𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 | Max Mayfield

SIXTEEN

''The Gate.'' Steve, Dustin and Tara whispered together.

''I don't understand; you've seen this before?'' Robin asked.

''Not exactly.'' Steve murmured.

''All you need to know is it's bad.'' Dustin quickly said.

''It's really bad.'' Steve added.

''Like, the end of the human race as we know it kind of bad.'' Dustin rambled.

''And you know about this how?'' Robin asked in disbelief.

The alarm suddenly went off.

Dustin grabbed Tara's hand and they all dashed away like a bat out of hell.

Tara was struggling.

Whenever she got drained, much like El, she'd need rest. She wasn't getting rest.

They ran into a room and quickly slammed the door behind them.

Steve and Robin pressed their backs against the door, protecting Dustin, Erica and Tara.

''Go! Just get out of here!'' Steve yelled to them. ''Get some help!''

''Wait. I-I can teleport to the others. I can get help.'' Tara suggested.

''Telepo- She can teleport?'' Robin asked whilst struggling as the Russians rammed their bodies against the door.

''How is that even important right now?!'' Steve yelled to her. ''Just- Guys, go!''

Tara closed her eyes and thought of El's cabin.

That's where Max and El were last.

''...they've obviously vanished off the face of the Earth. So can we please come up with a new plan because I love her and I can't lose her again?!'' 

Tara heard Mike shout.

She opened her eyes and found herself with the others.

She fell backwards and Max caught her.

El went over with confusion and relief.

''What's going on? When'd you-'' She asked.

''Nothing, nothing!'' Mike quickly said.

''Just having a family discussion.'' Lucas joked.

''Oh.'' El said before looking expectantly at Tara.

Tara sat herself down on the couch; out of breath.

''I was at the mall.'' Tara explained. ''Then they- bad. Gate. I-I... They've got Steve and Robin.'' 

Nancy frowned in utter confusion.

''I found him.'' El said, to clear the silence.

''Found who?'' Nancy asked.

''And that's not normal, right?'' Nancy asked Max.

''Billy staying in his room on the fourth of July? No, that's not normal.'' Max replied.

''He wants us to find him.'' Will said.

''Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. If we go to Billy, then the rest of the Flayed know where we are.'' Nancy said.

''It's a trap; I agree. We'll be ambushed.'' Mike added.

''We won't be surprised. We'll know that they're coming and we will kick their flayed butts.'' Lucas said.

''You mean El and Tara will kick their butts.'' Max corrected him.

''It's too risky.'' Mike said.

''Yeah and unnecessary.'' Nancy said. ''Killing the Flayed won't stop the Mind Flayer. We have to find out where it's spreading from. We have to find the source.''

El walked into the room.

''Billy knows. He's been there.'' She told the others. ''It's a trap, I know. We can't go to Billy but I think there's another way for me to see where he's been.''

''I can.'' Tara said.

''Tar, you're too weak.'' Mike reminded her.

''Mike, relax.'' Max said as she rolled her eyes at him.

''Well, I'm sorry for caring!'' He snapped at her. ''Just-''

''I can do it myself.'' El said confidently.

''El, I know you think you have to do this but you don't. It's just, you've only done this before once. And your mom, she loved you and wanted you to know what happened,'' Mike told El as Max scoffed.

''And Billy's mind is sick- diseased. The Mind Flayer is in him.'' Mike added in worry.

''He can't hurt me. Not in there.'' El told him.

''We don't know that.'' Mike replied.

El took Mike's hand in hers and gazed up at him.

''Mike, I need you to trust me.'' She asked.

Mike glanced at Max who gave him a look.

Mike hesitantly nodded at El.

El placed the blindfold over her eyes.

''I'm on a beach.'' El reported back to the others.

''I may be dense but the last time I checked, there were no beaches in Hawkins.'' Lucas joked.

''What else do you see?'' Max asked curiously.

''A woman. She's pretty.'' El replied. ''I-I think she's looking at me.''

''There's a boy.'' She added. ''It's Billy.''

''It's California. A memory.'' Max realized.

A few moments, El said. ''I see it. The source.''

''Where are you, El?'' Max asked.

''Brimborns Steelworks.'' El responded.

It was silence before El screamed out as she threw her blindfold off.

She hyperventilated with anxiety, as Mike wrapped his arms around her.