Alone, No More (Harringrove)

Chapter 12//Live and Let Die

A/N: Guys...I have 12 more chapters written so far and I'm so excited for you all to read them!

Steve opened his eyes, but saw nothing, like he was alone in a room with no walls. He blinked, trying to adjust his sight, but still nothing appeared. He had grown to hate darkness, and this only made his chest tighten and his blood pressure shoot through the roof.

Not expecting to feel anything, he reached out, stretching his fingers out and even leaning forward a bit. He was standing, but he felt like he was floating, the ground felt like nothing-not even like something one could stand on. 

"Steve?" a young voice asked from afar, making the room seem much bigger; almost like the school's gym with the lights out. 

Steve looked in the direction of the voice, turning his head slightly, and dropped his hand to his side. He recognized the voice all too well and just the sound of it made the colour drain from his face.

"D-Dustin?" he stuttered, fearing for the boy's safety. He felt a wave of desperation overtake him when the voice didn't respond, but the unfamiliarity of his surroundings from his body.

"I'm scared!" the voice yelled suddenly, sounding further away and muffled.

Steve's eyes bulged and, without thinking, he launched himself in the direction of the scream despite knowing where he was. The feeling of walking through water hindered him, and the fact that he still couldn't see, frustrated him.

"Dustin!" He yelled back, hurting his throat, pushing his legs forwards, regardless on the burn in his muscles. "Where are you?!"

Then something wrapped itself around his leg and pulled him down, into the water he seemed to have been pushing through, his mouth began to fill with water making him gag and choke. He couldn't breath, he couldn't walk, and he couldn't fathom losing Dustin over some measly water.He couldn't even scream as he felt himself being pulled deeper and deeper into the abyss, he flailed his arms, desperately trying to grab anything or swim back to the surface.  

"I-I'm scared, Steve!" the voice said again, but now all around Steve, as if the water carried the sound. As if the water itself was Dustin. 

Steve opened his mouth to reply and found himself inhaling more water. He felt his lungs burn as he tried to get a breath of air, dread filling his mind with the thought of dying. 

But he couldn't die! What about Dustin? What about Hopper?

He tried once more to breathe while whipping his legs in attempts to propel his body away from whatever was dragging him down, and regretted it, because as soon as his lungs expanded and filled with water, he felt light headed and weak. 

Oh god I'm going to die!  He thought, as his whole body began to ache and burn. He eventually gave up on swimming free, or even gasping for air, and fell limp in the water.

He barely reacted when the voice spoke in his ear, "You'll die, all alone".

It wasn't Dustin this time, but someone with malicious intent. He could almost hear the wicked smile in each word, and it pissed him off. He wished he had more energy to preserver, to swim back to the surface and survive, but he didn't. 

He let whatever was wrapped around his leg to drag him where ever they headed. He felt pressure behind his eyes, making him give up. He knew he was going to die. 

Then he began felt relieved. Like he no longer had to be alone anymore, or fight monsters, or protect the kids. But he knew, in his heart, that he wanted to protect the kids, and maybe even have someone watch over him.