Images of Lauri-Ell hoisting him up by the underarms flash through Dustin's mind, moments before he quickly and vigorously shakes his head at her. Not doing that again. He'll starve to death stuck rather than be pulled out of danger - literally - for the second time in less than half an hour.

"I've got it." Then, as if he's not still almost knee-deep in plants, Dustin continues their conversation where they left off. "So, if not caused by a specific entity or group of entities, what else could the storms have affected to cause such significant overgrowth? I've heard of the shadows, mass hallucinations...chemicals? Atmospheric ionization causing some kind of flora response?..."

There's a beat. Dustin has stopped struggling and started scoping out his surroundings, and at this point located a sturdy-looking fallen branch. He grapples for it with a precarious lean sideways and awkwardly pushes himself back with his free arms and leg.