HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! HAPPY STRANGER THINGS MONTH! HAPPY 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF STRANGER THINGS 3! CAN'T BELIEVE IT!
Sorry for this wait, so glad I go to release today on Independence Day! The ANNIVERSARY! I'm surprised by the attention this fic has been getting lately!
Notice the new poster? Sorry if you preferred the original, but I thought it would be a change since we are coming towards the FINAL BATTLE! In the original poster it had the kids, yet only El and Will were looking back (signifying they were the only ones becoming aware of the Shape in Hawkins). Now, all the kids are aware and are now afraid about what is about to happen next. Plus, Erica is in it, though she is starting to get her head around the situation.
And with big updates coming lately for the upcoming installments to both franchises!
The Halloween Kills trailer out! And COOL, PACKED, AND FULL OF TRADEMARKS! And DARK…
Stranger Things 4 is almost underway with the filming! And there's the release of shows similar to Stranger Things, like R.L. Stine's Fear Street. Not only having Maya Hawke and Sadie Sink, but freaking using the same mall used for Starcourt!
So glad to finally get this chapter here.
Warning that this chapter may be a bit tense. So, viewer discretion advised.
Hawkins Memorial Hospital – Parking Lot
El finally got up on her feet after having crawled out from the boiler room window and found herself back in the parking lot of the hospital. She now worried so much for Lucas and Billy; Michael had been just behind her and was about to grab her—till Billy gave a yell and stopped him. The odds were too much, yet she wanted it to be fact that Lucas and Billy were still alive.
She could not go back; she didn't even know which way to go back inside, or where Billy and Lucas might; and there was the chance of running into Michael again. Now in front of her were several cars belonging to the doctors and staff that had stayed, and there was Billy's car of course. They were useless to her—she didn't know how to drive a car, unlike Max. And second, she couldn't live with herself if she left her friends behind.
Where could be a place to hide?
It was too far to make to the outskirts of the hospital with her leg. She didn't think to enter through the hospital again through the entrance. Michael would be coming soon.
El noticed the car nearest to her and got the idea. She made herself towards the front door and wondered if…
The door was unlocked. She noticed when she pulled the handle.
Before she entered it was when she noticed something below. Something with the tire. She looked closer and realized the tire was deflated, and then she noticed the shredded hole in it.
(Halloween II OST Flats in the Parking Lot)
Her eyes widened, and the cold was coming in.
She turned to look at the other tire, which was flat as well. It was no coincidence.
If so… that meant all the cars in the parking lot had flat tires. And someone to make a hole in each and everyone of them… was Michael.
To make sure no one escaped the hospital so easily.
El placed a hand over mouth to stop herself from whimpering. She hurried to open the door of the car and hopped in. She found herself in the driver's seat and scoot below the wheel to hide; before doing that, she closed the door to car and felt secure in her spot.
She was safe… for now.
And she was alone also.
She felt this feeling long ago. She felt it when she had hidden under a log when the bad men were desperately searching for her; right after she had killed the Demogorgon that night. That night she was forced to leave Mike and her friends. She had felt so alone back then.
And now it wasn't the bad men she was afraid of finding her now… it was the Shape. Her brother.
Hawkins Neighborhood
"Oh, sh*t…" Jonathan groaned while he drove his car with Nancy, Dustin, and Will; they saw the crowds of people and ambulances almost crammed together on the side of the street. The people murmuring loudly along with the flashing lights of a few police cars around.
"It's chaos…" Will said, not liking the feeling at all.
"Michael…" Dustin shook his head.
The police officers weren't kidding back at the hospital.
"How are we going to find our parents in all of this?" Nancy asked, concerned.
Jonathan didn't want to say it, but the possibility that… that Michael had…
"We don't even know where to start…" Jonathan tried saying. "If they are here or at home…"
"NANCY!" The four in the car raised theirs eyes to the group of adults and kids making their way towards the car.
"Mom?" Nancy said, baffled as Jonathan stopped the car, and all of them got out to meet them.
"Oh, my goodness! Nancy!" Ted exclaimed as he and his wife both hugged their daughter.
"Dusty!" Dustin widened his eyes when his mother appeared and engulfed him in a hug, and though surprised, he nonetheless returned it. "Oh, my goodness! I was so scared!"
"Mom, it's okay! Really, I'm okay!" Dustin tried saying. "You don't need to hug me too tight."
The next person to come up was someone they didn't expect.
"Mr. Clarke?" Will said, almost starting to smile.
"Mr. Clarke?!" Dustin said as he broke away from his mother's hug.
"Boys!" Scott Clarke smiled to see two of his former students alive and well. The boys didn't waste time and rushed towards their mentor and hugged.
"Whoa, boys…" Though they were hugging a little tight, Clarke much appreciated it. "So glad to see you," His face turn to one of concern. "But where's the rest of you?"
"Where's Mike?" Karen asked, with the adults looking at the four teens.
"And what about my all-nerd brother?" They turned to see the voice coming from Erica, who was walking towards them with Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair.
"Erica?" Dustin said, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair?" Will said.
"Where's our son?" Mrs. Sinclair asked, very concerned.
"And can any of you, or at least anyone else," Erica stated, sounding on edge. "Explain what the hell is going on."
"Hey!" Ted chastised the girl. "Language!"
"Erica…" Mr. Sinclair sighed at his daughter's choice of words in front of the neighbors.
"Sinclair!" They heard an irritated voice, and they wondered who it could be.
"Neil, please!" Susan Hargrove tried saying to her husband, Neil Hargrove, as he stepped into the scene with his wife following him.
"Wait, is that…?" Nancy asked.
"Billy's dad," Dustin said, as he glanced at Jonathan and Will. Billy's dad could mean…
The group looked to how the man irritatingly walked toward them with an angry look on his face in contrast to his worried and cautious red-headed wife. Ted was starting to feel tension setting in, and Karen feeling a bit uncomfortable with Billy's dad coming in.
"Oh, you must be Max's…" Mr. Clarke tried to say.
"Where IS she?!" Neil asked angrily as he looked at Dustin and Will. "Where is my daughter!"
"Hey! Watch the tone." Mrs. Henderson stood protectively by the boys and was starting to glare at Neil.
"What's your beef with these kids?" Mrs. Sinclair asked.
"They're close friends with Max. Especially with your son," Neil indicated Lucas with emphasis. "And I don't see her." He looked back to the boys. "Where is she?!"
"Take it easy, sir…" Will said, feeling uncomfortable by the man's tone towards him and Dustin. "Max is fine."
"Yeah, she's at the hospital." Dustin said.
"WHAT?!" Several of the adult said in shock.
"Max… is at the hospital?" Susan said, starting to look worried, while Neil started to turn red.
"She's at the hospital?" The man started to grit his teeth. "What did you do?!"
"Nothing!" Jonathan stepped in. "Max is alright. She's not the one injured."
"But she is alone?" Susan asked.
"Lucas is with her," Nancy said, gaining surprised looks from the Hargrove's and the Sinclair's.
"Lucas? My brother? Alone with a girl?" Erica asked almost in unbelief, before looking away with ideas. "That can't be good at all." The Sinclair and Hargrove parents look at the young girl with confusion.
"Ugh! Erica!" Dustin shook his head. "If it makes you feel better: Billy's with her."
Neil and Susan turned at him in shock.
"Billy?" Susan asked, almost baffled.
"My son?" Neil said, very baffled. "He's with her? With Max?"
"Positive," Dustin said. He used to think being with Billy Hargrove was the worst thing, well, that was at least until tonight.
Dustin's answer was able to calm Neil down at least. The hot-tempered man told that his… almost good-for-nothing son was with his sister. Watching over her. That was something he didn't expect. He was ready to hunt down his son and give him his piece for not being around to watch over his sister when they got the call hell was breaking lose downtown. He'll just have to wait till he sees them again.
Susan felt relieved that Billy was watching over Max at least, even though they… didn't had the best relationship. There was still the matter of why they were at the hospital.
"Mike is with them at the hospital as well." Nancy said. "Along with Laurie."
"Are they…?" Karen said, almost afraid to ask.
"No… it's…" Nancy was about to say before she remembered. "It's Jane. She was hurt."
That caused the Wheeler parents to look shock, both remembering their son's girlfriend for the first time yesterday.
"Hopper's daughter?" Ted asked.
"Hopper's daughter?" Mr. Clarke asked confused, he was told Hopper's daughter, Sara died years ago, so how… "But I thought…"
"Yes," Nancy said, looking with grimace. "And we need to find him."
"Hopper is already here," Karen said, catching Nancy, Jonathan, Will, and Dustin's attention, as well as lifting up their hopes. "He's here along with Joyce, Steve, Robin, and… Laurie's uncles." That boosted their hopes even more.
"Where are they?!" Dustin asked immediately.
"Hopper, Joyce, Sam, and John… they are talking with the Mayor further away. It's not just him… but there are these strange men… and a Marshal of the State." That confused the four teens. "Robin, Steve, and the kids are close by… with this strange nurse who knows Sam."
They were led to where Steve, Robin, Holly, and Little Karen were, as well as with Nurse Marion.
"Steve!" Dustin yelled with joy.
The former jock immediately swiped his head at his best friend. "Henderson!"
The deputy ran towards Dustin and engulfed him in a hug, and they laughed joyfully. When they broke apart, Dustin looked appalled to see Steve's face.
"Holy Mother…" Dustin started to say.
"Oh, my G*d, Steve!" Nancy said, looking shocked, as did Will and Jonathan at the bruises on Steve's face.
"What happened to you, man?" Jonathan asked, the state of the bruises looked as bad as the ones he gave him two years ago.
"Oh, this?" Steve pointed at his face, trying to smile. "It's nothing, okay. I'm good. Really, I'm good."
"Yeah, just don't touch your nose again," Robin warned as he caught his hand before it was about to pinch his now-taped nose. "Long story." She said to the group.
"Did you get into a fight?" Ted asked, concerned.
"I'll bet…" Erica stated.
"Nancy?" Nancy turned to see Holly and Little Karen coming to her.
"Holly! Oh, my goodness!" She kneeled down to her little sister and hugged her, before turning to Little Karen, and remembered the promise she made to her mother. "Karen… are you okay."
"Mmm-hmm," Little Karen nodded. "I was scared and cried a bit… but I'm okay. Where's Mommy?"
"She's okay," Nancy smiled. "She's safe at the hospital."
"You mean Laurie?" Nancy turned to see the nurse asking. "Laurie Strode?"
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm Nurse Marion Chambers," The woman stated, with a serious expression forming on her face. "I'm a friend of Sam and Laurie."
"We need to see them," Nancy stood up. "Hopper and Loomis." The girl's face turned to one of grimace. "There is something… they need to know."
"I am not happy, Jim," Larry growled in naked anger and frustration as he glared at Hopper, who stood alongside Joyce and Loomis. "Not. Happy. At all!"
"Why wouldn't you be, Larry?" Hopper asked. "Nobody here has any right to be happy at all!"
"You ready to shout your trap at us, Mayor Kline?" Loomis asked. "Well, get on with it."
"Hey," Marshall Terrence Gummell shushed the doctor as he stood next to Kline. "The Mayor was not asking you Dr. Loomis." Loomis made mad line of his lips as he stared frustratingly at the Marshall.
"People are dead, Jim," Larry gritted his teeth in anger. "About ten people—IN MY TOWN ARE DEAD! D-E-A-D! DEAD! It's supposed to be Halloween! But things are not peachy as they should be! Kids are crying sick! And parents are screaming! A psycho—is running loose in my town! And YOU—" Larry pointed at Jim's chest accusingly. "—and your force—the one I bestowed upon you—are not doing your G*DD*MN job as you are supposed to!"
"B*LLSH*T!" Hopper swiped the finger away. "COMPLETE B*LLSH*T COMING FROM THAT MOUTH OF YOURS!"
"We warned you…" Loomis walked closer towards Kline with a look of pent-up anger and frustration built from the past twenty-two years. "WE WARNED YOU!" To Larry's shock, the doctor grabbed him by his vest. "This morning we gave you every chance! Every opportunity to warn you of the evil that is HERE! WE WARNED YOU!"
"Get off, doc!" Gummell pushed Loomis away from Kline.
"What is your problem with him?!" Joyce asked angrily.
"Problem, ma'am?" Gummell said. "This doctor left without notifying and… I heard that has been a complaint filed… by a Mr. and Mrs. Strode…" Loomis shook his head from disbelief. Laurie's parents, of course. "Explaining that their only daughter and their granddaughter were missing as they didn't receive notice, and that it was these men…" He pointed to Loomis and Owens. "Who brought them across the state, especially when it was notified the perpetrator who terrorized her years ago… escaped."
"Dr. Loomis is not to blame for any of this…" Hopper angrily said.
"Careful, Chief," Gummell warned. "Or I will have no choice but to restrain you."
"Restrain?!" Joyce said dumbfounded. "You should be the ones restraining yourselves from dumping all the b*llsh*t on them!"
"We told you everything you needed to know in your office hours ago, Larry," Owens said with a low voice, as he stood a few feet away with his leg up, and next to him were Dr. Sartain and Dr. Hoffman, both men looking with concern as to how this conversation was going. "We laid out all in front of you. Who he was. What he was capable of. You're the one who ignored the whole g*dd*mn—"
"Then where were you?" Kline demanded, and he turned to Hopper. "Where were you, Jim? Where were you playing hooky when this Anti-Christ of yours was bringing hell all over here?"
That caught the Hopper, Joyce, Loomis, and Owens silent; even annoyed them that Kline managed to point out something that he could use to justify himself and put the blame on them. But there was no way in hell they were going to disclose to him about their venture to the abandoned lab.
"Yeah, that's right?" Everyone turned to see an unexpected face coming into their presence—Tom Holloway, who glared right at Hopper. "Where were you… when it happened?" The man's features almost looked worn and down not due to anything physical—but after a toll of great emotional stress. This was turning out to be the worst night of Tom's life.
"Tom…" Hopper tried saying. "I can…"
"DON'T B*LLSH*T ME YOU F*GGAT!" Tom yelled as he then gripped Hopper's shirt. "Answer the question: Where were you… WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS BEING BUTCHERED?!"
Owens looked down, as he other two doctors felt like they wanted to disappear from tension that boiling up in front of them. Joyce could feel pity for what her son's employer was going through, as much she didn't like Tom's rage at Hopper, she understood the pain the man was going through. Loomis understood it too; the Hawkins Post boss was glaring at Hopper with the same eyes—the same eyes Sheriff Leigh Brackett had for him when he came upon his daughter's corpse.
"Okay, Tom…" Kline said as he nervously smiled and put a hand on Tom's shoulder. "Can you just tone it down a…"
Tom slapped the mayor's hand away, much to the latter's shock.
"DON'T TOM ME!" Tom yelled. "DON'T YOU DARE! DID YOU KNOW AS WELL?!" That made Kline feeling a bit scared. "DID YOU?! DID YOU?!"
"HOPPER!" Everyone turned to see entering the scene was Nancy, Jonathan, Dustin, and Will.
"What the hell?" Larry said. "What are you doing here? Can't you kids see this is a private discussion!"
"It's an emergency," Nurse Marion said as she walked forward. "They needed to see them."
"Nancy? Byers?" Tom said, now baffled seeing his two employees.
"Tom?" Nancy and Jonathan both said, and they noticed how uncomposed their boss was than they always saw at the Post. It looked he just been through hell… in a mental kind of way.
"Doc, is that you?!" Dustin exclaimed seeing Owens, especially with his leg. "Again?!"
Owens made a humorless chuckle. "I'm more glad to see you, kid."
"Mom!" Jonathan and Will exclaimed as they saw Joyce. The two rushed forward and hugged their mother.
"Oh, my G*d!" Joyce exclaimed with joy and relief. She hugged her sons back and even kissed their foreheads. "You're okay!"
They broke their hug. "We hoped… we just hoped that you were okay…" Jonathan said, smiling.
"Don't worry about me," Joyce said. "I'm so happy you're alright…"
"Mom… were okay…" Will said, almost the need to breath okay. His fears of the possibility his mother being… that was put to rest…
"Will Byers?" Will then heard a man's voice saying his name—almost in awe. "Will Byers." Will turned to see Dr. Sartain having an excited look on his face and he came closer to Will. "It's you… The Boy who came back to life." As the doctor's smile grew, so did Will's uncomfortable feeling.
"Hey!" Jonathan stepped between his brother and the doctor. "Watch it!"
"Don't come any closer," Joyce said as she held Will's shoulders, and almost glared at the doctor. She definitely did not like the kind of attention he was give to her son. It was the same kind Will had to deal with when he had to deal with the aftermath of his disappearance and involvement with the Mind Flayer."
"Ranbir…" Hoffman tried saying. "Please, don't…"
"I'm sorry, but… I should've realized it…" He looked at Joyce. "Your son… is Will Byers. Hoffman and I… we heard so much about your son. And the files we had gathered…"
"Dr. Sartain…" Owens said, not liking where this was going. "That's enough."
"He said enough," Loomis said, now giving Sartain a hard stare. "Leave the boy alone."
"You know each other?" Sartain asked, before growing another smile. "You already met Dr. Loomis. So that means…"
"Okay, that's enough, you G*ddamn creep!" Hopper bellowed in front Sartain, causing the doctor to become silent.
"What hell is going on?" Kline asked, now irritated and confused.
Gummell didn't know what to say, and just remained silent.
"We don't have time for this!" Nancy said, before turning at Hopper and Loomis. "We need to talk."
"Yeah, big time!" Dustin said. "You need to hear this."
Hopper and Loomis glanced at each other. Loomis looked at Marion who nodded, and Hopper looked at Joyce for a moment, and she gave him a look of understanding."
"Alright," Hopper nodded. "Let's go."
"What?!" Kline exclaimed. "Where are you going?!"
"This will only take a moment, Mr. Mayor," Loomis said, as he, Hopper, Dustin, and Nancy were about to walk away towards a private space from the rest of them—before Tom grabbed the latter's arm.
"Tom, let go of me…" Nancy said, and she tried to yank away from her boss's tightening grip.
"You know something," Tom said, almost accusingly. "What is it you don't care to tell us?"
"Let go of her, Tom," Joyce said. "You're on edge…"
"Stay out of this!" Tom yelled at Joyce, causing the woman to stop in shock at Tom's tone, even everyone was starting to feel the tension now generating by Tom's unhinged face.
"Let go of me, Tom," Nancy stated again, almost trying to wring her wrist out of Tom's grip.
"No. Tell me what it is you have to say." Nancy started to feel fear at Tom's tone, she never seen him like this before. Dustin felt himself helpless. Hopper and Loomis were about to step in—before Jonathan pushed Tom away—freeing Nancy from his grip.
Tom gasped in disbelief. "Jonathan?"
Jonathan turned to his girlfriend. "Go on ahead."
Nancy didn't know what to say. Was her boyfriend just standing up to their boss—to free her? By the way Tom was acting and how on edge he was—for Jonathan pushing him off like that—they may be risking their jobs on the line.
"Jonathan…"
"It's okay," Jonathan made a small smile at her. "Just go."
Nancy looked at him for a moment and understood. She looked at Hopper, Loomis, and Dustin and nodded, and the four left for a space of their own. To say for the least, Hopper, Loomis, Dustin were afraid about what Tom was about to do next. They couldn't be more impressed with Jonathan.
As they left, Jonathan stood in the way to prevent Tom from going after them.
"Step aside, Jonathan…" Tom growled.
"I don't think so," Jonathan said, giving Tom his impassive face. "They're having a family discussion. It will be rude to interrupt."
That graded Tom's nerves a bit. "You dare talk about family…"
"Don't bother," Jonathan stood his ground when Tom tried to go for an exit.
"Byers…" Tom seethed and if he could… he would burst flames to explode. "I am your boss…"
"And don't touch my girlfriend like that… ever." Jonathan said with a warning glare.
Tom made fists, and when it looked like he was about to make a move.
"Uh-Uh-Uh…" Gummell warned. "You settle down now, sir, or I would have no choice but to restrain you."
Tom looked at the Marshal in disbelief, and looked back at Jonathan, the man gritted his teeth, before letting out a breath, and accepted defeat.
Joyce, Will, Owens and Marion could only look in awe and felt impressed with Jonathan. He was risking so much, especially with his superior, to protect Nancy. Especially with how Tom was on edge, no doubt he was going to put Jonathan on the line for this… but it didn't bother the young man at the moment. Not at all.
"Okay slow down," Hopper said to the two youths, alongside Loomis, finally getting away from ones trying to place them as the guilty party… at least.
"Now back to the question: What on earth are you doing here?" Loomis question with serious eyes on them.
"And where are El and the others?" Hopper asked with his eyes as thick as stone.
"At the hospital." Nancy and Dustin said at the same time.
That caught Loomis silent, while Hopper's jaw dropped. "What…?"
"El…" Nancy said with grimace. "She was attacked."
Both men felt cold sheets of ice going through them, Hopper feeling more colder than Loomis.
"No… wha…" Hopper stuttered.
"Michael?" Loomis asked with baffled eyes.
"He came to the cabin and attacked us," Nancy said, the fear and adrenaline from just less than two hours ago was coming back to her.
"And then he set the whole place on fire," Dustin quipped, causing Hopper to glance at him.
"What?!" Hopper asked, feeling like a splash of gas hit his face.
"He burned it," Dustin looked at the Chief apologetically. "He burned down your cabin to get us out."
"Oh my…" Loomis breathed out and saw the near-numb look washing on Hopper's face. Michael burned down Hopper's cabin. The place Hopper allowed Loomis, Laurie, Karen, and Owens to stay for the past two nights… was burnt to the ground.
Hopper thought it again… and then again.
His home.
Burned.
No doubt gone… in ashes.
Memories going far back to when he was a child visiting his grandpa. The place that would become a storage for memories both fond and best be forgotten. The place that had been a haven for a little girl that became a big part of his life. They made a real home out of the place. They spent two Christmases in the place. The place he would come back after a day on the job—better than his old trailer. His mind suddenly went desperately for the mementos still in there. Pictures of him and El.
And Sara…
No. No, G*ddamnit…
"I don't understand." Loomis asked. "Michael found you?"
Nancy nodded. "It's because…" The girl grimaced to say, and she glanced at Dustin.
"El went inside Michael's mind," Dustin went out and said it.
That caught both Hopper and Loomis frozen.
"What?" Loomis asked.
"SHE DID WHAT?!" Hopper almost roared.
"It was her choice!" Nancy said.
"I voiced against it, at first," Dustin said, then saw Nancy's glare. "But… they did give good reasons."
"WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET HER?!" Hopper roared again.
"Hopper, please…" Loomis said, not wanting Hopper's yelling to attract Kline and Tom just meters away.
"She thought she could find answers!" Nancy answered. "Find out how Michael escaped! We thought perhaps we could find out if the Lab was responsible!"
"And did you?" Loomis asked.
"Not exactly…" Dustin regretfully shook his head. "But she found out something else."
"What was it, then?" Hopper questioned, very starting to get impatient.
Nancy gulped, and she glanced at Dustin, who had the same feeling as well.
"Dr. Loomis, Hopper…" Nancy hesitated before beginning. "El went into the void… and she went into Michael's memories." The men's eyes widened at that. "And she saw… she saw Brenner." Hopper and Loomis made thin lines on their mouths at the very mention of the man. "And El saw herself."
That caught both men off guard.
"El…?" Hopper breathed out.
"Why you mean… 'herself?'" Loomis asked, not liking the feeling at all.
"Eleven and Michael…" Dustin said, the boy feeling the adrenaline within with what he was about to say. "They knew each other… before. In the lab. Michael… he was one of them. That makes him… El's lost brother."
(Halloween II OST Michael's Sister)
They… did not… expect that.
"Wh… Wha…" Hopper stuttered, feeling his world now turning. "The hell…?"
"No…" Loomis gasped, the logic of the world he once knew now falling out of zinc. "That can't…"
"They were test subjects together!" Nancy answered. "In Hawkins Lab! Like so many other children like El!"
"They were both used as lab rats!" Dustin said. "Hence why they were like brother and sister! Like the other girl Number Eight!"
"Sister…" Loomis whispered it… almost realizing an old feeling to it.
"Yes!" Nancy said, before glancing at Hopper. "Hopper, it's Eleven! He is after her! Why you think after the bus crash Michael stayed in Hawkins instead of going back to Haddonfield! He sensed her when she saw him—the night he killed those people at the gas station! It would explain how he knew she was here! El is his main target! Because to him… she is his…"
"Sister…" Loomis said out loud, causing Hopper, Nancy, and Dustin to look at him. "Sister. His sister… like…"
Smith's Grove Sanitorium
(October 31, 1978)
"Well, it took us the rest of the night to round up the patients." A nurse told Loomis as they walked down the hallway towards Michael's room. "One of them was way over in Morgantown road."
"Who was watching him?" Loomis said, almost impatiently.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?! What do you mean you don't know!" Loomis said very irritated.
"It was supposed to be Bernardi."
"Supposed to be?"
"Well, he was supposed to be here at 10. I don't know what happened."
"Where was he then? Bernadi?" Loomis said, before both of them approached Michael's room and entered.
The room was a mess. Broken pieces of furniture and torn clothes were cluttered on the floor. Some of the wallpaper was torn, and the windows was broken in several places.
The one already in the room holding two pieces in her hands was another nurse, who shrugged. "He must have broken the window with his hands."
"He came down the hall," The first nurse explained. "Breaking all the doors. Pushing all the patients outside."
Loomis looked around the tattered room with a hard line on his mouth, almost feeling the need to shake his head, but not now. "What was it you wanted to show me?"
The nurse closed the door to reveal six letters written in red on the back of it: SISTER.
Loomis grimaced at the word, and his widened briefly with realization.
"Dr. Loomis?" The second nurse asked. "Have they found him yet?"
Loomis hardened his mouth in a line and started to pick up his coat. "No… but I know where he's going."
With that, the doctor left the room without saying another room, and the nurse called out to as he stepped back into the hall. "Dr. Wynn is waiting to see you, doctor!"
Loomis somehow thought back to that memory from the morning of that fateful day. about how it all started that night on 1963. Michael's unholy crusade began when he took the life of someone close to him—someone he would still be fixated with for many years after her death—and how much he needed… to kill… in order to…
"Did Owens...?" Hopper almost growled. "He omitted this?!"
"If he didn't know, then it was Brenner's doing," Nancy said.
"He kept it shut for himself…" Dustin said. "So that…"
"DON'T YOU SEE IT?!" Loomis exclaimed, causing the three to look at the crazed look in the doctor's eyes. "Don't you see?! Don't you see what his doing here in Hawkins?! He killed one sister twenty-two years ago— AND NOW HE IS OUT TO KILL ANOTHER!"
Jonathan and Will noticed the four coming behind them with serious looks that had the feeling of end of the world.
"Nancy?" Jonathan asked.
"We have to go now," Nancy said as she looked into her boyfriend's eyes.
"What?" Will asked.
"Hopper?" Joyce asked as she stepped in front of Hopper.
"It's El," Hopper said, with a look of both dead serious and dead worried.
"Jim, what the hell are you talking about?" Kline asked, as he, Tom, Sartain, Hoffman, Gummell and Owens were all but confused in the background.
"Someone's in danger all right!" Loomis said, before giving a look to Owens—and the former Hawkins director realized what they meant.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Gummell yelled as he saw Hopper walking a way towards the Marshal's own station wagon. The Chief opened the door without hesitation to look inside—it didn't take long for the Chief to spot the Marshal's rifle strapped in the back—and took it.
"Hopper?!" Joyce asked, as she came behind him. "What's happening?"
Hopper turned to face her and placed his hands on her shoulders to look her in the eyes. "It's El." Joyce stopped silent at that. "She's in danger."
"Nancy, what is going on?" Karen asked, feeling clueless as to why her eldest child, her boyfriend, her ex, Robin—looked as though they were ready to depart.
"Mom…" Nancy said sincerely to her mother. "I need you and dad to stay here. You need to watch over Holly and Little Karen."
"Nancy, you're not making any sense…" Ted said, almost feeling how his daughter was acting the most out of character he had ever seen her.
"I wish we could explain Mr. Wheeler, but there's no time," Jonathan apologetically said.
"Right here," Loomis said as he and Marion helped Owens over near the group and set him down. "You can't go on…"
"Don't worry about me, Sam," Owens said. "Just go… and save those kids…"
Loomis looked at Marion. "Marion, stay here with Owens… and look after Little Karen as well. Can you do that?"
"Yes," Marion said and nodded without hesitance. "Without a doubt."
"Where the heck are you going?" Erica asked Dustin, as he looked ready to go out with the others.
"Were going out to save our friends." Dustin said. "Including Lucas."
"Lucas? Don't tell me." Erica said, looking suspicious. "Is Lucas in trouble? Or… is he the trouble?"
Dustin sighed. "Ugh… I wish."
"Dusty, why are you doing this?" Mrs. Henderson exclaimed as to why her son was getting ready to move out with others.
"I'm really, REALLY sorry, Mom, but this is a Code Red." Dustin grimaced as he looked at his mother apologetically. "It's a Code Red."
"Dusty, please!" Mrs. Henderson tried to grab his hand, but Dustin was fast to join up with Steve and Robin.
"Don't worry Mrs. Henderson," Steve cheekily said. "I'll watch over him." He then lifted his bat from behind and put on his shoulder. "I'm the babysitter remember?"
The adults gasped at the sight of the deadly-looking bat Steve casually hanged over his shoulder.
"OH MY!" Mrs. Henderson gasped.
"The heck?!" Mr. Sinclair said.
"What is that?!" Susan exclaimed, even Neil looked unnerved.
"Are those nails?" Ted asked, looking very unnerved, as Karen looked weirded out.
"What do you use that for?" Mr. Clarke asked, almost disturbed that Steve Harrington uses at bat like that for self-defense—and would pity the guys who are on offense on him.
"You nerds…" Erica said, almost in awe and shock at the bat. "Are way too serious…"
"Uh, Steve?" Robin awkwardly said. "I think should put that down…"
"Can we just go now?" Nancy said, now starting to push them away.
Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan, Dustin, Will, Nancy, Steve, Robin, and Loomis were about ready to get into the HNL van.
"JIM! STOP!" Kline yelled as he made his way towards them, with his wife, Gummell, Tom, Janet, Candance, and Bruce behind him. Practically, they were catching the attention of Karen, Ted, Holly, Little Karen, Marion, Owens, Sartain, Hoffman, Erica, Reed, Tina, Charlie, Mrs. Henderson, Flo, Neil, Susan and Scott Clarke; almost all the citizens and paramedics who were in the area looking at the scene before them.
"I will listen to your Mayor, Chief Hopper," Gummell said.
"Doesn't matter! We're going!" Hopper said, not bothering to make humor of the situation at hand.
"You may not understand but our friends need us!" Will said.
"And we need to help them right this moment!" Robin said.
"Whatever you have to say, we'll deal with it later!" Loomis exclaimed.
"I have orders from the state to bring you back, Doctor!" Gummel yelled.
"Well, those orders HAVE changed!"
Gummell shook his head, while Kline was turning red with fury.
"You dare Jim…" Kline almost growled. "You hop on that wheel then it is not only your badge—BUT YOUR ASS ON THE LINE!"
"Larry!" Winnie gasped at her husband's threat, even Candance looked unnerved, as did everyone.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Nancy said. "It's our families." She thought of Mike.
"Our friends!" Steve said.
"And they are in danger!" Joyce said, with every nerve in her voice meaning it. "Kids are in danger!" That caused many in the crowd to gasp and look at each other with every sense of worry building up. Erica looked at her parents, who looked back at her, fearing for Lucas. Karen and Ted looked at each other with equal horror—at the implication that their only son—was in danger as well. Neil almost froze at what he was hearing, and Susan gave him a look of worry. Scott Clarke started feel a great ache in the pit of his stomach—the fear that his beloved students—were the ones mentioned—and were in danger.
"Sue me or whatever, Larry," Hopper said, with the emotion of worry clear on his face. "I have to get my kid! I have to get my daughter!"
The crowd looked bewildered at seeing this face of Jim Hopper, who had always been the drunk carefree Chief of Police—and here he was looking so desperate and ready to drive with a gun he took from the Marshal—with party of kids, teens, and adults with him. Flo knew the tone of the Chief's voice was… genuine.
Then Kline turned his head—and made a chuckle—that caused everyone to look at the Mayor with bewilderment.
"Is something funny, Larry?" Hopper asked Kline with a glare.
"Oh, you're the one that's being funny, Jim," Kline said with chuckle. "I don't know if this is… what would you call it… those times where you are… slagging behind reality… and your… delusions?"
"Delusions?" Joyce and Will asked, baffled.
"About what?" Hopper demanded.
"You couldn't be more pathetic with your delusional excuses," Kline continued with a sneer. "If you're really going to use your daughter again… I really wouldn't. I heard that plenty of times."
Hopper's face froze very appalled, as did everyone after what they just heard Kline said. Many looked baffled, confused, and others appalled and shocked. Gummell was left confused, as Winnie and Candance looked appalled. Karen, Ted, Erica, Mr. Clarke, Marion and many of the citizens had their mouths dropped very appalled at what their Mayor was saying. Soon, the ones glaring at Kline were Owens, Steve, Robin, Will, Dustin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Joyce.
"Don't give me that sob story again—it's gotten really old." Kline started to grin. "And right now—you will do as I say... or it's your badge."
Hopper's face pressured up inside, and the man gave a deep breath before deciding. He did not take his eyes off Kline as he handed the Marshal's rifle to Joyce and stepped towards Kline.
"Yeah, that's it," Kline grinned triumphantly. "I knew you—"
SMACK!
CRACK!
(Stranger Things OST She'll Kill You)
Everyone gasped in shock and awe when Chief Jim Hopper quickly rocketed his curled fist from below and it collided into Mayor Larry Kline's face. For a moment, Hopper's face had an angry look of hate-filled eyes and gritted teeth when his fist made contact—and there was a loud crack before Kline fell back on his rear.
"Larry!" Winnie and Candance cried out in horror, even Gummell balked back in unexpected shock.
"WHOA!" Dustin, Will, Steve, Robin, Jonathan, and Nancy gasped in awe. Joyce and Loomis looked speechless.
"Holy sh*t! Did you see that!" Charlie exclaimed in awe while standing next to the shocked Reed, Tina, Scott Clarke, and many others.
"Oh, my G*d…" Erica could only say in awe. Ted, Karen, and Scott's jaws dropped at the sudden sight, as Holly and Little Karen were baffled. Bruce looked stiffed as if a firework hit him. Marion, Sartain, and Hoffman just stood speechless.
"Let's go," Hopper said as he turned his back on Kline and towards the van, and the gang couldn't agree more.
"Aye, aye, Chief," Steve said, and he and Robin smiled with pride.
"You okay?" Gummell said as he held Kline up, who couldn't stop feeling his bloody nose, till his eyes widened in realization.
"My nose. You broke my nose." Kline looked Hopper with horror. "YOU BROKE MY G*DDAMN NOSE!"
"Can it, Larry," Joyce said with a look a disgust. "It's what you get for being a pig."
That caught Kline frozen dumb as the gang started resuming getting into the van.
"All right, that's it!" Gummell yelled. "This has gone far enough. Assaulting someone, namely a public official—you are all in deep trouble."
"Trouble finds us, Marshal," Nancy said as she got in.
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe us if you could," Jonathan agreed as he got in.
"For the last time… I am warning you all!" Gummell was getting ticked now as he was about ready to…
"Warning?" Loomis said as he, Will and Robin were the last to get in the van. "Well, what is it you fellas usually do? Fire a warning shot, right?!" To put it in emphasis, Loomis raised his own gun and fired.
BANG!
Everyone cried out, and even Gummell crowed back when Loomis fired a bullet at the window of his own station wagon, and it shattered.
Finally, the gang drove the HNL van away from the crowd and started to drive off.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Bruce called in horror as he realized where the van was driving towards. "HEY!"
CRASH!
It was too late, as a car was almost in the way and the van could move a bit, but only managed to crash against the front of it before continuing off.
"MY CAR!" Bruce cried out in anguish as his car was parked a little in the van's way, and now the left headlight and nice fender was now a disfigured mess.
Everyone stood dumbfounded at what had transpired.
"DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" Bruce exclaimed in anger as he dashed to his car and his face distorted more into horror at the mess it was. "That… those… little… ARGH!" He yelled as he grabbed his hair.
Kline looked around, while still holding his nose, almost baffled. "Are we blind?! They are getting away!" He turned to Gummell. "Do something!" He then noticed the looks everyone was giving him. "What are you all looking at?!"
He was too infuriated to see it, but many of the townspeople lost track of the mock he just made in front of their Chief of Police. Many of them did not appreciate his part of 'sob daughter story' or the part of 'delusion.'
Owens then patted Hoffman's arms, and the man looked at the former Hawkins Lab director, who had a serious look in his eyes.
"Call in the boys. Now."
"Holy sh*t…" Nancy said in awe, while sitting in the van. "That was Bruce's car, right?"
"Was it?" Jonathan asked, curious.
"Well, sorry about that," Hopper said, though his tone indicated he couldn't care less.
"Sorry?" Nancy almost quirked her lip. "Why would you be sorry about that?"
"You're happy we just damaged your co-worker's car?" Will asked.
"He's gonna sue us…" Steve sighed.
"Add a Mayor to that," Loomis commented.
"Was the gunshot, necessary, Doctor?" Joyce asked, almost unsure if Loomis did right to frighten everyone back there.
"Heh…" Loomis almost chuckled. "I'll be lucky if I still get to be a doctor after tonight."
"Yep, we are in knee-level sh*t already," Dustin said, before he looked around the van. "I never thought we would use one of these bad guy vehicles for our get-go…"
"Not exactly Mystery Machine material…" Steve commented.
"Were all going rogue, dweebs…" Robin said, with a curl of her lip. "Welcome to the Rogue Squadron."
"YEAH!" Steve and Dustin cheered, and they gave the High-Five.
Joyce smiled at how their spirits were lifted, and then she noticed Hopper's serious look as he focused on the road.
"You okay?" Joyce asked.
"Yeah, I just…" Hopper almost paused a bit. "I just… we need to get there fast."
Joyce noticed there was something else.
"I guess…" Hopper started to say. "I went… I crossed a line with Larry."
Loomis then noticed. "You thought… he was talking about your other daughter… Sara?"
Hopper's mouth made a sad line, then it turned angry. "I don't care if he meant or didn't know I meant El… the way he said Sara was…"
"He deserved it…" Steve said, catching their attention. "I don't care he get's the elected again, my life wouldn't be complete without seeing his new nose job."
"Yeah," Dustin smiled, as did Will. "You executed that perfectly. I need to learn how to that."
Hopper almost quirked his lip. "You kidding? I wanted to that for goodness how long… but I guess… I just cemented my resignation."
"Who cares?" Robin said. "Hopper… I mean it without exaggeration… well maybe with a bit of it… you're the most competent, bad*ss cop I have had…" She then looked at Steve. "We have had the pleasure of working for."
"You stood by us, lead us, protected us…" Nancy said. "And we'll stick with you."
"You can count on us…" Will smiled, as did his brother.
"Until the bitter end." Loomis said, now smiling.
Hopper then felt hand on his, and looked to see it was Joyce, who smiled.
Having them here… here in this stolen van from the jack*sses from the lab… was enough to grin and look back on the road with better spirits than before.
(Birds Fly Whisper to a Scream – The Icicle Works)
"All right then…" Hopper said. "We got this."
"'We got this?'" Dustin exclaimed. "Let's charge! Rogue Squadron! Follow Hopper!"
"Dustin, I supposed to be part of Griswald Family?"
"Griswald Family?" Loomis asked, baffled.
"From National Lampoon's Vacation." Steve said.
"That silly show?" Loomis furrowed his eyebrows. "You watched that?"
"Yeah, so?" Robin asked.
Hawkins Memorial Hospital
Laurie, Max, and Mike were walking quietly down the hallway with their acquired weapons and talkie in hand. They weren't able to get in contact with Lucas, Billy, and El—and they couldn't stand the option of assuming the worst had happened. The best they could do was retrace their steps and be cautious that Michael was not going to…
DING.
The three turned instantly at the elevator in front of them that ringed and fearing the worst they went to hide behind a corner. The heard the elevator opened and the next thing was when they looked to see—they were surprised with joy to see who it was.
They jumped from their spot—only to scare Lucas and Billy, who raised up their wrist rocket and lighter at them.
"WHOA!" Billy exclaimed.
Lucas exclaimed as well, before lowering his wrist rocket.
"You're okay!" Max said as she went to hug her boyfriend, with Billy looking at them awkwardly.
"Where's El?" Mike asked, with the confusion now setting on everyone.
"Is she…?" Laurie asked Billy, waiting for an answer.
"We helped her get out." Billy said.
"Out?" Max asked confused, now breaking from Lucas.
"We pushed her from the basement into outside." Lucas said.
"ALONE?!" Laurie and Mike exclaimed, not liking that one bit.
"How'd you escape?" Max asked.
"Oh, uh…" Both Billy and Lucas looked a bit awkwardly at how to explain it.
STATIC.
"Co… Co…"
Laurie pulled out the walkie she still had—the source of the sound.
"Turn it up!" Lucas said.
Laurie did so, and the voice was clearer.
"—Kai! I repeat! Cobra Kai do you copy! This is Griswald! Over!"
"Dustin!" Mike, Max, and Lucas said simultaneously.
"This is Laurie! Over!" Laurie answered.
"Laurie?! Oh, thank G*d!" Dustin answered relieved.
"Laurie, that you?" Nancy asked.
"Nancy!" Mike said.
"Mike, oh my goodness!" Nancy said relieved as well. "You're okay!"
"Nancy, what happened?" Laurie asked anxiously. "What happened downtown? Are…"
"Karen's okay! She's still with Mom and Dad! Our parents are all right!" Nancy answered, and that made the Cobra Kai relieved.
"Laurie!" Loomis answered.
"Dr. Loomis?" Mike said.
"Who?" Billy questioned.
"Sam!" Laurie answered, relieve to hear his voice again.
"Laurie we are on our way, right now! You have to get out of there! You are not safe!" Loomis answered.
"Yeah, no sh*t, man!" Billy answered towards the radio.
"What? Who is this?" Loomis questioned; his voice confused.
"You got to be sh*tting me…" Steve froze, clearly recognizing that voice. "Hargrove?"
"Harrington?" Billy said, almost baffled. "What the hell are you doing on this channel?"
"What the hell are you doing there?" Steve said.
"Putting my *ss on the line… unlike you!" Billy almost sneered.
Max and Lucas glanced at each other, almost annoyed. Not again.
"Oh, that's it! Just till I bring my…" Steve was cut off.
"All that's enough! Dingus!" Robin said.
"Sorry," Will answered. "You have to get out of the hospital and meet us outside! So, we can get you!"
"We can't!" Mike exclaimed. "We can't leave without…"
STATIC.
"Mi… Mi…" Will's voice was going static. "We can…"
"Dustin!" Mike answered again.
"Oh, no…" Laurie said, and she shook the talkie.
"Not like that!" Lucas took the talkie and tried fixing it.
"Please don't tell me it's the batteries?" Billy said, now concerned.
"If they are on our way, how we are getting bad reception?" Laurie said.
"We may not have time," Max said. "We have to find El, now!"
Somewhere, in a different part of the hospital. The walkie that Lucas had lost started to go static as well.
"C…Cop…" Dustin statically said through it. "Please answer… there's… sor… inter…"
A dark hand picked it up and held it to his face.
"Please copy ba…" Dustin said. "I repeat… this is a Code Red!"
The Shape turned it off, and then he breathed again through his mask.
El awakened at the sound of a vehicle approaching. She lifted herself from the crevice under the driver's wheel to look out from the dashboard with hope rising from her. Hope that her friends had returned. Her smiled then vanished when the vehicle she saw—was a shape she had seen in her nightmares.
White van. With three initials she knew too well: HNL.
Hawkins Lab.
The bad men were back.
The telekinetic girl gasped in horror she dove back to the crevice she had been hiding in. She thought she would take the chance to dash out but felt afraid of the risk that they would spot her. What was to say they would comb through the cars with their flashlights, and they would find her. The girl thought to whimper but tried to keep herself quiet.
Unknown to her, the van was driven by the bad men, but by people she loved—one of them was the man who was her adoptive dad, Jim Hopper, and he hopped out of the van before everyone inside: Joyce, Loomis, Dustin, Will, Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin—and they all looked at the hospital with a look of grimace.
"It's really quiet," Will said, looking around the vastness of the parking lot in front of the still hospital.
"Too quiet," Nancy said.
"I'm feeling cold," Robin grimaced as she rubbed her arms.
"Is that…?" Robin said and everyone looked to where she was pointing at the blue Camaro not far from them.
"Billy's car," Steve said.
"So, they are still here." Jonathan said.
Hopper looked in the distance and saw police car to the far left. "That's gotta be Webb and King. Flo said they would be here."
"There's another one." Nancy said, catching everyone's attention. The young woman pointed just ahead in what looked to be a police cruiser.
Hopper walked closer, and his eyes widened when he saw the number 7 on the back. That number… it belonged to…
"Chief?" Loomis asked.
"Hopper, what's wrong?" Joyce asked.
"That number," Hopper said, pointing at the cruiser. "It… it belongs to Powell's cruiser." The Chief started walking fast towards the car.
"Powell?" Will said. "As in…" The boy looked in horror and glanced at Dustin, Nancy, and Jonathan, who all glanced back at him as well.
"Powell and Callahan?" Robin said, and Steve glanced at her. "They're here?"
Steve then noticed Nancy's horror-stricken face, which was spelling worse news than the bruises on his own face. "Nancy?"
"What is wrong, dear?" Loomis asked.
"We didn't tell you…" Nancy croaked when she looked at the doctor.
"About what?" Robin asked.
"Powell and Callahan…" Dustin said, with grim dripping from the names he spoke.
"They…" Will stuttered to say, but couldn't—that was enough to tell Loomis, Steve, and Robin what happened.
Their faces of grimace and silence was enough to confirm Loomis what they meant.
Hopper approached the front door of the cruiser with Joyce behind him. The front side of the cruiser looked a little worse for wear than the rest, and Joyce noticed something.
"Is that blood?" The woman pointed to the dried blood on the window.
Before Hopper could feel the horrible breath overtake him concerning two men that were a part of his life, he had walked closer—to notice something glowing inside the car.
"The hell?" Hopper said, as he could make out through the messy window in the darkness of the car—looked to be a faint glowing face. He could make out the glowing red eyes and a… smile?
"Hopper, what are you doing?" Joyce asked when Hopper went to open the door.
"HOPPER! NO!" Loomis cried out from behind, but the doctor was too late.
Hopper opened the car door—thus automatically lighting the inside of the car—revealing the scene within.
(Halloween 2018 OST Michael Kills)
Both Hopper and Joyce screamed upon seeing a dead police officer sitting in the seat with a bloody gash on his chest.
Joyce could only shiver, while Hopper could only stutter. "Cal…"
Yes. Calvin Powell. But his fate could not compare to the thing sitting on his lap.
Joyce screamed again, even worse than before, and Hopper was stopped cold by what was the glowing source from before.
A head. A severed human head.
But it was far worse than any of them could have ever imagined.
It was turned… into some grotesque form of a glowing jack-o-lantern. The eyes and mouth… almost like the slits in a pumpkin. And a flashlight was in Powell's dead hands, in order to light it up.
Hopper noticed the head's hair looked familiar, and then when he saw the mustache… it confirmed to him who it really was.
Callahan. Phil Callahan. His head was almost entirely unrecognizable. Perhaps the last piece of his body… was now a sight that had come from the darkest of nightmares.
Hopper turned away from the grotesque sight and suddenly threw up the bile from his throat; Joyce was still cradling her face in her hands from the image. Loomis was behind and had gasped with cold almost phasing from behind and out at the sight—he could only look away.
"Mom?" Jonathan asked, as he and Will could feel worried to the bone after hearing their mother's screaming.
"No!" Joyce dashed in front of her sons. "Wait!"
"Mom, what's wrong?!" Will asked.
"Please… just don't…" Joyce desperately said as she pulled her son's towards her and into a desperate hug.
Loomis knew what Joyce was thinking, and silently agreed as he went to instantly close the door before Nancy, Robin, and Dustin could see.
Loomis looked down, almost very shaken himself. In all the years he had endured Michael's atrocities… this was by far one of the worst. To… to kill… and having the soul to… no… no one with the soul could push themselves to do something like this. For Michael to go to such lengths to mutilate, and present it like it was some twisted art for the world to see. It was his sickening way of theatrics. His way of hurting the loved ones of the people he has killed. Michael had done just that—to Jim Hopper.
Hopper lifted his head and tried to compose himself. He didn't look like it, a part of him had been maimed. Two faces that were part of his life. Now gone. And what was left of them… what was left… had been defiled… and carved into something so twisted and…
The audacity of it. The feeling of pain Powell felt when the blow went to the heart. And how Callahan would have felt when the monster carved…
Hopper shook his head again… a part of him felt raging up and down, and another part was sickening of that very same fate happening to…
No… no… not El. No…
"Hopper…" Joyce said, almost very soft.
Hopper rose up and made for the entrance of the hospital.
"Hopper, wait!" Joyce said, before she and the rest behind her followed him.
El quickly opened the door and managed to fall out onto the ground. The girl felt she didn't had the strength to quickly get. She finally saw them. She saw her friends. Among them her dad. Not the bad men.
She then realized they were moving inside the hospital, and her crawling became desperate.
"Wait… Stop." She croaked out. "I'm here… I right here!" She almost whimpered. She saw them going in through the doors, unaware of her pleas from afar. "Please stop! Stop! COME BACK!" She cried out loudly, but it was too late.
She was left alone again.
"Holy sh*t!" Dustin cried out with a stop, and everyone gasped when they saw Cami's body lying face up in pool of her own blood; with her crushed glasses right next to her.
"OH MY G*D!" Robin cried out and turned away, with Nancy hugging her. "Oh, my G*d…" The Wheeler girl glanced at the corpse and back at Jonathan.
Steve, Hopper, and Loomis had looks of grimace at the sight. Joyce cringed and put a hand to her mouth. Will and Dustin glanced at each other… almost less than two hours ago she was whiney woman on the phone, and now…
"Guys?" There was a voice coming from the end of the hall. Rogue Squadron and Griswald Family cautiously walked over Cami's corpse before dashing down the hall and coming out from the door to the stairs was Team Cobra Kai: Laurie, Mike, Max, Lucas, and Billy.
"Nancy!" Mike exclaimed.
"Mike!" Nancy cried out, and brother and sister embraced each other.
"Buddy!" Dustin and Will said when Lucas came and hugged them.
"You all alright?" Hopper asked as he came over to Max.
"Yeah, physically… but…" Max answered, but paused, thinking of the horror that had transpired.
"Billy?" Robin said when she caught sight of the mullet in a Cobra Kai gi. Billy looked at her and then at Steve, and he was baffled by what he saw.
"Is that you, Harrington?" Billy asked, almost baffled by Steve's bruised face.
Steve noticed why he was baffled and decided to can it. "What up, amigo?" Steve hanged his bat over his shoulder, which caught Billy's attention.
"What the hell is that?" Billy pointed at the spiked bat.
"This?" Steve gestured to his weapon. "This is how I do babysitting."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, he is not." Robin said.
"And you?" Steve asked. "What's with the pajamas?"
"They are NOT pajamas, you little…" Billy started turning red as the blood spilt throughout the night and was about to pull Steve's neck hold…
"It's a gi," Both Lucas and Robin said.
"Thank you!" Billy sighed with relief.
"Thank you?" Steve said baffled. Did Billy just say, 'thank you?' Especially to Lucas?
"Laurie…" Loomis said as he hugged the woman, who hugged. "Thank goodness!"
"The same…" Laurie said, before breaking up the hug.
"Laurie," Nancy said, coming up to the woman.
"Is Little Karen safe?" Laurie asked anxiously.
"Yes," Nancy nodded.
"Still with the Wheelers, and with Marion," Loomis said.
That caught Laurie's attention. "Nurse Marion?"
"Laurie," Hopper said, both of them looking at each other. "Where's El?"
El couldn't take it. With every mount of desperation take course in her, El forced herself onto her feet and started limping towards the hospital entrance. It was when she was halfway—the Shape appeared and spotted her.
"You let her out alone?!" Hopper yelled at Lucas and Billy, after both finished explaining.
"She managed to get away!" Billy said.
"But where now?" Jonathan said.
"We have to find her now!" Mike said.
"Michael is still here!" Max said.
"I don't care, I am going to search every inch of this hospital, until I find my daughter!" Hopper said with a fury. "And when I see Michael Myers… I will…"
"You haven't learned, haven't you?" Loomis interjected. "Do not think of going against Michael by yourself!"
While talking was escalating, Will lost sense of the talking around him—and felt his attention drawn to a sixth sense he hadn't felt in a while. He could feel the gooseflesh on his neck. That feeling again. That along with another presence. A sense of danger.
He noticed where the source was coming from and realized.
(Halloween II OST He Knows Where She Is!)
El cried out when she saw the Shape coming towards her with his scalpel in hand. It thought to stand her ground and use her powers, but the girl felt weak in her body, she didn't believe she had enough strength to use her powers at the moment. The girl didn't have time to think else, and she desperately limped towards the hospital doors.
The girl managed to get to them, and she pulled at them to no avail. They were locked.
"No!" El exclaimed in horror. "No! Please!" She banged on the doors and looked back to see Michael getting closer.
"PLEASE!" She cried out again.
Michael's footsteps sounded louder now.
She needed to break it open. She needed to focus.
His presence was just meters away.
She needed to…
She was about to act, then she gasped when she saw coming through the hallways of the hospital was Will and following behind him was Laurie. She felt as time slowing at the sight of her friends.
She then felt the Shape just several feet behind her.
"EL!" Will cried out, and the boy was the first to open the door and the telekinetic girl slipped inside, quickly enough for Laurie to close the glass door again; when closed… the Strode woman's eyes met with those of the Shape—who stood just in front of the glass door.
Laurie froze. Such close proximity. A glass door standing in between her and the Boogeyman she met seven years ago. The Boogeyman tilted his head at her a bit. The Strode woman almost stepped back, never taking her eyes off his mask.
"Are you okay?" Will asked El as he held her shoulders.
The girl then hugged Will very quickly. "Oh, Will! Thank you!"
"EL!" Eleven turned to see Hopper and Mike dashing towards her with everyone behind them.
The Chief scooped El in his arms and buried her in a deep hug.
"Dad!" El cried out as she returned the hug.
"Oh, my G*d!" Hopper exclaimed as held tight to his daughter.
"Eleven!" Max exclaimed.
"You're okay!" Dustin said, smiling, as were the others.
"Oh, my goodness sweetie!" Joyce exclaimed as she put a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"El!" El turned away from Hopper at the voice she knew so well and cherished. She saw Mike, who looked he wanted to cry. They both embraced each other, and El was feeling the tears erupting, even as Mike kissed her hair. "You're okay… you're okay…"
"Eleven…" El turned again to see Lucas and Billy standing in front of her and Mike.
"You're… okay…" Billy almost croaked. The mullet never thought to be relieved.
"Yeah…" Lucas said, looking emotional. "We… didn't… we didn't give up. We knew that…"
El didn't waste as she stepped forward to bring both of them in a group hug.
Everyone looked surprised, especially Max. And Billy was in disbelief. Logical that this girl would hug Sinclair, since he was her friend, but she was giving him a hug too? He didn't know if to be confused or touch by the gesture, but…
Almost everyone had to urge to feel happy and relieved that El was alright. And they were all together. Yet… they almost seem to have forgotten Laurie… who still stared through the glass door… at the Shape standing just outside.
The Boogeyman was watching them now.
(Halloween Resurrection OST Chase Laurie)
Everyone turned to see them, and the atmosphere of relief changed…
"Holy Mother of G*d…" Dustin bellowed out with wide eyes.
"It's…" Nancy stuttered. "It's…"
"Oh…" Robin spoke out, now frozen with wide eyes wide as saucers.
Max's eyes turned bluer in contrast to her red hair. "Holy…"
"Sh*t…" Jonathan, Steve, and Billy all said at the same time.
Joyce breathed out with horror, and she pulled Will close, who didn't take his gaze off from the Shape.
Loomis immediately glared at the sight of his former patient, even as he took Laurie's arms backed her away from the door.
El's gaze caught Michael's, and the girl hugged her boyfriend and started to whimper. Mike held her close as he glared at the Shape. Although, he had a right to be afraid; Mike felt ire at the sight of the pale-charred mask.
Hopper's jaw dropped at seeing the psychopath—the one who had been source of the hell and chaos during the night—the one who burned down his home—the one who butchered his friends and displayed so very sadistically—and how he came close to kill his daughter.
The Chief gritted his teeth and clenched the rifle in his hands.
"You… you son of a…" Hopper stepped forward a bit and raised the rifle and aimed it at the Shape. The Shape made no move whatsoever. Hopper almost struggled to pull the trigger and blow through the glass and shoot again to blow the monster's brains out his plastic face—but didn't.
Any moment, the Shape could be ready to break through the glass doors. There was no doubt how strong he was. Strong as the devil incarnate.
"You're not getting her…" Mike growled as he held El close. "You're not gonna go near her again!"
"Never again, *ssface," Nancy said, glaring.
"Unless you want a piece of this!" Steve said, holding up his bat.
"That's right!" Dustin said.
"Get lost, creep!" Max yelled.
"Get lost and eat sh*t!" Lucas yelled.
Steve came forward next the Hopper, and raised his bat threatening towards the Shape. "Hope you got more room for more pain, because my baby here really wants to crash on you."
The Shape remained silent. He watched them. Every single one of them.
(Halloween 2018 OST Prison Montage)
Loomis barely blinked as Michael stared back at them. He fixed his mouth in a hard line, full of contempt for the boy he once thought to help all those years ago… and how he turned into the monster he should have known he was. The doctor walked forward and faced Michael.
"Michael…" Loomis said, and the Shape shifted his head at the sight of him. The Shape started twirling the blade his hand almost anxiously, as if it were feeling emotion… but what monster like him could? Emotion… or shock? The Shape stood there yet studied the face of an old acquaintance. The last they had seen each other had been the night before, but things had been too quick. Now they were standing… face to face.
"All this time… just it has been twenty-two years ago… nothing has changed." Loomis said with a hint of disappointment. "You are still as I had met you that day… at Smith's Grove. And on that night seven years ago, I saw your face… the true face… that face you chose to wear even now.
"I had thought that Haddonfield was forever cursed because you would always return to sow your darkness on the only home you had ever known… but I was wrong… again. Hawkins, Indiana. Why, Michael? Why them? They had done nothing to you. Knew nothing of you. And yet… you persist. Because… you relish it."
Everyone now stared at the Shape with hate growing like a bitter seed, watered by horror and contempt.
"There is something… is there, Michael?" Loomis said. "Something you want. I can only wonder… just what is it?"
There was a silence. As expected, the Shape did not speak… but he raised his maimed left hand and…
SMACK!
"Whoa!" The others gasped. It caused Hopper to aim, Lucas with his wrist rocket, and Steve with his bat. The others stood close, almost worried that Michael broke the glass. They looked closely to see Michael had just slapped his open palm on the glass of the window and dragged it down. The two stumps that were once two fingers were bleeding again, and when Michael dragged his hand down—the two stumps left two trails of blood behind.
Everyone was left confused at Michael drawing two lines of blood on the glass with his stumps; either it out of senseless notion or… it was his own way of a speechless reply to Loomis's question.
El then noticed they were two lines… like two ones. Two ones make… 11.
Eleven.
El looked at Michael, who cocked his head at her, and it was enough to make hug Mike again and bury her head in his neck. The boy hugged her back, as he glared back at the Shape still staring at her.
Loomis looked at El and back at the two lines and realized. "El… I see." Loomis narrowed his eyes. "Just… why her, Michael? She is a soul who had gone what no child should have been through. At the hands… of monsters that were even more despicable than you. Martin Brenner." The Shape leaned his neck closely. "You were in that monster's hands as well."
Michael's hand then curled tight the scalpel.
"So why inflict your destruction on her, Michael? Hasn't she suffered enough? Has every one of her loved ones been through enough? Is this… because… you see her… just… as you saw Judith." The Shape somehow moved his head straight at the mention of that name. "The sister… whose life you had taken. One wasn't enough, wasn't it? And you won't stop… will you?"
Everyone could only feel deathly silent with the exchange of words between the doctor and the monster just a glass door away from them. Billy felt terrified, and honestly confused, glancing at El and Michael. Brother and Sister… what the hell?
"You won't…" Laurie finally said, as the woman stepped forward and faced Michael through the glass. "You failed Michael. Just as you failed to get me all those years ago. To you… it has all been a game." She gritted her teeth. "The cat and the mouse. That's how you see people. And the truth is… that's how you saw your sister." The Shape almost shifted at that. "And that is how you see her." She gestured at El behind her. "But I won't let you."
(Stranger Things OST She'll Kill You)
"She's right," Nancy said, with determination building up. "We won't."
"See her what you want, you're no different than the bad men!" Mike stated, as he stepped forward and glared at Michael. "They only saw her as a pet to toy with! To use! Just as you see her a something to hunt down for sport! Just as you see everyone else! But you're wrong. YOU'RE DEAD WRONG!
"Think what you want. Be quiet like a dumb *sshole! It won't change who El is!" Mike made a fist. "She was called many names, but she didn't let them decide who she was! Or who she wanted to be! After all that…" Mike almost croaked, thinking back to the pain El went through. The pain she had her whole childhood. "It didn't break her into a robot like the bad men wanted!"
El could only look in awe at what Mike was saying. Even Hopper, Max, Will, Laurie, Loomis, and the rest were listening closely. As did Michael.
"Deep down… she is kind! She is kind, shy, warm, and curious!" Mike felt something almost erupting from his eyes, even as he glared back at the Shape. "SHE IS HUMAN! And she is more human than you will ever be!"
El froze and stared at Mike.
More human…
The girl could feel the eruption of water just beckoning to erupt. Those words… coming from him… meant more to her than she could say in her own words.
"Whatever past she may have had with you, forget it!" Mike curled his lips. "This is our home, and its hers too!"
"Right…" Joyce said, as she started stepped forward to glare at the Shape with gritted teeth. "AND YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!"
"TELL HIM, MOM!" Jonathan yelled.
The Shape remained silent.
"Yeah, that's right! You heard the lady!" Lucas shouted, aiming his rocket still at the Shape. "I may have distrusted El the first time I met her, but there is no way I'm letting a psycho like you get her!"
"El is one of us, now!" Dustin shouted. "She's our friend! She can be… well… crazy sometimes… but she is badass! And you…" He glared hard at Michael. "You-are-"
"-EVIL!" Will and Robin yelled, coinciding with Dustin.
"She saved the world before! Twice!" Max shouted, glaring red at the Shape, the same color as her hair. "And if you think you can get her, you'll halfway to hell if you try!"
"It will be over my fat husk you ever get near her!" Hopper yelled, as he aimed his gun at the Shape. "This is my town! Now either you screw off or when you open that door I will load your mouth full out of lead straight and send you straight to the threshold of hell!" He gritted his teeth. "You are not getting my daughter…"
The Shape remained as he was.
(Halloween 2018 OST The Grind)
"You have failed, Michael…" Laurie said, almost smirking. "You know why? Because were not afraid of you. These kids are not afraid of you. We all stand together against you. So, tell me… what's stopping you from opening the door right now?"
The Shape stood still and still stared at them.
"Are you afraid?" Laurie asked, almost with a scoff. "Afraid of us? Afraid of Loomis? Afraid of me? Afraid of her?" She gestured at El behind her. "Is that why…" Laurie paused at that as a thought came to her, and she looked back at the Shape with an appalled look.
"Are you afraid to die, Michael?" Laurie asked, with almost disgust and anger.
The Shape remained silent and still.
Loomis hardened his look. "I made a vow, Michael. Since, the day we last met. I didn't realize it since the day we had met… my life had one purpose—to end you." Loomis made fists of his hands. "Everything you have touched, whether good or folly turns to death and chaos. Because you choose it to be. You choose it over good. And it still saddens me even now.
"This… will end here… tonight. I had vowed since the last time we met… that I would destroy you. I will no longer tire to lock you up again. I will be there to hear your last breath, feel the last beating of your heart, when the last of your remains is dissipated from the face of the earth. So, that… not another soul will know the poison that is you. That… is my vow, Michael."
The Shape remained still… but he heard every word.
Everyone could only stand and watch the Shape behind the door. The tension of just as fragile as stepping on cracking ice in a frozen lake. There were deep breaths. Others stood so close to one another. Some shivered. The Shape remained ever still… and then he glanced at El.
The girl didn't lose eye contact with him as she stood close to Mike and Hopper.
What are you waiting for? El thought.
Michael Myers was still for another moment… then he turned around… and starting walking away.
The tension dissipated, and the group stopped shaking, but were now confused.
"The hell?" Steve said, baffled.
"He's… leaving?" Max said.
"Okay, I did not expect that," Robin said, still wide-eyed.
"But isn't that good?" Will said.
"What?" Loomis, Laurie, El, Joyce, and Hopper said.
"Maybe…" Billy tried saying. "He's too chickensh*t to face all of at once!"
"Yeah, that could be…" Lucas considered it, almost smiling.
"Really?" Jonathan asked.
"It didn't bother him when attacked back at the cabin!" Nancy stated.
"Nancy's right!" Laurie said. "This… this isn't like Michael."
"So, what? Were going to let him get away?!" Hopper exclaimed, seeing the killer walking further away from the hospital.
"Over my dead body!" Loomis growled, and fumbled through his pocket to pull out his gun. "I'll let him live to see tomorrow!"
"We can't just go blindly after him!" Joyce said.
"We need a plan!" Mike said.
Dustin then noticed something Michael was doing from afar. "Uh guys? GUYS!" That got their attention, and the former toothless boy pointed to what Michael was doing. "Is that…"
"My car?" Billy said, baffled.
They could see a way the Shape had opened the car and rummaging to get in the front.
"What is he doing?" Lucas said.
"Is he trying to get away?" Hopper asked.
"He can't drive without the keys…" Max said as she glanced at her stepbrother but noticed the frozen look on his face. "Billy?"
The mullet turned his head at the redhead. "My keys…"
"What about them?" Jonathan asked.
Billy's hand went to his pocket. "That last I had them… unless I…"
"Unless what?!" Steve asked, now feeling terrified to think of the possibility.
Billy slowly turned his head at the deputy. "They slipped out..." He glanced at Lucas. "Back in the boiler room."
"Oh…" Lucas said with his mouth in a perfect 'o.'
"You got to be kidding me…" Max said as she facepalmed.
ROOVE!
(Halloween 2018 OST The Shape Kills)
Everyone turned to see the blue camaro's lights turned on as well as its engine.
ROOVE!
ROOVE!
ROOVE!
"What the devil?" Loomis said.
"I thought…" El said. "I thought Michael flat all the tires…"
"Except one…" Nancy said, her eyes frozen with fear.
The car backed up… before Michael turned it in the direction towards them.
"Uh…" Will started to say. "I don't think Michael is trying to get away."
"You think…" Steve said, not taking his eyes off the car. "He's gonna…"
ROOVE!
Mike gulped. "He's gonna… ram us…"
"Okay, that's not good!" Lucas cried out.
"Holy… Christine…" Robin breathed out in horror, and she started to back away.
"Oh, my G*d…" Joyce gasped.
"You got to be sh*tting me…" Laurie shook her head, though it shouldn't be a surprise. Always expect the worse… when it came to Michael Myers.
El gasped, and she put a hand to her mouth.
Billy shook his head in disbelief. "Mother…"
ROOVE! ROOVE! ROOVE!
The Shape readied the engine again… before he stepped all the way on the gas.
SCREECH!
Everyone screamed!
"SH****TTT!" Dustin, Steve, Lucas, Mike, and Billy yelled at the same time.
"GO! GO!" Hopper yelled, taking El with him.
"THIS WAY NOW!" Loomis pointed with his gun towards the hall behind them. With that: Hopper, Joyce, Loomis, Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy, Robin, Steve, Billy, Max, Dustin, Will, Lucas, Mike, and Eleven quickly dashed from the sight of the hospital entrance—before Michael drove the blue camaro at full speed towards it, and then…
CRASH!
BOOM!
THERE! Now… we get ready… for the FINAL BATTLE!
Sorry for this wait, still there was drama I had to write and the many characters I had to write in this chapter! Humor, Courage, Friendship, and Horror!
Both Jonathan and Hopper stood up to their superiors, and no doubt they are going to pay, though that is a small price when loved ones are in danger! Loomis firing on Gummell's window, Hopper punching Kline, and hitting Bruce's car were satisfying!
Sorry about the dead Powell and Callahan scene, both of them being the callback to the dead cops Ray found in Halloween 2018. Hopper is taking a lot in… his cabin burned down, two of his friends are dead, and his daughter is injured and endangered by the SHAPE!
And finally, the confrontation talk between the Stranger Things gang (Rogue Squadron, Griswald Family, and Cobra Kai) Laurie, Loomis and… Michael Myers. The scene taking elements from Halloween II, H2O, Halloween 4, and Halloween Resurrection (when Laurie confronted Michael on the rooftop). The tension between them! I waited so long to write this! Just before their fight to the death with him!
Next chapter will be the one you've all been waiting for! And it will be the most INTENSE chapter yet!
One of the greatest mystery-solving, monster hunting gangs… against the one of the baddest slashers of all time!
I won't give away anymore, and I will see you again when it is posted! ACTION-PACKED!
I am on the road to finish this story so I can introduce you to a new fic I had been planning in the works!
So, REVIEW and I'll see you later! Happy Independence Day!