𝑴𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝑶𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒔 ( discontinued )

(12) aye yo squinny boi check

"You'll find out the hard way that all good things come to an end, Michael."

"Who said that?" Mike snapped, he was in the hospital visiting Will, who had fallen ill a week earlier. El was supposed to meet him there at 10:30am.

"Go to the bottom floor and you'll see what I speak of."

"Jesus christ what now." Mike muttered as he walked to the elevator. Tapping his foot impatiently as the numbers ticked down.

ding!

The doors slid open to reveal the all to familiar floating white particles of the Upside Down, accompanied by thick and heavy air, musty in scent.

Mike felt worry rising in the back of his throat, he stepped out of the elevator.

"Down the hall, and take a left Michael. Open the door."

Mike was well sick of this voice already. He had no idea where it came from, yet now, as he walked down a hall that faded into the familiar walls of his school, he could pinpoint who that voice belonged to. Martin Brenner.

"Open the door Michael. Open it." The voice coaxed. Mike pressed his lips together and turned the metal handle, he pulled the door open only to be greeted by a smell of chlorine, and a room that looked to be from the lab this time.

A large upright tank sat in the center of the room, various men in lab coats rushed around. There was a metal staircase leading to the top of the tank.

"Do not be afraid, Eleven, we're all friends here."

Mike spun around to face the door, his heart lodged in his throat as he saw El and Doctor Brenner enter the room, she was much younger and her curly hair was buzzed down as it was when he found her.

Mike had all but forgotten about his sick friend, Will, as he rushed over to Eleven, reaching out to touch her, but his hand passed straight through her small hand.

"E-El?" Mike called softly, his voice cracking. She couldn't see him, no one could.

Brenner began to lead El up the stairs to the tank, gesturing her to step up on the cold steel platform. Mike watched with tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"Don't be afraid of what you see Eleven, it cannot hurt you. Do not run."

El looked down at her feet and gripped the metal supports tighter.

"Yes Papa."

They lowered her into the tank, placing an oversized oxygen mask over her head as she went down. She had done this many times before, she knew the drill.

Before Mike could see anymore the lights flickered out. His breathing picked up as complete blackness surrounded him. A small amount of water was around his feet.

The void. Mike only felt cold, the darkness allowed for nothing else to be felt, but cold and nothingness.

That was until Mike turned to see his friends gathered around something he couldn't make out. Everyone was there, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce, Hopper. Mike approached them, viewing their grave expressions, the only one not there, was himself.

"He's not gone." El whispered.

"He is El. I know it's hard to grasp but he's gone, he's- he's really gone." Will said gently, El shook her head, more salty tears falling from her eyes.

"No, he can't be gone, he promised." She said, her voice breaking.

"Mike's gone El. He's dead. We can't....we can't bring him back." Hopper said lowly.