"Are you ready, El?"
"Yes."
I adjusted the blindfold over my eyes and signaled to Lucas. I heard a familiar *click* as he turned the radio to static. I could tell that Lucas had the same worried expression as he had the first time we did this. "I'll be ok. We'll find her."
"I know, it's just... We say that every time and it never happens!"
"I've been training. It will work." Lucas went silent after that. I held Max's hand and tried to focus. There was a dull pain in my head and I opened my eyes, glancing around the all-too-familiar black pool. I began to wander, calling Max's name.
After walking around for a few minutes, I noticed something strange. There was a tear in the void, like someone had ripped the wallpaper. "Max?" I almost whispered as I approached the tear.
I tilted my head, trying to look through my new discovery without being noticed by anything dangerous. It was... my bedroom? There didn't seem to be anything moving in the room, so I crept closer and began ripping my way in. I was reminded of the day that I got out of the Upside Down into Hawkins Middle School.
"Max? Are you there?" I called out, my voice shaking. I heard a rustling noise coming from the closet, followed by the door creaking open.
"El? Is it really you?" Max looked almost scared as she slowly stepped out of the closet. She stared at me for a few seconds before grabbing me and pulling me into a hug.
"I missed you! Lucas and I went to see you every day!" I couldn't contain my sobs as I collapsed into her arms.
"I missed you too, El. How long have I been gone? Time is kinda strange here."
"Six months. You've been gone for six months."
"God... What's happened since I died?" Max was trying to keep her composure, but I could tell that she was crying too. They weren't tears of sadness though. They were tears of joy. Everything was alright again. We were ok.
