Mike opens his eyes with a scream in his throat, and something wrapped around his leg. He jerks back on instinct, gloved hands biting into cold dirt, and for a few terrifying moments, he can't figure out what's going on. The world is dark, and there's something on his face, blurring his vision and stifling his breath. A fresh tug tears another yelp out of him, threatening to pull his leg from its socket, but then-
A thick whack, then two, and all at once the thing coils back. The vine, he realizes, blinking dumbly. He's in the tunnels. And standing over him are-]
... Lucas? [It's too hesitant, too full of awe, but it doesn't matter. His friends drown it out with their commotion as they lean down to help him, passing hurried questions - You good? You okay? - into the tense air. Mike just nods dumbly, letting them tug him along, but when they get him to his feet he flinches, feeling weight shift unexpectedly onto his bad leg.
... Wait. He nearly gasps with the realization, chest flooding with prickling adrenaline. He remembers his leg. He remembers his leg, and- Ten fingers. He has ten fingers, but he remembers he shouldn't. His thoughts hurtle, racing for checkpoints, blurring past Castle Road and Brianna's face and Fizzgig, until he's breathless and gasping behind his bandana. Max gives him a look, quick and wary, and he wants to hug her out of sheer relief, except-
Dart, Dustin's saying, a couple of feet away, and then everything goes to shit again.]
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2/3
Steve, pull him out!
Mike opens his eyes with a scream in his throat, and something wrapped around his leg. He jerks back on instinct, gloved hands biting into cold dirt, and for a few terrifying moments, he can't figure out what's going on. The world is dark, and there's something on his face, blurring his vision and stifling his breath. A fresh tug tears another yelp out of him, threatening to pull his leg from its socket, but then-
A thick whack, then two, and all at once the thing coils back. The vine, he realizes, blinking dumbly. He's in the tunnels. And standing over him are-]
... Lucas? [It's too hesitant, too full of awe, but it doesn't matter. His friends drown it out with their commotion as they lean down to help him, passing hurried questions - You good? You okay? - into the tense air. Mike just nods dumbly, letting them tug him along, but when they get him to his feet he flinches, feeling weight shift unexpectedly onto his bad leg.
... Wait. He nearly gasps with the realization, chest flooding with prickling adrenaline. He remembers his leg. He remembers his leg, and- Ten fingers. He has ten fingers, but he remembers he shouldn't. His thoughts hurtle, racing for checkpoints, blurring past Castle Road and Brianna's face and Fizzgig, until he's breathless and gasping behind his bandana. Max gives him a look, quick and wary, and he wants to hug her out of sheer relief, except-
Dart, Dustin's saying, a couple of feet away, and then everything goes to shit again.]