Eleven has a bad feeling as Papa instructs her to undress and change into the new dress. She follows his orders, sliding the pink material over her slender body. The sleeves are long and there is a white collar, and it hits her above the knee. In the reflection of the one-way glass, she feels... Beautiful. What Mike called her last time. Even though her dark curls are wild and unkempt, and she's barefoot, and she can see the little points of her nipples through the material, she still feels pretty.
"That's a good girl." Papa gives her a smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes, and Eleven knows that something is wrong. A sense of dread slides down her spine, pooling in her stomach and making her palms clammy. This is a punishment wrapped in a pink dress. This is bad. "Now, follow me. I want you to meet someone."
He stands, opens the door and without making sure she is following, exits into the hallway. Her feet feel heavy as she slowly follows. The hallway seems miles long and they walk for what seems like forever until he opens another door and motions for her to enter. Fighting back the fear and anxiety that makes her tremble, Eleven strides inside. There is a one-way mirror of course on the wall opposite the door. A couch, a table and chairs. Kali sits in a chair with a boy. Eleven supposes he must be her age, with a shaved head and light blue eyes that remind her of the sky, that day she escaped. His features are like hers, small and delicate, but the way he's looking at her is hard. Cold.
"Eleven, I would like you to meet Nine. Nine, this is Eleven."
Shock in her eyes as they swing up to Papa's face. Eleven knew that Kali had been like her before, but for some reason hadn't imagined a boy.
"You two are going to become very close friends. Won't that be nice?" Papa smirks. He's looking at her expectantly. Eleven gulps.
"Yes, Papa." She turns again to Nine. He looks like he wants to... what? Eleven doesn't know how to interpret the look in his eyes. Whatever it is, she knows it's not good.
—
"So, lets start at the beginning. When did you first dream of her?" Max has a sheet of paper and pen poised in one hand. They've picked themselves in the AV room, unspoken agreement that they wouldn't be leaving soon.
Mike paces, rubbing his chin absently. He remembers the dream like it happened only moments ago; lips on his neck, hands on his body, everywhere at once. It was overwhelming and intense, and now that he knew her face he wishes he had seen it then, too. He's struggling to remember when, though.
"I think... it was last year. Around fall?" He tries to remember waking up and succeeds, the erection he's had harder than any previous ones he can remember. He remembers furiously jerking off before his alarm sounded or his mother came knocking. Vaguely, he remembers that he wore only boxers and a T-shirt. Late summer, early fall, then. He leaves out these details, figuring Max doesn't need to know and Lucas might kill him if he was discussing his cock with his girlfriend.
"Ok. So, did you guys go anywhere different last year around this time? Hang out anywhere out of the norm?" Max tucks a loose red curl behind her ear. Mike is shocked that she's so helpful - his mind is a tangle of doubt and worry and confusion about this whole situation. He is worried for Eleven. He's frightened of what they - whoever they are - might do to her. And he's still in a state over the fact that she is real, that she cane to him... How did she do any of that? How can she she be real?
"We hang around Mirkwood a lot in the end of summer. No ones ever out there." Mike frowns, stroking his chin, deeply in thought. Crunchy leaves under his sneakers, the compass going all wonky. They had figured it was something to do with the device...
"Mirkwood? By Will's?" Max scribbles something down and then stands. "We should get a map. See if we can find anything nearby. But," she pauses, eyes scrunching together, "other than Will's place, all I can think of is the Lab."
She continues rattling on, talking about skipping the whole day and that's fine with her, but Mike is frozen to his seat. Hawkins Lab... The place always gave him the creeps. The big building was fenced off, and there were armed guards patrolling the entrance and perimeter. Dustin had always joked that they probably had some kind of crazy experiments going on there, hence the need for such security and secrecy. Hawkins Lab... it makes sense.
"Max, you're a genius," Mike breathes out.
The redhead pauses and cocks her head to the side. "Thanks, Wheeler. But we already knew this." Her cheeky grin makes him chuckle, and for the first time since waking that morning, Mike feels a little better, a little lighter.
—
Papa leaves her alone with Nine. eleven nervously fidgets with her dress and stands still as the boy approaches her. No, not boy, she thinks with an internal frown. He's a man - older than her.
"Papa says you're lonely," Nine tells her, and he circles around her. It makes her stomach flop around.
"Papa is your papa, too?"
"All our Papa." He shrugs one shoulder and their eyes meet. He looks hungry, and it frightens her. "He made us. All of us. What can you do?"
Eleven shakes her head. She doesn't want to be here, let alone use her powers. She knows that there are people studying them, hidden cameras and the one-way glass.
"I can start fires," Nine says. He olds out his hand, and a little orange flame dances in his palm. Eleven gasps in surprise. No blood comes from his nose, and she's somewhat envious about that. "Show me yours, Eleven."
She's trembling, but nods. Eleven can't believe that there are more like her, like Kali - and the fact that they're numbers, which come in order, means that there are more too. Are they here? Is Papa keeping them apart on purpose? Are they locked up in their own cells, littered like broken toys around the building? Or did they escape?
She nods towards the table and chairs. Carefully, she lifts a chair a few inches from the floor before replacing it. Not terribly impressive - not as cool as the fire. But Nine exhales slowly and smiles.
"Our child will be powerful."
Fear is ice that slides down her spine as Eleven realizes what Papa wants from her. What he's brought them together for. Inside, she is screaming.
No! Mike!
—
They made it to the student parking lot without being apprehended and Mike slides behind the wheel as alex stashed her bag and board in the backseat. He knows there's maps in his father's study of the town, and figures they can look them over to make sure the Lab is the closest -
NO! MIKE!
The scream in his head echos and reverberates and he clutches his temples. It's so loud! And he knows that voice, it's her. And she's in danger.
"Shit!" He exclaims. Max squints at him, opening her mouth to ask 'what the fuck' but he waves a hand to silence her. How? How could she be in his head? Hes awake, it's the middle of the day...
"We have to hurry," Mike says, returning shaking hands to the steering wheel. "She's in danger."
MIKE NO MIKE MIKE MIKE
He doubles over, ears throbbing from the volume and the desperation in her voice. His face bumps the wheel and he doesn't even feel it, or Max's hand on his shoulder. He's completely absent of the present.
"I'm getting Lucas! Hold on, Mike!" Max swings out of the car and books it back towards the school. Mike breathes slowly, closing his eyes. The sting of hot tears prick his eyes.
What are they doing to her?