C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - N I N E
"THE UPSIDE DOWN BATTLE PT. 1"
OVER 3000 WORDS !
･ ｡ﾟ ⋆✩⋆ ･ ｡ﾟ
| D E C E M B E R 25th , 1986 |
H a w k i n s , I n d i a n a
MIKE PACED AS HIS ANXIETY of this situation only worsened.
He felt claustrophobic ; yanking off his gas mask to try and control his breathing.
According to the time he's been keeping track of, Joyce and Murray had been in the upside down for too long.
It's already almost been an hour. They don't have that much time left.
"Mike, why don't you just sit down for a minute?" Steve called from his seated place, his own gas mask hanging off. "Just relax for a minute."
Everyone leaned against the cemented wall that faced the humming gate, their gas masks just hanging around their neck for now because they were a bit further away from the gate, not necessarily needing the protection ; watching Mike pace nervously.
Eleven sat closer to the gate, using her power to subconsciously will the gate to stay open. But she was getting more and more tired by the minute, and Mike could tell that the gate's power to stay open was getting weaker.
Her eyes were reddened, with tired bags under them. Her nose wasn't bleeding much, but she was sniffling.
At the rate that the gate's entrance was shrinking, there's no way the Hoppers and Joyce and Murray would make it through.
Mike turned to look at Steve with a glare, hating the way he could just sit there—still in his Family Video uniform—and really tell Mike to relax? When Y/N is trapped just on the other side of that gate and there's nothing he can do?
"Really?" Mike's voice pierced. "The gate is obviously getting weaker and might just close on them inside. You really want me to relax?"
With that, Steve shut his mouth, the surprise of just being scolded by a sixteen year old left him silent.
It wasn't just the fact that Y/N and Hopper might not make it out that was worrying Mike. It was also the fact that Joyce and Murray might not either.
And that possibility made him feel wracked with guilt.
It would be his fault alone if anything happened to them. Because he conveniently forgot to tell them that Y/N didn't want their help in the first place.
He repeatedly tried to ease his worries by trying to justify his reasons. He kept trying to tell himself that neglecting to tell the gang the entire truth, was going to help save Y/N and Hopper.
Knowing Y/N as well as he knew her, Mike knew she wouldn't be happy with him when she finds out that he went against her instructions.
He just hoped that his goodwill was enough to make up for that.
Billy smirked with spite when he saw Steve's annoyed face, chuckling to himself softly as to prevent shaking Max's head that was laying on his leather jacketed shoulder.
Steve turned to scowl at Billy, "What the hell are you laughing at, asshat?"
Billy shook his head, waving Steve off as he knew that Mike would bite Steve's head off the moment he opened his mouth. "You just got your ass chewed by a sixteen year old." Billy snickered, ignoring Steve's glare.
Suddenly, the gate seemed to flash, earning everyone's attention while the gate bummed louder, prompting everyone to stand up to their feet to prepare for anything.
It almost seemed like there was something bright flashing on the other side of the gate.
"El, what is that?" Dustin squinted his eyes questioningly, everyone looking at Eleven.
El shrugged, shaking her head to say that she didn't know.
It was then that everyone squinted their eyes at the glow got brighter before three people were sent flying through the gate—their yells echoing between each other.
Their yells all stopped as they fell to the ground with a few thuds, groans of discomfort soon followed.
What followed next for Billy and Will, was eerily familiar. Immediately after the three people entered through the gate, they both received familiar chills sent down their spine ; the chills that they used to get whenever anything from the upside down was near them.
They didn't understand why.
As for Mike and everyone else, their eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and shock.
"Holy shit!" Lucas cursed, his shout communicated the entire groups' reaction as a whole.
The group scrambled to go and assist the three people who just landed on roughly on their backs.
Everyone crowded them as they stared down with wide eyes as they finally realized who sat below them.
Mike identified that Joyce and Murray were laid beside each other—their hazmat suits torn and shredded in some parts of Joyce's—, trying to catch their breath after having just been thrown through a portal by some powerful unknown force.
Jonathan and Will kneeled down to check on Joyce and Murray ; they were obviously worried sick about their mother's safety. They helped her sit up, embracing each other in hugs seeing that she made it, and she was okay.
"Mom.." Will breathed out shakily, his hands cupping either side of his mother's face, her eyes watery ; splatters of her own dried blood on her cheeks.
Jonathan eye's watered at the sight of the blood, immediately worried for his mom, only to have her shake her head with a breathy chuckle.
"It's okay, I'm okay." Joyce pulled in her boys for a hug, feeling their shuttering breaths immediately settle at the comforting hold of her arms. "We're okay.."
"You guys really cut it close on the time." Robin joked alongside Steve, helping Murray to his feet with a stumble.
Murray scoffed. "Yeah, tell me about it. I was the only sane one in there, Joyce almost killed me."
Steve chuckled, shaking his head as he nodded.
Thank God they made it through and back. Mike thought to himself.
Mike's eyes then drifted to the third person. The third person.
"Hopper.." Mike whispered, his eyes wide as he immediately kneeled down to check on his wellbeing.
Hopper shot up, his dazed state obviously worn off from being thrown and now replaced with worry. His eyes glanced at Mike, surprised to have seen him after so long.
It was almost surreal to see Hopper after so long. He looked so different, with his head previously buzzed and his hair now growing back, and the obvious tiredness embedded deep in his eyes.
There was something different about him.
But Hopper didn't seem to be able to focus on the long-awaited reunion at the moment.
His mind was elsewhere, and Mike could tell that he was deeply worried about something else. But his thoughts were cut shorts by a weak voice.
"Hop.." Eleven croaked, her eyes watery as she stepped forward with a unsteady limp. She was getting weaker from holding the gate open mentally.
Hopper turned to recognize the small voice, smiling softly as he was engulfed in a hug by Eleven. She clutched onto his tank top, as if she were unsure of her adoptive father was actually here.
"Hey kid.." He chuckled breathily, hugging her tightly. It had been a long time.
She pulled away, her eyes reddened with tears of bittersweet happiness. He smiled tiredly, reaching his thumb to gently wipe the tears from El's eyes.
Of course he was more than happy to see his adoptive daughter, she had grown up so much.
If the circumstances had been any different, where Y/N was not in perilous danger at the moment without her father, then this reunion would be very different.
However, his mind then seemed to wander elsewhere ; something obviously worrying him.
Even El could sense that something was wrong.
Hopper turned his head to gaze worriedly at the gate's fading glow, El's eyes following his gaze.
Mike then noticed the lack of the obvious person. The obvious fourth person that should have been here too, was not.
The fourth person who has been on his mind nonstop for the last few months.
Mike looked at Hopper with concerned eyes, his mind has been wanting to ask this for so long. "Where's Y/N?"
He received no answer.
"Hopper, where's Y/N?"
Hopper's gaze left Mike's to then shift to the gate's glowing entrance, obviously becoming smaller and smaller by the second.
He stood up, bending to then assist Joyce with her unbalance due to her injuries.
None of them said a word.
And that really scared everyone else.
This obviously wasn't the expected reunion that everyone had thought would happen.
It wasn't as fulfilling knowing that everyone wasn't all there, and that the dangers wasn't completely gone.
Everyone stood still, evaluating Hopper. He was no doubt, different. They were cautious in approaching him, knowing he was wounded tight.
There was no time for a proper reunion. They couldn't blame Hopper for that.
But it was then they Mike understood Hopper's silent communication while he continued his intense stare at the gate.
Y/N was still in there.
No. No..
Mike was this close to seeing Y/N, and she's still on the other side of the gate.
The girl he's in the deepest love with ; the girl who's been on his mind everyday since she disappeared ; the girl who's been his best friend since elementary school ; the girl whose been there for him for as long as he could've remembered.
She was right there.
Mike couldn't stop thinking about how she didn't make it through.
And Hopper was angry with himself for that.
His own daughter was stuck on the other side of the portal, with the entrance closing rapidly by the second, making it almost impossible for Hopper to fit through. Making it impossible to get to Y/N to help her.
Jim was helpless in saving his own daughter. Again.
Joyce saw Jim's obvious guilt eating away at him, his fists clenching as his eyes glared with hatred towards the ominous gate opening.
She placed a comforting hand on his bicep, looking up at him with an empathetic look.
"I can't do anything.." Hopper breathed disappointedly, shaking his head as he felt at ease with Joyce's comfort.
His eyebrows furrowed as he looked down with overwhelming defeat, worry for his daughter wracked his mind. "I need to do something, I can't just stand here!"
He really couldn't do anything. With El's hold on the gate weakening, he couldn't fit through the entrance , or make it through without getting stuck on the other side again.
"Y/N's still in there?" Max asked, eyebrows furrowed. "Why can't she get through?"
"Does it matter why? We have to go get her!" Will spoke up, his tone saying it as if it were the most obvious thing.
"And how are we supposed to do that, the gate's closing, whoever goes might not make it back through with Y/N." Dustin shook his head, rubbing his eyes stressfully.
"Well, what the hell do you want to do? Just stand here while she's probably scared shitless in there?"
The entire group bickered back and forth, all of them oblivious to the truth of why Y/N couldn't get through. They had no way of knowing.
But hearing Hopper begrudgingly admit his defeat, Mike sparked an idea.
Hopper may not be able to fit through the gate entrance due to its closing size. But maybe Mike could.
She was right there.
She was just seconds away from being in his arms again.
He was just seconds away from professing his love for her, something he's been long overdue for.
His eyes lit up with a newfound hope, already imagining how he could pull it off.
He just needed to walk right through that gate, save Y/N, and bring her home.
But his thoughts were interrupted suddenly with a certain flashing of a bright light of power on the other side of the gate, earning everyone's attention.
Hopper lunged forward, "Y/N!"
"Stay away from my daughter, you sick son of a bitch!" Hopper's voice practically screamed at the gate, hoping his voice carried through.
Murray then joined Joyce to hold Jim back with a firm grip on either of his arms, their eyes narrowing at the gate curiously.
Hopper fought to shake off their hold, not noticing the oddity of what could be occurring on the other side.
Joyce's eyes widened as she saw the multiple shadows of figures approaching from behind the gate. It wasn't until they emerged, that she recognized what the shadows belonged to.
One by one, with only seconds in-between, arrived several demogorgons. They filed through the entrance, stopping in their tracks at the presence of the group.
"Holy shit!" Lucas cursed again, his high pitched scream cracking his voice.
He took the words right out of the group's mouths. It had been a while since they all saw a demogorgon, and it had been a peaceful while.
The entire Babysitter's Club immediately all stepped protectively in front of the group of kids, creating some sort of barrier between the monstrous creature. Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve all had experience dealing with demogorgons, but certainly not this many at a time.
Robin nor Billy had ever dealt with one before, but they could sense obvious danger, so it didn't take much for them to think about before they both stood protectively in front of the kids as well.
Billy and Will both got chills by the presence of the otherworldly creatures, the same type of chills they received when Hopper entered through the gate.
That's weird.. Will thought. He didn't understand why he felt the same chills from Hopper, that he got from the demogorgons.
"What the hell do we do?" Billy yelled, his eyebrows furrowed at the threat of the few demogorgons that obviously outnumbered the group.
Steve and Jonathan looked behind them, seeing the ladder leading up to the balcony that led up to the turbines. They wouldn't make it up the ladder in time to hide, if they ran.
Steve turned to look at Robin, who looked at Eleven, who stood next to Hopper. She looked up at him with a knowing look, as if she could tell what the group was already thinking.
Hopper hesitated before he nodded reluctantly, understanding what El was trying to convey.
He turned back to the group. "When I say go, you guys need to run." He stated boldly, referring to the ladder that was the only way of escape.
"Wait, what? What are you gonna do?" Mike questioned, receiving an impatient glare from Hopper.
"Just do what I say, kid. That's all you have to do."
Hopper declared, his eyes flickering to glow a light shade of blue, a sure sign of his abilities being powered up to their full potential.
Something he hadn't discovered before.
Mike quickly shut up with a sharp gasp and widened eyes, obviously confused as to why Hopper's eyes were dully glowing, and on what was about to happen.
But he didn't need to wait long to find out.
In the blink of an eye, the demogorgons charged for the group, sending waves of fear through them, only for the monsters to be held midrun.
It was El suspending them away from the group, her powers being put to full use here.
Another couple of demogorgons charged for the other half of the group, flinching as the kids embraced for impact.
But as they opened their eyes to see that no pain came to them, they saw Hopper grapple both monsters by their necks with his bare hands, effectively strangling them with his enhanced strength.
The group stared with widened eyes at the glimpse they received of Hopper's glowing eyes, seeing him take down the monsters with his bare hands. It was insane to them, and it raised so many questions,
But they didn't have much time to get away.
"Now! Go, now!"
Hopper yelled, grunting as he threw the monsters to the ground, while El took down the ones that barreled toward her.
The Babysitter's Club ushered the kids toward the ladder, the older teens helping the younger ones up the bars that led to a more safer vantage point. They all made it up to the safety of the balcony, now helping the older teenagers up the ladder as well.
Mike was still on the ground, with Billy behind him, trying to usher him up the ladder. But Mike couldn't.
He could only keep turning to stare longingly at the gate, an internal battle conflicting inside him.
He had to go help Y/N. There was no way he could just leave her there, defenseless and alone. If Hopper or El couldn't get through the gate to help, then someone had to.
Someone had to save the love of his young life.
It was in that moment, that Mike decided, that he had to be that someone.
He had to save the girl he's loved his whole life.
And before he could even process what he was doing, he launched himself off the ladder, pushing Billy out of his way as he made a bolt for the gate.
"Wheeler!" Billy shouted, along with the rest of he group. "Get the hell back here, what are you doing?!"
But Mike tuned them out.
He could hear his own breathing echo in his ears as he ran as fast as he possibly could, now being blocked by Hopper and El as they fought off the demogorgons.
Hopper took a glance behind him, his intimidating glowing blue eyes staring Mike straight in his own fearless eyes. "Mike, get the hell back! Go with the others, now!"
His voice came out hoarse as he fought off each monster that lunged at him, his eyes still glaring at Mike, trying to communicate for him to return to safety.
Every second spent here, is time wasted in trying to save Y/N. He had no time to waste. He didn't have time for this.
And in a split second decision, he found himself running again, straight into the chaos as he tried to maneuver his way through the fighting.
But instead of finding himself in danger of being blocked by more demogorgons, he found that every monster was conveniently out of his way.
He lifted his gaze, turning to see El across the room through all the chaos, to see her with narrowed, concentrated eyes in his direction with her nose dripping with velvety red.
Her hand was up in the air as she focused her telekinesis on the demogorgons that were supposed to be in his way.
She was clearing a path for him.
Mike shot her a faint smile, nodding his head in gratitude before he turned his narrowing gaze towards the gate.
His legs carried him as fast as they could, his breathing heavy as it was the only thing that echoed in his ear.
At this point, he had tunnel vision. And the only light at the end, was Y/N.
The chaos around him faded away as he ran closer, his gas mask dangling loosely around his neck while the couple weapons he was dealt clanked around in his pockets.
Visions of Y/N returning to him, safe and sound, was the only thing fueling his fire.
How she'd laugh at every one of his pointless jokes, how her eyes glittered whenever she spoke about something she loved, or how she smiled at Mike whenever they'd see each other.
And it was then, that his body collided with the small gate opening, his shoulder bracing him as he fell through the threads of otherworldly vines, the slimy ooze dragging against his body.
He was abruptly thrown through to the other side, stumbling onto the ground of the other dimension. He looked down at the ground, his hands covered in oozing dirt that was laid atop a viney earth.
His ragged breathing and rapid heart beat was the only thing he could hear, vibrating throughout his ears. He's made it. She's here.
He looked up from his kneeled spot on the ground, his eyes being met with a similar situation as what was happening back in the mall.
It looked like war.
Bodies laid around the large field, as well as what looked like bodies of dead demogorgons, laying still and lifeless.
He saw them large groups what looked to be normal people, all swarming and crowding one particular focus point, although he couldn't see what they were all so adamant about seeing.
No. They were violently thrashing to get through to the focus point. Whatever was there, they wanted to kill it.
He squinted his eyes, unsure of what was happening through the chaos.
He got up to his feet, trying to get a better view of what was happening.
Only then did he see people being tossed harshly away, falling to the ground. He saw demogorgons, being tossed and killed like they were nothing.
His eyes scanned the crowd of mayhem, his mind only searching for one particular familiar face.
Until he was met with fierce glowing grey eyes from across the chaotic field.
He suddenly found it harder to breath, but it wasn't because of the toxic air - although it could've contributed.
But it was because of her that he found it harder to breath. His heart beat rapidly, seemingly skipping a beat.
Her eyes stared at Mike's wide ones with the same intimidating glow as Hopper did.
Her hair was shorter as she stared at him through it, the veins in her arms pulsing a bright glowing grey.
This couldn't be her.. could it?
But when his gaze met her eyes again, it was unmistakable to misidentify her.
Those were the only eyes that were able to take his breath away—the only ones that were able to make his heart skip a beat.
"Y/N.." He breathed out, his eyes wide as his heart beat with the added adrenalin.
She's here. She's really here.
His legs carried him as fast as they could, breaking out in a sprinting bolt for Y/N ; her glowing eyes providing a source to follow through the chaos.
But those glowing eyes were soon disrupted when he saw Y/N get thrown to the ground by what he decided, was a demogorgon.
Time seemed to slow as he watched Y/N turn her frightened gaze to her attacker, her body hitting the ground harshly.
He slowed down for a second, his eyes widened with pure fear, before he began bolting for her, again, this time a shrill scream leaving his lips.
"Y/N!"
⋆
Author's Note :
AHHH OKAY IM SO SORRY FOR THAG CLIFFHANGER AND BREAKING MY STREAKKKK
BUT, don't worry for real, i won't leave you guys on this cliffhanger for very long!!
cause next chapter.. we gonna gets reunion, yall.
ITS THE ONE, ITS THE ONE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!
BADDASS HOPPERRRR & Y/N that's it that's the tweet.
if you have any questions about what has happened in this chapter , just ask, & I'll answer!
N E X T C H A P T E R :
MIKE AND Y/N REUNION !! I SWEAR THIS IS NOT A DRILLLLLL ( oops, spoiler?) oh well, i'm excited & yall deserve a spoiler
it's not proofread :3
.
what do you think about all this ??
any theories ? any predictions?
thanks for reading.. stay tuned !!
PUBLISHED
AUGUST 11, 2020
at 11:07 PM
3942 words
now imma go read my stephen king book
( the institute ) & eagerly wait for yall's comments because i love them xo.