Y/n's POV
El looks at me, her eyes filled with terror. 'No.' She says.
'No, what?' Lucas whirls around. 'We're going!'
'It doesn't even matter if we can make it into the Lab.' Mike says. 'We just need to get there, scope out our surroundings. Figure out the next step. Figure out how to find Will!'
I sigh, there's just no stopping them.
..
'How much further?' Lucas complains.
'I don't know. These only tell direction, not distance. You really need to learn more about compasses.' Dustin looks at him.
'I'm just saying. How do we know when we get to the gate?' Lucas asks.
'Uh, I think a portal to another dimension is gonna be pretty obvious.' Dustin says, huffing out a breath.
'Do you think she's acting weird?' Lucas turns to glance at me and El. I notice her hide her sleeve behind her back.
'You're asking if the weirdo is acting weird?' Dustin asks.
'I mean, weirder than normal?' Lucas mutters.
'I don't know. Who cares?' Dustin says.
Mike trails along behind us, not saying a word.
'El.' I whisper, stopping her. 'Is it working?' She nods, pointing at her nose. A faint line of blood shows just a above her lip.
'Yes.'
...
'Oh, no.' Dustin says suddenly, stopping in the junkyard. Shit. I guess they're smarter than I thought.
'"Oh, no"? What's, "Oh, no"?' Lucas asks, stopping behind Dustin.
'We're headed back home.' Dustin says.
'What?' Mike gasps.
'Are you sure?' Lucas throws his hands up.
'Yeah, I'm sure. Setting sun, right there. We looped right back around.'
'And you're just realizing this now?' Lucas says loudly.
'Why is this all on me?' Dustin yells.
'Because you're the compass genius!' Lucas shouts.
'What do yours say?' Dustin asks.
'North.' Lucas and Mike say at the same time.
El and I stay a good ways away from them, and she stands behind me quietly.
'Makes no damn sense.' Dustin sighs.
'Maybe the gate moved.' Mike suggest.
'No, I don't think it's the gate. I think it's something else screwing with the compasses.' Dustin says.
'Maybe it's something here.' Mike says.
'No, it has to be like a super magnet.' Dustin says.
'It's not a magnet. She's been acting weirder than normal. If she can slam doors with her mind, she can definitely screw up a compass.' Lucas points at El.
'Leave her alone.' I say. 'We told you it was dangerous.'
'Why would she do that?' Mike asks.
'Because she's trying to sabotage our mission. Because she's a traitor!' Lucas yells. 'You did it, didn't you? You don't want us to reach the gate. You don't want us to find Will.' Lucas advances on El. I glare at him, stepping further in front of her.
'Lucas, come on, seriously, just leave them alone!'
'Admit it.' Lucas says. 'Admit it!' He pulls at her sleeve, stepping around me. 'Fresh blood. I knew it.'
'Lucas, come on!'
'I saw her wiping her nose on the tracks! She was using her powers!' Lucas says.
'Bull! That's old blood. Right, El? Right, El?'
Tears run down El's face. 'It's... not... it's not safe.'
'You guys are a bunch of idiots!' I yell. 'Can't you see it's too dangerous to go to the Lab? They'll kill you. They will kill you? Understand?' I say. 'That's not going to help Will AT ALL.'
'You don't care about Will!' Lucas yells. 'If you cared about Will you would do whatever it takes to find him! Even if it's dangerous.'
'That's not fair,' I say. 'You've never even been to the Lab. You don't know what it's like.'
'And thanks to you two, we never will!' Lucas says angrily.
'Screw you Lucas!' Mike yells.
'No! Screw you, Mike. You're blind... blind because you like that a girl's not grossed out by you. But wake up, man! Wake the hell up!' Lucas shouts. 'She knows where Will is, and now she's just letting him die in the Upside Down.'
'Shut up!'
'For all we know, it's her fault.' Lucas says.
'Think about what you're saying Lucas!' I yell, half sobbing. 'You really think El would do that to Will??!'
'We're looking for some stupid monster... but did you ever stop to think that maybe she's the monster?' Lucas says, continuing.
I scream, letting out a burst of energy that comes from my chest. It flies forward, knocking Lucas to the ground. Lucas stands up, backing away.
'You too?' He asks loudly. 'You're always on her side!' He yells, advancing towards me. Mike barrels into him, and the two of them tussle on the ground.
'Stop!' El yells. 'Stop!'
And then Lucas flies back again, further this time, sliding backwards and hitting his head on a truck.
'Jesus!' Dustin shouts, running over.
'Lucas! Lucas! Lucas, are you all right? Lucas.' Mike repeats, over and over. I pull El in, hugging her.
'It's not your fault.' Tears run down her face. 'It's not your fault. You aren't the monster.'
'I'm sorry.' El whispers. 'Sorry.'
'Lucas, come on!'
'Why would you do that?' Mike yells. 'What is wrong with you?'