The Virus | ST Mileven fanfiction

Worry

Dustin:
Dustin still wasn't quite sure what was going on. He was very confused at the sudden hostility coming from Mike, but then again, Mike was very protective of El. He didn't like anyone insulting her.
Still, it was confusing. Mike had never been this mean... to anyone. Usually, he took all the punches and ignored it. But not today... why was Max so different?
He got jerked out of his thoughts by a frustrated screech that erupted from Max's mouth. A moment later, she fell to her knees in a sobbing fit.
Mike had stopped, his eyes wide, staring off into the distance. His lips parted slightly before his knees buckled underneath him as well.
"Mike?" El asked worriedly.
Dustin stared, wide-eyed with shock, and took a step towards El. He grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it tightly as a painful scream erupted from Mike.
"W-What's wrong with him!" Max demanded. "Why does he look like he's choking?"
"It's not you, is it, El?" Lucas yelled.
El shook her head, her eyes becoming little brown voids of emotion. "I-It's not me! B-But I can sense some power..."
"Who is it?" Will demanded.
"I-I...... I don't know!" El cried.
"Mike! Come on, man! Snap out of it!" Lucas called.
A strained cough made its way from Mike's throat, a sound like he was choking. A moment later, his eyes had rolled to the back of his head and he was now tumbling down the hill.
Everyone stayed frozen in shock for a good solid minute. They all stared down at his body at the bottom until El broke the silence with a cry.
"Mike!" She exclaimed, rushing down the hill towards him.
Dustin tumbled down next, closely followed by a still shock filled Will.
"What's wrong with him?" Max shouted from the top.
"Everyone be quiet!" Dustin scolded, crouching down next to El. "We need to figure this out! Someone go get some help!"
No one moved.
"Go! Go! Go!"
"Max, come on!" Lucas said, reaching his hand out to his girlfriend.
Max wiped her eyes and pushed herself off the ground, grabbing Lucas' hand in the process. He gave her a reassuring pat and together they ran out of view.
It was then, Will came scrabbling over to them from his spot near the edge, murmuring something about ABC. "Check his airway." He said.
Frantically, Dustin tipped Mike's head back, so his lips parted, and checked for any difference.
"His airways clear!" He announced.
"Is he breathing?"
Dustin looked down at Mike's chest, looking for any sort of movement, but his eyes detected nothing. Tears brimmed his eyes as he bent down, close to Mike's nose and mouth, listening for any breath sounds. When he felt air tickle his cheek, he pulled back again. "Y-Yes." He confirmed. "B-Barely, but yes."
"Okay, okay," Will panted. "C. Does he have a pulse?"
Dustin moved two fingers to the apex of Mike's throat, feeling for the thud that signaled that he was alive. It took him a minute, but soon he felt the dull, weak thump of life against his fingertips, causing him sigh in relief. "It's there, but it's thready,"
"T-Thready?" El asked. "I-Is that good?
Dustin and Will both shook their heads. "No, El, it's not good. It means we can barely feel anything!"
"He's dying?" El asked.
"Keep your fingers there, Dustin! But don't press too hard, so you don't hurt him!" Will instructed, then looked around, cursing, "Where are they?" He breathed.
"Go look for them!" Dustin ordered. "We need an ambulance or something! Bring them back here, and hurry! His pulse is becoming weaker! I can feel it!"
Will bobbed his head in acknowledgment and hurried up the hill.
"Help me roll him on to his side," Dustin told El.
"Why?"
"So he doesn't choke!" Dustin cried, his voice cracking with emotion at the last word.
El's eyes sparkled with worry as she nodded her head.
"Ok. Roll him towards me on 3. 1...2...3!"
Together, the two managed to roll Mike onto his side. It was then where Dustin finally noticed his face scrunched up in pain. "Please hurry..." he urged his friends.
"What else can we do for him?" El asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Dustin met her eyes seriously. "We hope and we pray that Max, Lucas, and Will hurry."

Will:
Will bolted across the field as fast as his little legs could carry him. The afternoon sun beat down heavily on his back, causing him to sweat more, but he pressed on. For his friends. For Mike.
From on the other side of the field, he could see 4 shapes running towards him in the haze of the heat. Very quickly he recognized his friends and... Steve Harrington! Steve would help for sure!
Lucas pointed at something behind Will and Will whipped around. It was El and Dustin dragging the limp form of Mike between their arms, sharing his weight.
What are they doing? He asked himself, changing direction back towards Dustin and El.
"Why did you move him?" He demanded.
Dustin shook his head. "He-he can't hold on much longer!" He said. "I'll carry him to the hospital if I need to!"
"What the hell happened?" Steve demanded, finally reaching the four.
"We were arguing." Max piped up from behind them. "We're still not sure what happened.... I screamed and he fell to the ground! I-I swear he was choking-"
"His airway is clear, though!" Dustin interrupted.
"But his pulse is thready!" El sniffed.
"He can't hold on much longer, I don't think!" Will cried. "Just look at him! He looks like he's in pain!"
"You idiotic children!" Steve groaned. "Give him to me! We've got to hurry! I swear once this is all over-"
"Steve, focus!" Dustin chided.
Steve snapped his fingers. "Give Mike to me! It will be so much faster! We called the hospital, alright? The ambulance should be here any minute!"
"Don't you want to wait for the paramedics?" Lucas questioned.
"Do you want your friend to die?" Steve snapped. "Dustin, give him to me!"
Dustin didn't seem too thrilled about having to give up his friend, but when Steve moved to pick him up, he didn't argue.
As soon as Mike was in his arms, Steve didn't waste one second and they all took off down the field.