DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

3/4

EVERYONE WATCHED EL as she sat still, her eyes shut in concentration. A ragged photo of Barb was placed in front of the girl, Will's walkie playing soft static next to it. Her lips quivered, and the light above the dining table began flickering.

Jasper and Mike sat the closest to El, gazing at her encouragingly. Dustin stood behind the chair the redhead was sitting in, his hands rested on the back of the seat.

Suddenly, El's eyes opened slowly, and the static grew fainted. She looked at everyone with remorse. "I'm sorry," she mumbled quietly.

"What?" Joyce stammered anxiously. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Tears burned in Eleven's eyes. "I can't find them," she uttered, her voice breaking with sadness.

Jasper let out a small breath she had been holding, brushing back a loose strand of red hair. "That's okay," she smiled reassuringly at El, taking her friend's hand. "There's another way. There has to be."

El simply gazed at the redhead, a somber look on her round face. "Jas," she whispered softly, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"It's okay," Jasper got to her feet, beckoning eleven to follow. "We'll be a minute," she addressed the others quickly before leading El into the bathroom. Once the door was shut, El let out a strained sob.

"I'm too weak," she murmured, her brown eyes lowering to the tiled floor. "I'm so sorry," she apologized once again.

"It's not your fault," Jasper shook her head, turning on the faucet and soaking a small rag. She kindly handed it to El so that she could wipe her face. "El, can I ask you something?"

Gradually, El applied the damp rag to her face. "Yes," she replied, giving Jasper a soft look. "What is it?"

"Back at the quarry," Jasper leaned against the wall. "You channeled me and gave me your powers. How is that possible?"

El slowly shook her head, breathing quietly. "I don't know," she stuttered.

"Can you at least control it?" Jasper questioned, placing her hands on the sink.

El answered with a curt nod. Suddenly, her eyes tore away from the redhead as she whirled around. Curiously, she gazed at the empty bathtub. "The bath."

"Wait," Jasper straightened up, beginning to realize what El was thinking. "You're saying you can find them?"

El approached Jasper cautiously, before roughly wrapping both her hands around Jasper's wrists. The girl let out a pained gasp as dark images began flashing through her head. All sound drained out of her ears until she felt like she was drowning in white noise.

The redhead opened her eyes, shocked to find her no longer standing in Will's bathroom. Instead, she was deep inside what appeared to be a laboratory. Voices echoed down a gray corridor, catching Jasper's attention.

Another gasp escaped her lips as two doors opened, revealing Eleven and a strange man. "El!" Jasper called out to her, dashing towards her friend. "Where are we—" She cut herself off when she placed her hand on El's shoulder, only to find her dissolve into dust before forming again.

"What?" The redhead murmured in confusion. Slowly, she backed away from the two and watched as they climbed up a small flight of stairs. Then, she noticed the big water tank in the room and a man standing next to it on a platform.