Stranger Things: Rebuilding

Chapter 30 of my Stranger Things story, enjoy.

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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stranger Things or its characters.

What Happens Next?

Mike bit his lip, looking around anxiously, everybody was in the corridors, talking loudly, the hubbub just refused to die down. Even from where he stood he could see Jessica, still distraught, being comforted by her friends, while everyone who had been in the History class was whispering and some were still laughing. He was shocked by what he had seen on that video.

'Unbelievable, who could have even done anything like this…' He wondered. 'They make El do this and humiliate Jessica in the process, they seemed to know everything, it...it…'

He was cut off from his thoughts when El finally emerged from her History class. He had to admit, he had been worried about this. El would have to get rid of the video, but being seen emerging from class carrying it would be far too suspicious. If Jessica or her minions saw her, they'd suspect immediately. But El seemed to have come up with a way to deter such suspicions. For when she emerged, she was holding the video tape at arm's length, as if it was some poisonous creature, a look of disgust on her face. As she maintained this expression, she marched straight to the nearby trash can and emphatically dumped the video tape right in it. At this time the rest of the party had found him and looked startled and Mike knew the questions were going to start right up

Mike saw El already approaching them and he was relieved to see, at least going by their reactions, that Jessica and her group seemed to buy El's little show of disgust.

"Dude, what is going on?" Dustin burst out. "People are talking about a video of people having-"

Mike cut him off. "Look, just hold on."

Max quirked an eyebrow. "You weren't in class Mike, what's happened?"

"There's a...problem. I was at El's this morning and things happened, we...a package arrived and…" Mike tried to explain.

But then El's voice cut in. "Eric is in danger."

They all turned to her, El nodded to Mike in appreciation for his support before speaking up.

"On Saturday, I went to Eric's dorm, as that note said...it was a trick. Jessica was already there, she and Eric were, well…"

"Oh man, that's...but wait, does that mean…?" Dustin gasped.

El nodded and sighed. "I was pretty upset I'll admit, so that's why I was kinda shut off yesterday. But today, at breakfast, a package arrived addressed to me. It had a photo of Eric in it, he's been kidnapped and I have to do all these tasks in order to save him...or he'll die."

There was a stunned, horrified silence after this.

Finally Lucas broke it. "My God, that's...that's crazy. But wait, why you?"

"That I don't know, yet." El admitted. "But I had to put that video in to play before class began today for the first task. I don't even know how I'll get told about the second one."

Will grimaced. "Jeez, that's crazy, this...wait, how would they even know you did what they told you to do?"

Max paled. "I think it's...it's safe to assume El is under constant surveillance."

"Holy shit…" Mike whispered, looking around. "So what happens now?"

There was silence after this as they pondered worriedly about that.

It was then Will realized.

"Um, guys...everybody else is almost all gone. I know it's gonna be hard, but we better get to class." He looked around at them all. "We can stand around and speculate, but it's not gonna get us anywhere. If the teachers catch us, we're gonna face some...problems."

"But that's-" El burst out.

Mike however reassured her. "Will's right, there's nothing more we can do until you are given that second task. Let's get to class. If you're being watched El, then we can just wait for them to make the next move."

El sighed but nodded. "You're right, let's go."

So they split up, making their way to their classes. This left El to walk with Mike, the two of them still trying to process what they had seen in that video, that it had been taken at all.

'It just shows, even after all this time.' El reflected. 'The lab's reach hasn't waned one bit…'

She looked to Mike and saw him looking back at her.

She sighed. "You were right, you tried to stop me. I shouldn't have just, played it, I should have checked…"

"No, it's...you had no way of knowing and, and remember what you were told. You were told not to do it, or Eric would be killed." Mike explained gently.

All the same, El was starting to get even more worried as she realized one key fact.

'If they do have me under surveillance...that means they'll know about everyone else...they'll be watching them. They'll be in danger, I, I'm started to get really worried about this. Who knows what they'll do to them if they get their hands on them.' She thought fearfully. 'I can't...I have to stop this, I can't let them hurt my friends.'

As they approached the door of the classroom, Mike looked at her and nodded.

"Remember, as much as we hate it, they hold all the cards, we can only wait for them to make the next move." He told her. "You completed the first task, there's no question about that. So they have to send you the second one somehow, they set the time limit and they want you to do this, so, it's in their interests to be prompt."

El nodded, calming down. "You're right, thanks Mike."

So they entered the classroom.

Almost as soon as they did, El cursed herself for not thinking of them pulling this, for the teacher turned to her and spoke up.

"Ah, Miss Hopper, there you are. The Principal has something at the office for you to pick up, it just arrived during first period." They explained.

El glanced at Mike and nodded to him before replying. "Ah, thank you, I'll go right away."

With that she left the classroom and, taking a deep breath, hopeful, she rushed to the Principal's office and spoke to the secretary. The woman smiled softly and handed over the note that was addressed to her. El thanked her and stepped outside; once alone she looked around and then opened the note.

"Eleven.

Congratulations on completing the first task, you have got off to a good start. Remember, you must always follow instructions. So while you have this information, you cannot act on it until after your second period class."

El groaned at that, starting to form thoughts on what this was about and how her actions appeared to those watching her. She hated the fact she had to wait but it was clear she had to do it if she wanted to save Eric. So, making her way back to the class, she read the rest of the note, to get an idea what her next task would be. When she realized what it was her eyes went wide in horror.

'Holy shit.'

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.