STRANGER THINGS

Nightmare

Mike's P.O.V

I just wanted to be the hero. The rescuer. I couldn't save El the first time, and I was devastated. I tried to save will. We would go crazy together, that's what I told him. But I couldn't. I couldn't save him either. Someone else took that role. I was useless. Useless. Useless. Useless. I just wanted to prove that I was worth something in this world. That I could help. I clearly didn't do anything.

I sat up, smacking myself in the head to get the terrible feelings and thoughts to leave. They just wouldn't go. My breath quickened as I looked around in the dark. I hated the dark. The objects around my familiar yet oddly different room seemed to sway and move in the shadows. Like monsters waiting in the dark.

Before I knew it, tears started running down my cheeks as I silently sobbed. Everything hurt, and I felt so weak. Especially in the dark.

My vision blurred from the tears and exhaustion that rushed through my body. The clock read 2:31. The wind roared outside, startling me. You're nothing but useless. You couldn't even save Will... or the love of your life. USELESS. I felt more tears run down my cheeks. My body shook with cold, as I had kicked off my blankets while I slept. I didn't sleep often, but when I did I was riddled with endless nightmares, and horrid thoughts, until I wake up in a cold sweat and tear stains on my cheeks.

The nightmares weren't even the worse part. It was waking up, knowing that the hell wasnt real, then realizing that in many ways, it was real. I would cry... quietly, so know one could hear me. After those nightmares, I would stare at the darkness and make up horrid senecio's in my head, that always ended as me failing. I did fail. I wanted to scream out into the wind. Tell the monsters to go away. Maybe it would make me feel better. It probably wouldn't. My whole body kept shaking with cold, fear, guilt, and anger.

I couldn't explain all the emotions, except that they stuck to me like glue. I couldn't get them off and it made my head pound. And my lips tremble. And my heart beat to move faster than is should. You deserve this! You couldn't save her! You didn't deserve her!

It was that voice. The one that told me that I was useless. It was right. I tried to shake the thoughts. No! It wouldn't work. I couldn't breath from the fear, from the crying. I held my spinning head in my shaking hands, trying to get the world to go away.

Crack!

My head shot upward, a tiny jump came from my stomach as I looked at the window startled. The monsters. They could still get me.

Crack!

I leaped off my bed, and crept to the window, just to jump back as the window flew open. By itself. I heard a few grunts before a figure stuck its head into my room. It made an almost demonic gurgle. Demogorgon. I covered my mouth to hide my screams. The figure moved inward, whispering my name once. I grabbed my lamp, ready to strike. The figure got all the way in and lifted its head upward.

Instead of a contorted face of evil. The face was beautiful. And familiar. It was El. That's when all the events of two days ago came rushing back. I was still in a half sleep mode. I had forgotten that my beautiful El was okay. Well... kinda. None of that mattered at the moment, as my body collided with hers in a desperate hug. Her warm body against my shaky cold one, made the world of fear, inside my head turn to ashes.

"Mike." She cooed my name. It made fresh tears spring to my eyes. Happy tears. With one hand one her back, and one on the back of her head, I held her in place and cried softly again.

"Oh El." She pulled away reluctantly to look my in the eye.

"Mike. You're sad. And scared. Why?" She whispered gently reaching forward and whipping the tears from my face with her thumbs. I kept my hands tightly wrapped around her.

"El. I'm okay now. You're here, so I'm going to be okay. I just had some nightmares." She nodded into my shoulder as we hugged again. After a few minutes we pulled apart as she pulled me to the bed. Putting her hand on my shoulders she pushed me into a sitting position.

"Mike. You need sleep. Good sleep." I didn't argue as I laid down again she covered me with a blanket and looked at me with those big, beautiful, brown eyes. She kissed the top of my head. It felt like fireworks were going off in my chest.

"Mike. I'm okay now. So are you. Don't be afraid. I love y-" She gave a painful gasp as doubled over. I shot up.

"El!" I screamed looking at her pained face as she clutched her chest. Blood oozed from where she grasped her chest. The demonic gurgle came from behind. The contorted face of the demogorgon stared at me. I screamed and tried to get to El, but seemed grounded in place. She groaned as she collapsed to the ground. Darkness suddenly bursting through her chest.

I screamed her her name as she laid there. She turned her head. I reached for her, It she seemed a million miles away.

"You couldn't save me... you're... useless." She closed her eyes as I stared at her lifeless body in horror.

I shot up, panting. I looked around the room. It was my quiet little home outside of Hawkins. Home.

"Mike?" My attention turned to the figure beside me. El. She turned towards me slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Mike what's wrong." She stared to sit up with a little groan.

"No El. Go back to sleep, love. I'm fine." She shook her head.

"No Mike. Don't lie." I sighed and pulled off the blankets.

"Was it- was it the dream again?" I nodded meekly. She took my hand and squeezed it.

"It was just a dream, it wasn't -"

"I know it was just a dream El!" I said back almost snapping at her. I sighed a shaky breath.

"I know, but the voice. It had a point. During all that, I-I was no help. Just in the way. I was... useless." El's brows furrowed.

"Michael." She stated. I knew she was serious when she used my full name.

"You weren't useless! You hear me? Out of everyone you saved me the most. You took my in that night, when I could have just as easily died. But you saved me. And you know what? You taught me so much too. About friends, and promises... and love. Mike you turned all that hate in me into love. My love for freedom. My love for my friends. Eggos. And most importantly, you. Don't you ever say that you were useless, because that is the biggest lie. Understand?"

I cut cut her off the last syllable with my lips. I kissed her firmly, trying to let her know that I got it. We parted for air. I nodded at her as she wiped the little tear from when I woke up away. I leaned back onto my pillow with her. She smiled warmly as I wrapped an arm around her torso as she rested a hand on the little bed space between us. God, how I loved her.

"You need sleep Mike. You have to be awake to paint the nursery tomorrow. I can't do that all by myself. Not looking like this." I smiled and looked at the clearly defined baby bump. I brushed my thumb over it and heard El let out a tiny giggle at the ticklish touch. We whispered an "I love you" to each other before we fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

I am not useless. Not to El. And certainly not to my baby girl, was the last thought in my head.