Moonstruck - Stranger Things

Insanity|8

M I K E

It's been almost a day since I ran off from home, since I was taken to this terrible place, and since El and I figured out that we were trapped here. Now, we sit here, shaking from the cold, hungry from the lack of food, our lungs burning from the sensation of this toxic air. Just yesterday, even though I was going insane, my life was a lot more normal than this. I realize how your whole life can flip upside down within a matter of minutes, literally. Despite the fact that we are in an alternate dimension full of death and decay, and even if we are stuck in a complete nightmare, it still feels like a dream as long as she's here. Maybe El can find a way to get us out of here. Maybe she can channel enough energy to teleport us both back to the real world. I just don't want to force her, or make her accidentally use too much energy. If something else bad ends up happening to her, I don't know if I would be able to live with myself.

"El, are you awake?" I ask, and she looks up at me with tear stained cheeks. I begin to feel tears well up in my eyes, I just can't stand seeing her like this. I don't want El to suffer anymore than she already has in the past, and that's why I'm going to make her life absolutely perfect when we make it out of here. She's going to get the childhood and happiness that was taken away from her the moment she was born.

"Okay, I just need you to stay here while I go searching for any signs of a gate or something. Even if there isn't one, I might be able to find something that will help us get out of here," I say, and she just shakes her head.
"No. I want to come with you," she says, and all I can do is agree. My choice is probably for the best anyways, just incase something happened to her. And besides, arguing with a girl who can crush your brains any second is probably not a good idea.

I get up first and help her up, and we begin to walk through the dark forest, hand in hand. It looks like the one that I was in yesterday, but I know that they are nowhere near the same. Every time I talk or even breathe, my lungs are just taking in more poison. Everything I see just reminds me of what I scream about at night.

All of a sudden, I see a nearby tree turn into a monster. I see plants and bushes all grow horrible faces and look in our direction. I even see El's face turn wicked, and she gives off a devious smile. I close my eyes, and begin breathing heavily. This can't be happening, not again. She's back, I'm not still insane. This isn't real.

This can't be real.

"Mike, are you okay?" El says out of nowhere, and I look down at her. Her devious smile is gone, like it was all just a hallucination. I look around us, and see the trees like they were before. Why can't my insanity just stop already?
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, not wanting to explain to her. I look at her again, and I notice a fresh set of tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I-I can get you out of here," she says, and I smile with excitement.
"Great! Why are you crying, though? How are you going to do it?" I ask, and she shakes her head.
"Mike, I didn't say I could get us out of here. I said I could get you. Maybe I can figure out a way to get out of here too. If I can't, I will just stay here. It isn't that bad," she says, her voice cracking like it does when she's starting to cry. She hangs her head down and stops walking. I get in front of her, kneel down until we're eye-level with each other, and lift her chin up with my finger.

"You are not going to stay here alone, not for one more second. From now on, we stay together, no matter what. I'm not losing you, I can't-" my voice is cut off from a small sob that escapes my mouth. I tuck my head in for a second, bite my lip, and try my best to get myself together.
"I can't lose you again."

I raise my head, and see her eyes lock with mine. More tears come from her eyes, as well as mine. And then she does something that I never would have expected.

She grabs my head with both of her hands, and she puts her lips onto mine.

. . .
D U S T I N

I bang on the door, almost hard enough to knock it down. All of us rode to Hopper's trailer on the lake, knowing that he wouldn't be at the police station. He opens the door with a tired look on his face and a cigarette in his mouth.

"Um, so we have a problem," I say, and he sighs. He looks past me, at the rest of us in his front yard, and puts his head in his hand.

"Just don't tell me it's another missing kid," he says groggily.
"Well, about that..."
"Everyone, get in the car!" He yells, cutting me off. We all run to his car, with Nancy in the passenger seat, and the rest of us in the back.
"Let me guess, Hawkins L-"
"Hawkins Lab, yup," Lucas finishes, and Hopper just sighs again.
"And which kid is it? It's obviously not Byers this time," he says, beginning to drive, and Will just huffs out a big breath of air from his nose. "No, it's Mike this time," Nancy says with a sad voice.

"He's actually trapped in the upside down with Eleven," Will says, and Hop just looks back at us with the most confusion I've ever seen.

"Long story, I'll explain to you on the way," I say, and we make our way to the evil lab.

---

Before we know it, we've arrived at the laboratory, and Hopper is filled in with all the information.

"Okay, I know you kids have been through a lot and are experienced enough, so I'm letting you come in with me. You just can't make a noise," he says, and I begin to grow nervous, knowing that I'm one of the most clumsy people known to planet earth.

We all nod, and with that, he begins to cut the fence.

I STARTED CRYING AT THE MILEVEN OOPS
THANKS FOR ACTUALLY READING MY 5 READERS
AT LEAST IVE MADE PROGRESS

Lauren