e l e v e n

Chapter Twenty Seven: Telling El

The front door of the Wheeler house opened with a creak, and a timid girl stepped through.
"It's alright El" Mrs. Wheeler said, nudging her into the house "go ahead" Eleven walked into the house and marveled at its size. She had been used to her tiny cell at the experiments lab.
Mrs. Wheeler directed El towards the kitchen to get her some real food. Her happy facade dropped the moment she saw Mike and Nancy at the kitchen table. Her eyes slowly welled up with tears as she looked at her son. A boy who had done everything to help people around, and had received nothing but hurt and misfortune in return. All he had done was save this girl, and now he was slowly transforming into a monster.
Eleven's eyes shot back and forth between the three Wheelers. She could tell by their expressions that something was the matter. "Mike," she said softly, breaking the silence "What's wrong?" Mike just looked at her, his eyes as tearful as his mother's. Mike reached out and took her hands, and led her to a chair. He didn't let go of her hands.
"El, when we were rescuing you" he said, not breaking eye contact "the demogorgon bit my leg. It's turning me into one of them."
"No..." El whispered "Not my Mike." She stood up from her chair, pulling him up with her. She placed her hands on either side of his face. "No." she said again. El slowly moved her hands down and pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged her back, holding her tightly as she cried into his shirt. He was all she had. She couldn't lose him too.