Stranger Things (That Go Bump in the Night) (Fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Finding Will and Barb

Dustin and Lucas roll the kiddie pool into the gym and try to set it up. They grunt as they unroll it and try to spread it out, but the sides kept bending inward.

"This damn thing is heavy. Come on. It's upside down." Dustin grunts.

"No, this way." Lucas protests as he tries to spread it out with Dustin.

"Okay, um...How does this even work?

"Try that side."

Dusting grunts in frustration, "Son of a bitch!"

"Pull it back. Pull it back." Lucas says.

"I am!"

"One, two, three." Lucas counts and they try to fling it out to spread, but it made it worse.

"Shit!" Dustin shouts in frustration.

Nancy and Mike were trying to break into the gardener's supply building, but to their disappointment it was locked with a padlock. Nancy yanks on the lock and grunts in frustration. She moves away to look for a rock, but Mike tries to be the tough guy and tries to ram it with his body. But he grunts and groans in pain as he grips his shoulder.

"Stand back." Nancy says and brings a rock down over the lock, breaking it loose.

Mike's eyes widen in surprise, "Whoa."

Together, they start loading up their wheelbarrow with garden hoses. They each carried one and begin to walk back towards the gym, but Nancy was growing curious about Mike's new friend, Eleven.

"What did she even eat?" She asks.

Mike frowns in confusion, "What?"

"Eleven."

"Oh. Candy, leftovers, Eggos...She really likes Eggos." He says, shrugging.

She couldn't help but chuckle, "I knew you were acting weird. I just...I thought it was because of Will." She confesses.

"I knew you were acting weird, too. I thought it was 'cause of Steve." He says.

Nancy stops pushing the wheelbarrow, "Hey...No more secrets, okay? From now on we tell each other everything." She states.

Mike nods, "Okay. Do you like Jonathan now?" He asks.

Startled by his question, "What? No. No, it's...it's not...it's not like that." She says and Mike nods, not believing her one bit, "Do you like Eleven?" She asks.

Now it was his turn to be shocked, "What? No. Ew. Gross."

Nancy frowns, but laughs inside, knowing he was lying. Her brother's first girlfriend. She was so proud, but they needed to get back to the gym.

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Eleven sat in a classroom with Joyce and Fi as Joyce tapes up a pair of safety goggles with duct tape. Fi holds Eleven close as she rest her head against her chest, she strokes Eleven's head gently.

"This will keep it dark for you. Just like in your bathtub" Joyce explains as she holds up the goggles. She sighs and smiles at her, "You're a very brave girl. You know that, don't you? Everything you're doing for my boy...for Will...for my family..." She sighs and sniffles, "Thank you." She smiles at her. "I can tell your sister is very proud of you, too."

Fi smiles at her and looks down at Eleven, "Always." she kisses her head."

Eleven gives a soft smile and feels Joyce reach out for their hands, " Listen. I am gonna be there with you the whole time. Your sister, Gloria, we're all there for you. And if it ever gets too scary...in that place, you just let me know, okay? Let me and your sister know."