Y/n POV
Me and El are sitting at the Byers' kitchen table, a picture of Barb sitting at Steve's pool, a picture of Will and me outside, going on a walk, and a walkie talkie.
Everyone else is gathered around the other edges of the table, staring at us as we "work our magic".
El's eyes are closed, and she's gripping my hand really tightly, while I squeeze back just as hard. My eyes are closed too, my breathing steady, my mind focused on El, and only El.
The lights flicker slightly, and we open our eyes simultaneously. We slowly release each other's hands.
El seems close to tears. "I'm sorry." She whispers.
"What, what what's wrong? What happened?"
El just looks plain terrified, so I answer for her. "We.....couldn't find him."
Me and El are in the bathroom, washing our hands and faces.
El looks over her shoulder at......the bathtub?
What are you thinking? I ask her telepathically.
She looks at me and answers out loud. "The bath."
Third Person POV, the living room with everyone else.
"Whenever they use their powers, they get weak." Mike tells everyone.
Dustin jumps in. "The more energy they use, the more tired they get."
"Like when El flipped the van earlier." Lucas continues.
"It was awesome." Dustin throws in.
"They're drained." Mike states.
"Like a bad battery." Dustin connects.
"How, how do we make them better?" Joyce asks.
"We don't, we just have to wait and try again." Mike replies.
"How long?" Joyce tries again.
Mike shrugs. "I don't know."
Y/n POV
Me and El are standing in the hallway, listening to everyone else's conversation.
"The bath." El finally pipes up.
Joyce spins around in her seat. "What?"
"I can find them. In the bath." El says.
Do you want me to explain? I ask El.
Yes.
"What she means is that when she's in the bath, per say, she can focus better, has a better.....starting base. Jumping point. It helps her control her powers better. She'd be able to find them in water." I explain to everyone. They still look confused, though not as much as before.
*****************************************
"Mr. Clark? It's Dustin." Dustin says into the phone.
There's a pause.
"Yeah, yeah, I just, I, have a-a science question."
Pause.
"Do you know anything about sensory deprivation tanks? Specifically how to build one?"
Pause.
"Fun." Dustin answers, then cringes.
Pause yet again.
"You always say we should never stop being curious, to always open any curiousity door we find."
Nice job appealing to Mr. Clark's lessons, Dustin. I think to myself.
"Why are you keeping this one locked?"
Pause.
Dustin is now sitting at the table, writing something down while listening to Mr. Clark talk about something.
Dustin hangs up, then points the pencil at Joyce. "Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?"
"I-I think so, yeah." Joyce stutters, taken off guard.
"Good. Then we just need salt." Dustin says. "Lots of it."
"How much is lots?" Hopper takes the words right out of my mouth.
Dustin glances at what he wrote. "1500 pounds."
"Where are we going to get that much salt?" Nancy says.
Hawkins Middle. Of course. School when we are trying to save the world on a Saturday night.
Hopper and Jonathan go to get the de-icing salt.
Dustin and Lucas set up (or try to anyways) Joyce's kiddie pool.
Nancy and Mike go to get hoses for the water.
Me and El stay with Joyce, who grabs a pair of science goggles and duct tape.
Joyce starts wrapping the tape around the goggles to black them out.
I just stand to the side and watch.
"You two are very brave girls. You know that, don't you?" Joyce looks at me and El. "Everything you're doing, for my boy, for Will, for my family, thank you." Joyce sounds like she's about to cry, so I go over and hug her.
Can you hear me? Joyce says in her mind.
Yes. I reply. What's up?
I consider you a part of my family, you know Y/n. I know Jonathan thinks of you as a sister, and, well, you and Will are best friends. So, thank you, for helping me get my boy back.
Of course, Joyce.
Joyce grabs El's hands. "You girls ready?"
I look at El, who nods. "Yes."
Nancy and Mike get the hoses all set up, and start filling the poll with water.
Lucas holds a thermometer in the water. "Colder!" Nancy adds more cold water.
"Warmer!"
She changes it again.
Lucas throws a hand up. "Right there!"
Hopper and Jonathan start cutting open the bags of salt and emptying them into the water.
Dustin tests the water with an egg, which sinks to the bottom.
More salt.
Another egg test.
It floats. The pool is ready.
Mike sets a walkie talkie on a stool, and changes the settings.
El takes off her socks and Mike's watch, then she puts the goggles on.
I help her into the water, and then follow her afterwards.
She lies on her back and floats.
I sit on my knees and hold tightly to her hand.
The lights flicker overhead, and then go out.
I screw my eyes shut, and focus on El, focus on finding Barbara Holland and Will Byers, and getting them both home safely.
Ta-da! 900 words! Be proud of me. But anyways, random story nobody asked for, today I just got one of THE WORST scares of my entire life. My account almost got deleted. Thank THOR I somehow saved it. Anyways, hope you all are doing okay and everyone's good.
Later ya Flayed Demodogs,
Kiah
YOU ARE READING
It Only Gets Stranger *ST X Reader*
FanfictionY/n L/n was experiment number 10. You escaped the lab when you were eleven. After walking a few miles, you passed out. When you came too, four boys were standing above you. Fast forward three years, you are best friends with Mike, Lucas, Will, and D...
