Raising Hel | a Stranger Things fanfiction

Chapter 17

Timeline check: sets during ST4 episode 7, in the early hours of Thrusday 27th of March 1986, while both the groups are on their way to meet at Eddie's trailer .

_

Dustin thinks back at the last few hours as he, Max, Lucas and Erica pedals toward the trailer park. He's been collared by the cops for the first time in his life and if this wasn't enough, he has now broken away from police custody as well. In the presence of his mother!

And because tonight keeps on giving, he is now on his way to an interdimensional gate, to attend a meeting with his friends that has been arranged through a Lite-Brite toy because they are stuck in that other dimension!

When they ride down the lane to Eddie's trailer, the first thing he notices is the car with the Georgia plates parked in front of it. The girl is back and it's time they finally meet. Once he reassures Lucas and Erica – who had never heard of her until now – that she's not a threat, they gather in front of the door.

– Should we knock or something, asks Dustin.

Max rolls her eyes.

– What! She could be naked in there!

– You're an idiot.

She squeezes in between him and Lucas to open the door and steps in with a simple 'anyone here?' to which nobody answers.

Two things stand out in the living room as they enter it: the large gash in the ceiling with dark vines coming out of it, and the scientific equipment spread all over the furniture. But no sign of the girl.

Whether she's hiding away or gone, Dustin figures they have more pressing matters and goes under the gate. A red membrane seems to be the only solid thing separating their world from the Upside Down. It's almost too easy. He holds out his hand without taking his eyes off of the gate and asks for a broom.

– Wait, shouts Lucas. They said the Watergate was guarded. What if this one is too?

– Only one way to find out, grins Dustin.

He lifts up the broom. The membrane resists a little before ripping in a disgusting wet noise to reveal an inverted and creepier version of the trailer. Soon, the figures of Steve, Nancy, Robin and Eddie appear and Dustin erupts in laughter.

*

Eddie crouches on the floor, overwhelmed. Dustin's euphoria is contagious but not enough to cast away the guilt that has crept back stronger than ever now that he's back where it all started. Surely, if Chrissy had been with someone like Dustin or Steve or any of them actually, she'd still be alive.

He feels a tap on his shoulder, lifts his head and finds Robin smiling at him.

– We're almost there, she says. Just give the little man a few minutes to figure out how to get us through the ceiling.

They all look up to the sound of commotion coming from the other side of the gate.

– Hey, what's going on? shouts Steve. Guys? ... Guys!

After an eternity, Dustin reappears with an innocent face and apologies.

– We found some sheets, he continues as if nothing happened.

He glances to his left and grins.

– Among other stuff, he adds. Just stay put!

Steve throws his hands in the air before he rests them on his hips and shakes his head. Eddie agrees silently. That little shrimp is annoying as hell! He's not sure he likes the idea of that kid roaming freely in his trailer...

*

Eddie watches, tensed, Robin climbing up the knotted rope that now hangs from the ceiling, thanks to Dustin. She lets out a yelp as she flips over and lands on his dirty mattress. Shame bubbles up again. He thinks about Hel, what she'd think if she saw it, or his bedroom, or this place at all.

He shakes the thought away, and since neither Steve nor Nancy make a move to follow Robin, he climbs the rope. On the other side, Dustin looks far too excited. Eddie holds his breath as his head passes through the gate and before he knows, he falls flat on his back on his mattress.

– That ..., he claims taking Dustin's hand to get up, was fun!

As much as it suits his ego, his friend really does look overly happy, bouncing on his feet.

– Look what I found, he chants.

He steps aside and Eddie's legs almost give up. Bliss hits him like a tidal wave, washing everything else away more efficiently than any drugs he could have taken. From the kitchen, his dear Hellen gives him an emotional smile.

*

Hellen woke up to the sound of voices that she quickly understood to be children's. She jumped out of bed and fought back her urge to hide in the closet until they left. Although she wasn't so keen to engage with whoever was giggling so loudly on a crime scene...

Then she heard a girl calling after a Dustin and her heart leaped. If this was the same Dustin Eddie had mentioned in his letters, she had nothing to fear! The perspective of having to explain her presence here to strangers wasn't the most cheering but she would not let the opportunity of finding Eddie pass.

She took a deep breath and before she could think of how she was going to introduce herself, the door burst open to a young boy in a cap.

– Ah! There you are, he grinned.

Two girls and another boy appeared behind him. The lot could not have been older than 15 years old.

– Wait, said the dark-skinned boy. This is Eddie friend?

– Have you looked at yourself, mocked the youngest of the girls.

The red-haired one stepped in and held out her hand to Hellen.

– Hey, I'm Max. Excuse those idiots, they're harmless. You've been looking for Eddie, right?

Hellen tentatively shook her hand with an awkward 'Hi' and nodded while Max introduced her to the rest of the group. They had then explained that Eddie and some of their friends were currently stuck in another dimension and that they needed to make a knotted rope to help them cross over, making something tick.

– It's an Einstein-Rosen bridge, she exclaims. Those strange readings were coming from exotic matter!

– What is she talking about, asked Max to Dustin.

Hellen saw on the boys face the desire to discuss physics with her, but Lucas cut him off.

– Can we focus, guys?

To which Dustin agreed but begged for Hellen not to show yourself yet.

– I want to make Eddie a surprise!

Hence why she has been standing by the kitchen until now.

A shiver runs down her spine as Eddie gets up from the mattress he landed on. He wasn't lying about the hair in his letters, but her imagination underestimated the escalation of his rockstar look! The ripped jeans, the rings... It's too much information for her overwhelmed brain. He has also grown at least 10 inches and his face is more slender, more of a man's, less of a boy's. Her throat tightens. She wants to hug him, but it's been so long and there are too many people in the room so she just smiles, with her eyes watering and her chin trembling.

– Your timing is as uncanny as ever, says Eddie.

She let out a nervous laugh that mixes with a sob. He's on her before she knows, hugging her tight.

– God, I've missed you, he whispers.

– Uh ... guys? calls out Erica. This is cute and all but I think we have a situation here!