Shutter [Jonathan Byers] Stranger Things I

LII: Sensory

sen·so·ry

adjective

relating to sensation or the physical senses; transmitted or perceived by the senses.

Her name was El.

Seated around the Byer's dining room table, it was uncomfortably crowded. Introductions had been sloppy and Emilia was sure she'd forget a few names. But El's name stuck with her, mostly because of the small tattoo on her wrist that made Emilia believe this nickname of hers came from. She had no idea, as she sat two chairs down from young El who was at the head of the table, that Hopper was looking at her with the exact same intensity. However, it was Hopper who knew far more about this young girl than Emilia did. For instance, he knew that her name was not El, or Eleven, but rather, Jane. At least, that was what he was so far led to believe, and saw no reason to dispute such thoughts. He looked at this young girl and hoped that one day, she would be able to go back to her mother, even if she wasn't exactly functional anymore. Maybe seeing her daughter would stir something up in Terry Ives.

Mike, a lively kid but one who didn't quite hold a candle to Dustin, explained what El was capable of doing. All the three kids, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, seemed overly excited when they explained how she could move things with her mind, and even control people in some aspect. All the adults seemed almost skeptical, but understood just how much they didn't know about what was possible anymore. Everything seemed to fit together again; everything was there, all the information, and it was just the matter of finding how to get Will back. Mike explained, as El didn't say much, that she could connect with them in what he explained as the Upside Down.

Everyone sat or stood around the table in silent encouragement and fruitful hope as El tried to find Will and Barbara. Strain stretched over her young features and made her look older than she was, and Emilia could see in her expression that she had seen more than a young girl like her ever should have seen. This monster, this other world, the corrupt men and women who were after them -she had been exposed to all of it, and the way she handled everything with such serenity was outstanding. Her sensory system sought out, reached out for any sign of life; blood began to slide out from her nose, slow and thick like maple syrup.

She cried out when she was unable to locate them, and she simply looked all around the table. "I couldn't find them."

Emilia wrapped her arm around Jonathan to show him that she cared, to show him that she was there to support him. She was terrified of what was going to happen if they were unable to retrieve Will from this Upside Down; she knew that she would lose Jonathan. He might cling to her for a while at first, pour his desperation into her, hope that she could understand what he was going through -and she could. But it wouldn't take long before her presence was no longer a comfort, and only a bitter reminder of when he lost his little brother. Suddenly a panic swept over Emilia and she released Jonathan, wavering slightly as she stepped away from the crowded dining room.

Emilia took a seat on the tattered old couch where she had first begun studying with Jonathan; it amazed her how far they had come from taking pictures in the woods and studying, to this. Jonathan crossed over and sat next to her, and instead of asking what was wrong like he usually did, he said, "You're scared."

She nodded, of course she was. But of so many things.

"We're going to get them back."