While still in Mikes house, Will explained everything that happened in his flashbacks of the Upside Down and what he is feeling to you and Mike.
"I feel like I'm stuck," Will explains with a head shake.
"Like, stuck in the Upside Down?" Mike questions, trying to understand Will to his best abilities.
By now, I'm sitting on the ground while Mike sits on the couch next to Will.
"No. You know how a view master when it gets uh-," "Caught between two slides?"
Mike finishes Wills sentence. Will nods his head quickly.
"Yeah yeah. It's like one slide is our world and the other.." Will trails, looking at the ground with a blank stare.
"Is the Upside Down. It's like your shifting between two worlds. You sees our world mostly but also the other side. So everything you see is in real time?" You ask in detail, trying to get to the bottom of what exactly is happening, making you lean forward in interest.
"I don't know but there was this noise coming from everywhere around us. Y/n heard it too. Then, it was there," Will tells, his hand waving in front of his face as if talking about something in the distance.
"What? Another Demogorgon?" Mike inquires, leaning in while his eyes dart between you and Will.
"No, it was like this huge shadow in the sky, only it was alive. It was coming for us, but I think.. it's focus was on you, Y/n" Will mentions seriously, his eyes landing to you.
"Me? Why would it come for me when you're the one having these "shifts" between worlds," You question out of pure curiosity, biting your thumb.
Is it after you to stop you? Did it sense your intentions to stop Will from being injured?
"You're the one that has powers. The stronger the host, the stronger the monster, I guess," Will shrugs one shoulder, making a good point.
"But it will do anything to get a host. Which means if one isn't available, onto the next best thing. Will," Mike explains, also making a fair point as he looks towards Will.
We all nod in agreement.
"So what you guys are saying is that the monster wants Y/n because she has powers but it would settle for Will if it doesn't have Y/n?" Mike asks, explaining it rather simply. You nod sadly.
"Though Will claims I'm one of the targets doesn't mean it wants me as a host. It's a possibility, but I wasn't even here when the Demogorgons attacked."
You contribute to the conversation yet again, making another plausible statement. Mike hums.
You could feel everyone's emotions in the room. Anger, hate, fear, sorrow.. It's enough to make your head spin.
"Just please don't tell the others.. they won't understand," Will begs quietly, looking at you and Mike with pleading eyes.
You nod your head, getting ready to speak before Mike answers first.
"Eleven would."
You suddenly draw a blank.
What..?
"She would?" Will asks with a head tilt, seeing Mikes expression get sadder.
"She always did," Mike replies confidently, though his emotions are anything but confident.
'I always do..'
I swallow the sharp lump in my throat, looking down at the ground.
"Sometimes I feel like I still see her. Like she's still around but she never is. I don't know sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy," Mike tells you both with a shoulder shrug, looking at the fort she used to stay in.
"Me too," Will agrees with a head nod, understanding what Mike meant. Will begins to tear up.
"Then we'll go crazy together, alright?" I announce as you stand to your feet, placing your hands on your hips confidently as you offer one hand to each boy.
"Yeah, crazy together," Mike laughs as he takes your hand, Will following.
You lead them over to our Halloween bags of treats. As you begin trading sweets, you all hear a car pull up outside
"That's Johnathan," Will states the obvious as he takes his Halloween treats, heading to the stairs.
You and Mike follow him to the front door. Once you are outside, you see Johnathans car parked by the curb.
As Mike stands at the door, you walk with Will towards the car, taking the sidewalk, which is a bit a ways from Jonathan's car. You stop on the sidewalk and hug him tightly as he gently hugs back.
"You know, tonight was pretty rough, but you were brave.." you pause momentarily, pulling back to show Will your grin.
"Thank you for saving me," he whispers before swiftly placing a kiss on your cheek before getting in the car. You look away and touch where he kissed.
Johnathan winks at you before he drives off, Will waving goodbye to you.
You walk back into Mikes house happily, almost forgetting about what happened that night. Once you finally make it inside, you notice Mike is gone.
'He's probably trying to contact El again..'
You give him some time to talk while you go to Mrs. Wheeler.
"Can I use your phone?" You ask shyly while you rub the back of your head.
"Of course sweetie! Anytime. Also I love your costume!" she compliments with a smile while she feeds Holly.
You smile, thank her and then walk to the phone. You type in your home number and put the phone to your ear.
No ones picks up.
You sigh, knowing mom probably left for some business trip or something with your dad.
"Mrs. Wheeler?" You call out her name. You hear her hum in response from the other room.
"My mom and dad are on a business trip, do you mind if I stay here for a bit?" You ask, yet again with embarrassment.
"Of course honey. You can stay as long as you want. You can where some of Nancy's clothes if you want to dear," she replies with a smile, using Holly's baby spoon to point towards Nancy's room.
You thank her and go down to the basement, looking for Mike. Once you get there, you seem him closing his antenna to his walkie talkie.
"No luck?" You question, leaning on the support beam next to the stairs.
He only shakes his head. You sigh, before you realize the presence of another person in the room.
It's faint, and very subtle. You take a step forward, looking around the room.
'El..?'
You question in your mind before laughing at yourself internally. How crazy would it be if she could hear your thoughts from wherever she is.
'Y/n, is that you?'
You hear another voice in your head, making you jolt suddenly and chills run up your spine.
"Are you okay?" Mike questions, noting your strange behavior.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," you reply as you look around the basement.
Mike stands to his feet, walking towards you. The movement seems to have disturbed whatever presence was in the room, because it's now gone.
"I was going to ask for a flannel for tomorrow. My jeans and tank top aren't dirty from tonight, I'm sure I can wear them to school. I just need a different cover up," you explain while you hold the side of your arms, almost trying to rub away your cold chills.
Mike closes his eyes and nods his head, "Yeah, just give me a minute."
He leaves the basement and heads back upstairs. You could hear his footsteps from the basement but couldn't care less.
You sit down on the couch, staring at the fort on the ground.
'Eleven?'
You try thinking again, wondering and hoping she would respond. But there is nothing.
You click your tongue and lean back into the couch. Mike returns back downstairs, now changed into pajamas as he holds an old flannel in his hands.
"This should work," he says as he tosses you the flannel, somewhat distracted.
He sits down on the couch next to you, breathing out heavily while also leaning back into the couch.
You see he's thinking about Eleven in his mind, and his emotions terribly melancholy.
"You miss her, don't you?" You ask him, already knowing the answer.
He nods slowly. You touch his shoulder, ready to transfer all the peace and happiness you could muster up.
"No," he orders as he swats your hand off of his shoulder suddenly. You're taken aback but retract your hand nonetheless.
"I don't always want to feel good! Sometimes you need to hurt to heal!" Mike snaps at you standing to his feet. You flinch back a bit and remain sitting.
"I understand. You can leave now," you nod your head and clench your teeth.
"Y/n I didn't mean to-," "It's fine. We're both tired and it's been a long night. I'm taking a shower in the morning so don't come down here," you cut him off as you begin to get comfy on the couch, laying out and stretching for a moment before turning your head away from him.
"Okay.. goodnight," Mike quietly trails as he begins to walk away.
"Night."
You reply bluntly, keeping your head turned away from him and now closing your eyes. You hear him walk up the stairs.
You yawn as you completely turn on your side, using the blanket on the head rest of the couch to cover up.
Trying to empty your mind from the nights chaos, you finally begin to fall asleep.
<<<•••>>>
You wake up to Mike tapping your shoulder. You smack his hand away.
"I thought I told you not to come down here," you snarl as you turn the other way, deciding to try and ignore him.
"I'm sorry," he apologizes bashfully while looking down.
"For?" You question with your back still to him, wanting him to be specific.
"I'm sorry for being an asshole and snapping at you last night," he finally completely apologizes with a sigh.
You turn back towards him, glaring at him. His eyes only get wider in anticipation. You click your tongue.
"It's fine I guess. You know I just try to help," you try to convey as you sit up on the couch, stretching your arms.
"I know, I know.." He trails as he stands above you.
You stare at him and bob your head a bit.
"I need to shower now so, you can leave," you snicker with an amused eyebrow raised.
He shakes his head quickly.
"R-right! Moms making eggs and bacon this morning, so don't take forever or else your food will get cold.. or stolen," Mike warns with his hands up, as if it wouldn't be his problem if either scenario would happen.
You stand and point your finger at him, "You better not."
"Then don't take ten years!" Mike shouts as he runs up the stairs quickly.
You chuckle out a laugh and shake your head.
'That kid.'
<<<•••>>>
After a shower, breakfast and a quick bike ride, you make it to school with Mike.
As usual, you had met Lucas on the way, but not Dustin nor Will. You question where Dustin is, but soon forgot about it when the three of you make it to school.
You park your bike and head inside with your two friends as Lucas questions what was up with Will the night prior.
Lucas and Mike separate from you as you wait by Will's locker.
You catch him walking in, making eye contact before you grin. He smiles back as he stands at your side, opening his locker.
"Sleep well?" You ask politely with an enthusiastic tone hinting in your voice.
"Not really. Did you?" He replies as he grabs his books and his pencil pouch from the locker.
"I guess. I think I was in a sugar coma," you joke as you stretch backwards, your hand on your stomach for effect.
Will laughs as we begin towards class, wondering what lesson Mr. Clark would give today.
Making it to science class, you're halfway into the lecture when your thoughts start to wonder.
'Hm, Dustin still isn't here..'
You glance out the window before a movement catches your eye. Looking directly at the movement, you see Max sketching something on her notebook.
Raising a brow, you keep your eye on her for a moment before she finally looks up towards the front.
Our eyes immediately connect, giving you the idea to wiggle your eyebrows a bit before turning back towards the front.
You hear a soft giggle from the back of the class before paying attention again.
"-Phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish accident. A large iron rod was driven
completely through his head. Phineas miraculously survived. He seemed fine. And physically, yes, he was. But his injury resulted in a complete change to his personality. So much so that friends that knew him started referring to him as "No longer Gage." At the time, this was known as the American Crowbar Case. Although it wasn't a-,"
Just as Mr. Clark tries to continue, the classroom door busts open, Dustin walking into the class.
"I am so sorry. Really, I'm so sorry. Please continue with the class. Don't mind me. Really, continue, please. Thanks," Dustin apologizes again and again as he makes a big commotion sitting down. He leans in, between all of your seats.
"Although it wasn't a crowbar, it was a rod, as I said-,"
As Mr. Clark goes back into the lesson, Dustin leans in between all of your seats.
"We have to meet, all of us. At lunch, AV club," he whispers as you all nod.
"Why?" Mike questions with a scrunched expression.
"I have something that you won't believe," Dustin replies, using his hand to insinuate the importance. This perks your interest.
Dustin then turns the other way to face Max, who is at the back of the class.
"AV club, lunch," Dustin whisper yells to Max, who looks at him like a lunatic for a moment.
Mr. Clark catches Dustin talking as he procrastinated to get his book out from his backpack, flipping to the lesson.
You give a confused look before glancing down at Dustin's open bag, seeing the proton pack from Halloween last night inside.
'Why does he have that here?'
You lean forward, reaching out your arm to attempt to touch it.
Before you could, it suddenly jolts, moving in a sporadic way. You retract your hand quickly as Dustin looks down at his bag.
He notices your eyes on the bag before you stare at him. Dustin only grins before closing his backpack.
You bite the inside of your cheek as you close your eyes, leaning your head on the desk. Focusing your energy on the proton pack, you obviously know something is in it.
The feeling is familar and makes you extremely uncomfortable, since you've felt these emotions in the Upside Down with Will.
'It's like it's dark, and cold.. power hungry?'
You think as you furrow your brows.
"Miss Y/n, are you feeling alright?" Mr. Clark asks as most people turn to you. You feel heat come to your cheek but play it cool.
"Just really thinking about Phineas Gage, sir," you joke with a small laugh, gaining a few chuckles from your fellow classmates.
Mike looks at you, shrugging one shoulder as if asking if you're okay, while Lucas and Will both grin at you.
<<<•••>>>
During lunch, in the AV club room, Dustin begins to open his contraption.
"His name is D'artagnan..."
<<<•••>>>
2601 word count. Until the next chapter -Kay