Chapter 6
The group were all inside the Byers residence by now and Jonathan was wrapping Nancy in a blanket since she was still shivering.
"I can't imagine how Will is doing if I'm like this after being in there for ten minutes." She started to say "And Barb." She added looking at Lacey for support.
"How did you find the portal?" Dustin asked Nancy and Nancy turned to face Dustin. "It seems like the creature…" She started to say but Mike interrupted her, "The Demogorgon." He corrected and Nancy rolled her eyes, "It seems like the Demogorgon is attracted to blood so after the Demogorgon jumped out into the road with the injured deer and ran into the woods Jonathan and I followed the deer's blood trail which led to the portal." Nancy ended and Jonathan nodded in agreement.
"So maybe if we attracted the Demogorgon with blood it will lead us to a portal, we could all work together to save Will and Barb." Mike said excitedly and Nancy shook her head vigorously. "No one is going near that thing, we need to tell someone, someone who can help us." Nancy said. "My mom knows." Jonathan informed them. "She's told Chief Hopper but he doesn't really seem to believe her but if he could see the portal or even the Demogorgon he could help us." Jonathan ended and Mike shook his head in disagreement. "No, we can't let anyone know about El. She's in danger." Mike said and Lacey answered this time, "It's better to have the chief of police on our side if anything happens to her." Dustin and Lucas seemed to agree with Lacey's statement. "He's got connections to keep her safe." Jonathan agreed.
After talking for a few moments the group agreed to inform Mrs Byers and Chief Hopper about everything they know, well everyone agreed but Mike but the majority overruled and Mike was not happy about it.
Mrs Byers arrived home about an hour later and the kids were still there. They decided they needed to tell her today. Joyce was surprised to find all the kids there, young and old, and sat down on the couch to hear their story. Once they'd introduced El to Mrs Byers, Jonathan retold his and Nancy's encounter with the Demogorgon and the upside down. "We need to tell Hopper." Joyce advised and the group nodded except Mike who was still sulking. Joyce picked up the telephone and dialled the stations number. Flo, Jim's assistant, answered and advised Joyce that Jim was on his way to their house anyway. He apparently had something urgent he needed to discuss with Joyce. Joyce hung up the phone and informed the group in front of her. Joyce went over to El and started asking her questions. Jonathan pulled Lacey and Nancy aside and whispered to them, "I think we should kill this thing. As long as it's dead it's not going to harm Will." He said and Nancy agreed. Lacey was hesitant but then she agreed too.
When the doorbell rang Joyce jogged over to the door and opened it revealing a very disturbed looking Jim Hopper.
Once Jim was inside he noticed all the kids. "What is this, day care?" He asked with a chuckle and Lacey saw Dustin roll his eyes and she shot him a warning look.
"Hop, we have something to tell you." Joyce said and started telling him the stories the kids had told her. "This is who now?" He asked, staring at Eleven who looked back at him unfazed. "Eleven." Mike said, proudly. "She can help us find Will." Lucas added and the boys nodded in agreement. "You were at the Hawkins Lab?" He asked Eleven who nodded slowly, she hadn't told the others this yet but since he was older and held a weapon she felt more comfortable telling him that's where she came from. Everything seemed to become clearer to Jim now. He looked at Joyce and pulled her aside. "Look, I know where the opening is to this upside down but the kids aren't coming with us." He stated and Joyce looked at him wide eyed. "Where is it?" She asked curiously, "Hawkins Lab." He responded. "How did you find that out?" Joyce asked, a little confused.
"I went to the Lab because everything seems to lead back there I've been doing my own research on this case." He informed her and Joyce gave him an appreciative look.
"The girl, she can help us find Will once we're in there." Joyce said to Hopper who looked back at the kids.
"Would you be able to help us?" Joyce turned to Eleven now and asked her nicely.
Eleven's eyes grew wide but she nodded slowly.
"How did you kids find out about this?" Jim turned to the others and Dustin spoke up, "Well the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field and that can change the directions of a compass needle, our compasses weren't pointing to true North they were pointing in the direction of the magnet, we were following the compass when we found Nancy and Jonathan so we didn't really get further than here." He told the chief who nodded, "And our science teacher Mr Clarke told us about electromagnetic fields last semester." Lucas added and the others nodded.
"And how did you two find out about this?" He asked Nancy and Jonathan who told their part of the story. "And you Ms Henderson?" He turned to Lacey now who looked over at Joyce, "I was here with Mrs Byers when the creature came out of the wall." She said and Hopper looked at Joyce and then back at Lacey and nodded.
"I've seen the gate so I will go to Hawkins Lab and see if we can get Will somehow." He turned to Eleven this time. "Will you be able to find him in there when I'm in there, direct me somehow?" He asked and Eleven nodded.
"I'm coming with you Hop." Joyce stated and Jim frowned and shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous." He said and Joyce retorted angrily, "He is my boy Hop, mine. Don't test me." Hopper continued to frown but eventually gave in after beginning to feel uncomfortable with the stare contest he was having with Joyce.
The kids had already gathered around Eleven who was sitting cross legged with her eyes covered by a blindfold. They'd turned the TV on to a static channel. It seemed they'd started the search already. Hopper watched Eleven closely. She seemed to go into a trance but nothing came of it. She was frustrated and ripped the blindfold off aggressively. The blood trickled down her nose. Mike got up quickly and asked if she was ok but Eleven shook her head. "I can't…" This was all she said. "She seems tired, does this happen?" Joyce asked and the others shrugged. They hadn't seen her use her powers all that often but maybe she had and that's why she was tired. Dustin look at El's sleeve and there was dry blood on it. Dustin's eyebrows rose, nearly disappearing into his hair before he whispered to Lucas, "You don't think she could've manipulated the compasses do you?" Dustin asked and Lucas frowned. "And maybe she's tired from using her powers all that time…" Lucas replied and Dustin nodded. Mike watched the two boys whisper to each other before clearing his throat. "Is there something you guys want to say?" He asked and Dustin beckoned Mike over to them. "Dustin noticed dry blood on her sleeve, do you think she's been manipulating the compasses to go in a different direction? I overheard Hopper saying that the entrance to the upside down is at Hawkins Lab and we are nowhere near Hawkins lab." Lucas commented and Mike frowned this time. "Are you saying she's been lying to us?" Mike asked, confused. Dustin shook his head, "Maybe trying to divert us from Hawkins Lab because it's dangerous, remember when you said the kind of danger we're in is danger, danger, maybe she was protecting us." "Dustin said and Mike nodded slowly. "That's why her powers aren't working, she's been overusing them with the compass." Lucas stated and Mike looked back at Eleven who looked frustrated. "Let me talk to her." He said and went over.
Lacey had been listening to the conversation and butted in, "Look guys, if El hadn't done that with the compasses we wouldn't have found Nancy and Jonathan and we would still be in the same position as we were before, knowing nothing. At least we're now all in the loop of what's going and there's more of us to help find Will and Barb and stop that thing." She ended and the boys nodded. El smiled at Lacey thankfully and the boys backed off.
"How long will it take for you to recharge?" Mike asked and El shrugged but then spoke, "The bath." "Huh?" Mike asked and the others gathered around now. "I can find them in the bath." "Like the one I saw at the lab" Hopper asked and Eleven nodded.
"Well where are we going to find a bath that big?" Hopper asked turning to Joyce who shrugged. Dustin jumped up this time and ran to the phone. He dialled Mr Clarke's house number quickly and when Mr Clarke answered on the fourth ring Dustin hurriedly spoke ignoring Mr Clarke's grunts of annoyance. "Hey Mr Clarke, Do you know anything about sensory deprivation, specifically how to build one?" Dustin called for a pen and paper and scribbled notes on the pad once Joyce handed him one. Once he'd finished chatting with Mr Clarke he hung up the phone and spoke to Mike and Nancy, "Do you guys still have that kiddie pool we used for Halloween?" Nancy shrugged but Mike nodded. "Good, then we just need salt, lot of it." He said looking at the adults now. "How much is lots?" Joyce asked and Dustin ended, "1,500 pounds."
"Where can we get that much salt?" Joyce turned to Hopper.
"Come with me." Hopper said and Joyce and the kids all followed Hopper to the door. Jonathan stopped Lacey and Nancy before they joined, "Let's stay." He whispered and the two girls looked at each other, confused but they both caught on eventually and nodded. "You guys go, we will meet you there in Nancy's car." Jonathan said to the group who nodded and headed out. "We're doing this now?" Nancy asked, shocked but Jonathan nodded, "We need weapons though." Lacey said and Jonathan nodded. "We'll go to the hardware store." He replied before grabbing Nancy's car keys and heading for the door. "Come on, while they do that we can kill this thing." Jonathan stated.
The two girls followed Jonathan out the door wondering if they were about to make a huge mistake.
