teenage tragedy (Max Mayfield)

1. four

"Come on," Mike closed the door behind them all once they reached the AV room.

"Now what?" Lucas asked.

"She'll find him. Right, El?" Mike said, moving to adjust the radio frequencies.

Eleven sat down in the chair and closed her eyes silently.

"She's doing it. She's finding him!" Mike said.

"This is crazy," Dustin whispered.

Camden crossed her arms over her chest, highly unimpressed.

"Calm down. She just closed her eyes," Lucas said.

"Thank you," Camden nodded.

The lights went out and the boys all gasped. Camden rolled her eyes.

"It's just a light," Camden said, moving to turn it back on again. But, no matter how many times she flicked the switch, it wouldn't come back on.

"Holy..." Dustin trailed off.

There was a loud bang over the radio. Then another, and another, and another.

"What was that?" Dustin asked.

The radio tuned into static again and there was more banging.

"Mom?" Will whispered over the radio.

Camden's entire body tensed as she heard it, so familiar to the void state she'd seen Will in before.

"No way!" Lucas gasped.

"Mom," Will whispered.

"Will!" Mike grabbed the microphone.

"Will, it's us! Are you there?" Lucas said.

"Can you hear us? We're here!" Dustin said.

Camden got a sharp pain in her head and she leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes tightly to try and block out the pain. Blood gushed from her nose and she wiped it away with her hand, using the other to clutch her head.

"Fuck," she whispered.

"Hello? Mom?" Will said.

"Why can't he hear us?" Lucas said.

"I don't know!" Mike shouted.

There was a loud growling over the radio and Camden slumped down the wall, clutching her head in both hands as the pain spread throughout her entire body.

"Mom, mom, it's coming!" Will cried. There was even more static. "It's like home but it's so dark, it's so dark and empty and it's cold! Mom? Mom!" Will sobbed.

The growling got louder and then there was a screech. The fuse on the machine blew and the boys all screamed, jumping back.

The fire alarm started ringing but all Camden could see was darkness. Her head was throbbing, her face was wet from her bloody nose and her entire body felt like it was burning.

"Camden!" Mike shouted.

"Oh!" Lucas grabbed her arms.

They flopped limply back down, her head lolling against the wall as she fell unconscious.

"Can she move? Here, help her up," Mike dragged Camden's body onto the chair Eleven had been on, Eleven grabbing her hand. "This way!" he shouted, pushing them down the hallway with an unconscious Camden.

"What was Will saying? Like home... Like home... but dark?" Mike asked.

Camden watched them from where she was lying the couch. She had just woken up after Lucas had practically carried her home on his bike, and Mike had shoved a Coke and some sweets in front of her to get her energy back up. Eleven was watching her from the other end of the couch.