-ˋˏ [ ◉¯] ┈┈┈┈ COUNTLESS STUDIES SHOWED HIM HOW to effectively hold his breath , his trial runs in his bathtub for this purpose earlier had been enough for him to determine his best suited effect against the deep currents – at least they weren’t frigid like twice prior that he’d been subjected to this damned place erupting through his life. Even bringing Will here felt like such a deep plunge of trust for him. Just knowing that there was a chance the younger Byers might come sprinting into action if something went wrong had been a reason he’d hesitated to even bring him along, but, god, he knew better than anyone that this would create more problems if he’d refused.
As vision adjusted to the darkness that surrounded him and slowly crept through his immediate vicinity, the teen began the descent downward, slow yet steady pace meant to keep his airflow from burning up too rapidly before he even snapped a singular picture. If not for ethereal dull glow of crimson gaining attendance to the lake, perhaps Jonathan would have slapped himself internally for a simplistic theory from a simple murder scene he’d snuck inside of to poke around in ; no way, in his mind, could any single man accomplish something so confounding, but he could easily understand how a town could be so narrow-minded – he’d lived in Hawkins for so long…
Easy enough…a small smile leaving his neutral expression as camera in hands was lifted – SNAP! – one picture down – SNAP! – two – SNAP! – three… With flash, he was certain that, even if they were blurred or harder to make out, there would still be reasonable complacency to agree that this was proof that something lurked below ; it was just like his sophomore year, just like when he came upon that party and, inadvertently, captured the creature lurking behind poor Barbara without even realizing his action would save his mom, save his brother, save Nancy from years of mental torment over where her friend had vanished to.
Now he strove to act before he allowed anything to happen…
As his fingertip met the button for another snap, there was a sudden tug at his ankle, body going rigid at first against the sensation, thinking he must have just brushed against plant life. It was the second tug that garnered concern, attention shifting from target to leg. One…two…three seconds pass without activity and then – YANK! Camera is gripped with tightened resolve, not desiring to lose precious evidence and, before he even could rationalize his situation, his body plummeted downward, one hand relinquishing its hold on camera to grab hold of the muddy surface at the bottom of the lake, only to feel his grasp sift through soil.
Even as he slammed into solid ground on the other side, goggles flinging from his features, his initial response time was embarrassingly low. Camera clattered away from his side and skidded to a halt against squelching vine – one of many that surrounded his body. They didn’t embrace him in a sinister cocoon yet…they didn’t grant him any hope for his outcome. A singular gasp to take in air produced, his sluggish movements would earn him a strike to the back of the head, screeching howls of something unknown barreling passed him into near distance, only turning around at breakneck speed to come careening back at him.
❝ Shit! ❞ In those precious seconds, Jonathan managed to lunge for his camera and duck beneath the disgusting apparition, though his slight victory is halted as another would descend to wrap its disgustingly slimy tail around his wrist, yanking him forward and on to the pavement. A scream echoing from lips as stomach would slam atop his own device, side of hand scraping the surface of ground, ripping flesh against its uneven surface. Two played at the game of victory denial as the winged monster would recoil in pain from teeth that bit harshly into revolting flesh in an attempt to relieve himself of the monstrosity’s hold.
It worked but not without a voice catching his attention and pulling him from his battle to notice the appearance of Mike, his body pulled from the very same portal that had forcibly removed Jonathan from his own realm – it must be a Byers thing. Gaze shot behind head of teen to notice something zipping downward, gnawing bat flinging itself at the younger boy in its thirst for cruelty. ❝ Mike, look out! ❞ Call it instinct of an older brother but the name called would be accompanied by camera flung from hand to come crashing into its head, loud grunt of exertion interrupted in the process by the same bat he’d managed to remove from himself careening back to wrap its tail around his neck this time, clearly learning its lesson from the wrist scenario to cause Byers to lose his balance and fall backward to the ground. Fingers, now freed of device, would clamber to dig at thick skin for some air to meet his lungs.
Pentax camera had connected but now lay with large chunks of it now scattered inside the plastic bag. Another prized possession lost in a manner like this, but Jonathan’s own mind didn’t even comprehend the extent of its injuries nor its distance from him as he desperately reached for it with one hand as the other clung desperately for air.
It was only moments after arriving in the Upside Down that Jonathan had called out to Mike, warning him of incoming danger from behind. The teen swiftly ducked his head, arms lifting to shield himself from whatever was going to attack him. Luckily for him, Jonathan had reacted quickly by smashing the bat-like creature over its head. It had done the trick for now, but there was still no time to waste or time to stop to think of a plan. This was a moment-by-moment situation, and they just had to use whatever they could get their hands on to survive. Right now, he was wishing he’d brought a paddle or something with him to use as a weapon. He’d just been so worried about Jonathan, he hadn’t even stopped to think about preparations.
❝ Hold on! ❞ Long legs briskly carried Mike over to where Jonathan was laying on the ground, a Demobat keeping its tail wrapped securely around his throat to prevent him from breathing, unrelenting even as fingers tugged and pried. Gaze darting across various parts of the ground, Mike spotted a nearby rock that he wasted no time in running to grab. It was decent sized, taking up the entire palm of his hand, and it would easily do more damage than his fists would. He was back to the older male in seconds, foot coming down on part of the creatures tail to lower it and begin the process of pinning it. After ensuring he had a good grip on the rock, he took a hard swing at the Demobat, which let out an obnoxiously loud screech upon impact. To no surprise, considering they were monsters from the Upside Down, they could take a bit of a beating and didn’t go down so easily.
❝ Let go of him, you piece of shit! Let go, ❞ Mike angrily muttered, another smash over its head visibly weakening it. It was even lower to the ground now, making aiming at it easier this time. After another few hits, one strike after the other without any hesitation or pauses in between, it was laying on the ground, and one final blow over the head had finally killed it. It lay motionless on the ground, and no longer was its tail wrapped tightly around Jonathan’s throat, allowing much needed air back into his lungs. ❝ Are you okay? ❞ He was still conscious, at least, which was really all that mattered right now. Any wounds could be tended to later, once they found shelter and were no longer under attack. ❝ —Come on, we have to get out of here. ❞ Just as he’d reached his hand out to offer him assistance in getting back up to his feet, another Demobat had dove down onto him, claws digging into his back while it began biting at the flesh of his shoulder.
Stumbling away from Jonathan in a panic, Mike reached over his shoulder in a desperate attempt to swat the winged creature off of him. It was stubbornly holding on despite his efforts, sharp teeth biting viciously at his hand with every attempt made to shove it off. He wanted to try to reach for the tail, which would allow him to forcibly remove the Demobat from where it was latched onto his back, but it was too hard for him to reach it on his own. ❝ Grab its tail! ❞ the younger but taller of the two pleaded, his hand yanked back with a hiss of pain as another bite landed on his wrist. Going back through the gate probably wasn’t going to get them out of this mess, since they had vines that would just pull them right back in, but they had to do something to get away from the creatures.
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