~Mike's POV~
I didn't want to make a big commotion. I had been shot under my jacket, so hopefully, no one would notice. I continued running after the rest of the group.
Eventually, we came to one of those pipes in the ground.
"Through here! We can wait in there until the bad men leave!" Will said.
Max climbed in, following Lucas. After them, Will and Dustin followed.
"You can go in first Mike," she told me.
"No, El. You go in first," I said.
"I can't lose you Mike, I just can't," She said, her voice filled with worry.
"It's ok El, I'll be fine," I reassured her.
"Promise?"
"Promise," I said, faking a smile. I hoped it was a promise I could keep.
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~El's POV~
Mike helped me into the pipe, and then he followed me in. We could hear the bad men approaching.
"Guys, follow me! I think I see some light up ahead!" Max said. We all slowly crawled after her.
Eventually, we came to a spot where there was light on the roof of the tunnel. There was an opening, with a small metal ladder leading up.
"Ok, let's go! Hurry!" Lucas said.
Max quickly climbed up the ladder. After her came Lucas, Will, Dustin, and Mike. Finally, it was my turn to climb out.
I reached for the first bar and my hand slipped. Something wet was on the step of the ladder. I pulled my hand back to examine it. The liquid my hand had touched was blood. A party member was injured. One of my friends had been injured. I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. I continued to climb up the ladder.
We all reached the top. We were in another area in the forest. It looked as if we had lost the bad men.
"It is so hard to climb in this outfit!" Max exclaimed.
"Where are we?" Dustin asked.
"I think we are somewhere in the forest near Kerley," Will said.
"Let's head to Mike's house," Lucas said.
"No, we're pretty far from my house," Mike told us.
"What about my house?" I asked.
Everyone turned to me.
"Where is that?" Dustin asked.
"I know where! I've been there before. It isn't too far. It's just farther into the forest. We can make it," Will said.
"Ok then! Let's go!" Max said, already heading in that direction.
I saw Max reach for Lucas's hand. The four started walking. I turned to see Mike standing there, not following the rest.
"Mike?" I asked.
I walked up to him, and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into an embrace.
He winced and pulled away.
I pulled back too. The spot on his shirt where one of my arms had wrapped around his waist, I noticed, had a dark spot on it. Blood.
"Mike, are you okay?" I asked.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine El."
"Mike."
"Yeah?"
"Friends don't lie," I told him.
He sighed, his gaze failing to meet my eyes.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't lie to you. I just got injured, that's all. I'm sure I'll be fine though," he told me.
We turned and caught up to the rest of the party.
"What took you two so long?" Dustin asked.
"Mike got injured, but he said he would be ok," I told the group.
"Yeah, I'll be fine-" Mike started.
Suddenly, Mike started to cough uncontrollably. I was scared out of my mind.
"Mike! Mike, are you okay?" I cried.
Mike bent over and coughed more.
"Woah, Mike, are you alright?" Dustin asked.
Both of us rushed to his side. Max, Lucas, and Will stood to the side, their faces plastered with concern.
Mike sat down, still coughing. Finally, he stopped and looked up at us. He had been coughing up blood.
"We need to hurry him to Hopper and me's cabin! It's not too far. Someone, please help lift Mike up," I said.
Dustin put one of Mike's arms around his shoulders. Lucas grabbed Mike's other arm and put it around his shoulders. The two boys walked, Mike in between them. Will walked alongside them. Slightly behind them, Max and I walked.
I was terrified.
I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry El. He'll be ok," Max said, reassuring me.
I gave her a slight smile.
"I hope so."