𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐂, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 | 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

chapter eight; russian elevators

꒰꒰・┄┄・𓆩♡𓆪・┄┄・꒱꒱

"WHAT IS THAT?" Summer retracts her hand from the now open box, Steve and Dustin on either side of her, both adorning the same confused expressions. She reaches down and twists the handle, the compartment releasing a hissing sound only to reveal another four smaller handles.

"Well, it's definitely not Chinese food." Steve shakes his head, the strands of hair that had fallen in his face moving with it. "Maybe you guys should, you know, stand back."

"No." Dustin retorts, stepping in front of Summer.

"Just step back, okay?" Steve continues, only earning himself another 'no' from the younger boy. "Step back. Seriously."

"No! No! If you die, I die." A small silence falls over the room as Steve stares Dustin in the eyes, contemplating the thought for a moment before simply shrugging.

"But not you," His brows quirk up at Summer. "You move your butt over there."

Summer rolls her eyes as she joins Robin and Erica's side, the three of them watching with suspense as Steve twists one of the smaller latches and the same hissing sound is heard. In a careful manner, he slowly pulls the handle up revealing a large vile filled with a vibrant, bubbly green substance surrounded by a cloud of condensation.

"What the hell?" Steve exhales and as Summer opens her mouth to speak the whole room shudders, followed by a rumbling noise.

"Was that just me, or did the room move?" Dustin says, making sure he wasn't the only one that felt it.

"Booby traps." Erica whispers and the same mechanical whirring and movement happens again.

"Okay, we need to get out of here. Lets just take this and go." Summer takes the vile from Steve and places it gently inside Erica's bag as the others hide any evidence proving that they were there.

"Which one do I press, Erica?" Dustin asks from the control panel.

"Just press the damn button, nerd." The younger girl retorts which turns into the two of them bickering.

Steve steps in, his frustration matching the girls'. "Just open the - press the other button."

Robin and Summer try relentlessly to get the boys to move so that Erica could push the button but to no avail. They couldn't hear the girls over their own shouting and arguing, their fingers pressing almost every button except the one they needed.

"Guys, stop!" Summer shouts at the same time a large metal door slams shut, cutting them off from the exit completely.

All five of them stare bewildered by their sudden enclosure and the room shakes as an even bigger thud is heard. The lights begin to flicker rapidly, the boxes shaking uncontrollably and an obnoxiously loud whizzing sound begins to envelop them.