𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻.

five.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐓

edited.
1723 words.

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"Dark...and empty?"

y/n pulled her knees into her chest, the boys trying to theorize where their friend could possibly be. "Upside down..." Eleven muttered, Lucas furrowing his brows. "What'd she say?" Mike repeated her words, "Upside Down."

y/n shook her head, standing. "No. No! He can't be there!" The three watched the girl, y/n walking to the table. "The other side." She mumbled, Mike catching on. He flipped the game board again, "What if he's in Hawkins, we just can't see him?"

"Like the veil of shadows!"

Dustin jumped up, grabbing a book. He flipped it open, "The veil of shadows is a dimension that is a dark reflection of our world. It is a place with decay and death, with monsters. It is right next to you when you don't even see it."

Mike mumbled, nodding along. "An alternate dimension..."

"How do we get there?" Lucas questioned, Dustin rolling his eyes. "Shadow walk-"

"In real life!" Dustin sighed, turning to Eleven. "We can't shadow walk... but maybe she can." y/n shook her head, her fists clenched at her sides.

"No! We can't!"

"Thirteen."

Brenner smiled, looking down at the young girl. "You see we have made a breakthrough with the gate, however." He looked back up through the glass, frowning. "It's only a small hole, none of us can fit through."

He knelt beside the girl, grabbing her arms. "We're going to send you in." Thirteen shook her head, Brenner nodding. "We'll have a harness on you to pull you out, don't worry." She trembled, shaking her head again. "No."

Despite her pleas they buckled her into the harness, pushing her onto the platform towards the gate. She stumbled towards it slowly, looking over her shoulder. "Papa." The man shook his head, waving for her to move forward.

Slowly she stuck her right arm through the gooey web, then pushed the rest of her body through. When she reopened her eyes it looked as though she was still in the lab, only vines and decay covered the place, snow like particles falling around her.

"Thirteen. Can you hear me?"

A voice buzzed in her ear, the little girl nodding, forgetting they couldn't see her. "Yes." She answered briefly, taking a small step forward. "Okay please continue forward." Brenner told her, the girl beginning to walk.

She took a few steps before stopping, hearing something rustle. She turned, finding nothing. "I leave." She whispered into the mic. "What's wrong? Why do you need to leave?" She turned again, catching sight of something running.

She began to back towards the gate, mumbling to herself. "Out. Out! Out!" She cried, tears brimming in her eyes as she broke into a run. However before she could reach the door a tall monster appeared in front of her, its face opening.

The girl let out a shrill scream, the rope on her harness beginning to recede. It yanked her forwards, towards the monster blocking her path. She quickly raised her hand, blood running from her nose as she threw it to the side.

She ran to the gate, crawling through as quickly as she could manage, Brenner waiting for her on the other side. He knelt, placing a hand on the girl's slimy shoulder.