𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙥! 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣

SCENE THIRTY. the escapees

"hey! you look like you're surfing!" robin commented after steve climbed onto the trolley in the elevator. dustin throwing piper worried glances, he had seen that look on her face when he had broken in. she wasn't there. it was like she was controlled. like the mind flayer.

"they seem drunk." erica commented.

"why would they be drunk?"

"they're drugged. i heard it." she stumbled into her knees, finally looking up at the pair as erica gasped, her eyes. her eyes had darkened. like she wasn't even behind them.

"i'm a natural! check it out!'' steve shouted and he stumbled, rolling off the trolley and into the girl. head slamming against her knees as they both groaned. 

"wipeout!"

"you know, you had really pretty eyes.'' steve mumbled as piper looked down at the boy now laying in her lap. and even she couldn't help but smile.

"really sweet, but i wish you were sober harrington." she mumbled leaning down to ruffle his hair. moving the strands from his eyes as he smiled up at her. he looked like some kind of puppy. eyes soft and smile kind. thankfully he was drugged so her ruffling her hands through his hair wouldn’t be followed by his annoying rant about how long this hair takes to perfect.

"i think you are a very pretty piper, want to go get some scoops?" he questioned and robin roared out with laughter at the mention of their shop. dustin kneeling beside piper and steve.

"he's burning up.'' dustin mumbled as he pressed his palm against steve's forehead, piper fingers still running through his hair which had calmed the boy enough. his eyes half lidded.

"you're burning up.'' steve repeated, moving the boy's words.

"boop!" steve giggled as he booped dustin's nose. and even piper gave a chuckle .

"he's drugged?'' dustin questioned remembering what piper had said. the girl only nodded as she tried to push away the boy puckering his lips at her.

"i told you dad, i don't do drugs. it's only marijuana.'' steve mumbled looking up at piper once more, a grin stretched onto his face.

"stevie?" piper questioned softly and he laughed. wiping the blood on his lip as he looked back up at her. he couldn't tell if it was the drugs or not, but he so desperately wanted to kiss her. it was the drugs. hundred percent. totally the drugs. it wasn't.

"this isn't funny, okay? i need to know what they did to you. are you gonna die on us?" dustin rambled again, eyes flickering between the three. he wondered how she was okay. why wasn't she acting like them? had she not been drugged.

"boop."

"we all die, my strange little child friend. it's just a matter of how and when.'' robin added, the clock ticking softly behind her. piper tried to ignore the noise as she returned to steve. who was still looking up at her as if she was some kind of god.

"well that was fucking creepy." piper mumbled and even erica gave a slight chuckle at her comment.

"they're gonna be looking for us up there, so i need you to tell me where you parked your car." dustin questioned, the boy still hadn't moved his gaze from piper.

"oh can we make a stop at the food court?" he questioned, feeling piper's stomach grumble slightly. as he laid his head in her lap.

"i would kill for a hot dog on a stick." robin added, giggling.

"ooh!"

"alright, yeah food. yes, you can have as much food as you want but only if you tell me where your car is parked."

"steve, can you tell me where the car is?" she questioned grabbing his face with her hands, watching his shiver slightly at her cold touch.

"baby, baby. uh-oh." he giggled, raising his own hand to her face, tracing her lips with this thumb.

"uh-oh?" dustin questioned, looking at the boy confessed.

"the cars off the board. they took the keys. the russians took the keys. like forever ago. that's a bummer right.'' steve added, pulling away from the girl to rummage through his pockets. his empty pockets. and he returned to admiring piper, whose head was now resting against the wall.

"can i please kiss you?'' steve mumbled as the elevator shuttered to a stop. but before she could even answer dustin was dragged the pair up and out of the doors. the fresh air hitting them for the first time since they had entered the elevator the first time. the night sky speckled with the smallest amount of stars.

"oh my god, that tastes so good. ah! steve, can you taste the air?'' robin questioned as the three stepped into the lit dock.

"i taste it! i taste it!" repeated as he grabbed the girl's hand, shivering slightly at her touch. but she noticed the guards opening the door.

"shit!" dustin shouted, turning on his heel, piper using her advantage of holding steve's hand to drag him with her as erica pushed robin towards the doors.

"okay! why are we running?" robin exclaimed but erica only huffed as she pushed the older girl through the doors. dustin slamming the doors behind them.