• disappearing: a stranger things choose-your-own adventure •

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱𝗮 - 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨

The next day.

It seems Mike wasn't able to convince El to go along with their plan.

She's sitting on Mike's bed, legs tucked against her body.

The four of you are standing around her in Mike's room.

"Are you out of your mind?" Lucas yells at Mike.

"Hear me out-" Mike starts.

"You are out of your mind!" Lucas says.

"Lucas, shut up," you say. "Mike has a reason."

"She knows about Will," Mike says.

"What do you mean, she knows about Will?" Dustin asks.

"She pointed to him in this picture." Mike points to a picture of the Party at a science fair. Will is front and center in their project about volcanoes.

"I think she knows he's missing. She said bad people are after her. Maybe they're the ones who took Will."

Lucas, skeptical, shakes his head. "Maybe she overheard us talking about him."

"But Lucas, think about it," you say, agreeing with Mike, "We find her on Mirkwood, the same place Will went missing? That's not a coincidence. Something bigger is happening. She could be in danger."

Shadowy figures running through trees and in bushes. Your mind flashes back to that night.

"So then why is she here? She could be putting us in danger!" Lucas looks at her with disdain.

"I think she knows what happened to Will," Mike says again.

Dustin seems to understand what both of you are saying, but Lucas is still suspicious of El.

"Why doesn't she tell us, then?" he asks.

Lucas gets up and walks over to her. "Do you know where Will is?" He's rather aggressive.

"You're scaring her, Lucas," you say.

Not listening, Lucas shakes El's shoulders. "Do you know where Will is?"

El is visibly upset, and you can tell that something bad will happen if you don't step in.

"Lucas, stop!" you and Mike yell simultaneously.

"You're scaring her," Mike says.

El is now close to tears.

"She should be scared!" Lucas shakes his head. "This is nuts!" We have to tell your mom what's going on."

"No! Eleven said we can't tell anyone," Mike says. "It's dangerous."

"Her name is Eleven?" Lucas rolls his eyes.

"El for short," you explain.

"Dangerous how?" Dustin asks.

Mike makes a gun with his fingers and points it at each of you.

Lucas panics. "No! We're getting your mom!"

- - - - -

You look over at El, worried.

There could be something dangerous happening. An adult could help.

But what if it would only make things worse to involve Karen?

El seems to think so. But you aren't sure.

𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲!

○ 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱c. 

 ○ 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺, 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱d.