𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱. 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦: 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 - code: crimson

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 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐃 feel at peace, that perhaps she could finally be rid of all the nightmares that flickered before her eyes like a horror story. She thought that maybe she'd no longer see Brenner wherever she went, that maybe she'd never again feel like vines were twisting around her body whenever a room was just a little too small...

 But she only felt cold... The barrel was like ice planted against her flesh, soon to turn it blue with frost-bite... only the barrel wouldn't be so kind, would it? Rather than blue and purple, red would soon sliver over her skin like a coating of fresh paint.

 She was scared, safe to say almost anybody would have been; but Scarlet Hopper hadn't expected that.

 Steve and Robin still cried out, their voices breaking and so very desperate as the guard's finger inched ever that much closer to the trigger... three... two... one —

 There was no bang. There was to ricochet or spray of metallic blood to coat the walls. The only red they could see was the flashing of warning lights. Steve and Robin had been drowned out, silenced by sirens blaring around the facility.

 It almost seemed to move in slow motion, or perhaps that was Scarlet's stone-cold body simply trying to catch up, finally registering that she was indeed, still breathing. Her chest shuddered when the barrel dropped from her skin and heavy boots pounded behind her.

 There was a biting sting at the very back of her throat, as though she'd swallowed the juice of a ripe and bitter lemon... a slight glaze was cast before her. Tears.

 Every inch of her was shaking, trembling so viciously one would have thought Christmas time had come around once more.

 There was a beep, followed by the door behind her scraping open... Only... The guard couldn't make it far enough to investigate the cause of sirens and shuddering lights, for the sound of crackling electricity met his ears, and a harsh burn was seared onto his chest.

 Scarlet almost caved when Dustin came into view, holding a weapon crackling with electricity ever so high. Erica was behind him, and by some kind of miracle, they were both entirely unscathed. Scarlet almost wanted to scold them for coming back, for risking it all for a bunch of teenagers that had dragged them into danger... but she couldn't find the strength to... she was too thankful to even consider a yell or reprimand, or even a scowl.

 "Dustin?" Scarlet almost squeaked when Dustin removed the fabric around her mouth, yet she couldn't be bothered to correct her tone or smother it up.

 Dustin's brows furrowed as he worked, hands grappling for the binds around her wrists, cringing at the red and raw skin buried beneath. He tossed the rope aside, and gently took one of her hands, thumb smoothing over a patch of red skin, "You're okay." He muttered softly, so much like a younger brother comforting his sibling. Then, he sobered, "We've got a Code: Crimson."