STRANGER THINGS S4/ "ONE MORE TIME"

Chapter 8.- "Sad faces"

The intensive care waiting room was full, everyone had arrived too early to know Mike's status, the doctor had given good news that morning, Mike had resisted the night.

"Michael, has exceeded the critical hours, his respiratory capacity is progressing, we believe that in a couple of days we could slowly remove the artificial respirator, it is important to know if he is able to breathe on his own since his body is still very weak, we continue to monitor his heart rate, his heart is what worries us most, we hope to be able to pass him to a room in the afternoon and maybe he could receive some visits, it would have to be through the glass of the room, we still cannot expose him to any external factor".

Eleven tried to digest each of the doctor's words, the most important thing for her were two things; first, Mike's health had not worsened overnight, he was still struggling and second, of course the fact that she could see him.

The hours passed very slowly for everyone, allowed them to spend a few minutes in groups of 3, suddenly the expected moment, Karen and Ted appeared through the door, Karen immediately went to Nancy.

"Honey, you can come in, take two people with you." Karen gently touched Eleven's cheek who looked at her hopefully it was obvious that she would be the next one to enter and so it was, Nancy entered the intensive care area with Eleven and Dustin, it was an isolated area, there were few rooms, they soon found Mike's room, it was forbidden to enter, on the wall there was a huge glass that made the entire room visible, everyone froze in front of that glass when they saw him his skin was so pale that it was almost confused with the white sheets, his chest was full of wires that sent signals to all the machines that surrounded him, his arms and hands were full of needles, straight in his veins, administering all the medications he needed, in his mouth there was a large tube, it was the artificial respirator, they could only see the upper part of his face, they really could only see his eyes, his forehead was covered with bandages, Eleven's heart broke in two when she saw him like that, he was so fragile, his brave Paladin was now paying the consequences of a battle that was forced to fight alone, Eleven broke into tears while Dustin and Nancy hugged her tightly.

"He should hate me, I left him alone, this is my fault" ... "El...He's my brother and I live with him" Nancy interrupted Eleven. "I have known him since he was born and I could not realize what was happening, I am guilty too ..we all are"

Dustin nodded as he stared at his friend through that glass. "Mike was always the smartest person in the room, there was no way for anyone to find out, I had some unfounded suspicions but it was impossible to find out, if I knew it, it was because he was forced to tell me, when he found out that you were coming El, when he knew you would be close to Troy, he broke down and confessed everything to me, he always took care of us all, but his priority was you, always you ". Dustin hoped his words could comfort his friends and he suddenly remembered something, something Mike had told him before all this got worse.

"Maybe I'm crazy but I think Mike knew something could happen to him, he left a message for you, he told me that if he wasn't able to say it, I would tell you...I know he will be ok and that he will be able to explain it to you later but I think it will make you feel better to hear this now, I really don't know the context but he said it was important for you he said that you had asked him a question and he never answered you, he said the answer was...the woods, near Mirwood, said he was there that day". Eleven looked confused, she really didn't know what Dustin was talking about, she thought for several seconds until a memory hit her hard.