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STEVE
THE TUNNELS WERE SPIRALING FROM ONE END TO ANOTHER, with turns that led to nowhere. It was like the tunnel Dustin's pet demodog made, just bigger and scarier. Weird ash pieces floated from everywhere, and there was a bluish tone to the whole area.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's this way," Katie's brother, Mike, said, looking down at a map that was probably drawn by a twelve-year-old.
"You're pretty sure, or you're certain?" Dustin asked behind him.
"I'm 100% sure. Just follow me and you'll know." Mike said in a know-it-all tone that reminded Steve of his few but impressionable conversations he'd had with Katie before a few days ago.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey, hey. I don't think so. Any of you little shits die down here, I'm getting the blame. Got it, dipshit?" Steve said, stepping parallel to Mike.
"Language," Katie mumbled from behind, light brown hair tucked into a sweater hood. He winked his flashlight at her exasperately before centering it back on Mike.
"From here on out, I'm leading the way," Steve said, snatching the paper into his hands. "Come on, let's go. Come on. A little hustle!"
"Relax, Harrington. Jesus, they're all, like, twelve," Katie said, shaking her arm of some dust. Steve looked at her disapprovingly. From potentially getting an infection from a demogorgon's claws to dying in a second dimension, that girl was way too brave to have slept with him.
They walked for another ten minutes, before reaching the center of the tunnel system. Branches reached out from them in all directions, so they were definitely in the middle.
"What is this place?" Max murmured in curiousity and revulsion.
"Guys, come on. Keep moving," Steve called, Katie at his side as he matched her pace.
They were almost twenty feet out before there was a terrifying scream from Dustin. Katie gasped and ran back in the previous direction, but Steve was faster, scrambling past Max and Mike, his chest pounding.
"What happened?!" Steve yelled, alarmed.
"It's in my mouth! Some got on my mouth! Shit!" Dustin said, ripping his bandana off.
"What's on your mouth?" Katie asked, confused. "Dustin! What's going on?!"
Dustin yelled in effort as he spat out what seemed to be nothing, but maybe it was something as he coughed and retched heavily. Mike looked at Steve in confusion, but Steve shushed him quietly as he watched Dustin struggle, not knowing how to help.
Dustin finally looked up from his crouched position. "I'm okay,"
Katie sighed from beside him, giving Dustin a pat on the shoulder.
