STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

13. the gate - part three

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - THE GATE
PART THREE

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JACKIE JUMPED DOWN into the tunnel, her footsteps landing against the ground echoed quietly from around her. Her gaze drifted over the group, taking in the scenery. It was dark, and it was dusty. She tugged up her bandana over her nose, and kept her hands firmly at her sides. It was like being in a subway—she didn't want to touch anything. Steve dropped down next to her, and she handed Max the last gasoline tank. The tunnels were creepy; to say the least. Jackie held back a shiver at the vines on the walls that moved like snakes.

They walked forward, Steve and Jackie leading in the front, seeing how he threw a fit and made Dustin give him the map.

The walk through the tunnels was quiet and they moved quickly, none of them wanting to spend any longer in there than they had to. Jackie coughed suddenly, and Steve shone a light right in her face, her hand flew up to block it from going into her eyes.

"You alright?"

She knocked it down. "Yes, Steve. I'm fine."

"Jesus, I was just asking."

Jackie rolled her eyes at him, not even sure if he could see it due to the darkness of the tunnels. "Didn't have to blind me while doing so."

"God, what is this place?" Max questioned as Jackie positioned her gun in a more comfortable position.

"Let's keep moving," Steve ordered, and they began to walk again. They hadn't made it three feet before Dustin screamed loudly from behind them, and Jackie whirled around, but there was nothing there. She rushed to his side as he coughed multiple times, and wiped his mouth. "What happened?"

He looked up to Steve, then to her. She raised a brow. "I'm okay."

She kicked his leg. "Jesus. Such an asshole."

"Idiot," Max agreed.

"Really?" Steve questioned, disbelief in his voice. "Seriously dude? Let's go." They continued walking, before an opening in the tunnels appeared, entrances in every direction surrounded them. She peered in each one of them to make sure there was nothing lurking beyond their sight. "Alright, Wheeler. I think we found your hub."

"Let's drench it."

So they did, the next twenty minutes were spent drowning the hub in gasoline. Steve was spraying the roof of the tunnel, while the rest of them worked on covering the walls and the floor. Jackie's ankle kept getting caught in the weird vine things, almost as if they were trying to capture her, and drag her beneath the surface. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised. The seven of them gathered together again, admiring their work. "Okay Steve," Jackie started once they were in the clear and a safe distance away. "Let's light this bitch up."

Steve flicked open the lighter, glancing to the girl next to him with a sigh. "Oh, I am in such deep shit."

The flames erupted in front of them, and the vines flared up in response. They took off running back towards the way they came. Jackie's heart raced in her chest, her eyes trained solely on the ground so she didn't trip.

Someone stumbled from behind her, and knocked into her back. She stumbled slightly, regaining her balance before she spun around at the cries of help. "Mike!" She realized, offering her hand. "Hurry, come on!" He continued to kick at his feet, and her head snapped over to the others. "Steve! Bat!"

He swung it down, hitting the vines repeatedly until they let go of Mike's leg. "Thanks," he whispered into Jackie's ear as she yanked him up.

"Yeah," she breathed, staring at Steve. "No problem."