STRANGER THINGS S4/ "ONE MORE TIME"

Chapter 18.- "She's going to kill you"

It would be absurd to deny that none of them had slept that night, the dark marks under their eyes showed it, they were in Mike's house reviewing the last details and making sure that they were not missing anything, lamps, food, ropes, compasses, matches and some fireworks that served as explosives (Idea of ​​Lucas), were really ready to leave, everyone's attention focused on the most important elements of the team. Eleven and Kali.

"Are you ready girls?" Max asked as she took her backpack.

"I am always ready ... and you, Jane?". Eleven didn't answer, just nodded, she was very busy watching Mike, he seemed very nervous, she couldn't blame him because if she were in his place and had to stay while her friends took a risk she would be equally worried, even so, there was something odd about Mike but it was not the time to inquire, they had to leave.

"Guys, you must follow the plan and be careful, you must take care of each other, I ... I'll take care that everything is in order here, that our parents don't know anything, I'm very sorry not to go with all of you".

Mike looked at the floor while saying those words, everyone thought it was shame but the truth is that he was afraid that his lie would collapse at any moment. They rode their bicycles and began slowly moving away from the Wheelers' house, giving Eleven and Mike some space.

"Mike, I'll be fine, nothing will happen to me...".

"of course not". Mike interrupted her sounding too sure, he cursed himself internally. "I mean ... you are strong, like damn strong and you have Kali and the guys who will support you and I know that nothing will happen to you". Eleven looked at him strangely, she still saw something suspicious, but she didn't want to listen to her instinct right now, she just wanted to hug Mike so he threw herself into his arms. "Mike, I know it's hard for you to stay here, thanks for doing this for me". Mike closed his eyes tightly feeling a great guilt run through his body, breathe in the scent of her hair and let out the only truth he could say at that moment:

"I would do everything for you El , absolutely everything, no matter the consequences". While they wished that hug would last forever, Kali interrupted them.

"Jane, it's time to go, others wait". She nodded and giving Mike one last kiss left the house, Mike heard Khali's voice again, but this time he was only in his head, only he could hear her.

"Wait a few minutes and follow us, I will take care that no one can see you, you will be invisible to everyone until we enter that place, after that, it will be your problem, you will have to deal with Jane's fury".

Mike nodded, closed the door and ran to his room where he already had his backpack ready, checked the contents again, a small medicine cabinet, Eleven's favorite chocolates (She would need energy), his compass, his walkie-talkie, a razor , he wondered if that would be enough, a wave of insecurity went through him, the fear of not being able to protect Eleven, an idea crossed his head, a memory that made him look in the back of his closet, he used to have a secret hiding place between a couple of wooden blocks which he managed to separate from the wall, was the only place away from his mother's supervision and Holly's curiosity, he separate the blocks with force and there it was, he had almost forgotten it, it had been more than a year since he kept that metal box there, it opened it slowly analyzing the contents, it was a small gun and a box of cartridges. He found it among Hopper's things, it was days after his death, they tried to rescue some things that were left among the ruins of the cabin and suddenly saw it, Mike was not a thief and he was not a boy who liked violence, he did not see that gun as an acquisition to show off, he only felt a strange need to take that little box, as if something told him that one day he might need it, he knew what was necessary, Hopper had taught him on one of those afternoons in the cabin.