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𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧

chapter fifteen:
burn, baby, burn

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THE CAR WAS quiet. All of them were stuck in a tense silence, the prospect of what they were about to do weighing down on all of them. Every now and then, Lucas would give Serenity directions on where they had to go, and the gas would occasionally slosh in the cans.

Serenity sighed as she focused on the road. She was driving a bit faster than normal — one, because Billy's car was fast, and two, she just wanted to get this done and over with. The quicker they got this over with the better.

"Nancy?" Serenity heard Steve mumble.

Serenity looked through the rearview mirror. Even through the dark, she could see Steve's bruised and bloody figure start to stir in the backseat, being held down by Max sitting on top of him.

"No, don't touch it," Dustin stated from the backseat. "Hey, buddy. Shh. It's okay, you put up a good fight. He kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. You're okay."

"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai," Lucas instructed.

"What's going on?" Steve slurred.

Serenity glanced back at him for a moment. "Morning, sunshine."

"'Renity?"

Serenity looked back at the road. "That's me, sweetheart."

"You're — you're driving? To where?"

She shrugged. "To the tunnels. We're about to light this bitch up."

Steve's eyes widened in panic and tried to sit up. "Oh my God."

"Listen, we didn't want to bring you," Dustin explained. "But Serenity said she would only take us if we brought you along. She promised that you'd be cool, okay?"

"I am not cool right now! Serenity, what — what are you thinking—"

"Steve, shut up," Serenity voiced. "I'm trying to drive in the dark, which you know I hate."

"Oh, wait, that's Mount Sinai," Lucas said. "Make a left."

Serenity slowed the car down and gently turned onto Mount Sinai. She continued to drive calmly down the street, all while Steve was freaking out in the back seat.

"Stop the car," Steve pleaded. "Stop the car."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "Steve, relax. Everything is under control, we're fine. I approved of everything, we've made the plans."

She finally rolled up to the pumpkin patch where Hopper had dug. Serenity drove up to the giant gaping hole in the ground, stopping just ahead of it so she wouldn't drive into it. She put the car in park and turned it off with the key.

She looked in the backseat. "Everybody good?"

"Yeah," the kids all chorused.

"No," Steve groaned.

"Cool," Serenity commented. "Let's get this shit show over with."

All of them got out of the car. Lucas opened the trunk, and they started to take out the supplies. Steve, however, quite literally rolled out of the car. Serenity shook her head at him and tied a bandana around her neck and put a pair of swimming goggles on, letting them rest against her forehead.

"Guys," Steve groaned. "Oh, no. Guys." He looked at Mike, who had started to walk towards the hole. "Hey, where do you think you're going? What are you, deaf? Hello? We are not going down there right now. I made myself clear. Hey, there is no chance we're going to that hole, all right? This ends right now."

Lucas scoffed. "Like we would listen to you when Renny's right here."

"Can you talk some sense into him?" Dustin complained, looking at Serenity.

Serenity sighed and took Steve's shirt in her fist, pulling his head down to her eye-level. Steve gulped at the sudden movement and how their faces were extremely close. Serenity ignored her own feelings about it and looked up at him strongly.

"I'm their babysitter, and I approved, so nothing you say goes," Serenity said. "We might be the babysitting duo, but right now, I'm either doing this with you or without you. I would prefer with because I'm honestly scared shitless, but this is our only shot at saving everyone."

Steve let out a deep breath. "Serenity—"

"If this can help El, if this can help Will . . . I'm not just going to stand back and do nothing. Now's not the time to sit out on the bench. We have to act." Serenity looked up at him pleadingly. "Now, please, help me keep my kids safe."

He thought about it for a moment. "Fine."

"Good." Serenity let go of his t-shirt and patted his chest. She then reached into the trunk and pulled out Steve's backpack that had his bat in it. "Let's roll."

Once all of them had their protective gear on and Mike had tied the rope to Billy's Camaro, Steve dropped down first. Serenity gazed into the deep hole nervously, not really wanting to go into the Upside Down, but she had no choice. Serenity lowered herself down into the hole.

Her feet hit the ground, and Steve put his arm around her waist to steady her for a moment. Serenity glanced around, her eyes widening under her goggles. The tunnels were extensive, seemingly going on forever. Vines were literally everywhere, and small little particles of what seemed to be dust were floating around. It was also extremely cold, and the fact that everything was tinted blue made it feel colder somehow.

"Fuck," Serenity let out, continuing to look around as shivers ran up and down her spine.

Maybe this wasn't the true version of the Upside Down Will had been stuck in, but it was still awful. Serenity was sure that she never wanted to see the entirety of the Upside Down. Fuck that.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's this way," Mike announced, looking down at his crayon map with a flashlight.

"You're pretty sure, or you're certain?" Dustin asked.

"I'm one-hundred-percent sure. Just follow me and you'll know."

"Woah, woah, woah, hey, hey, hey, hey, I don't think so," Steve protested. "Any of you little shits die down here, Serenity and I are getting the blame."

"More me than you," Serenity muttered.

Steve ignored her. "Got it, dipshit?" He snatched the map out of Mike's hand. "From here on out, I'm leading the way, and Serenity will stay in the back to make sure none of you get lost. Come on, let's go. Come on."

Serenity stepped off to the side to allow Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max to pass her before following after them. She kept her eyes on the kids — and Steve — at all times, making sure there were five dark figures. Losing one of them was the last thing they needed. Not that Serenity would ever allow that to happen, though.

They suddenly came to a place where more tunnels branched out. Serenity looked around in wonder, more fear filling her veins. Apparently these tunnels ran underneath the entirety of Hawkins. How much farther did they have to go to reach the place where they all connected? Because Serenity could feel her feet sinking into the ground like it was ready to swallow her completely.

"God," Lucas stated.

"What is this place?" Max questioned.

"The Upside Down," Serenity answered softly. "Or, at least, a portion of it."

"Guys, come on," Steve urged. "Keep moving."

They all continued to walk. Serenity passed by Dustin, and she patted his shoulder to tell him to keep going. Suddenly, he started to scream from behind her. Serenity whipped around, only to see him on the ground, writhing around and spewing out curses and help's.

Her eyes widened and she rushed up to him. "Dustin!"

Serenity pulled him up off the ground. Dustin sprinted forwards, only to fall back on the ground again. Serenity stared at him in a mix of panic and confusion, not really knowing what the hell happened. Steve and the rest of the kids came running back as well from Dustin's cries.

"What happened, what happened?" Steve demanded.

"It's in my mouth!" Dustin shouted. "Some got on my mouth! Shit!" Dustin then coughed for a moment before looking up at all of them. "I'm okay."

Max sighed. "You serious?"

"Very funny, man," Steve voiced. "Nice. Very nice."

Serenity shook her head and patted Dustin's shoulder again. "Come on, buddy, let's keep moving." Dustin stood up and picked up the gasoline he was carrying. "Dude, you sounded like a pterodactyl. What happened?"

"The ceiling spewed at me," Dustin revealed.

She blinked. "The ceiling . . . spewed at you?"

Dustin nodded in confirmation. Serenity looked up at the ceiling, only to see that there were multiple things that did look like they could spew toxic air. As a matter of fact, she saw the things wiggle and the vines everywhere move on their own. It was like this place was . . . alive.

She didn't really like that.

"All right, Wheeler," Steve said after a few more minutes of walking. "I think we found your hub."

Serenity slowed to a stop next to Steve. Sure enough, all of the tunnels seemed to meet at this centralized location. It was a large clearing filled with more vines, and there was even a platform in the middle of it. Clearly, this was the place where the tunnels had all began.

"Let's drench it," Mike stated strongly.

They wasted no time in beginning. Lucas was spraying gas on the ceiling and the walls while Mike, Max, and Dustin were pouring it on the ground. Serenity and Steve supervised them, making sure that one place didn't have more gas than the others and that they weren't getting gas on themselves.

Once all of their gas was gone, they gathered in the tunnel they had started from. Serenity stood next to Steve, her hand placed nervously on his shoulder. She had given him the lighter from the Byers' house so that he could be the one to set the whole thing on fire.

"All right, you guys ready?" Steve inquired, and Mike, Max, and Lucas all agreed.

"Light her up," Dustin replied.

Steve looked up at Serenity. "We are in such deep shit."

She nodded. "I know." Serenity squeezed his shoulder. "Just do it, and this'll all be done."

"We should get milkshakes after."

Serenity smiled, and even though Steve couldn't see it through her mask, he knew she was. "We should." She nodded to the gas-drenched hub. "You heard Dustin. Pull a Disco Inferno and burn, baby, burn."

Steve flickered the lighter open. He then threw it into the hub. Instantly, it burst into flames, vines swinging around in effort to get away from the fire, but it was no use. The fire was set on destroying everything in its fast. Serenity flinched at the sudden rush of heat, her eyes straining from the brightness.

"Go, go, go!" Steve yelled.

Serenity and Steve sprinted after the kids. Steve made his way to the front while Serenity stayed back, closing the kids in so none of them got lost. Her chest heaved up and down, both from running and from fear. Serenity's legs burned, practically begging her to stop running, but she kept going.

Also, her Converse were totally ruined.

"Let's go, let's go!" Steve shouted, and Dustin followed that with a string of oh my God's as he dodged things on the ground.

To get back to the place where the hole was, Steve was giving them directions based on the map. Suddenly, in front of Serenity, Mike tripped and fell on the ground. Before her very eyes, Serenity watched as the vines wrapped around Mike and tried to pull him under. She gasped and bent down, grabbing his arms. Serenity used all of her strength to pull him out, but the vines were winning. They only just kept pulling Mike down.

"Steve!" Serenity screamed.

Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Steve all came running back. The kids helped Serenity grab onto Mike to pull him away. Steve then took his bat and lifted it over his head, slamming the nails down onto the spikes. He did that over and over again until the vine squealed and let Mike go.

Serenity pulled Mike up and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Mike responded, but it sounded a lot like a whimper.

There was then a very familiar chittering noise from behind them. Serenity looked over to see a Demo-Dog standing there. Dustin pushed himself to the front of everyone. Serenity swallowed her nerves and lowered her hands from Mike's face, instead holding his arm in one of her hands and pushing Lucas slightly behind her back with the other.

"Dart," Dustin began hesitantly. He stepped forwards, and all of them started to protest, but he waved them off. "Trust me, please." The Demo-Dog started to walk towards Dustin. "Hey. It's me, it's me." Dustin pulled off his goggles and mask, crouching down. "It's just your friend, it's Dustin. It's Dustin, all right? You remember me? Will you let us pass?"

The Demo-Dog opened up its face, revealing its rows of sharp teeth. Serenity's breath hitched in her throat, remembering the same night she had seen the Demogorgon for the first time.

Dustin didn't flinch. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar. That was a pretty douchey thing to do. You hungry? Yeah?" He pulled off his backpack and pulled out a 3 Musketeers bar. "I've got our favorite, see? Nougat."

He broke off a piece of the candy bar and put it on the ground. Dart instantly started to eat it, and Dustin gestured for them to go past. Serenity allowed Mike, Lucas, and Max to go ahead of her before she moved past Dart, shuddering as she did so.

Dustin stared down at Dart, who glanced back at them. "Goodbye, buddy. Let's go, let's go!"

They quickly moved through the tunnels, trying to get back to the hole. However, the whole tunnel started to shake. Serenity lost her balance and fell to the ground, looking up at the ceiling in confusion. However, there was then the screech. The all too familiar screech. Her body froze in fear and her eyes widened.

"What was that?" Max asked.

Mike stared in the direction of the noise. "They're coming. Run! Run!"

Serenity pushed herself up off of the ground and ran, faster than she probably had in her entire life. Finally, they reached the spot where their rope was. Serenity felt a little relief at that, but not much. Her and Steve pushed ahead of the group, standing by the rope.

She meant it when she said that she would do anything to protect her kids. That meant going last on the rope, and if that meant not making it out . . . at least they got to live.

Serenity and Steve lifted Max up on the rope. She climbed up, and then they lifted up Lucas. Then it was Mike, and they had finally lifted Dustin up when the screech got closer. The two older teens glanced at each other for a moment.

Steve grabbed his bat and lifted it up, even though Serenity knew that wouldn't work. With that amount of screeching, it was definitely a full army. Serenity clutched onto Steve's jacket, seeing multiple shadows of Demo-Dogs reflect onto the walls.

This was quite literally her worst nightmare.

Serenity squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact. However, it didn't come. There was a brushing against her leg, and Serenity opened her eyes again. All of the Demo-Dogs were running past her and Steve. Steve then wrapped an arm around Serenity's waist, tugging her into his chest. She held onto him tightly, resting her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

Steve used the arm that was around her waist to lift her up onto the rope. Serenity used all of her upper-body strength to pull herself up, and the kids helped her, taking her shoulders and arms to yank her up. Finally, her back landed against the dirt. She breathed heavily as she stared up at the stars in the sky, pulling off her mask and goggles.

"This was definitely not listed in my babysitting duties," Serenity voiced. She then felt a body land next to her, and she sat up, looking down at Steve. "Babysitting duo, huh?"

Steve caught his breath before sitting up as well. "What have you roped me into?"

"I can't answer that question, because I don't even know."

Suddenly, the headlights on Billy's Camaro burned impossibly bright. Serenity reached up a hand to cover her squinted eyes, and then the lights dimmed back to normal. Her and Steve shared a knowing look, and Serenity finally allowed herself to feel immense relief.

Everyone was okay. Well . . . kind of.

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the epilogue is next and I'm emo what the fuck