𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐀 // M. Wheeler

[VII] AND THE ACROBAT

They're back in Mike's basement; at this point, it's just the rendezvous point because of convenience, privacy, space, and well...because Mike practically said so. Kathryn's knee is bouncing, she's not happy, exactly. But she's close. She thought that hope was lost. Now she's heard Will's voice, now she's got tangible proof that she can put faith into this.

But it still doesn't make sense.

"What was Will saying? Like home... Like home... but dark?" Mike asks, face screwed up. 

"And empty." Lucas adds.

Dustin sighs. "Empty and cold. Wait, did he say cold?"

Kat shakes her head. "I don't think so...but whatever it's like, he was scared." Her knee is still bouncing, although her voice is soft.

 "I don't know. The stupid radio kept going in and out." He says. 

The mop-haired boy sighs again."It's like riddles in the dark."

Mike's expression is still quizzical. "Like home. Like his house?"

"Or maybe like Hawkins." Lucas considers. 

Eleven pipes in for the first time, voice even quieter than Kathryn's. "Upside down.."

"What'd she say?"

"Upside down." Mike answers.

Lucas doesn't seem to catch Mike's drift. "What?"

Mike's getting louder though, sure he's on to something. "Upside down. When El showed us where Will was, she flipped the board over, remember?" He flips it again to show them all, in case they don't get. "Upside down. Dark. Empty."

Lucas practically scoffs. "Do you understand what he's talking about?"

Dustin seems to think the same. "No."

Kat shakes her head. "I'm not sure I do."

"Guys, come on, think about it. When El took us to find Will, she took us to his house, right?"

Kathryn winces. Her knee slows it's bouncing and she goes to turn to Josh only to realize he went back home for a bit. She looks down again. 

Lucas sounds bitter. "Yeah. And he wasn't there." 

Mike's excited again. "But what if he was there? What if we just couldn't see him? What if he was on the other side? What if this is Hawkins and..." He flips the board again. "-this is where Will is? The Upside Down."

Dustin's voice is a whisper. "Like the Vale of Shadows." He pulls out an D&D book and flips through it hurriedly until he lands on a page he wants. His voice is theatrical when he starts reading. "The Vale of Shadows is a dimension that is a dark reflection or echo of our world. It is a place of decay and death." He pauses. "A plane out of phase. A place of monsters. It is right next to you, and you don't even see it."