Chapter Text
Jonathan turned his flashlight and it shone on a man whose face had almost melted off. He and Nancy let out a scream simultaneously.
“What happened to him?” Nancy asked.
“I don’t know,” Jonathan answered, “but we should keep moving.”
Nancy nodded but continued to stare at the man till they were past. Jonathan scrutinized the walls as they walked. They looked like they had been melted, and then suddenly whatever was hot enough to melt them- stopped, and it froze. It was eerie and gave him the chills. The man had been stuck in the wall when it froze, and Jonathan was not looking forward to finding out whatever caused it.
Nancy ducked into a room in front of him, so Jonathan dipped into one closest to him. He pressed his hand to his pocket nervously. His fingers traced the outline of the cassette tape. Thoughts of proposing flooded his mind.
“Jonathan!” Nancy called.
Jonathan snapped his hand away from his pocket and waltzed back into the hallway. After a quick argument- which broke Jonathan’s heart- they managed to find themselves on the roof. They both swung their flashlights in different directions, and while Jonathan saw nothing- Nancy did.
“Hey come look at this,” she murmured.
Her flashlight was shining in the middle of the roof. Jonathan thought he could see something, but also chalked it up to his imagination- and lack of sleep- and water…and food.
“What?” he asked.
Nancy moved her flashlight away, then back. Okay. It wasn’t his imagination.
“Do you see it?” Nancy questioned.
Jonathan nodded silently. He shone his flashlight next to Nancy’s beam. Nancy put her flashlight away and whipped out her shotgun. Jonathan heard Dustin talking over the walkie, but he couldn't make anything out. Before he knew what was happening, Nancy fired- and suddenly Jonathan was flying. The last thing he heard was a boom. The last thing he felt was a hard hit to the head.
…
Jonathan felt a weird, liquid lapping at his hands and neck. Something fell onto his lip- like a raindrop- but hot. Hot. Burning. Burning. It was burning. Jonathan sat up in a flash, slightly feeling the blood rush out of his head. His vision blurred for a quick second before righting itself. Jonathan wiped at the liquid on his face and stood up. The palms of his hands were red and irritated.
His feet felt like something put a heater in his shoes. His mouth fell open when he saw why. All of the walls that looked melted earlier- were melting again, and it was hot. Jonathan rubbed the back or his head and desperately looked around for Nancy. He spotted her a few feet away from him. The liquid rose and about halfway up her arm. Her entire hand was submerged.
Jonathan limped over to her and got down on his knees, despite the heat. The panic rose in his chest when he saw her serene face just lying there. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly.
“Nancy? Come on, please wake up,” he begged.
A small groan escaped her lips and then her eyes fluttered open. “Jonathan…?”
“Yea- yea” he breathed out, relieved.
Nancy sat up, and Jonathan helped her- due to her hair giving some resistance from being submerged in the melted sludge. Nancy pulled her hands out of the sludge and cried out in pain and surprise. Her hands were shaking and Jonathan could see how red they were- and they were bleeding a little.
“It’s okay-” Jonathan murmured quickly. He ripped off some fabric from his shirt and wrapped it around her hands. Nancy’s breaths were coming in sharp and quick, which made Jonathan’s heart skip a few beats. He placed his hands on her face. Tears were pricking at her eyes. “Hey it’s okay- we’re okay. We just have to find a way out.”
Nancy nodded and they stood up together. For the first time, Jonathan looked up and saw that they had fallen a few stories. Probably why his back hurt so much. “What happened?” Nancy asked. She was looking up, just like Jonathan.
“Whatever it is you shot,” Jonathan explained, “must’ve been what caused all the melting.”
“It’s hot,” Nancy muttered.
Jonathan hummed in agreement. The sting of his own hands at the front of his mind. His feet were burning too. “Look there’s a door.”
Jonathan waded his way through the ankle high liquid. Nancy was soon by his side, but it was no use. The doro wouldn't budge. As a matter of fact, the handle was completely melted off. “Shit,” he cursed.
They both banged on the door, calling for help- but suddenly stopped when they heard a load groan. Their heads rotated to the sound coming from the floor above them.
“What is-”
Nancy didn’t get to finish her sentence before the roof exploded and down poured tons of gallons of melted concrete. Nancy screamed and before they knew it the sludge was up to their knees.
“The table!” Nancy shouted.
They trudged their way over to it. Nancy whimpered as she placed her hands on the table and put pressure on them to pull herself up. Jonathan got himself up easier, but not without that pain.
“How are we going to get out?” Nancy panicked.
“I-i I don’t know,” Jonathan sighed.
Nancy closed her eyes and breathed in and out. Her hands were held out in front of her and still shaking. Jonathan gingerly brought them into his own. Nancy opened her eyes and looked at him. The melted concrete was almost to the edge of the table.
“I have an idea,” Jonathan stated.
“What is it?” Nancy asked. She kept eyeing the grey liquid- which was now creeping onto the surface of the table.
“First-” Jonathan dug through his pocket, his hands clasped onto the cassette. “I want yout to take this.” Nancy looked at him confused. She took the cassette- fingers moved to open it. “Don’t open it!” Jonathan stuttered, “not yet.”
“Jonathan…i- i don’t understand?” Nancy searched his eyes. He smiled sadly at her.
Before Nancy could say anything, he was on his feet and hoisting her up. His muscles worked overtime to lift her- though she screamed to be let down.
“Nancy please!” Jonathan shouted.
“Nancy!”
Who was that?”
Steve suddenly appeared above them. He reached his hand out and took Nancy’s. Dustin came into sight as well, helping pull the girl up. She screamed in pain and sadness and anger. Jonathan couldn’t breathe.
“Jonathan!” Nancy screamed.
Dustin pulled her away, and Jonathan watched as Steve tried to reach down and grab him, but to no avail. Steve almost slipped into himself. “Gah!” He screamed as he pulled his hands away.
“Go!” Jonathan pleaded.
The sludge was up to his knees. He couldn’t even raise them out. There was no way they’d be able to pull him out without severing his torso from his legs. “No man! We can find a way!”
“GO!” Jonathan screamed. He could hear Nancy shouting his name and crying. Steve looked back at Nancy then at him hopelessly. The melted concrete was up to his waist. “Please…” Jonathan cried.
Steve sighed and nodded. He disappeared from sight and Jonathan could hear Nancy’s screams getting farther and farther away. The sludge was getting higher faster. His whole body burned but he kept his screams to groans- so Nancy wouldn’t hear him die. He stared up at the ceiling as it rose to his neck. He thought of his mom, his brother, Nancy, and the life he’d never have.
—
DAYS LATER
Nancy pulled the cassette Jonathan had given her out of her pocket. She stared at it numbly. Why had he given this to her? John Coltrane wasn’t even his favorite singer. She traced the jazz singer's face then clicked open the case. Something shimmered in the corner. Nancy gasped as she picked up a ring.
She dropped the cassette and brought her left hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh… Jonathan.” Tears streamed down her face and she clasped the ring in her bandaged hands and held them close to her body. Her shoulder’s shaking.