18

On Ice

Mike

Mike blinked in surprise at the sudden darkness that they had just been thrown into. "Max?" Mike said as he got to his feet being careful of El's unconscious form lying next to him.

"I'm here," Max said and a moment later he felt her grab his arm.

"Where are the others? " he asked as it hit him how silent the world had gone, there wasn't anyone shouting or even the sound of footsteps moving around like their own.

"I don't know," Max answered as they slowly made their way out of the cooler and into the far to quiet back room, no one moving around, no one talking even. "Something feels wrong," Max said.

Mike nodded knowing she was right as they made their way into the front room where Will and Lucas said they would be watching the windows and door, but from the little light that came through the glass door they found nothing. No one was there. The ghostly figures still standing outside, but they weren't banging to get in anymore, they simply stood there looking in at them. Like they were waiting for something….But for what?

"Where's Lucas?" Max asked, and Mike could hear the panic rising in her voice and it was the same for him. Where was everyone?

"Okay... I think Nancy and Jonathan went to find the thermostat," Mike said, going back to the back room and noticed than just how cold it had gotten, it had been cold before but now it was to the point of making water freeze, which was a good sign, maybe they had found it. Maybe that's where everyone was.

"Where do you think the thermostat would be?" Max asked following after him.

"I think they said downstairs," Mike answered as he felt his way over to the back of the room where he remembered seeing a door, his eyes not yet adjusted to the deep darkness. After a moment he found what felt like a door handle and opened it to…. He couldn't tell. It looked to be just a black hole, he couldn't even see the staircase.

"Well this will be fun," Mike said trying to lighten the mood….that or make himself feel better, he didn't know which one before he took a step into the dark. Thankfully he found a hand railing as he stepped onto the first step, the only thing that told him he was actually headed downwards.

Before he knew it he had reached the last step and jumped off and looked back to see Max following only a step behind.

Mike looked around himself, his eyes finally adjusted to the dark and found they were in a room far smaller than the one above them. There wasn't much, an old heater in the corner, a couple of boxes here and there and two doors. One of which stood open and the other halfway closed.

"I don't like this game," Max said, joining him as they both looked at the doors.

"It's fine, Nancy and Jonathan are behind one of them," Mike said trying to sound far more sure then he really felt before he randomly picked one and went over to the one that was closed all the way.

With a deep breath, he twisted the door handle and found to his own surprise he had been right.

"Nancy, Jonathan what are you doing?!"

Mike watched as Nancy jumped and as she looked up at him and Max who had joined them with wide eyes he saw the pink marks on Jonathan's neck from where they had been kissing.

"You both were really making out at a time like this?"

"No," Nancy said, hurriedly pulling away from Jonathan who looked just as surprised to see them so suddenly, "I mean we didn't plan for it, it's just we found the thermostat and then one thing led to another….why didn't you knock?"

"We're in a basement, why the hell would I have to knock?" Mike asked.

"Okay," Max said stepping forward. "We came down here looking for Will and Lucas. They're missing, and the lights went out, didn't you notice?"

"Missing?" Jonathan asked, alarmed now.

"How could they be missing?" Nancy asked.

"After the lights went out they were just gone," Mike said.

"Well where Steve, Robin, and Dustin?" Nancy asked.

Mike felt his heart sink not even having thought about them before thinking they would be down here too. For a moment they all looked at one another before they turned for the staircase. Mike followed after everyone and was just about to take the first step up but turned back around.

The other room stood there with its half-open door. Mike swallowed as everyone else went up, he let out a foggy breath before he turned back.

"What are you doing?" Max asked, stopping halfway up to look back at him, Nancy and Jonathan both disappearing into the room above.

"We didn't check the other room," Mike said walking back over to it.

Max bit her lip a long moment before she followed after him.

Mike stopped in front of the door and as he did he heard something. The sound of voices talking in low whispers.

Mike looked over his shoulder to Max to see that she heard them too. Without thinking any more about what could be on the other side Mike pushed open the door and Max followed right after him.

"Why are we down here again?" Will asked.

"I'm thirsty," Lucas answered from where he was leading over an icebox.

"Shouldn't we be worried about the power going out?" Will asked, crossing his arms.

"Will it's okay, we're going back up in just a minute, those things aren't getting in, so don't worry so much."

"You should be worried about me killing you!"

Mike watched as Lucas's eyes went wide as he turned to find him and Max in the doorway.

"Want a soda?" He asked sheepishly, holding up a can.

Max let out a long breath before she jumped at him.

Mike had to grab her arm to keep her from probably literally killing him at that moment.

"We thought you two were missing dumbass!"

"It was his idea," Will said pointing to Lucas, who in turn gave him a dry look.

"Thanks, Will," Lucas said before he turned to Max. "I didn't know the power would go out after we got down here."

"Why didn't you come back up then?"

"Will we were already down here and-" Lucas started but he would never get to finish his sentence because just then the sound of glass breaking made them all go silent.

"Was that…." Max started but didn't finish her sentence as they all looked up to the ceiling instinctually.

"The door," Mike confirmed.

They all turned towards the hall then and without saying a word they all ran upstairs and into the dining room where Nancy and Jonathan stood.

Mike felt his eyes go wide, the glass to the door had been broken and mist started to pour in like a cloud on a rainy day.

"What do we do?" Will asked as they all started to step back as the mist started to form into human-like shapes making their way towards them.

"We can't touch them," Max said as they all stepped back into the kitchen now.

Suddenly the closet door next to them opened to reveal Steve, Dustin, and Robin all holding cleaning supplies.

For a moment everyone just looked at them before the sound of something falling over made them turn back.

"Look Will was right, they're turning to ice!" Lucas said. He was right, the noise had been one of those things falling over a chair as its body froze where it now lay shattered into millions of glittering pieces.

"Oh this will be fun," Steve said and before everyone could stop him he ran out of the kitchen and started swinging the handle of a mop around. Some of the figures that we're further into the shop broke but the ones that were just coming in simply disappeared for a moment before reappearing.

"Steve lookout!" Robin called and ran forward grabbing his arm just in time as one of them went for his neck.

In a flash, everyone went for the closet and grabbed a makeshift weapon, and ran into the middle of an outright battle.

Mike followed after Max and hit out at anything his broom handle could reach one after another he watched shatter to nothingness.

But as he looked up and out the window there were so many more. It was a terrifying number, not just because it was more to fight but it was all of the people who had been killed. People they had known, not well but that didn't change the fact that the monster was nothing but evil to end so many lives.

Mike was just about to swing out again but Nancy stopped him suddenly. "Mike you need to stay with El, more of those things are coming in, and if one gets to her when she's alone…"

Mike nodded even though he hated to leave his friends they seemed to be doing fine for the most part.

He turned away and went back into the freezer and found El right where he had left her. With a breath he turned to face the door he won't let anything get past him. But he hoped she would wake up soon, not just because all of this would end, but he wanted her back from where ever she was.

AN

As always thanks for reading, it means a lot to me. If you want to review and give me your thoughts and or any criticism on what I could do better please feel free, it always helps. again I'm putting a little more foreshadowing in the chapters for the next fanfic I'm doing thinking of doing which is my own take on season 4 that i will be starting as soon as this little story is over tho this one didn't really have much if any. I hope your all doing well as you can be right now. Stay safe everyone :D