Angelica "Freak Two" Munson

Chapter 11

The group gathers once again as Joyce shows Eleven the message Will left. 

The younger girl's eyes track the scrawled dots and dashes with uncharacteristic seriousness.

"You've opened this gate before, right?" Joyce asks.

"Yes," Eleven replies, taking a deep breath as if weighing the magnitude of what she's being asked to do.

"Do you think if we got you back there, you could close it?" Joyce presses.

Angie, leaning on her crutches with her leg still bandaged, steps forward, drawing everyone's attention. "I know we're short on time, but we should let her think on this... She's just a kid." 

Her voice carries the firmness of someone used to making difficult decisions under pressure.

"No. I'm in," Eleven says, voice steady, leaving no room for argument.

Hopper explains the logistics, his hands gesturing sharply as he describes the extent of the Upside Down's growth. "It's not like before. It's grown. And that's assuming we can even get in there. The place is crawling with those dogs."

"Demo-dogs," Dustin corrects quietly, almost as an afterthought.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Demo-dogs. Like Demogorgon and dogs. You put them together, sounds badass."

"Is this really the time for this?" Angie asks, facepalming as the absurdity of the name collides with the danger.

"Really not the time," she mutters, but allows herself a brief smile.

Eleven finally speaks. "I can do it."

Hopper cuts her off instantly. "You're not hearing me. It's too dangerous."

"I'm hearing you. I can do it." Eleven's tone leaves no room for doubt.

"Even if El can, there's still a problem," Mike interjects. "If the brain dies, the body dies."

"I thought that was the whole point," Dustin mutters.

"It is. But if we're right... if El closes the gate and kills the Mind Flayer's army..."

"It's attached to Will," Angie realizes immediately. Her eyes widen as the pieces click into place.

"Exactly," Mike confirms. "Will's a part of that army."

"So, closing the gate will kill him."

The room goes quiet. 

Joyce leads them toward Will's bedroom, a spark of an idea crossing her face. 

"He likes it cold," she says, slamming the window shut. "We've been giving it what it wants."

Angie tilts her head thoughtfully. "If this is a virus, and Will's the host... then..."

"We make it hot," she finishes, placing a firm shoulder against the doorway. "Make the host uninhabitable."

Joyce's voice is icy with determination. "We have to burn it out of him. Somewhere he doesn't know this time. Far away."

"The cabin in the woods?" Angie suggests casually, shrugging.

Hopper's head snaps up, eyes narrowing. "You know about that?"

Angie meets his gaze steadily. "It's in your police file."

"You've... looked at my police file?"

"I got bored one time when you left me alone in your office. You know better than to leave me unsupervised," she defends herself, voice rising slightly. "I can't help myself."