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

◇Chapter 023◇

"Are we almost there?" Dustin complained.

"Shut up." Mike and Max said in unison, an annoyed look on their faces.

Mike looked out the window of Steve's car, watching the trees fly by. His fingers tapped against the car door nervously as Steve drove to the lab. In front of them was Hopper's truck with El laying in the backseat. Mike had wanted to stay with El, but Hopper insisted that he would take her alone, refusing to give a decent explanation for why.

El had fallen fully unconscious during the car ride. A part of her mind still remained active, but it wasn't the good part of her mind. The Mind Flayer lingered in her mind, taking over her thoughts. It was killing her and El was helpless to do anything.

Hopper and Joyce glanced back at the young girl who laid unconscious in the backseat of the truck. Ever so often, she would let out a whimper or gasp for air, indicating she couldn't breathe. The plan had missing holes and gaps that would have to be filled in as the plan went on. The plan was filled with flaws that could potentially kill El, or make all matters worse.

Mike was the first person out of the car when Steve parked and he ran to Hopper's truck and threw open the door. He gently brushed his fingertips along her cheekbones and down her jawline, her cold skin feeling like electricity against his warm skin.

"Let's get her inside and get this monster out of her." Hopper muttered, taking the young girl into his arms. He began to walk to the rusted doors of the building, Mike, Steve and the other kids following close behind.

Mike slowly reached for El's limp hand and intertwined his warm fingers with her ice cold ones, "You're going to be okay El," Mike said under his breath, "I'll make sure you're okay."

The group slowly walked into the lab, the air almost instantly turning cold. "Are you sure we're not in a freezer or something?" Dustin asked nervously, earning an eye roll from Max who slowly reached down to intertwine her fingers with Lucas'.

"Harrington, you and the kids go check down that hallway. We are looking for a room filled with medical equipment." Hopper ordered and Steve and the rest of the kids disappeared down the hallway. "Wheeler, keep an eye on El while I look around. Joyce come with me." He gently set up down on the floor and Mike instantly sat next her and set her head on his lap.

Mike intertwined his fingers with hers again and held her close, "I'm sorry this happened to you, you don't deserve this shit. You never deserved any of this. You deserve the world, Eleven." He closed his eyes and couldn't stop his mind from thinking about the day he lost her for the second time. "God El, I should've tried harder to keep you safe."

"I-I'll come... home... just let me say goodbye to him. Please?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at the bullet in the grass.

Brenner sighed and nodded and she ran to Mike and he pulled her into his embrace, "El please. I can't lose you again. I can't live without you. We'll get out of here. Don't leave me! El please, I'm begging you. We'll find a way, just-" A few tears ran down his cheek as he gripped her hand tightly..

"There's no other way.... I cant take out this many people. P-promise me you'll find me, okay?" El whispered, the tears in her eyes threatened to spill.

"I promise I'll find you. I love you El. Don't forget t-that." Mike whispered back and squeezed her hand.

"I love you too..." She pressed a quick kiss against his lips before walking to the vans parked by the path. 

Mike went back home, tears ran down his face. As he walked inside, Karen came to the door. "Micheal?" She pulled her crying son into a hug. "What happened? Where's El?"

"I-I lost her again! I l-lost El! It's all my fault! It's all my fau-"

"Hey kid, snap out of it." Hopper said loudly, shaking Mike out of his thoughts. He gently picked El up, "We found the room. Come on."

Mike nodded slightly and followed Hopper down the hallway as the lights flickered above them. "Lay her down here." Steve said, gesturing to a metal table with his baseball bat.

Hopper gently laid El down on the table as Will gasped, "Hey guys, what is that?" He pointed to to a cracked wall and Joyce protectively wrapped an arm around her son.

Steve walked over to it and placed his hand on the cracked cement. The wall began to give away and a cold breeze filled the room. El let out a sharp gasp as everyone looked through the gaps in the wall and at the bright red, fully open gate that stood on the other side of the crumbling wall.