003 ➳ stranger things [1]

Chapter 16: Weakness

"What did you see?" Max asked, turning towards Erin.

"Something bad." Eleven answered for her.

"What do you mean bad? Erin what did you see?" Max sounded angry, then Lucas came up and comforted her.

"She means," Erin sighed. "I saw the upside down leaking into our world because of the shadow monster. On the other side, Eleven and I were using our power to stop it. Now will you calm down?"

"She's calm." Lucas nodded.

"What if we do one of all of us?" Cassidy asked.

"I'm completely drained." Erin sighed.

"So am I. It will take us awhile until we're fully charged." Will explained.

"How long?" Cassidy asked.

"Depends how many chocolate puddings we eat." Erin smiled at Dustin, subtly grabbing his hand.

Four packages of chocolate pudding later, Erin and Will were sick to their stomachs but fully charged. Cassidy, Eleven, and Kali all had one each.

"I never want an ounce of chocolate pudding ever again." Will groaned.

"I feel like I have to puke." Erin added on, holding her stomach.

"Okay," Hopper entered the kitchen. "You kids ready?"

"Erin, you look a little green." Nancy stated, coming from behind him.

"I'll be fine." Erin sighed and walked outside, where the whole group was standing around a new deprivation tank.

"Don't die on me, kids." Steve crossed his arms.

"Steve they're not gonna die-" Dustin chuckled.

"They get what I meant." Steve nodded at us.

"If you feel something bad just tell us, and get out of there." Joyce helped each of them in. The four nodded.

"I'm sorry for yelling," Max paused. "And good luck."

"Thanks." Cassidy smiled.

The five had their ankles in, hesitant to continue.

"I still have nightmares from my past deprivation tank." Kali sighed.

"I still have nightmares from literally everything," Erin shuttered. "Every hospital room, every injection, every scream, every shock, every single thing." Erin stopped, noticing that everyone was staring at her.

"That's terrifying." Max muttered under her breath.

"Sorry." Erin shrugged.

"So who's first?" Will asked.

"I would recommend all at once because isn't that what's it all about." Cassidy answered.

The five got down, laying in the pool. They sighed softly, closing their eyes. Kali was first to go under, deeply focused. Cassidy went next, then Will, then Eleven, then Erin. The five were under together.

The first thing they saw was Brenner, Owens, and a new doctor. They were fourteen at the time, barely recognizable. The five knew that they were themselves. They were in a line, watching a memory unfold.

The three boys were talking softly, working on homework. The memory quickly faded away, leaving the five standing.

The next thing they saw was Eleven and Mike dancing at the snowball, but everything was black around them.

"The snowball..." Eleven whispered, Mike was surprised at what she said. Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max all exchanged looks.

Then the shadow monster had appeared, the five realized that this was the view from the upside down. The shadow monster knew about Eleven and realized her weakness.

The next thing they saw was Erin and Cassidy riding on their bikes, laughing and giggling. The tone switched when Erin fell of her bike, but Cassidy ran to her side; symbolizing Erin's and Cassidy's weakness.

The next thing they saw was Kali protecting Erin and Eleven, but they were younger. Kali was 14, Erin and Eleven were 8. Kali was holding them in her arms, terrified at what she was looking at. symbolizing that Kali's weakness was her friends.

The next thing they saw was Will in castle Byers, which Jonathan and Will were building. Mike and Nancy walked towards them, and they all started talking. It faded away quickly, symbolizing Will's weakness was his second family, Mike and Nancy.

The last thing that they all saw was the upside down. There was barely a ground, just monsters everywhere. Demagorgans and demodogs covered the entire area, and tears rolled down Erin's cheeks.

The five sat up abruptly, scaring the entire group. They all gasped for air, and Erin wiped the tears from her face.

"What happened?" Mike asked, desperate to know.

"The shadow monster showed us our weaknesses." Kali said in between breaths. Cassidy and Erin exchanged looks, finding that they're each others weakness.

"Then what?" Max asked.

"We saw the upside down. It was full of demagorgans and demadogs." Erin explained.

"Shit we are so screwed." Dustin sat back, sighing.

"No we are not screwed," Hopper paused. "We leave the upside down alone."

"What?! That could get us killed!" Mike argued.

"Until," Hopper calmed Mike down. "Until it becomes a problem."

"It will become a problem when we're dead!" Max added on.

"Then it's not our problem," Cassidy joked, everyone staring at her. "Not funny- okay."

"I think the shadow monster showed us our weakness to be careful of them." Erin explained.

"Why would it help us?" Lucas asked.

"I have no idea." Erin shrugged.

"Maybe we were telling each others weaknesses," Kali nodded. "To be careful."

"Then we be careful. Then what?" Will asked.

"You guys have to defeat the shadow monster. And fast." Mike nodded.

"Hold on- slow down," Nancy paused. "No one has to do anything."

"Except they do," Steve crossed his arms. "To save the world."

"Won't you get hurt?" Joyce looked very anxious, holding Will.

"I'll make sure- we all will make sure none of us gets hurt." Kali assured her.