brontide ; stranger things

TWENTY

Tenebrific (adj.)

producing darkness

-Collie's Word of the Day #194

•••

AFTER what seemed like hours, Mick made a sound of triumph as she extracted the tracker from Collie's wrist. Searing pain engulfed her, but she refused to appear weak in front of the others as she forced back her tears.

Directing her attention away from the wound, Collie focused on the small piece of hard plastic laying on the table. The tracker was the size of a small fingernail, a white light blinking softly through the small amount of blood coating it. As the others all peered at it, Eleven rubbed Collie's shoulder and asked,

"Better?"

"Yeah," Collie replied weakly. "Better."

"Thank you, Mick," said Kali as she took up a thick cloth and began to wrap Collie's wrist. Axel grabbed the tracker and dropped it on the ground.

"Well?" he asked. "What's everyone waiting for?" With that, he smashed his boot onto the tracker, shattering the tiny piece of plastic. For good measure, he stomped on it once more, making sure it was broken.

"Are you alright?" Kali stared at Collie, who slumped in her seat. To be honest, the answer had to be no. She just had someone cut into her wrist and pull out a tracker, for god's sake. But instead of being truthful, she forced a small smile and replied,

"Yeah. I'm good."

"Good. Come." Kali helped her up and motioned for her to follow. Collie glanced back to Eleven, hesitant to leave her, but the younger girl threw her a reassuring smile and turned back to the others as they talked.

Kali and Collie emerged outside, where containment units and old, broken down cars were decorated with colorful spray paint art. The air smelled of smoke and rust, and a soft breeze passed through and tossed their hair back and forth.

"I was just like you once," Kali said, glancing over at Collie as they trekked through the empty lot. "I kept my anger inside. I tried to hide from it, but then that pain festered."

Holding her wrist, Collie looked over to her. "What do you mean?"

"You are angry, Collie," Kali said. "You bury your fury deep inside and attempt to conceal it, but eventually that anger is going to implode." The two girls reached a small area that overlooked Chicago, which bustled with life. Nearby was a tall electricity tower, several thick wires leading from the top of it down a line of them towards the city.

"You see this electricity tower?" Kali asked, leading Collie over to it. They stopped a few feet away, the soft buzz of energy coursing through the metal filling the air. "It connects to other towers, which lead to the city. I want you to cut off the power."

Collie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You want me to... stop the flow of electricity?"

"Yes." Kali nodded.

"But won't that cut off the power to part of the city?" Collie asked, switching her gaze to the hundreds of buildings and skyscrapers before them.