𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔 • 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 [2]

27•

The sound of fireworks filled my ears as I sat on the floor beside the couch, my knees pressed to my chest.

"He said he was building something," El spoke from her place on the couch, "that it was all for me."

"Building something?" Max frowned. "Is he talking about the flayed?"

"He must be." Nancy sighed as she scratched the back of her neck. I glanced up and could see the deep lines of worry present on her face, mirroring my own.

"So he's building an army just like we thought." Lucas panned as he paced back and fourth.

"-Yeah but he's not building this army to spread." Will interjected.

"He's building it to stop Eleven." Will continued, causing us all to look at him.

"Last year, El closed the gate on him and I have a feeling that really pissed him off." I slightly rolled my eyes at Mike's words. Nothing like stating the absolute fucking obvious.

"Like royally."

"And the mind flayer now knows that she's the only thing that can stop him, but if she's out of the way-"

"Game over." Licas sighed.

"He also said, he was going to kill all of you." El said quietly and I couldn't help but let out a groan.

"Great." I mumbled, my face now buried in my kneecaps.

Suddenly Nancy moved from her place beside Jonathan and slowly walked towards the window. "Do you guys hear that?" She whispered, causing a small shiver to run down my spine as I lifted my head to look at the window.

"It's just the fireworks." Jonathan stated in an attempt to calm the frightening atmosphere that was building in the room.

"Billy," Nancy said as she turned, "when he told you this, he was here in this room?"

Eleven nodded and I could barely conceal my terror as the room went deathly silent. Mike slowly raised his arm to the back of his neck and said exactly what I was thinking, but too afraid to say. "He knows we're here."

Jonathan quickly jumped up and headed towards the front door, the others in tow. "Great," I huffed as I got to my feet, "let's go towards the monster."

I followed the others down the steps and out to the lane leading away from Hopper's cabin, stopping beside Mike. I inhaled a large gulp of air once I layed my eyes on the thing that was ripping trees from the ground to get to us. Shit.

Nancy was the first to move, running towards the shed and swinging the doors open. I followed the others into the house and started grabbing random pieces of furniture and placing them in front of the windows in an attempt to form some sort of barricade.

Once everything was blocked to the best of our ability, I moved towards the centre of the room just as Nancy picked up the shotgun that she had brought in from the shed. "Get away from the windows." She ordered before cocking the gun.

All I could hear was the sound of our heavy breathing as my eyes darted around the room. I stood beside Max and jumped slightly when the lights in the room started to flicker. The whole cabin started to shake slightly and I slowly reached for Max's hand, entwining her fingers in my own. Not only to try and reassure her that somehow we would be okay, but myself as well.

"It's close." Will stated as we all looked around the room.

"Where'd it go?" Max asked no one imparticular. My eyes darted around the room and I could feel sweat start to form on my forehead.

Suddenly the room went deathly silent and out of nowhere a monstrous tentacle broke through the wall of the cabin. I let out a small yelp as I dragged Max backwards, my grip tightening on her hand as we pressed ourselves against the wall.

The thing thrashed around for a brief moment before snaking it's way towards El and stopping in front of us. I stared at it in horror and just as I thought it would lash forwards, Jonathan drove his axe into it again and again.

He went to strike it for a third time, but before he could make contact the arm struck him hard, sending him flying into the wall. The axe flew from his hand and I watched as the end of the limb moved towards him. Suddenly, Nancy stepped forward and fired shot after shot at the 'face' of the limb, distracting it from Jonathan.

She ran out of bullets too quickly and backed up against the wall. I shut my eyes tight just as it lunged at her, only to open them again once El stepped forward. Her arm was outstretched and she had a look of rage on her face. The limb began to shake under the hold of her powers and after a moment, the end of it tore off and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

The rest of the tentacle began to quickly retreat back towards Max and I, missing us by mere inches as it exited through the hole it came through. "Holy shit." Max breathed, but our relief was cut short as another tentacle broke through the other wall.

Eleven quickly outstretched her arm once more and stopped it in it's tracts. My eyes widened as yet another one broke through from the other side of the room, and as El outstretched her other hand to stop it as well.

Her breathing was heavy as she let out a yell, severing both limbs in the process. The injured tentacles retreated back through their holes and the room was silent once more.

But again, our relief was short lived. Out of nowhere, a fourth tentacle smashed through the roof behind El and latched itself onto her leg, dragging her backwards and into the air. Mike threw himself forwards and grabbed her arms, trying to stop the monster from taking her.

"El!" He yelled as she screamed in fear.

I finally let go of Max's hand and ran forward, jumping so that I could hold onto El's torso. The others ran forward too, all of us holding onto her for dear life. I mentally pleaded for the monster to just let her go. After everything we've all been through, I don't think I could lose anyone else.

I couldn't focus on what the others were doing, all I could think about was not letting Eleven go. The monster's screams echoed through the cabin and I could hear Jonathan screaming for Nancy to shoot it.

Shots rang in my ears as the monster screamed louder. I could see from my peripheral vision that Lucas had grabbed the axe and was swinging it at the tentacle. The monster began to pull harder, as if realising that it's window to take El was closing. I could feel my feet sliding against the wooden floor and I tightened my grip on Eleven once more.

"Pull!" I screamed to the others. We had to save her.

With one final swing of the axe, Lucas cut the monsters 'tongue' in half. We all fell to the ground and Mike wrapped his arms around Eleven, pulling her to his chest. I threw myself in front of the kids as a pitiful shield and watched as the monster continued to stare at us through the hole in the roof.

I quickly turned to look at the kids and gasped as I saw part of the monster still attached to El's leg. Mike quickly sat up and gripped it with both hands before ripping it off her leg. I gripped onto Eleven's hand as she screamed in pain and watched as Mike threw the chunk of limb into the corner, only for it to slither away.

El slowly got to her feet and limped forward, never taking her eyes off the monster. She raised both arms towards it and screamed as she attacked it with her powers. I backed away as it let out a yell, before it's head was torn in half.

"Everybody go!" Jonathan yelled as he moved towards the door. I scrambled to my feet and helped him grab the couch that we had pressed against it, before pushing the others through the now open door.

"Run!" I shouted as the monster's screams and growls echoed through the forest.

We reached Jonathan's car and all piled inside as Nancy got behind the wheel. "Drive, Drive!" Mike yelled as she started up the engine. I held onto Max and Will as we sped down the dirt road and away from the horror that we had just experienced.