Home // A Stranger Things Story

xxxiii

I woke up to the car suddenly slamming on the brakes, making me jolt up. I winced as the pain hit me again. I looked up to see the mall and hoped to god that everyone was safely inside.

"You okay?" Hopper asked as Joyce and Murray got out of the car.

"I think so." I responded. I shivered, not understanding why anyone else was cold. "Is my jacket in there?" I asked, pointing to my bag.

Hopper unzipped it and looked in, shaking his head.

"It's freezing." I told him, shivering.

"You're cold?" 

"Her lips are blue." Joyce pointed out.

"So are my fingers." I said looking down at my hands.

"It's still, like, eighty degrees out." She said, looking at me in concern.

"Could it have something to do with the gate?" Hopper asked.

"Oh..." I hadn't thought of that. "Maybe being close to the gate makes it worse? I probably didn't notice the last two times because it was already cold out." 

He hummed in response, moving to help me out of the car. I grabbed my backpack and slid out of the seat, cringing at the blood that had gotten everywhere.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." I whispered, but both of us knew I was lying.

Hopper helped me into the mall, which took a little longer than expected. 

"They're close." I told him, sensing El nearby.

We heard a scream from up ahead, catching both of our attention.

We walked into the main area of the mall to see El covered in blood on the floor, surrounded by everyone. Before we could get to her, a small creature no bigger than a mouse came running at us. Hopper crushed it under his boot, causing the group of people to finally acknowledge our presence.

"El!" I croaked out after a moment of silence, pulling away from Hopper and wobbling over to her as fast as possible. I fell to my knees in front of her and engulfed her in a hug, tears falling down my cheeks as she hugged me back.

"What happened to you? Are you okay?" I asked when she pulled away.

"It's a long story." She sighed, looking down. She caught the blood stains all over me and looked up, eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, that." I shrugged. "It's nothing. Just a little cut."

"It's not nothing, you got stabbed and shot, Ev." Hopper said, walking up behind me as I helped El up.

"You were shot?" Dustin exclaimed while everyone started talking at once. 

"Why do you always have to expose me like that?" I asked Hopper over my shoulder. I walked over to Dustin and hugged him, thankful he was okay. "Where have you guys been?"

"Steve, Robin, Erica and I have been in a Russian base, and everyone else has been... well, actually I'm not sure."

"Wait, wait, wait." A girl I hadn't met before spoke up from next to Steve, who I think was Robin. "Who shot you?"

"Russians." I shrugged, trying to cover up how much pain I was in.

"You know about the Russians?" A younger girl asked, who I faintly recognized as Lucas' sister, Erica.

"Yeah, they tried to kidnap me a few times." I responded casually.

"What?" Mike exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and hugged him, too.