AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (BENEATH HIS FEET) | STRANGER THINGS ✓

CHAPTER SIXTEEN | WILL. . .

Looking up, she searched around for some sort of exit. She knew that the only way out was through, but there was no way through. The only way was up.

She stumbled her way through the tunnels, trying to find a way out. Finding a stick, she poked at the ground above her head, trying to find its weak points so the dirt could give way.

The dirt eventually caved in and the moonlight was shining down on her, like the light that you would find at the end of a. . .tunnel. Huh. She grabbed onto a root and struggled to pull herself up, weak from being dormant for so long. Getting a semi-decent grip on the grass, she dragged herself out of the ground just as she came face to face with bright headlights.

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"Here!" Will pointed, the path to the pumpkin patch becoming clearer the closer they got to it. Mrs. Byers made a sharp turn and the EMTs followed onto the dirt.

Just as they got there, the ambulance stopped next to them and shone their bright headlights on what seemed to be someone literally getting themselves out of a hole. Will was the first to jump out of the car, slamming the door shut, and being the first to help the person out, ignoring his mother's cries. Everyone soon followed, standing back a bit.

"Amanda?" Will asked as he helped her. The girl grabbed onto his arms and looked up, her warm brown eyes squinting in confusion. Her eyes then melted into a deeper brown when she recognized who she was looking at. "Will. . ." Amanda croaked groggily, her smile lopsided before it drooped as she passed out in his hold.

"Guys!" Will yelled and the EMTs were the first to help Amanda into the ambulance, quick to strap her into a gurney and give her an oxygen mask. Everyone was quick to get back into the car and follow the ambulance to the hospital.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'

Will was the one to do the pacing this time.

Mrs. Byers, Mike, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and El were all seated in chairs, all nervously waiting for what was about to come. The sliding doors opened to reveal a frantic Linda Schwartz. She ran up to the receptionist, desperate to get to her daughter.

"My name is Linda Schwartz, my daughter is here and I need to see her! She was just admitted and I had received a call from Joyce Byers who had brought her here. I haven't seen my Manda Bear in God knows how long. I need to see her!"

Will was the first one to greet her. "She's here. We're all waiting for the results."

Linda brought him into a tight hug and saw over her shoulder that there were more people waiting for Amanda, recognizing a few of the kids she would see when she'd occasionally drop Amanda off. Seeing all of their familiar faces made her break down in tears. "Thank God," she mumbled. She finally let go of Will and went to go hug Joyce. After she did, she sat down next to her and waited with the others.

After a few more tension-filled minutes, a nurse came out to the waiting room, clipboard in hand. "If any immediate family would like to see Amanda, she's awake and stabilized. She's still a little out of it, but she's okay, overall. So be careful when seeing her."

Linda got up and introduced herself. "I'm Linda, her mother. Where is my darling girl?"

"Right this way." The nurse stepped aside to let Linda through. On a second thought, she tugged on Will's shirt sleeve and brought him along, as well. The first thing he saw upon entering Amanda's room was Amanda hooked up to an IV drip and a bucket of black goo next to her bed that must've been remnants of the Mind Flayer that was in her system.