The Side Ways [mileven]

chapter 14 - the return

Third person's point of view...

It was the seventh time the sun had gone down.

Eleven was in the school. More specifically, she was in the school's gym.

Let's just say that there were quite a few people in the backyard of the Byers household.

Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Jonathan, Nancy, and Hopper were all there, and Joyce would have been if it weren't for her job and need of the cash.

Everyone that was there to support in first world had a big set up, with the expectation of course that Eleven would return.

Hopper had made a small fire pit in the back yard, which of course was a distance away from the pool and the trees.

A fire was lit and a tent was set up. Everyone had agreed that whether this plan ended in success or failure, no one would want to return home after. The Byers house is rather small, though, so a ten was raised.

Everyone in the first world sat around the fire anxiously, making small talk amongst themselves. While everyone was more or less engaged in conversation, Mike and Will were entirely focused on their intercoms, waiting. It took Eleven a bit of time to realize that everyone on the other side was waiting for her.

She had to contact them.

She had to tell whoever was going in to get her what to do.

She had to pull them into the nothingness.

It was all up to her.

Eleven sighed as she pulled at the antenna on the intercom, realizing that this might be the last time that she would ever have to do this.

Static was heard coming from the devices in the first world. Everyone instantly snapped out of their conversations and looked at one of any of the four communication devices.

"Mike?"

She never asked for anyone else. She knew that others had an intercom. She knew other people could pick up theirs and speak. Despite all of this, she always asked for Mike.

"Eleven? Hi, El," Mike replied with a smile, calmly exhaling. "Who is coming?" Eleven suddenly asked. Mike froze. He looked around the small group of people and stopped at Hopper, glancing at him with a questioning look on his face.

Hopper sighed, rubbing his hands on his face and looked down at the grass. "I know, kid, you want to, don't you?" Hopper asked Mike, his head still facing the ground. Mike bit his lip, but stayed silent. He was too embarrassed to answer.

"I can't let you, Michael..I'm sorry. I don't know the dangers of all of this," Hopper explained, looking up at the boy. Mike bit down on his lip harder, moving his glance away from Hopper. "I get it," Mike said in a voice so low, it was almost like a whisper.

"El?" Mike said again, gaining Eleven's attention. "Yes, Mike?"  She responded. "Hopper, the chief is coming to get you," he told her. The disappointment was evident in his voice and on his face, even though he knew he should only be happy that they are going to get Eleven back. At least, they were going to try their best. "Oh, okay.." El said, trailing off. The disappointment was evident on her voice, as well.