She found herself in front of a metal door in what looked like a hospital hallway. El turned around in a circle, surveying her surroundings. As she looked around it dawned on her that she was at Hawkin's lab and that her friends could possibly be behind that door.
She ran up to the door and looked through it's window to find all her friends sitting in a circle. They either looked frightened or tired. She knocked on the window and everyone turned their heads toward the door. "El!" They said cheerfully. " Stand back." She said as she concentrated her powers to unlock the door.
She could hear the high pitch whine from her powers as the lock became undone. Before she could finish, something hard rammed into the side of her causing her powers to stop. She hit the ground, pain coursing through her body. She recopperated from her fall and found herself in a black void like the ones she goes in when she tries to find someone.
The floor felt ice cold with no water and white flecks like stars covered the ceiling. She turned around in a circle as she got up. She felt confused and disoriented. She started to walk around the void hoping to find a way out. She walked for what felt like hours when she saw two figures off into the distance.
She crept closer to the two and soon realized the pair. " Dustin, Lucas?" She asked softly scared that this could all be a mind trick set up by the monster. Lucas was the first to turn around and say something.
"Where were you?" He asked in an accusing voice. Eleven tilted her head in confusion. The word ' what' escaped her lips. " Why didn't you come for us sooner?" Dustin asked, hurt in his eyes. El was now totally confused. She had seen them mere minutes ago trying to save them and now they were accusing her of just showing up.
She felt a shiver creep down her spine as she started at the pair. Something wasn't right. In a way they looked lifeless, like they didn't belong. " Not real." She whispered to herself. "Not real!" She said again only louder so the void could hear her. The two infront of her turned into whispers and disappeared.
She continued her journey releasing this must be some kind of test. About ten minutes passed by before she saw another two figures stand before her. It was Max and Will. Her first instinct was to call out to them but she knew it was a trap. She tried to walk past them but the two grabbed her wrists from each side of her.
"Please don't go." Max pleaded with her. "You'll die if you do." Will siad. "No." El shook her head in disagreement. "Please." Max pleaded with her. "I'm sorry." She said as she ripped her wrists free and started to run.
She kept running until her legs felt like jello and she had to stop. What she saw next made her heart drop to her stomach. There was a figure laying on the floor. As she walked closer to the figure she found it to be Mike. He was bloody and bruised and seemed really pale. His breathing was coming out shallow.
"Mike." El said. "El." Mike called out weakly. She rushed to his side and fell to her knees. She grabbed his hand and held on tight. " What happened?" She asked him. " I tried to kill it. I really did but it got me first." Tears welled up in El's eyes. " Mike, you're going to be okay." She told him reassuringly. " El, I-"
Before he could finish he started to cough causing a bit of blood to roll down the side of his face. "I-I'm sorry." She felt his hand go limp in hers. " No. No. Mike!" She screamed out as tears streamed down her face. " Mike please wake up." She cried. "Mike!" She screamed out in pain causing her powers to break whatever fantasy she was in. Before she knew it she was back in Hawkin's lab and what stood before her was a shadow monster.
She could hear the sound of her friends bangimg on the door behind siad monster. She stood up from where she was sitting on the floor ready to fight the monster. El was filled with rage and hatred as she thrusted both of her hands towards the creature using all her strength to tear it apart.
It gave out a screech that was so loud that the group had to cover their ears. El ignored it's screaming as she screamed at the top of her lungs and split it in half. It became a wisp of smoke and dust as it disappeared into thin air.
With her remaining strength she unlocked the door. " El!" MIke called out as he rushed over to her. But before he could reach her, she collapsed to the floor. " El." Mike rushed over to her. " Mike." She said weakly, reaching out for his hand. The rest of the gang rushed over too, concert etched onto their faces.
El's face was ghostly white pale and the blood that ran down from her nostrils looked vibrant red. Her eyes looked glassy and a single tear fell down her cheek. " Hey, you're going to be okay." Max reassured her as she ran her hands through El's hair. " We can just take her to the hospital right?" Will asked.
" I wouldn't recommend that." Said a voice from behind the group. They all turned forming a barrier around El. There standing before them was Dr. Brenner. El let out a little whimper causing Mike to hold onto her hand tighter.
"What do you want?" Lucas asked. Brenner smiled at the kids and said " To help her with her powers. She clearly isn't doing well on her own. She looks drained and over exhausted." The next thing he said he looked directly at Mike. " She could even possibly die." Everyone sat in an eerie silence letting his words sink in.
" If I let me take her she will live. But you won't be able to see her again." He started smirking. Everyone looked at one another slowly freaking out. Mike looked at El who looked like she was getting worse by the minute. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on her forehead as tears began to slide down his own cheeks.
"I'll get you out here when you're better." He said quietly enough for only El to hear. " Promise?" "Promise." He pulled away from her and looked at Brenner. "Okay." He said softly. "What!" Everyone protested.
"Good choice." Brenner said as he came to pick up El. As he walked away with Eleven in his arms, Mike thought he saw her reach her hand out for him.