~Just Another Kid (Y/N Harrington x Will Byers)~

Chapter Nine: The Bathtub

I sit on the couch flipping through Will's sketchbook while Mike helps clean Elevens face off. Dustin and I hear Lucas through our walkies. I reach over to grab mine. I look up again as Dustin Bursts through the bathroom door. I sigh grinning to myself. He ruined their moment.
"Guys! It's Lucas I think he's  in trouble. Do you remember how he said he was looking for the gate?"
"Yea?" Mike asks.
"Well what if he found it?" Dustin holds up his walkie as I turn mine off. It's cutting in and out.
"Son of a bitch!..."
"Lucas if you can hear us slow down we can't understand you."
"Ye- I cop! Do you? Th y know t elven!" Ge out o the hey know abo ven! t mad he are comi i repea the mad hen are coming!"
"Mad hen does that mean anything to you?" Dustin asks. "Like a code name or something."
"The bad men are coming." Lucas shouts.
"....Bad men! He's saying bad men dingus! The bad men are coming!"
"Bad men. Stay here." Mike tells Eleven. We all run up the stairs besides El. We look in the window.
"What's that guy doing?"
"You don't think-" Mike runs to talk to his mom.
"Oh my god. What if they take me too?" I panic.
"Shit!" Dustin closes the curtains where one of the men spotted us. "Let's go!" He pulls me along to the kitchen. "Mike!" He yells.
"One second." Mike says.
"Mike! We need to leave...right now." Dustin says.
"Micheal!"
"If anyone asks where I am I've left the country." Mike says to his mom.
"What?"
"Come on!" I run after Dustin. We grab our bikes and start running. I look to where the men are coming. There front in center is Dr. Brenner or Papa. I see Eleven start to tear up.
"Hey it's okay El. He's not going to take us." I reassure myself more than her. She gives me a slight smile as we take off.
"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Dustin squeals. "Oh my god oh my god oh my god." He says.
"Dustin! Dustin do you copy?" Lucas asks.
"Yes,Lucas,  they're on us."
"Where are you?"
"Cornwallis!"
"Meet me at Elm and Cherry!"
"Copy! Elm and cherry!" Dustin repeats where we're headed to.
"Okay." Mike says.
"Shit!" Dustin. Says as the Vans come closer.
"This way come on!" Mike says leading the group. We pass through a small playground where to girls are playing a hand game.
"Out of the way!" I yell. They jump back on either side of our path.
"Lucas!" Mike greets his friend.
"Where are they?" Lucas asks.
"I-I don't know."
"I think we lost them."
"Nope! Go go go!" I yell pedaling forward as multiple vans trail behind us.
"Go go go go go! Faster faster!" Mike screams.
"Shit shit shit shit shit." We all scream as a van comes towards us. Me and El make eye contact and nod. Together, we flip the van over. It seems to be in slomotion as it flys over us and lands behind us. We all bike ahead to the junkyard.
"Holy...holy shit did you see what they did to that van?" Dustin asks.
"No dustin we missed it." Mike sasses. I sit beside El.
"I mean that was- awesome."
"It was awesome." Lucas agrees. I smile they are finally appreciating Eleven. Lucas come up to El.
"Everything I said about you being a traitor and stuff...I was wrong." 'You think.' I say in my mind. "I'm sorry." Lucas says.
"Friends...don't lie. I'm sorry too." Eleven says.
"Me too." Mike says holding his hand out. Lucas shakes it.
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"This is Randolph road right here." Lucas shows us what he found while looking for the gate. "The fence starts here and goes all the way around. And this is the lab right here the gates gotta be in there somewhere." He says. Me and El exchange looks but listen again.
"Well who owns Hawkins Lab?" Dustin asks.
"The sign says 'Department of Energy.' " Lucas explains.
"Department of Energy?" What do you think that means?" Dustin asks.
"It means government. Military." Mike says.
"Then why does it say 'energy.'"
"Just trust me all right? It's military my dads told me before."
"Mike's right there are soldiers out front."
"Do they make like lightbulbs or something?"
"They usually make weapons." I say.
"Yeah, to fight the Russians and commies and stuff." Mike adds on to what I said.
"Weapons." Lucas looks at El and I.
"Oh Jesus this is bad."
"Really bad. The place is built like a fortress."
"Well what do we do?"
"I don't know but we can't go home. We're fugitives now."
"Uhm guys can I tell you something?" I ask.
"What is it?" Dustin asks.
"Well um the last time we were here I kind of teleported to the upside down." I say looking at my hands.
"Why didn't you tell us before?" Lucas asks.
"Because... oh shit." I say looking at the sky.
We shove our bikes under the bus and run inside it.
"Get down!" Lucas yells. We all crouch down.
"Mental." Dustin says. We sit in the bus for a long time until we hear a voice.
"Mike, are you there? Mike?" Nancy's voice says through Mike's walkie talkie.
"You guys hear that?" Dustin asks.
"Mike it's me Nancy. Mike are you there? Answer. Mike I need you to answer." She says as Mike pulls his walkie talkie out of his backpack.
"Is that your sister?" Lucas asks.
"This is an emergency Mike. Do you copy? Mike do you copy?"
"Okay this is really weird." Dustin says.
"Don't answer!" Mike stopped Lucas.
"She said it was an emergency!"
"What if it's a trick?"
"It's your sister!"
"What if the bad people kidnapped her? What if there forcing her to say this?"
"I need you to anwser."
"It's like Lando Calarissian." Dustin thinks."Don't anwser."
"I can read her mind?" I suggest.
"We need to know that you're there Mike."
"Listen kid this is the chief. If you're there pick up. We know your in trouble and we know about the girl."
"Why is she with the chief?"
"How do they know about El?" I say protectively looking at my sister.
"We can protect you we can help you but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over."
"Yeah I copy. It's Mike. I'm here. We're here." Mike answers.
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"Will you stop pacing?" Mike says to Dustin.
"It's been way to long. Do you know what? Maybe your right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad are coming to get us right now!"
"It's not a trap! Why would the chief set us up? Nancy maybe but the chief?" Lucas yells.
"Lando Calarissian." Dustin points at Lucas.
"This isn't Star Wars!" I yell. I've had enough of the bickering.
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-A/N
If you don't know who Lando Calarissian is basically it's a guy that was forced to make his friends fall into a trap. That's an easy way to explain. Kind of like Peter Petegrew for all my Harry Potter people.
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"I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this!" Dustin yells.
"When do you feel good about anything?" Lucas shouts back.
"Would you guys please shut up!" I yell at them looking out the window. Everyone runs to the front of the bus to see cars pull in.
"Shit!"
"Go,go,go,go,go,go,go,go,go!" We all run back and hide.
"Lando." Dustin says. I roll my eyes.
"You think they saw us?" Lucas whispers.
"Both of you shut up." Mike whispers at them. I feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait for something to happen. I don't want to lose my friends or my sister. We hear a grunting nose outside the now opened door.
"Hey!"
"What the-" The door creaks open making us all rise to our feet. Inside comes the chief of police.
"All right let's go." The chief says. "Let's go!" He yells making us all follow him out of the bus.
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We all arrive at Will's house. Joyce, Jonathan and Nancy run out the front door.
"Mike! Oh my god. Mike!" Nancy runs up to her brother and hugs him. I wish my brother was here. "I was so worried about you!" She says.
"Yeah... uhm me to?" Mike says.
"Is that my dress?" Nancy says looking at Eleven.
"Okay so in this example we're the acrobat. Will and Barbara and that monster they're this flea. And this is the upside down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip in time and space." Mike explains showing everyone on a piece of paper.
"A gate." Lucas adds. "That we tracked to Hawkins Lab."
"With our compasses." Dustin further describes. "Okay so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle."
"Is this gate underground?" Hopper asks me and El. I nod my head while Eleven says
"Yes."
"Near two large water tanks?" We nod our heads again.
"H-how did you know all that?" Dustin asks.
"He's seen it." I say reading his mind.
"Is there any way you could- that you could reach Will? That you could talk to him in this-"
Joyce asks us.
"The Upside Down." Eleven finishes.
"Down. Yea." Joyce murmurs. We both nod our heads.
"And my friend Barbara? Can you find her too?"
"Yea." I say.
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Eleven and I sit next to each other trying to each do our part. I've figured out that when I teleport to the Upside Down I can't reach the outside world and can't use any of my other powers. Eleven and I are going to try and find them.
I open my eyes.
"I'm sorry.." Eleven says beside me.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Joyce panics.
"I can't find them." Eleven says.
" I can't either." I say. "I think I'm  too weak." I add to my previous statement.
Eleven is in the bathroom washing her hands. I think to myself 'It worked earlier I don't understand why it's not now. I'm never going to find Will. This is all my fault.' I take my face from my arms and wipe the tears that were streaming down my face and listen to what the boys are saying.
"Whenever they use there powers they get weak."
"The more energy they use the more tired they get." Dustin Explains
"Like they flipped the van earlier." Lucas adds.
"It was awesome."
"But they are drained."
"Like a bad battery."
"Well how do we make you better?" Joyce asks me.
"We just have to wait." I say.
"How long?" Nancy questions.
"I don't know." I say.
"The bath." Eleven says coming out of the bathroom.
"What?" Joyce says.
"We can find them in the bath." El responds. I nod realizing what she means.
Dustin calls Mr. Clarke.
"Mr. Clarke, it's Dustin."
"Yeah yea I just...I.. I have a science question."
"Do you know anything about sensory deprivation tanks? Specifically how to build one?"
"Fun."
"You always say we should never stop being curious. To always open any curiosity door we find. Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?"
"Uh-huh. Uh-huh. How much? Uh-huh. Yep, all right. Yeah we'll be careful. Definitely. All right, Mr. Clarke. Yeah, I'll see you on Monday. I'll see you on Monday Mr. Clarke. Bye." He hangs up the phone.
"Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?" Dustin asks Joyce.
"Uh, I think so yeah. Yeah."
"Good then we just need salt. Lots of it."
"How much is lots?" Hopper asks.
"1,500 pounds."
"Well where are we going to get that much salt?" Nancy inquires.
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We arrive at the school. Everyone on a different mission. Joyce El and I sit in a classroom. Where Joyce is making us goggles.
"This will keep it dark for you." She says. "Just like in your bathtub." I nod. "You two are very brave girls. Everything your doing for my boy... for Will...for my family...for your friends..Thank you." She sniffles.
I smile and pull them in a hug.
"Thank you Miss Byers, you've always been kind of my second mom." I try not to tear up while saying it.
"Oh sweetie.." she says pulling out of the hug.
"I'm going to be there with you both the whole time. And if it ever gets too scary...i-in that place, you just let me know okay?" I smile and nod even though I know I won't be able to communicate since it blocks my other powers. Eleven nods too.
"Yes." She says.
"Ready?" Joyce asks us.
"....Ready." Me and Eleven say at the same time.
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Eleven takes off her socks and Mike's watch and I wait for her. Joyce hands us both our goggles. I grab Elevens hand and we walk into the pool.
I arrive outside my house next to my family's pool. I can see a small shadow of Eleven beside me. I know she couldn't see me but she knew I was there. I walk up slowly towards the back of my house.
"Barbara?" I hear Eleven very very softly say. I could barely hear her.
"Barb?" I whisper shakily.
I walk closer to the pool. I arrive at the edge. My eyes widen at the horror in front of me. An almost un-identifying Barb lies there cover in some sort of goo. A slug crawls slowly out of her mouth. I start to cry and want to run away but I remember I'm really in the upside down where as Eleven is in her void. Then I hear Eleven yell beside me
"Gone!!! Gone!!! Gone!!!" My heart hurts more as I hear my sister see the exact same thing. I cry and turn away not wanting my last thought of her to be that. "Gone!! Gone!" I take a deep breath and close my eyes imaging Will. I open my eyes again. I have teleported in front of Castle Byers.
"Will?" I mumble. Trying not to shake. I hear Eleven say
"Castle Byers." My sister is beside me it'll be okay. He's okay. He's okay. I try and put reassuring thoughts into my own head. I look at the old hideout where Will would go when he was upset about something. I slowly walk towards the now slime covered place. I count to three in my head before opening the blanket door. 3..2.....1. I open the door. Inside is Will. He's laying there he looks completely different but he was still alive. I sit down next to the shadow of my sister I still see.
"Will. You're okay." I cry.
He lifts his head slightly. I turn to my sister.
"Your mom...she's coming for you." Eleven says taking Wills hand.
"Hurry." He whispers. I want to burst out crying but I hold it in.
"Just..just hold on a little longer. Will. Will." I see my sisters shadow disappear. I look to Will.
"I- I have to go but i-" I hear a soft growl behind me and then.. I arrive back. Eleven is panting next to me. I start to cry and face Joyce where she's holding Eleven and comforting her. Joyce extends her one arm for me to be comforted too.
"It's okay I got you. I got you." She says as she calms us down. I got you girls. You did so good. Are you okay?"
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I sit with my friends and sister. El and I wrapped in towels. I bury my face in my hands feeling so drained.
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Hi! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of ~Just Another Kid.~ That was 2666 words. I'm sorry for the bad ending I could think of anything to put.

-Love Hcney🤍