❝ in the seventeen years i've been on this earth, i've never met anyone as f#@!%^g stupid as you. ❞
in which two kids on the opposite sides of the social spectrum find solace in one another during a strange period of time.
ESTELLA COLLINS STAND ALON...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO ; THE BITCH IS BACK also known as; ( the gate; part two)
★☆
"JUST BE CAREFUL, ALRIGHT? I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN," MIKE STARED DOWN AT ELEVEN AS IF SHE WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN EXISTENCE. Stella stood a few steps behind them with her arm around Lucas' shoulders. Everyone was utterly exhausted, none having gotten an ounce of sleep in the last twenty-four hours, but that didn't mean their determination had drained.
El and Hopper were about to leave for the Hawkins Laboratory where the 'gate' resided, while Joyce, Jonathan and Nancy were going to take Will out into the woods to burn the Mind Flayer out of him. The responsibility of containing the other thirteen year-olds was up to Steve and Stella, who weren't that surprised, as they had been babysitting them a majority of the night anyway.
"You won't lose me," Eleven assured Mike, her voice a lot stronger and better put together than it had been last year. Stella still couldn't wrap her head around the fact she hadn't been gone all this time, and had instead become the police chief's unofficial daughter.
"Do you promise?" Mike responded, his voice wavering slightly as he feared events would repeat once more and they would be separated.
"Promise."
Before the two kids to properly say goodbye, Hopper broke them apart by opening his truck door. "El, come on. Let's go...it's time."
The watery eyed girl parted from Mike, trailing down the steps and walking to the car, preparing herself for the events to come. There was nothing she could do as she stood, hunched on the porch with her friends surrounding her, parting as if they sending the others off to war. They didn't wave as the vehicles pulled out the driveway, they didn't want to say goodbye.
"Okay everyone, let's get inside," Stella began ushering the kids back into the house, trying to maintain a somewhat positive attitude. She made brief eye contact with Steve as Dustin, Max and Lucas disappeared through the entrance, before glancing back to where Mike stood. Steve smiled encouragingly and rested his hand on her shoulder for a second, hinting that she hung back for a second.
"She'll be okay, right?" Mike asked softly once Stella stepped up beside him. She nodded, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and pulling him close. Neither felt the cold night air whipping around them, they were far too concerned with the wellbeing of those who had just parted with them.
"Of course she will," Stella assured him without hesitance. Something of a smile appeared on Mike's lips as she continued. "She's tough, it'll take a lot more than a few demo dogs to stop her. C'mon kid, there isn't much more we can do."
Mike hesitated before nodding, following the teenage girl back inside, where Steve and Dustin were trying to fit the dead demodog into Joyce's refrigerator. Steve was fumbling with the slimy animal, his face contorted in disgust. "Ew, Jesus--"
