Together Again

Chapter 8 - The Takedown (part 6)

~Eleven and Joyce~
~driving to close the portals in the school and Byers home~

Joyce and Eleven pulled to a stop in front of the middle school. This was stop number two. She had already closed the gates at the Byers house. There were a few gates there that she to close, but they were fairly easy because they were smaller and on drywall instead of brick. This one was also going to be bigger from her crawling through it. Eleven had to think hard about where the portal was. She thought back to when she climbed out of it. Finally, she remembered.

Without saying a word she retraced her steps from that day and found the spot in the wall. Now that she looked closely, she could see slime like stuff in between the bricks, but it was mostly covered by paint. The bricks were sort of uneven. Some stuck out a little further than most. It was only noticeable when you were looking for it.

She put her fingers around of one of the bricks that had been sticking out and pulled as hard as she could. She wiggled the block a bit as she pulled. The block slid out of its place. Behind it was darkness. The eerie darkness of the upside down.

Had this portal really been open for the past 2 years? What else could have gotten through?

Eleven took a couple steps back. She smiled at Joyce before turning to face the wall. She lowered her chin and stuck out her hand. As blood began to pour out of her nose she tore the bricks away from the wall until she could see the entire portal. She then stuck out both her hands and scowled at the wall as she began to make the gate close. After a minute or two. There was no more slime left and it was all cement.

Without bothering to pick up the bricks on the floor her and Joyce turned and left. They got in the car and began driving towards the pumpkin patch.

Eleven, who was still getting the hang of using manners, decided to ask a question that had been driving her crazy all day.

"Do you like my Dad." She asked bluntly.

"Well..." Joyce chuckled. "Your Dad is really nice and a very good cop." She said. She sounded as if she was speaking to a little kid.

"No! Like like my Dad. Like me and Mike."

This is what Joyce was trying to avoid. "Well, I don't know. I- I think I...kind of do? But...I would want to know what you think first. " I wouldn't want t—"

Joyce was cut off by Eleven. "Wait! Go to the Lab! Somethings wrong with Daddy! I can feel it." Eleven almost shouted as she fought tears. Eleven didn't even know how she knew this. She just knew. It was almost like the in between was telling her that, without her even being in the in between. She had never experienced anything like this before.

This startled Joyce. Eleven had changed personalities so quickly. It was strange. Joyce quickly turned the corner and they drove towards the Lab.

"Papas got Daddy." Eleven stated.