𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 | 𝘌𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝐯𝐢𝐢. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐛

~ seven. the massacre at hawkins lab ~

***

From a young age, the Carvers were taught that, when they died, their souls would either ascend to heaven or be damned to eternal suffering in hell. Not that they would have misbehaved otherwise but knowing the fate of their souls were at stake always helped to keep them in line. However, 'heaven' and 'hell' had only ever been words to Val. How could she fear or long for something two-thirds of the world didn't believe in? But, despite her scepticism, she didn't need any convincing to know when she broke through the barriers of hell.

At first, she thought the vines were dragging her under in attempt to drown her but, as it turned out, they had something much more despicable in mind. Being a swimmer, Val considered herself fairly decent at discerning whether or not she was in water, which made it all the more strange when, after undoubtedly entering a lake, she suddenly found herself able to breathe. And, being a self-proclaimed biologist, Val also knew her lungs were adapted for air – not water – so her breathing must have meant she was no longer at the bottom of Lover's Lake. But then that asked the question: where was she?

The first rule of swimming was 'let go of your fears' but, given she had already established she was no longer in the water, Val had no shame admitting she was afraid. More afraid than when she'd learned about Chrissy, more afraid than when she'd identified Fred, and more afraid than when she'd watched Patrick's body pull itself apart, because, even through all of that, at least she'd never been alone. There had always been someone to pull her out of the hole before she dug herself too deep but, as she looked up into the darkness, the grip finally loosening around her leg, Valerie realised she was on her own.

She forced herself to her feet and immediately started her exercises to ground herself. If this wasn't something she had experienced a hundred times before, Val would be almost certain she was dying but, instead, she fixed her attention to her surroundings, which was difficult when the only thing recognisable was a cluster of trees in the distance – but even they lacked their usual spirit. It was as if someone had taken the world and rid it of everything good and pure. Gone was the sun; the laughter from parks and shouts from the pool; and even the ground beneath her feet. There was only one explanation for it all: she was in hell but had somehow survived the journey.

After grounding herself in her location, the next step in Val's routine normally was to control her breathing but, with every deep breathe in she took, a dozen particles fought their way into her lungs as well, meaning all she could do was take short, fast-paced breaths, which didn't do wonders for her already-racing heart. These breaths should have been the only noise for miles but, even more strangely, if she paid close enough attention, Val swore she could hear the faint beating of wings and... choking?

"Holy shit, Steve!"

A short distance away, obscured by a cluster of vines, Steve was fighting for his life against a trio of bat-like creatures. Pinned down by one's tail around his neck, two more had free access to his torso, feasting as hungry as a devouring flame. Val knew, if she didn't do something fast, they would certainly kill him but, unfortunately, so did they.