Hi, again.
I'd favourite and follow you all, thank you for sticking with me.

Hot and cold, young and old
All the more I know, the less I feel right
I'm high and I'm low, no control
Everything's looking peach now

Peach - Broods

Allison's ribs were burning, her head was pounding, and she's pretty sure her ankle was broken or dislocated. She actually didn't understand how she was upright as she trekked through the ribbed tunnels bringing up the rear with her machete as Dustin had told her it was called. Everyone was dead silent as Steve directed them forward, the only sounds were the heavy breathing at the brutal pace the leader was keeping and the eerie whistling and rumbling of the underground network that seemed to shake Allison's very bones. The unusual white substance that had burst from the hole at the lab floated around them now, lazy in its journey and making her infinitely more grateful for the mask and scarf she had been outfitted with. Allison wasn't to keen to learn what that stuff would do if it got inside her.

As they reached another crossroads, Steve took a left, worryingly sure on his movements. She had seen the 'map' he had taken from Mike, crude scribbles in blue crayon. The last thing she needed was to get stuck down here and trapped forever with five middle-schoolers and Steve Harrington, if she was getting trapped somewhere forever it would be somewhere cool like the Parisian Catacombs or the spaceship from Alien; actually, definitely the spaceship, Ripley was her girl crush.

Dustin tripped up ahead and began screaming, pulling her out of her thoughts as everyone rushed toward him in fear. "It's in my mouth! Some got in my mouth! Shit!" The falsetto on this kid was incredible, Allison thought as Dustin decided he was okay, much to everyone's annoyance. "Sorry," He muttered sheepishly to Allison who wrapped an arm around his shoulders with a shake of her head.

"Go on, we can't have much longer now," Allison replied, nudging him forward. She was right, only a few minutes later, the group stopped. "Is this it?" Allison frowned, looking around at what surrounded them, more of the same. A giant crossroads with something strange rising up in the middle. This couldn't be it, then she felt it, the pulsing of something alive, surrounding her. Goosebumps rose over her skin and she shivered at the echoed growls that surround them. "Let's hurry up and get out of here."

"All right, Wheeler. I think we found your hub." Steve grunts, folding up the map and tucking it into the front pocket of his jeans. Allison stood back, her hand finding Daniel's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Drench it."

It didn't take long for Steve to work his way back to the group that had huddled safely in the tunnel waiting for him after they doused every part of the centre they could reach. The whole time they had been working the weird pocket hissed and pulsed at them like it knew exactly what they had planned. "Ready?" Steve asked making eye contact with everyone before nodding and igniting the lighter. The fire engulfed everything in its sight, bringing a warm glow that would have been comforting if a soul-shattering screech hadn't of shattered her eardrums seconds later. The vines that had previously lay dormant flailed as they burned. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Steve cried, and they all turned away from the burning centre. It didn't take long for all hell to break loose.

Her lungs were scorching but she knew she couldn't dare stop. If she'd thought the pain in her ankle was unbearable before, sprinting on the uneven packed earth beneath her made the pain blinding. She tried to ignore it, pressing on and dragging Daniel by his wrist behind her. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Dustin cried as he skipped over the ridges in the floor as quickly as he could.

"Hey, this way!" Steve screams, glancing over his map quickly before continuing on, the others following quickly behind. Mike took off right in front of her but tripped over with a surprised grunt. Before Allison could blink, vines burst from around him and began tangling the black-haired boys' legs. He screamed for help and Allison and Steve burst into action, pushing the others away.

"Pull him out!" Allison screamed, bringing her machete down across the flailing tendril that had wrapped itself firmly around Mike's ankle with a desperate yell of force. The vine screeched as it was cut in two with one clean slice. Steve pulled Mike into his arms, helping him to his feet quickly. "Mike! Are you okay?" Allison rushes forward, grabbing the boys face quickly checking for any damage.

"I'm okay, I'm okay, thank you, Alli." He pulls her hands away and they both turn to Steve, bat in hand ordering the others to move. A loud growl sounds from behind them and they all jump turning around, Allison and Steve both with weapons at the ready. Clutching her knife in her left hand the older girl guides Daniel and Mike behind her quickly her eyes never leaving the demo-dog that stood before them, roaring as its flower mouth opened and its teeth flexed threateningly.

"I've killed quite a few of your brothers and sisters tonight, wastoid, come a little closer and I'll happily show you how this son of a bitch works," Allison growls readjusting her grip, her menacing knife glinting in the minimal light.

"Wait!" Dustin exclaimed quietly, "Dart?" He asked with wide eyes, taking a hesitant step forward. Everyone tried to grab him with whispers of no, but the curly haired boy pressed on, waving them all away, "Trust me, please?" Watching with wide eyes, Allison refused to lower her weapon even as Dustin took a knee before the creature that seemed hesitant to attack. "Hey," Dustin spoke softly, pulling his floral scarf down around his neck and pushing his goggles up. A warm smile on his face directed at the creature.

"It's me, it's me. It's just your friend, it's Dustin. It's Dustin, all right? You remember me? - Will you let us pass?" The creature snarls and takes half a step forward, everyone tensing to leap forward but being pacified by Dustin's soft apology. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar. That was a pretty douchey thing to do." He pauses for a second before he carefully reaches for his backpack. "You hungry? Yeah?"

"He's crazy," Lucas whispers in a disbelieving tone, Steve tells him to shut up quickly, a frown marring his forehead, he could not believe what Dustin was trying to do, he couldn't believe he was standing here letting him do it, the words 'I'm totally dead' may have swum in his head a few times since he had jumped into the hole not so long ago. Those words had become a chant when he had thrown that lighter and now, they were a primal scream if they made it out of this alive… He was a dead man.

"I've got our favourite," Dustin continued, ignoring the whispering behind him. "See? Nougat. Look at that, Yummy. Here, all right? Eat up, buddy." Dustin waves a hand behind him to the others who carefully move past the boy and his chocolate eating friend. "Come on. Come on." Allison squeezes his shoulder gently as she brushes past, her eyes never leaving the monster as she walks behind Daniel and Mike. Despite the connection the two had, Allison couldn't bring herself to trust this was a good idea, under normal circumstances, she reasoned with herself, she'd never trust anything or anyone whose favourite chocolate was Three Musketeers.

Dustin stood carefully and walked towards his friends, turning back once to say goodbye to his Demo-dog. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him in front of her as Steve whispered that they needed to go. "You did so well, kid, I'm so proud," Allison whispered earning a wide grin from the young teen before he pulled his flower scarf back over his lips.

"Thanks, Alli."

They were close to the exit when the growling started. "What was that?" Max asked, panic lacing her voice. Allison turned toward the beginning of the tunnel they had just entered, hearing the growls growing rapidly louder, the pounding of multiple feet heading toward them.

"They're coming! Run!"

They all took off, Allison at the back pushing her brother and Dustin forward "Come on! Come on!" she screamed, her chest threatening to burst. Daniel looked behind them in fear spotting the shadows of the chasing Demodogs entering the tunnel with vicious intent. "Don't look!" His sister screams, pushing him forward as the group picks up speed. Allison could see Steve pushing Lucas up into the hands of Max a few meters ahead and pushes her legs harder, throwing her goggles off and pulling her scarf down before reaching for Daniel's collar and pulling him along as fast as the dark uneven surface would allow.

"Steve!"

He looks up at Allison's frantic voice just in time to catch Daniel in his arms and throw him up. His eyes widen when he zeros in on the howls echoing toward them. "Get Dustin up, now!" Together they push him up watching as the kids above all bring their hands down to help the teenagers. "Go quick!" Steve shouts, grabbing the brunette under her armpits and preparing to lift.

"No, it's too late! I'm not leaving you alone." She shouts, pushing his hands away and readying her machete. Looking toward the kids in fright, all five of their little faces petrified and leaning over the hole, trying to reach out. "Get back!"

"Shit," Steve grunts, standing in front of his friend protectively. The shadows of the monsters they could hear tearing toward them became visible and the shouts above them faded as the first few Demo-dogs bolted towards them. Allison screamed in fright, turning her head away as the first monster came upon her. This was it, she was going to be torn to pieces with her closest friend by her side and her brother and his friends watched on helpless.

"Alli! Steve!"

She feels something sleek brush past her and then again and again until her eyes pop open in surprise. She watches the back of the demo-dogs disappear past her with her mouth open in shock. One smacks into her knees and she nearly goes down, but Steve is suddenly grabbing her waist, pulling her as close as possible as they both watch the herd of killers run past them. The last dog runs past and Allison Grabs onto her friends' shoulders, pulling his head into her neck with a sob. Her whole body is trembling with fear and adrenaline she can't even talk. All Allison can do it clutch her friend closer to her and try not to break down as his hands wrap around her and press into her shoulder blades.

"I don't understand," Steve mumbled moments later, his own body quaking against Allison. It felt like an eternity they had stood together but as the ringing in her ears subsided and the shouting of Daniel and the others above came back into focus, she realised it had been mere seconds. Lifting his head from Allison's shoulder to survey the empty tunnel with a frown, he kept Allison in his arms, one hand tight around her waist while the other rested at the nape of her neck, his thumb rubbing reassuring circles behind her ear absentmindedly. "Are you okay?" He questioned quietly the shouts from above registering in his ears for the first time.

"Yeah, I think so. We should definitely be dog meat about now, right? I didn't just imagine hundreds of those bastards running toward us?" Steve feels a small smile curl his mouth as he meets his friends confused blue gaze. Allison returns his smile with a muddled one of her own, pulling back slightly to see his face a little better. Her hand travelled to her neck where it came to rest over his.

"Let's get out of here."

Steve lifted Allison gently, she had yet to tell him about her injuries but the knowing look he gave her as he pressed his hands onto her hips told her he definitely knew more than he should. She shook her head at him with a roll of her eyes and reached for the rope, Max and Mike helping to pull her up into the shelf of dirt. "I'm never taking flat earth for granted again." She sighed as she wiggled out of the way and let the kids help Steve up.

"Alli!" Daniel exclaimed, attaching his arms around her midsection and refusing to let go. It hurt her, but she ignored it, wrapping an arm around her brother just as tightly. "What were you thinking! There was plenty of time to get you up, that was stupid! Moronic! Senseless! So many other words I can't think of right now." He raged, pulling back slightly so she could see his wide misty eyes and his wobbly chin.

"Oh, Kiddo, I'm okay. Hey, look at me." Allison grabbed his little face when he looked away, smiling reassuringly into his dark eyes. "I'm sorry, but I'm okay, nothing is gonna happen to me, I promise." Daniel nodded, burying his head into her neck with an exhausted shuddering sigh. "I'm so proud of you Dan, you did so well. Arnold Schwarzenegger would be beyond proud, you were big time Kid." She whispered into his hair.

"So were you, you are my hero, Alli." He whispered back before standing and helping her to her feet. Everyone was pulling their goggles and scarves off when the headlights of Billy's car burned infinitely brighter than before, blinding them all momentarily.

Shielding her eyes with her hand, Allison felt her whole body deflate. Whatever adrenaline she had been running on in those tunnels was gone, regardless of what those blinding headlights meant, her fight was over. Legs shaking, she stepped away from the others slightly and collapsed beside the hole with a grunt, hand holding her side. As she rested her head on her knees slowly. From her spot in the dirt, she could see the lights dim and the tense shoulders of her friends relax slightly.

I think it's over." Mike whispered, and everyone exhaled in relief.

Allison wasn't expecting a small blond blur wrapping himself around her again moments later, her brother's concerned face hovering over hers. "Did you get hurt in the tunnels?" Daniel shook his head, frowning as he moved her hair from her forehead and watched her wince. He looked at her like she was crazy for worrying about him. "What? Is my forehead that big? Is it time to consider bangs?" She joked nervously, watching the young boy swallow anxiously before calling Steve over who was standing with the others talking quietly and checking for injuries. He jogged the few steps quickly, and the others followed suit.

"Hey," Steve said quietly, kneeling beside her and taking in the sight of a nasty jagged cut along the brunette's hairline. It looked about an inch long and in dire need of disinfectant and a few stitches. "What happened here, Edwards?" He questioned the flashlight in Daniel's hand highlighting the blood congealed strands of her hair and the red stains down her face.

"I may have been in a small explosion," Allison whispered, her energy depleted and leaving her struggling for any conscious thought. "At the Lab, I got cornered by a few of those demo-dogs and I'd run out of bullets, I remember feeling really hot and thinking my head was gonna explode from how loud I was screaming and then everything around me just… exploded. It was like I exploded, Steve I swear it started from the middle of the room… The gas valves behind me must have combusted somehow." She explained, she decided to keep the information that those burners didn't work and her opposite trajectory to herself for now, until she could figure out how an explosion had started from the middle of the room.

"You were in a freaking explosion and you still came out here?" Steve exclaimed, drawing the attention of the other kids to the injured girl who had drifted off the second his hand had slid into hers. "Alright, shit, we need to get you to the Hospital, like, now." Turning behind him, Steve saw the kids watching on shocked and snapped them into gear, "Move, shit-heads! We need to go now!" The quick-thinking kids from earlier appeared again, helping Steve, who held an unconscious Allison in his arms. The last thing she remembered before everything went dark was five worried faces hovering over Steve's shoulder, if she could talk, she probably would have made a joke at how funny they all looked, heads pressed together, sprouting from his shoulders like some sort of comical chimaera.

Steve sped the whole way to the Hospital, Allison in the back with Daniel, Mike, and Dustin. Lucas and Max shared the front seat. The Sherriff stood outside the hospital talking quietly to Nancy Wheeler when the blue Camaro screamed into the parking lot and children began to pour out of it. If he'd had a moment to appreciate it, he would have laughed as they tumbled out like ten clowns in an undersized car. He probably would have administered a ticket as well.

"Mike!" Nancy shouts when she spots her brother, who runs up and grabs her wrist, yanking her toward the car. "Nancy, you have to help, it's Alli! She's really hurt!" Hopper rushed forward to check over the girl now nestled in Steve's arms, her young face covered in grime much like he and Eleven. He quickly led the way to the hospital doors cursing himself for ever being stupid enough to agree to let her into that godforsaken lab.

"Help! She's been in an accident." Steve bellowed the nurses on the floor instantly pulling a bed into the once empty waiting room. Steve set Allison down gently, taking her hand in his grasp when he saw her eyelashes flutter. "It's gonna be okay, Alli, I promise." She didn't respond as the nurses rushed her away through a door he couldn't follow. For the third time today, they were separated, he just hoped this time garnered better results.