Tʜᴇ Sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ Sʜᴇ's Kᴇᴘᴛ | Mɪʟᴇᴠᴇɴ (Sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ Tʜɪɴɢs)

◇Chapter 016◇

2 weeks later, June 28...

She had been having nightmares. Why wouldn't she? Why shouldn't she be scared? El would wake up screaming or crying for Mike most nights during the week, until Hopper finally let her stay at the Wheelers' a few times that week.

Everyone kept an eye on El, unaware of what the future would bring. This was the small town of Hawkins, after all; nothing was never normal. But then again, what was the definition of "normal"?

She seemed okay. Scared but okay. The warmth in her eyes was back and the ice in her voice had melted. El was back, but more scared than ever. Though she would never admit it, every shadow made her heart race and every little noise made her jump. She tried to conceal her fear, but how can someone conceal a fear that big?

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"Michael Wheeler, get down here now!" El screamed from the basement.

'Uh oh' Mike thought before slowly walking down the stairs to see El on the couch, a pout on her lips.

"There was a plate of eggos here, where are they?" El glared at him.

"I may have, kinda, sorta ate them," Mike said sheepishly, not meeting her eyes.

"Mike!" El whined and frowned.

"I'll make you more," Mike said immediately. "I'll be right back!" He gave her a goofy grin, making her frown crack and turn into a smile. "Love you."

"Love you too, you Mouthbreather," El replied as he walked back upstairs.

There was a knock on the basement door. El turned her head. "It's always open!"

Lucas opened the door and he and the party walked in. "It's not safe to leave it open all the time."

El simply shrugged as Dustin said, "You sound like Steve."

Max laughed slightly and sat down next to El. "So, where's your future husband?"

El's cheeks went bright red. "He is... Um, Mike is making eggos for me."

"Have you... been okay, El?" Dustin asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm okay now."

"Are you sure, El?" Will asked, noticing the way her eyes constantly flickered around the room nervously. "I mean, have you been, um okay lately?" El nodded slightly, but Will could easily see through her little lie.

She turned her head, her eyes landed on the old D&D box. Fear fluttered through her heart as she saw the Demogorgon and Mind Flayer figurines sticking out of the box slightly. It was stupid, she knew, but that didn't stop her heart from pounding in her chest. She tilted her head and pushed the figurines back into the box.

El shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "I'll be right back." She stood up and walked upstairs before anyone could speak.

She met Mike in the hallway, him holding her eggos. "Are you okay El? Is something wrong?" His eyes were wide with concern.

"Stop asking me if I'm okay!" The emotions in her spilled out, "I'm perfectly fine!" El took a deep breath, calming down. "I just need a minute, okay?"

"Uh okay El, call me of you need me." Mike kissed her cheek and slowly went into the basement.

El pressed her back against the wall and slid down onto the floor. She brought her knees into her chest and shut her eyes tight.

"You're overreacting, El," she mumbled to herself. "It's over, it's all over. The monster is gone. Gone. Gone. It's not coming back. It's in the Upside Down, behind the gate," she sighed, "which you opened."

She pulled herself to her feet and walked to the basement door. She turned the handle and opened it slowly before taking a step into the stairway.

It flickered,

the stairway.

El shut her eyes tight and dug her fingernails into the railing.

Dark

Cold

No not again

Silence

El slowly opened her eyes and her knees felt weak. She sank to her knees as she saw the world around her. This had to be a dream, an allusion, a trick of her mind. It didn't feel like her nightmares; it felt as real as the day when she had first seen the monster looming in the sky above her.

"Mike!" she screamed into the darkness, sobs racking at her chest. "Mike! Dustin! Lucas! Max! Will! Anyone!"

Fear completely consumed her mind as her body shook slightly. Familier pain ran through her body as she cried for anyone who was there, but she was alone in the place of her nightmares.

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"El come on, snap out of it!" Mike shook her shoulders as she cried, her eyes closed.

"What the hell is happening?" Max ran her fingers through her hair. "Didn't we get this monster thing out of her?"

Mike nodded, and shook El's body again. "It doesn't really make sense," Lucas said. "Will, you know anything?"

"Nope," Will replied. "I have no clue about this."

"Thanks "Will the Wise"," Max said sarcastically. "You're very helpful."

"I got this." Dustin raised his hand and slapped El across her tear stained cheek. She flinched and opened her eyes wide.

"I'm surprised that worked," Lucas mumbled.

"I am too," Max replied.

"Shut it, both of you," Mike snapped and pulled El into his chest.

She cried for a moment, before slowly calming her emotions and pulling away. "I-I was there again, Mike."

"A dream or flashback?"

"N-no, it felt too real." El rubbed her eyes. "It felt t-too real to be a flashback or a dream. I was there, again."

*cue dramatic music*

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