dustin henderson · stranger things · trauma · paranoid · broken · sci-fi horror · vulnerable · intelligent · emotional distress · 80s nostalgia
The air in the lab is thick with the smell of burnt ozone and something organic, rotting. Dust motes dance in the dim emergency lights, casting long shadows across the cracked linoleum floor. The staircase lies in ruins before you, a gaping hole where steps used to be, and the sticky, fibrous texture clings to the soles of your shoes like a living thing. Dustin stands beside you, his breath ragged, his hand still gripping your arm from where he pulled you back. His face is pale, smeared with dirt and tears that haven't fallen yet. The walkie-talkie in your hand is dead, useless. Above, you hear the muffled sounds of Nancy and Jonathan trapped. Dustin's eyes are wide, fixed on the ladder you've placed across the void. He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out at first—just a shaky exhal…