Another side

Chapter 16

Jonathan gives us instructions to keep her awake as he runs off to grab something. Mike has a tight grip on her hand. Robin starts babbling about her goalie for soccer or something. We shift El so that she's laying on Mike's lap. Jonathan comes back with a knife. Oh fuck. "Ok El this is gonna hurt like hell ok?" "Ok." She's sobbing at this point and I'm feeling very anxious. "You need to stay still, ok?" 

She nods at Jonathan. He gives her a wooden spoon to bite on and puts on some gloves. He cuts open her leg and El screams in pain and a choked sob comes out of my mouth. Oh god. Then he reaches his hand trying to get the thing out and she just endlessly keeps on screaming. "Jonathan!" He yells at me. "Stop talking!" He swears as he reaches his fingers and El spits out the spoon. "No stop it!!! Stop it!!" Nancy stops Jonathan and she sits up. 

"I can do it." She lifts her hand and uses her powers as she screams to get it out. The glass behind us breaks as she finally gets it out and flings it across the floor. The little thing starts moving but it doesn't get far before a large boot steps on it. We look up and standing there is my mum, Hopper and some bald guy. I sit next to my mum with my head on her shoulder as she sits next to El who has her leg on Mum's lap and is leaning on Hopper.

We're explaining everything that has happened down here.  Suddenly, the bald guy whose name I heard is Murray comes running in after we tell Mum and Hopper our plan and he's waving papers. Hopper stands up and we go to where he's standing. He starts explaining about the Russian base before Erica interrupts him in the middle of his explanation. "More like 500," she says after he explains that the distance between what they call "the hub" and the vault where the gate is is about 50 feet or so. She stares at him. "What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?" He looks at her. "I'm sorry, who are you?" "Erica Sinclair. Who are you?" "Murray Bauman." She nods.

"Listen, Mr Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things but I've been down in that shithole for 24 hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die." Murray looks at her annoyed. "I'm sorry, why is this four-year-old speaking to me?" She glares at him. "Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!" Lucas looks at her. "Erica!" She shrugs. "Just the facts!" Dustin steps in. "She's right. You're all gonna die but you don't have to. Excuse me." He moves forward towards the map. "May I?" Murray gives him a very fake grin. "Please." Dustin grabs the paper and explains everything to them.

He ends by saying that between him and Erica they can show them the way and that's when I know they've lost him. Hopper looks at him. "You can show us the way?" Dustin nods. "Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your..... navigators." Hopper looks at him like he's crazy. "No." Dustin's smile drops and the adults start walking around getting ready. Erica comes towards us. "Well, that settles it, he's gonna die, they're gonna die." I glare at her. "You're not doing anything helpful, Erica. Telling us that our parents are gonna die isn't helpful at all." She shrugs. "I just tell it as I see it." I fidget nervously. 

I stand up and go sit with Steve and Robin. Billy follows me. Steve looks at me. "How you doing?" "Erica just told me my mum is gonna die, how do you think I'm feeling?" He nods but he doesn't offer a comforting, "I'm sure she'll make it out alive." Billy puts his arm around me and I lay my head on his shoulder. Dustin comes up to us and throws car keys at Steve. "Come on." He stands up. I look at him. 

"Be safe." He nods before walking off. I stand with Nancy, Jonathan, and Billy as Murray shows which key unlocks each one of the locks on his door. I'm not really paying attention because I keep looking at Mum. She can't die. I don't know what I'd do if she died. I can't lose another parent. Where would we even go if she died? I sure as hell am not staying with Lonnie. He's not my dad. I hug my mum one last time before we leave. I hope this isn't the last time I get to hold her.