it with his teeth, giving the bats a taste of their own medicine. The bat screeched painfully, letting Steve's neck go and trying to fly away. But Steve was feeling a little vengeful, and he grabbed the bat by its tail with one hand.