✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)

𝒙𝒗. THE SHOOTOUT

━━━━  𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 !
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

The anticipated chimes of the doorbell echoed throughout the Byers' spacious California home, causing Agent Wallace to flee from the recliner with a tinge of excitement coursing through his frazzled brain.

"Pizza time. I got it," He proudly announced to Agent Harmon, who didn't make any effort to reciprocate his enthusiasm.

The doorbell sounded again and again, as if the person standing on the front porch was an elementary-aged child with the intention to fool around rather than an awkward teenager being paid minimum wage to deliver pizzas.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Agent Wallace called out, rolling his eyes as he approached the door. "Hold your horses. Jesus Christ."

He creaked the door open and furrowed his eyebrows at the sight in front of him. Rather than being greeted by a pizza delivery person, he was met face-to-face with an armed man wearing a military uniform.

"Hello there," The man uttered before yanking his gun out and pulling the trigger.

He hastily shot the puzzled agent in the chest, causing him to collapse to the floor with a dramatic thud. Agent Harmon perked up at the ear-splitting noise and let out a gasp.

Agent Wallace was dead.

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🎱 ꒱

BANG!

Will, Jonathan, and Mike flinched at the thunderous sound. It practically shook the entire house, simulating a seven magnitude earthquake striking the quaint town of Lenora Hills.

"What the hell was that?" Jonathan yelped.

"Shit!" Will cursed, automatically entering panic mode.

"Stay here!" The eldest of the three boys hollered, scurrying out the door to investigate the chaos.

Will began to freak out even more. It wasn't safe for Jonathan to get closer to the action. What if he ended up getting shot? He didn't even want to think about the possibility of such a tragedy. He didn't know how he would survive without his older brother.

Soon enough, the singular gunshots became rapid fire. It was one shot after another, and it was petrifying.

Will found himself clinging to Mike's forearm, refusing to abandon him. The taller boy wrapped an arm around his best friend, reeling him in so that he was pressed up against his side. After everything the boy had been through during his fifteen years of life, Mike longed to protect him at all costs.

After a few seconds, Jonathan reappeared in the doorway, his demeanor distraught. He ran his fingers through his disheveled mop of hair, droplets of sweat falling from his bangs.

"Go in the den!" A frantic Agent Harmon shouted from the top of the steps.

"What's going on?" Mike hollered over the commotion.

"Get back!" Jonathan responded, grabbing both boys by the arms. "Listen, we've got to go right now!"

All of a sudden, a bullet shattered Will's bedroom window, causing everyone to instinctively duck their heads as thousands of glass shards spewed across the room.

"Shit! Shit!" Mike screeched.

"Go! Run!" Jonathan shouted in despair.

They sprinted up the stairs and ducked behind Agent Harmon, who held a loaded firearm. He motioned for the boys to hide behind the wall, to which they quickly obeyed.

Will could hardly breathe. He recognized the fact that he was having a full-blown panic attack, but he knew he wouldn't be able to bring it to a halt.

Bullets and shattered glass continued to fly through the interior of the house for what felt like centuries. Without thinking, Will seized the sleeve of Mike's turquoise jacket. In return, the ravenette protected the shorter boy by shielding his body with his lanky set of arms.

As if the scenario couldn't get any worse, a large group of more armed men dispersed from Will's bedroom. The Byers boy could've sworn he felt his heart stop. This was it — his life was about to come to an end. He never got to say his goodbyes to his mother, who he was eternally grateful for. He never got to check off the rest of the items on his bucket list. He never got the chance to profess his love for his best friend.

"Follow me!" Agent Harmon ordered, snapping Will out of his trance.

They all formed a single file line behind the agent. Everyone gripped on to the backs of each other's shirts, leaning down to avoid being struck by the bullets dashing through the air.

It felt like the armed military men were hidden in every nook and cranny of the house — they were inescapable. Agent Harmon instructed the boys to hide behind another wall.

"What the hell is going on?" Mike shrieked to the top of his lungs.

"Just stay there!" Agent Harmon ordered, whipping his body around to fire another series of bullets at the men.

"Get down!"

All three boys ducked down on command. Will felt like he was going to vomit due to the amount of stress he was undergoing.

"I shoot, you run!" Agent Harmon yelled.

Once he resumed shooting at the men, the boys bolted for the door, holding on to one another for dear life. Will and Mike assisted Agent Harmon, who had been wounded, out the door.

Luckily, Argyle had arrived at that exact moment, bopping his head to Pass the Dutchie by Musical Youth. Jonathan scrambled over to the van and frantically banged on the window.

"Stop the car!" He yelped.

"The hell is going on?" The long-haired teenager questioned as the boys crammed themselves into the back of the vehicle.

"Go, go, go!" Jonathan wailed.

"Whoa, is that real blood, man?" Argyle gasped, nodding toward the pool of blood staining the agent's white button-up.

"Drive!" The boys exclaimed in unison.

"Okay! All right!" He raised his hands in defense before peering out the window. "Oh my God. Why is that guy holding a gun?"

"Drive!" The four hollered to the tops of their lungs.

Argyle could be so aggravating at times.

"Okay!" He responded, roughly pressing the gas pedal and fleeing the scene as fast as he could.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 !
ugh i'm so sorry i haven't updated in like a week. i've been so busy with work & i eventually have to do my summer reading (i haven't started it even tho school starts in a week) and yeah life's just been super crazy lately. anyways i hope y'all enjoyed this very chaotic chapter!