Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[16] PACING NEVER SOLVED ANY PROBLEMS

As Dustin paces impatiently within the bus, everyone else sits in silence. "Dustin, how many times do I have to tell you that pacing never solved any problems?" Nori comments.

"It's been way too long. Do you know what? Maybe Mike's right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad men are coming to get us right now!" He shouts.

"It's not a trap. Why would the chief set us up? Nancy, maybe, but the chief?" Lucas shakes his head. Mike seems slightly offended by that, but shrugs it off.

"Lando Calrissian." Dustin reminds, pointing at him. "Would you shut up about Lando?" Lucas asks, annoyed. "I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this!" He continues to yell at Lucas.

"When do you feel good about anything?" Lucas fires back. "Guys, please, just— just stop." Nori says, holding her plan against her forehead.

Suddenly, they could hear vehicles approaching. They all share a glance, then run to the windshield. First one car, then another, the more.

They all panic, running back to crouch in between the seats. "Lando." Dustin repeats. "You think they saw us?" Lucas asks worriedly.

"Both of you, shut up." Mike orders. They hold in their breaths, praying for a miracle. They hear the door open, but soon after, a grunt and a bang.

"Hey!" Another man yells, before falling to the ground as well. The door creaks open, revealing the chief. "Alright. Let's go."

They stare at him in shock. "Let's go!" He repeats, walking out. They quickly follow behind.

They arrive at Will's house, greeted by Nancy, Joyce, and Johnathan. "Mike! Oh, my God." Nancy engulfs her brother in a hug. "I was so worried about you." She adds, pulling out.

"Yeah, Uh.. me, too." He responds awkwardly, more in a questioning tone. Nancy sighs, the glances over his shoulder at Eleven. "Is that my dress?" She asks.

***

"Okay, So, in this example, we're the acrobat." Mike explains as he holds up a piece of paper. "Will and Barbara, and that monster, they're this flea. And this is the Upside Down where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space." Mike sets the page down.

"A gate." Dustin adds. "That we tracked to Hawkins Lab." Lucas continues. "With our compasses." Nori nods.

Nancy, Joyce, And Johnathan furrow their eyebrows, confused. "Okay, So the gate has a really strong electromagnet if field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle." Dustin explains.

"Is the gate underground?" Jim speaks up. "Yes." Eleven says softly. "Near a large water tank?"

"Yes."

"H-How do you know all that?" Dustin stutters. "He's seen it." Mike realizes. "Is there any way that you could...that you could reach Will, that you could talk to him in this—"

"The Upside Down." Eleven cute Joyce off. "Down. Yeah." Joyce says, merely a whisper. Eleven nods.

"And my friend Barbara? Can you find her, too?" Nancy inquires. El nods again.

***

Eleven sits at the table, eyes closed, walkie talkie near by while everyone surrounds her. Suddenly, the lights flicker, then completely shut off and back on.

She opens her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispers sadly. "What? Wh-What's wrong? What happened?" Joyce asks, under the impression that something had gone wrong with Will.

"I can't find them." Eleven explains, her voice breaking.

"El, do you wanna take a break? Maybe, wash your face?" Nori suggests. She sighs, nodding. "Okay, I'll show her to the bathroom, I'll be right back." She says to the others.

"Door open or closed?" She asks as Eleven walks inside. "Open" she responds. "Okay."

Nori walks back out to the others, taking a step beside Mike. "Whenever she uses her powers, she gets weak." Mike says. "The more energy she uses, the more tired she gets." Dustin continues.

"Like, she flipped the van earlier." Lucas points out. "It was awesome." Dustin comments. "But she's drained." Mike concludes.

"Like a bad battery." Dustin adds quickly. "Well... How do we make her better?" Joyce stammers. "We don't. We just have to wait and try again." Nori sighs.

"Well, how long?" Nancy asks. "I don't know." She shrugs. "The bath." Eleven says as she enters the room. "What?" Joyce turns around. "I can find them. In the bath."

***

While Dustin speaks to Mr. Clarke on the phone, everyone pays close attention. "Mr. Clarke, it's Dustin."

"Yeah, Yeah. I just, I.... I have a science question." He states. "Do you know anything about sensory deprivation tanks? Specifically how to build one?"

Dustin pauses. "Fun." He says. "You always say we should never stop being curious. To always open any curiosity door we find. Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?" Dustin yells.

After seemingly being able to convince Mr. Clarke to tell him the information, he reaches for a notebook. "Uh-huh." He nods while writing it down.

"Uh-huh. How much? Uh-huh. Yep, Alright. Yeah, we'll be careful. Definitely. Alright, Mr. Clarke. Yeah, I'll see you on Monday. I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Clarke. Bye." He hangs up.

"Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?" Dustin asks Joyce. "I think so. Yeah." She shrugs. "Good. Then we just need salt. Lots of it."

"How much is lots?" Hopper inquires. "Fifteen hundred pounds." Dustin says, looking down at the notebook. "Well, where are we gonna get that much salt?" Nancy questions.