Chapter Text
“Lucas? Lucas do you copy? Lucas?!”
Nothing. With a frustrated groan Mike puts his supercom back on his belt.
“How can a mile long crack in the ground just disappear?!” Robin shouted, her voice sounding close to hysterical as she looks both directions to where the gate used to be. “Did Vecna do it? Is he toying with us?”
“No.” El said, concentration on her face as she knelt down to get a closer look where the gate use to be. “Neither of us can close even a small part of it. I cant at least.”
“You tried to?” Robin asked.
“Yeah, we snuck to one of the furthest points of the gates before the military took over and she tried to close even just a bit of the end of it.” explained Mike. “She barely got two ends to touch before it split apart again.”
“So what do we do? Head into town and hope one of the gates is open there?”
Will gave a violent cough but did not wake up. Mike had laid Will on the ground again, though Robin had taken her jacket off to prop under his head rather than let it lay on the wet dead grass.
“No.” said El definitively like there was no questioning it. “Will needs to get out of here now and….” she paused, confusion on her face. “Its like the gate was never here. I can feel where a gate has opened when I am next to it even when its closed. Theres sometimes even….scars left we can see. Like at Mikes house or the school before they covered it up.”
She touched the ground, running her hands over a perfect undisturbed patch of dead grass. “Here there is….nothing. Like it never existed.”
“How can that be?” asked Mike.
“I don’t know. But if we go to where a gate has been…I might be able to open one back to Hawkins.”
“You can do that?” asked Robin.
“Yes, its how I got back when I killed the Demogorgon the year I met everyone. There was a small crack where it made a gate to attack us at school. It was almost fixed but I made it bigger to get out of the Upside down.”
“Okay that’s brilliant!” Said Robin. “We’ll head to the school and you can open a gate big enough for us to climb out there.”
“One problem though.” Mike shared a look with El letting her know he was on the same train of thought she was. He’d never forget the first time he saw a Demogorgon as it burst through the gate it made in the school hallway. “The gate was right in the middle of the school hall. And its definitely too early for school to be out. If anyone see’s El they’ll snitch to the cops. They have her face plastered up on nearly every wall at school and it’ll take seconds for the military to show up.”
“Okay so what?” Asked Robin, hands up in exasperation.
“Where’s the nearest and safest place a gate has been?”
As one both Mike and El looked at the large building behind them.
“The place where it all began.”
Robin followed their gaze.
“Crap. You mean we gotta go into this extra spooky looking place?” they both nodded at Robin. “Of course we do….”
Robin helped Mike once again position Will on his pack piggyback style, with Will giving a few weak moans and coughs till he was settled with his head resting on the back of Mikes.
El lead the way, looking up at the one place even after all these years she cant quite escape. But this time it might just be the place that saves her.
The main entrance was about 20 meters away when Mike sees it.
“Wait!” they all stop. “that thing there….that doesn’t look like its been here awhile.”
He nods his head in a direction to what Robin at first mistook for a pay phone. Except this wasn’t on the pavement, it was actually standing on the grass, and rather than the usual pole you’d find the rectangular box on it had three sturdy looking legs like a tripod, and on the floor, looking like they’d recently fallen over from that strong wind were four small radio dishes. Not a single one of them had a vine on them. Most disturbingly was how the box in the centre had a flashing light and a lens. The kind of combination you see on a certain type of device.
“Shit!” hissed Robin. “It’s a security camera!”
As if on cue the front door burst open and four men in yellow hazmat suite rushed out, guns in hand pointing straight at El.
“FREEZE! DOWN ON THE GROUND WITH YOUR HANDS ON YO-”
They never got to finish. El used her powers to fling them as hard as she could back through the glass doors they’d just came from. She knew from experience they’d live, but they wouldn’t be getting up till long after they’d gone.
“Run! To the woods!”
They ran double time, Mike falling behind struggling to keep Will balanced till the others noticed and helped keep him steady so mike could run faster. Strangely they heard no sounds of pursuit.
They waited till they were deep in the woods before stopping to catch their breath.
“Okay what was that?” Mike asked, struggling to catch his breath with Will still on his back as he leaned on a tree for support. “There were no guards or anyone at the lab when we went through the gate earlier. And Lucas would have warned us if Kay’s goons had showed up.”
“Yeah, except we cant get through to him” said Robin. “But what’s with the Hazmat suits? I thought the only ones wearing something like that were the burners whenever they want to open the gate with a flamethrower at the MAC-Z. The soldiers and people going through the gate just wear regular soldier stuff. THOSE were full on nuclear reactor suits.”
“They didn’t try to kill or hurt.” Said EL, deep in thought. “Dr Kays men shoot first. They didn’t.”
“Well whoever they are its clear we cant go through that gate.” panted Mike. He’d refused to put Will down in case they suddenly had to start running again. “But I can think of two other options. I don’t know exactly where but somewhere between the Lab and Steves place Nancy and Jonathan found a gate in a tree. The other option is the Byer’s old home. It came through their living room wall at least three times when Will went missing. Problem is we don’t know who’s living there now. If we’re lucky they might be out and we can just let ourselves out.”
“Sounds like a plan. Any idea which way to go?”
Mike and El both look around. Having had to run and hide in the woods around Hawkins for the last 18 months she finds her bearings first.
“This way to Wills home.”
They go to move but both El & Robin notice Mike is close to hyperventilating from exertion now.
“You want me to take baby Byers for a minute?” offers Robin.
Mike looks at her sceptically. “No offense Robin but your pretty clumsy at the best of times.”
“Okay first of all rude. Secondly you can stay close behind me like I did and if you think I’m gonna drop him or fall you can grab him. You look like you need a break but I don’t think it’s safe to stop for much longer.”
Mike thinks for a minute. He’s never been in good shape exactly but with the constant years of being chased by monsters and the government he’d put some effort into at least gaining more stamina these last 18 months. Even he’s surprised though with how long he’s lasted carrying Will while running.
Despite his reluctance he nods and the three of them manage to get Will up on Robins back, his head resting on her shoulder and his cheek against her cheek.
“Okay I know we’re in a possible life and death situation but I had no idea how cute Will was when he was a little kid. Kinda want to see what all of you looked like when you were this young.”
“Ugh don’t. When my moms out of hospital you can get her to show you the pictures.”
_____________________________________________________________________
It takes them a good half an hour. They’ve no idea where exactly the tree gate Nancy found is, so they head straight to the Byers house.
Seeing it brings sad memories to both Mike and El for different reasons.
For El its because it reminds her of her brief stay there with Joyce and her adoptive brothers when she thought she’d lost Hopper forever. Joyce, Jonathan and Will had been an amazing family for her during that time, and all their time in Lenora.
But that had been one of the saddest times she had had since escaping the Lab and Papa. She had spent that time believing her dad was dead, had moved away from the only friends she’d ever known and the boy she loved. She’d made not a single friend at school beyond Will, with Angela’s constant bullying her and the fact no matter how hard she tried she didn’t fit in at school with kids her age. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of connection between this place and the sadness that time gave her.
Mike meanwhile was reminded when things use to be simpler and all the happy memories he made with Will as a child, just the two of them for the most part. The games they played, Will convincing Jonathan to be part of it sometimes as a giant or monster that Will the Wizard and Mike the Knight would have to slay. The pair of them drawing with Will’s crayons and Mike being put out that he couldn’t draw as good as Will, who would try to show him how to draw like him rather than see him upset.
Even when Lonnie Byers had scolded the boys a few times when he was at home that ended up resulting in Joyce & Karen agreeing it would be best if Will came to Mike’s house to play it didn’t sour the memories for him. By the time Lonnie was no longer in the picture Will was old enough and able to ride his bike around Hawkins so even though they could have played at his more he and the guys agreed Mikes basement was a better place to meet up and play since it felt more private, like their own place.
Of course the vines growing all over it and the decaying nature of the upside down stop the image from being completely comforting but for a brief flash Mike remembered better times.
El goes first, still cautious of Demo’s or soldiers lurking in shadows. Mike comes next followed by Robin with Will.
They still don’t understand why but everything in this nightmare version of Hawkins is from the night of November 6th 1983, the day El accidently opened the 1st gate at Hawkins Lab and the night Will went missing. So upon entering every piece of furniture from the sofa’s covered with blankets to the book cases, kitchen table and even the photo frames of the Byers was still up in place despite the fact the real byers home had been emptied over 2 years ago. Sure some were covered in vines and a bit slimy with the blankets starting to go mouldy and rotten but the place was a perfect replica from the year Will went missing.
The only thing that was different was the scorch marks and burnt rusty bear trap in the hall from when Nancy, Jonathan and Steve had caught a Demogorgon here in the real Hawkins. They’d set it on fire to hurt it but before they could kill the monster it had opened a gate and slipped back through, removing the trap and putting itself out before fleeing the scene.
“What about there El? Can you make a gate there?” said Mike, pointing to the burnt carpet and trap.
EL closed her eyes and concentrated.
“Theres somewhere weaker I can make one.” Her arm came up, fingers up and palm in front of her. She made her to the living room hand slowly circling the room.
It was like the room was telling her a story, and not at all a pleasant one. From the ceiling she felt what can only be described as memory of the room as the Demogorgon ripped through a gate in the ceiling, dropping down into the room with a scared Jonathan and Nancy. It only takes a moment though before Nancy aims the gun and fires. With the loudness of the gunfire El is snapped back into the present. This gate is the newer of the ones in the Byers home but it’ll be hard to get everyone, including an unconscious Will up to the ceiling and through it.
Right below it El is assaulted by more bad memories this place has been through. On the wall right by the window she sees flashes of Joyce Byers, screaming in terror as something tries to break through the wall, only to succeed the second time to see Joyce fleeing the scene, Christmas lights blinking in its presence. The last memory makes El feel like her heart will break. Will, even smaller than he is on Robins back right now, in the upside down pleading with his mom on the other side to come save him, Joyce promising she is coming to get him but he needs to go hide. The image ends just as she takes an axe to the wall trying to break through.
El feels a torrent of emotions. Anger at Henry for putting Will through this and everything he’s been through since that night but also guilt for her unknowing and unwilling part in it. She never meant for any of it to happen, she’d only been doing as her papa made her do, but it still didn’t stop the guilt she felt for the people she loved getting hurt and the innocent people who had died since she opened the first gate.
Maybe Kali was right. Maybe the only way to make sure this doesn’t happen again after they take care of Henry is to….
No. Not now. What happens next comes later. Right now she needed to get her friends out of here.
This gate with all these horrible memories of Joyce and Will has been used the most here and she thinks it only fitting that since Will couldn’t escape through it before that he should have the chance to do so now.
Its been a long time since she had to reopen a gate, and that one hadn’t even fully closed in the school. But thanks to Papa and Dr Owens with Project NINA she remembered the sensation she was feeling when she cast Henry into the upside down, the first gate to ever open in Hawkins.
She focuses on a point on the wall and pours all her focus, all her rage, all her grief, all her love and affection for the people that mean everything to her, Hopper, Joyce, Mike, Will, Max, Dustin, Lucas, Jonathan and Nancy. Everyone who has been there for her and made her feel loved. She wants to go back to them. She wants them all to be together when this is over. She just needs to break through this stupid wall.
It starts as a small crack with a slight orange glow. The crack spreads, the wall seems to sag inwards as vines start to emerge from beneath the cracks and spread, helping the crack become a hole. Big enough for one of them to put their head through at first, but continuing to widen.
El’s nostrils start to run with blood, her eyes going bloodshot and the pounding of her own heartbeat in her ears. The room is starting to spin for her just as the hole becomes wide enough for them to squeeze through.
“GO! NOW!” she says.
Mike helps Robin get through the gate first, taking Will from her and holding him under his arms and knees, as she pushes against the pinkish somewhat translucent flesh like membrane till it breaks and takes a step through before reaching out to take Will from Mike again.
Mike takes a hold around one of EL’s wrists, letting her know he’s not going through without her.
She grounds herself for a minute before giving one last strong push, forcing the gate to widen just a tiny fraction more before she and Mike run through, the membrane and its slimy surface rubbing against their clothes and faces.
EL can feel the gate starting to close back up without her powers keeping it open. On the one hand she’s glad she won’t have to exert more energy to close it because her battery feels almost completely empty now. But on the other this gates closing pretty fast.
The pair of them manage to get through with barely enough time to turn and see the gate close behind them. Not a scar or even crack is left behind on the wall.
“Uh….guys?” says Robin. The pair turn and see she’s laid Will down on a sofa but is looking around the room with a confused expression. “Why do the new owners of Will’s old home have nearly the exact same furniture we just saw in the upside down?”
Mike looks around. Robin’s right. Almost everything here is exactly the same as what they just left in the upside down. The coffee table is different, the real one got smashed in the fight Nancy, Jonathan and Steve had with the Demogorgon. Blankets are different too, but everything else is the same. The book cases, the sofas, the kitchen table. Hell everything in the kitchen is the same.
El’s knees buckle a bit and she lets go of Mike to go site on the other sofas. Mike goes to her and looks her over.
“Jesus El.” He reaches out for some tissues from the table and gives them to her.
“I’m fine. Just need to rest. And something for my battery.”
“Yeah sure, I’ll see what they have in the fridge.”
He rushes to the kitchen and goes to open the fridge when he’s reminded once again exactly WHERE he is right now. Because on the fridge door are the magnets holding up letters and photos and one very Will Byers style of drawing. But not the type Will does these days, Mikes seen how his sketches and drawings have gotten more detailed with shading and angles in the months they Byers have been living with his family.
No this is one of Wills much older drawings, or at least his older styles since the paper itself looks pretty fresh compared to the collection of Wills old artwork he has back in his basement. But Mike remembers this one because he and the guys asked Will to draw it multiple times so their moms could use it as a reference for making their Halloween costumes. The only difference was the names each of them had written on the name tags.
Mike feels himself go cold as things start to click together in his head. He looks at Will, at how small and young he looks, the clothes he’s wearing and trying to line the timeframe up in his head with what he thinks is happening. Theres one way to know for sure.
Without a word he runs to Wills room, because he’s not questioning why this place is exactly like the Byers old home. He thinks he has the answer, he just needs to confirm it.
And the minute he opens the door to Wills bedroom it is.
For their draped on the back of Will’s chair at his desk is the Ghostbusters Halloween costume, the black nametag with red stitching spelling out Spengler whilst the proton back the boys had worked on lays on the floor in the corner of the room.
Mike can see past the costume there is another drawing on the desk, and he’s pretty sure he knows what its going to be, but he has to be sure.
It’s a black and white drawing. It’s the view from the Byers front porch. And towering up into the sky above it is the large, black multilimbed shape of the Mindflayer.
“Holy shit.”
He walks out of the room and back to the living room, finding Robin giving El a cup of water and some cookies that Mike was meant to have got her.
“Where the hell did you go to all of a sudden?”
But Mike ignores her and heads over to Will and quickly touches his forehead. Hes cold, his fever having gone down during the time it took them to get back to Hawkins, but not as cold as Mike remembers back then. He quickly takes the blanket off the back of the sofa and apologises to El as he pulls her forward a bit to pull the blanket off behind her and throws it over Will.
“Hey! His temperatures only just gone down, you’re gonna get him overheated again!”
“Good! We need to burn it out of him!” Mike says frantically, tucking the blankets under Will and looking for more ways to heat him up before heading to Wills room to fetch his quilt.
“Robin, make him a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, or anything hot!”
“WHAT! Why?” but Mikes already back with the quilt bundled in his arms and throwing it over Will. She heads over to him and forces him to turn around and face her.
“Wheeler tell me what the hell is going on, why are you burying Will under every blanket in the house?!”
“Because this place isn’t like Wills old home, it is Wills old home!” he spots a newspaper on the kitchen table and brings it over. He doesn’t need to check the date on it, he knows what the date will say.
“The reason there’s no mile long gate? The reason Will looks like a kid again? Why we haven’t heard anything from anyone since that weird storm in the upside down?” he holds up the newspaper and points to the date in the corner. “Were back in time, back in 1984. And going by the Halloween costume in his room and his drawing of the Mindflayer I’m pretty sure todays the day it attacked him at school and started taking control of him.”
Robin looks at that date on the newspaper. November 1st 1984.
“Holy shit.”
Silence for a few minutes as they let it sink in before a small voice under a pile of blankets and a quilt whispers:
“Who are you? How’d you get in my house.”