𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐒

eleven

after lucas and dustin had dragged steve's unconscious body to the car, they sat him up in the backseat. sam climbed into the front seat, turning on the car before speeding off down the road. lucas and max sat in the seat next to her, giving her directions to the tunnels' opening. the car was filled, and she was going much too fast with a bunch of kids in the car, but no one had time to worry about it.

steve began to groan as he woke up, and sam decided against turning to the back to look at him. "sam?" he mumbled, eyes still closed, mike sending dustin a look. he moved to touch his face, opening his eyes.

"no, don't touch it." dustin warned. "hey, buddy." he shushed him. "you put up a good fight. he kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. you're okay."

lucas turned to sam. "you're gonna keep straight for half a mile, and then make a left on mount sinai." she nodded, pressing the gas harder. billy's ambush set them back in time.

"where...where's sam?" steve asked, his eyes widening at the realization that the car was going really fast. "what's going on?" he asked.

dustin attempted to calm him down, telling him complete bullshit. "they were gonna leave you behind, but i promised you'd be cool."

steve began to panic, not liking how fast the car was going. sam pressed the gas even harder, speeding the car down the street. "whoa!" he muttered. "stop the car. slow down."

"i told you he'd freak out with you driving!" mike yelled.

"who else was going to drive!" dustin countered.

"stop the car!" steve shouted.

sam began to grow anxious of missing the turn. "everybody shut up!" she looked up, seeing a sign for mount sinai almost in line with her, taking a harsh left. the car was going extra fast on the corner, and steve hugged onto dustin, crying out. the car stopped abruptly, and all the kids quickly got out.

steve, trying to get out of the car, immediately stumbled to the ground. "guys, this isn't safe!" he mumbled, standing up with the help of a car door. "we are not going down there, i made myself clear!" sam ignored his efforts, passing out goggles and bandanas to the kids. "there's no chance we're going to that hole, alright? this ends right now!" he threw a piece of fabric onto the floor.

"steve!" sam said loudly, making him shut up. "we said we were going to protect them, so let's protect them. all of them." steve leaned back against the car, mumbling.

dustin handed a pair of goggles to sam. "bottom line is, a party member requires assistance and it is our duty to provide that assistance. now, i know you promised to keep us safe." dustin handed him his bat. "so keep us safe."

steve looked down at the boy, frustrated, before taking the bag. "damn it." he muttered, harshly grabbing the bag from dustin. sam tying the fabric around steve's mouth and nose, carefully laying the goggles over his eyes.

steve was the last of the group to go down the rope and into the tunnels, shining his flashlight around. sam, who had been the first down, held a flashlight in one hand as she looked around. "i'm pretty sure it's this way!" mike called.

"you're pretty sure, or you're certain?" dustin replied.

"i'm 100 percent sure!" mike insisted. "just follow me and you'll know."