His Tenebris Moenibus - A Stranger Things Story

005

September 8th, 1979

2 Hours Remain

Ever since Emily had volunteered that one time, she was Brenner's go-to security camera operator replacement. Once every few weeks or so, she'd check her schedule and find she was stationed in the CCTV room. It was the only times she had a shift different to Henry's. So, from sun up to sun down, she sat in the dark room with just the monitors and her own thoughts. Luckily just two months before, a piece of technology called a Walkman was invented. During her August visit into town, Emily had picked one up.

At first Brenner had been apprehensive at the idea of her wearing headphones to work. They were a distraction. But after Emily had pointed out that it was rare for anything to happen and she would be stuck in mind numbing boredom for hours, he finally gave in.

And so there Emily sat, flitting through hundreds of cameras and bopping her head to the music while mouthing lyrics.

"When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?" She mumbled. She began observing the Rainbow Room, checking different angles and looking at what the kids were doing. Three and Four were focused on the maze, Nine had the Rubix cube in her hand, Thirteen was stacking blocks... And Eleven was playing chess with Henry. Emily could see he was speaking to her, barely moving his lips so they couldn't easily be read.

She switched to another camera.

It was almost a relief when Emily had been assigned to the CCTV station that day. Anyone else would have thought Henry's actions a little suspicious and probably done something about it. Though, Emily being behind the cameras meant she could turn a blind eye.

Today depended upon everything going exactly right. Eleven had to get to the basement while Emily and Henry had to make their disappearances seem normal. At exactly 3 PM, Eleven would make her way downstairs. What happened after that depended upon her and any guards who would come searching for them.

It was risky as all hell, but it was a risk they had to take.

Emily took the cassette out of the Walkman to flip it around when the tape was finished. It slipped out of her fingers, landing on the floor with a plastic clatter. She sighed, picking it back up and shoving it back into the Walkman.

"It should not be this hard to listen to ABBA." she muttered, closing the flap. And for a little while, she kept bopping along, taking notes and switching cameras as though it were a normal day. Of course, it was anything but.

***

30 Minutes Remain

At 2:57, Emily abandoned her desk and went down the emergency door to the basement. The heels of her shoes sent small metal clangs against the stairs each step she took. The door hissed when she opened it, now met with low pipes and tanks regulating water and gasses to different parts of the building. It took a second, but she found the specific pipe she was looking for, testing the grate in front of it to make sure it would open.

The main door opened from a distance away, indicating Eleven had made it. Emily let out a sigh of relief as the little girl approached with Henry. He bent down next to her and yanked the grate off the pipe.

"Now, it's going to be a bit scary in here, but this... this will lead you out beyond the lab fence into the woods." Henry told her. Eleven looked down the pipe, then back at him.

"But... you are too big." She said. Henry pursed his lips before taking the girl's hands in his.

"We're not going with you, Eleven. I meant what I said when I called this place a prison and everyone here is a prisoner. Not just you, not just your brothers and sisters, but the guards, too, the nurses... Us." He gestured to Emily, now knelt down next to him in front of Eleven. He then craned his neck and brushed his hair aside so Eleven could see a small bump on the side. "Can you feel that? Your Papa calls it Soteria. It weakens us, tracks us, even if there were a way out, he will find us, and if he finds us he will find you."