Escape ~ S.Harrington

15} Into the Upside Down

    Jenna broke through the slimy layer coating the opening in the tree. Once through, Jenna had no sight of Nancy.
"Nancy," She whisper-yelled.
"Shhhh..." Jenna heard from somewhere nearby.
She peered around and saw Nancy hiding behind a tree. A roar was heard a bit further into the forest that she entered into. It was just like Will described: Like home, but darker and with little white bits floating around.
I haven't seen this place in years. I wish it stayed that way.

Out of nowhere, the faceless monster the teens had been hunting for jumped out from within the trees and charged towards Jenna. She'd been in a similar situation in her past, so she was prepared. She started swinging her crowbar, hitting the creature in the sides and on the side of its head while it opened up its flower-like mouth, letting out a blood-curdling scream. Jenna held her ground and right before the creature lined up to take a large chomp out of her face, Nancy abruptly pulled her away and to safety.
A faint yelling of "Nancy!" and "Jenna! Where are you?" could be heard echoing through the Upside Down.
"Jonathan!" The girls yelled back, "Jonathan! We're right here! Where are you?"
"I'm right here, guys! Just follow my voice!"
Jonathan finally found the opening in the tree and kept yelling the girls' names into it. While he did that, Nance and Jenna re-encountered the creature.
"Nancy," Jenna whispered to her, gently pushing her behind her, "Go find Jonathan, I got this."

Nancy nodded and ran around trying to find the exit while Jenna fended off the monster. Blow after blow seemed to weaken the 'thing' a bit, but not enough to get it to stop attacking her. It finally got its turn to fight back and created a large scratch down Jenna's arm.
"Fuck!" She winced.
Nonetheless, she ignored the pain and kept fighting the thing.
"Nance!" She yelled to her friend, "Find Jon yet?"
"Jenna!" She yelled to her best gal pal, "I'm out! Look for the light! Jon and I are shining it through the hole!"
Jenna looked around while still trying to focus on not dying. She finally spotted a glowing light trying to peak out through a slimy opening.
"Found it!" She told them, "Just give me a sec to get away from this thing!"

Jenna kept methodically swinging her crowbar at the monster while slowly backing up towards the glowing light. Suddenly, she stopped swinging, catching the monster off guard, and sprinted for the hole. She stuck her arms through the gooey membrane and pulled herself through, just in time, too, as the opening began to close behind her. Jon and Nancy started to hug Jenna, and Jenna hugged them right back. Jenna and Nancy were coated in the goop that they had to go through to get out, so they were very slimy to say the least.
"Is this what new-borns feel like?" Jenna gagged, trying not to throw up.
"You always know the time to lighten the mood, don't ya Jen?" Jon chuckled.
"What can I say? I'm just a pro."

~

Jenna drove by herself back to Nancy's house while Nance caught a ride back with Jonathan. The group thought it would be best to spend the night together in case anything else happened to them. Once there, Jenna claimed the shower first. She was not liking the new-born feel at all. She ran up to Nancy's room for a pair of PJ's that she left there for sleepovers, and waltzed down to the shower. Once she got out, she walked back to Nancy's room to find Nance and Jon cuddling with each other.
Cute, I guess.

"Nance," Jenna threw a fresh towel at her, "Shower is all yours."
"Thanks, Jen," She said back, and got up with a pile of clothes.
Right as she was leaving, Jenna thought she saw something in Nancy's window. Or, someone.
OMG! Is that Steve fucking Harrington snooping on Nancy!?

She walked over to the window ready to bust his ass, but by the time she got there, he was already tumbling down the roof and running back to his car.
Real classy, Steve-o. I honestly don't know what else I expected from him.