It works for them... why not?

The Next Chapter

The Next Chapter

Everyone was ready once again, visibly nervous. They sat down and inserted the tape titled "Doctor Sleep," which bore the almost threatening subtitle "The Next Chapter In The Story Of The Shining."

Will sighed resignedly, picked up the remote, and pressed play.

The screen shows the now very familiar Upside Down, where Will, Mike, Dustin, and Eleven are at the top of the quarry. Attached to the rock was a gigantic gate leading to a yellow world, where hundreds of Demogorgons, Demodogs, and Demobats... and some new ones... were heading.

_: _: _: _

Mike lowered the radio and said -Hopper and Enzo are already at the lab, but we're running out of time. The seniors can't keep the military entertained forever... are you sure it will only work today?-

Dustin, who was operating a kind of mini-radio antenna, commented -Yeah... it's much better to destroy it today when it's more stable-

Mike asked -Stable?- Dustin commented -Brenner didn't choose this date for his experiment just because... it's like Halley's Comet, every...- but he was interrupted by a familiar yet unfamiliar voice that said -Those are the last drones-

Then Will Byers turns to look at them, though he looks different. His skin is almost translucent, he has prominent black veins on his face, and his irises are completely black.

Mike, with obvious disgust, asks him -Was it necessary to save all your monsters?- The "not-Will" replies curtly -"The We" is already making too many concessions by allowing them to vaporize so many of our appendages-

Dustin comments -Could you call them vines?- But the entity responds -They're our limbs. "The I" can call them whatever it likes... what's strange is that you call your world "earth" when it's mostly water-

Mike comments bitterly and ironically -True, because we humans are so stupid we can't even name things-

The non-Will clarifies -the word "The I" used is "unproductive"... and you are... "The We" has been in the minds of dozens of humans every time Henry Creel "nourishes"... and they're all the same; "oh, I'm gay," "oh, I'm poor," "oh, I'm black," "oh, I'm woman," "oh, I'm fat," "oh, I'm ugly"... Oh, oh, oh... all convinced they are the heroes and victims of their own stories, without understanding the simple logic that this makes them the villains in other's stories.

Offended Mike says -you can't reduce humanity to that- to which "The I" replies -I'm just pointing out a pattern... Your "individuality" is actually extremely "redundant"... there are really only 12 of you-

Dustin comments -"The I" is an even more idiotic name than "The We"... you should change it, maybe... – already imagining options.

But "The I" responds indifferently -well, if you want you can keep calling me Dart- Dustin takes off his headphones and asks, very confused -What?-

But then the last Demogorgon, with obvious, poorly healed burns, stares at them, growls, and then crosses the gate, and "The I" announces –bye-

Then Will Byers' mouth opens and a cloud of black and gold particles emerges, entering the portal as well. Eleven lowers his hands and the portal begins to heal, until it disappears.

Will falls to his knees. Mike and Eleven approach and ask if he's okay. He replies -Yeah... let's go- urging them on with obvious nervousness.

Mike announces over the radio that everything is ready and they'll return to the rendezvous point. Dustin unpacks his gear and they begin the walk.

11 asks -Is it gone... completely?- Will shrugs and replies -There are particles so deep inside that to get them out I'd have to tear my spine apart, but "The Id" is reasonably sure it's too little to kill me by cutting the connection- He then walks ahead, leaving the couple with expressions of confusion and concern.