Hey there everyone! Sorry this is up so late.
I was super busy at work and that's when I usually have down time to post this.
Plus I had to re write the whole chapter, b/c the first draft didn't "mesh" well IMO.
I was going to make it a little shorter, just to get it out for you guys to read, but I really want to take my time with this.
What do you guys think? Let me know. Longer chapters and less posting, or shorter chapters with more updates?
ALSO! Big shout out to Free Bird, El, Candy95, and Guest!
Your reviews are super appreciated, thank you so much, and thanks to those that are following as well.
If you don't see your review posted, it's okay, I got the email. Looks like they are updating slowly
Enjoy! :D
Scuffling feet, the sound of backpacks being stuffed, cheer, laughter, anticipation. These things, all happening at the same time as the bell to set the anxious students free from their respective classrooms rang, to the halls where more sounds blend into one symphony of freedom. Lockers slamming and opening.
Dustin was making his way through the crowd, being one of the first to exit the doorway, as soon as he exited the room he was pulled to the side by a familiar hand.
"Dustin what's wrong, you act like you saw a ghost in there." Lucas said.
"Shut up." Dustin said quietly to Lucas leaning in closely so he could hear above the noise. "Someone will hear you. It's not safe. I think we need to get out of here, quickly." Dustin felt something in his gut that was wrong, and he wasn't sure if he was going crazy, or if it was because of all the cookies he ate at lunch time from grabbing everyone's extras.
Lucas glanced at his watch and grimaced. "Okay, we'll meet outside in ten minutes. Same spot we always do." He was referring to the spot behind the school on the eastern wall.
"Meeting up for what?" Will chimed in, finally getting out of the classroom.
Dustin and Lucas both simultaneously shushed him as to not gather attention. Sean walked out just then.
"Hey it's Will right? Will Byers" Sean said.
Dustin's stomach plummeted.
"Yeah," Will turned to look at the new student. "Sean, right?" Of course, Will remembered his name, but he was just being socially polite.
"Thanks for saying hi, it's never easy going to a new school. I'm glad that some people are friendly." He said to them, almost as if he was referring to all of them.
"No problem," Will started, "See you tomorrow."
"Sounds good." Sean finished as he waved and headed down the hall.
Lucas looked at Dustin and his face was white. "You okay man?" He pushed Dustin's chest lightly to make sure he was okay.
"I uh, just think somethings going on, we need to talk privately." Dustin said. They agreed and within ten minutes they were heading outside to meet up on the east side of the building.
When they had assembled, Dustin was more than freaking out, and now that no one was around to see him lose his cool he was free to respectively blow his mind and his friends with the revelation he witnessed in class. The whole thing was odd though, this new kid on the block – so to speak, was acting… what was the word? Dustin tried to think of it. Normal? Yeah, that was the word he was grabbing at. Normal.
"Okay man, what's the big deal?" Lucas said, a little annoyed that it took this long for Dustin to disclose the information.
Dustin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sighed, preparing himself to tell his friends what could be the craziest thing to happen to the school.
"When I was in class. I saw something," Dustin stated, his focus on the memory of looking at those three numbers etched onto the arm of the new kid.
"What? Saw what?" Will said, getting a little worried, he didn't want it to be something horrible and monstrous like the Demogorgon from last year. Will repressed the idea of the upside down almost instantaneously when he started to think about it.
"Okay, you'll never believe this, but I saw-" Dustin was quickly cut off
"Well look what we have here!" Yelled a boy walking towards them. It was Troy, with his friends, three of them to be precise, including James.
"Oh shit man! We're outnumbered." Dustin clamored frantically.
"Quiet! Let me do the talking," Will said.
With bravery and courage Will walked forward ahead of his two friends.
"What do you want Troy?" Will demanded.
Troy looked at his right arm, still healing from that fateful day. He could heal the injury, but never the way it made him feel. He wanted revenge, and he wanted it badly.
"I want to finally wipe the smirks off your faces."
"Why? What'd we ever do to you?" Will asked, forgetting about the events that happened last month. I mean, you couldn't blame Will, he wasn't even there to know what happened, but he had heard stories.
"Well, let's see," Troy began, shouting, "First you made me piss my pants in front of the whole school!"
Lucas looked over at Dustin and tilted his head, shrugging his shoulders in approval, that yes indeed that did happen.
"Then you broke my arm," Troy continued.
Dustin spoke up. "Yeah, because you pulled a knife out on us. Coward!"
"Shut up toothless!" Troy got angrier with each remembrance of those incidents. He was the laughing stock of the school now.
Troy stepped forward in front of his friends to meet Will face to face. He looked around before looking back at Will. "Looks like your little weirdo girlfriend isn't here to do anything funny though," Troy said in a menacing tone.
"Kind of funny how you had to bring four of you just for the three of us," Lucas spoke, "not really a fair fight if you ask me."
Troy just shook off the thought of the unfair fight and waned back behind his lackeys. "Alright guys get em!" He shouted.
Will braced for impact. Lifting his frail arms and flinching to protect from whatever punch he was about to receive, and from whoever, ready to fall and just be done and over with it. Then he heard a large "whoa!" as all three bullies tripped and fell face first on the pavement, and when he pulled his arms down, he saw all three of Troy's lackeys there. Will thought to himself, what's happening, are they?... pinned? But how? They were struggling, but it was no use, they couldn't break the bond of whatever had them in their restraint and held to the ground.
Troy's face became boiling red. "Idiots!" He yelled at them before stepping over James, rapidly closing the distance between him and Will. A punch was thrown and suddenly Troy's arm whipped around Will's face, completely missing it. The force was enough to send Troy tumbling down onto the pavement himself.
Dustin and Lucas started laughing seeing the whole thing unfold. That was until Dustin looked up and saw a figure slowly walking their way, head tilted down and forward slightly, focused on the four bullies.
"Sean?...Is that you?" Will asked.
Sean wasn't listening though. He walked over to Troy and picked him up by the shirt, but not with his hand, with his mind. "You will leave them alone. For good, do you hear me?" He said.
Troy just looked at him, confused.
"DO YOU HEAR ME!?" Sean yelled.
"Yes! Fine!" Troy squirmed, on the verge of crying in front of them all. "I'll leave them alone, just let me go okay?"
"Okay, I can do that!" Sean said before letting him drop back onto the ground, landing on the injury he was trying to heal, yelling loudly.
The bullies picked themselves up and ran off to lick their wounds.
Lucas, Will, and Dustin stared in amazement at what just occurred.
"What the HELL is happening?!" Lucas demanded. Then his face changed expressions, as if he realized something suddenly. "This is what you were going to tell us wasn't it?" Lucas said.
"Yeah, I saw a tattoo on his arm. With the numbers 002! He must be like El!" Dustin said, not taking his eyes off Sean, at that point for all they knew he could either be friend or foe. Their guard was unwavering.
"What do you want?" Will asked.
"What do you mean? I just saved you guys, didn't I? I don't want anything." Sean looked confused.
"Yeah but no one just walks up and starts using abilities on people to save a bunch of strangers." Lucas pointed out. "Not to mention few people even HAVE abilities." He finished.
Sean looked around him, and then down in the spot where he threw the bullies down. Then he looked at Will who was closest to him.
"You seemed like good people, and I spotted those boys following you around the corner, so I followed them."
"This is too weird," Lucas concluded, "Please tell me we are dreaming?" Lucas pleaded.
Will was the first to break the awkwardness of the situation. He held a hand out, hoping he could trust this person, this Sean.
Sean looked down at the hand and gave a small grin, then he did the same, shaking Wills hand.
"Well in any case, thanks for your help, I'm pretty sure I'd be a pile of mush if you hadn't come around." Will said.
"No problem, I couldn't let them hurt my first friend at Hawkins, now could I?" Sean replied, with a small smile.
It was reasonable, for them to trust Sean, after all he did just wipe out Troy and leave him running with his tail between his legs. Probably enough that he more than likely would leave them alone. The boys sat there, still trying to wrap their head around the idea that someone like Eleven could be walking around, and what if there were others also.
"So… Did you break out too?" Lucas asked, "from the lab that is," he clarified, starting to relax from the commotion.
"Yes," Sean nodded.
"Are you the only one left?" Dustin questioned.
Sean stood there for a second, contemplating what Dustin just asked. Was he the only one left? His eyes looked as if he was remembering something.
"I… I feel, someone." He began, the words slow, like he was pulling them out one at a time.
All three boys went white, and looked at each other, then back at Sean.
"Tell us about this, someone." Will requested.
"I, I don't know, it's hard to see, to listen." He answered, unaware if this would answer their question.
"Sean, this is really important, I know we just met, but there is someone that might be out there just like you, and we know her. And you HAVE to tell us everything you know if you can." Dustin demanded, realizing the gravity and the destiny of meeting Sean.
"What do you mean?" He said, confused.
"Lucas just tell him!" Dustin said, handing control over to Lucas, he was the better straight shooter.
"Is there or isn't there someone here that is like you?!" Lucas yelled. He didn't want to upset Sean, but this was the only way to push him to an answer.
Sean's head looked strained, the vesicles under his skin coming to the surface, almost like when El would overextend her powers. Sean was concentrating.
"Yes," Sean began, "There is someone, but, not here."
"The boys looked at each other again. They didn't even have to speak to know who he was referring to."
Will spoke up. "The upside down?"
"It has to be." Dustin added.
Sean squinted his eyes, wondering what they just said. "The… upside, down?"
"Yes, it's like here, but it's darker, colder, emptier." Will said, each word quieter and quieter in remembrance of that awful week.
"Oh," Sean began, "I've been there."
"You have?!" All three boys said together.
Sean nodded his head, face blank as if he was about to speak.
"This person you speak of," He paused.
The boys leaned in, waiting for him to begin again. "What about her?" Dustin asked.
Sean looked down at the ground in frustration, then back up at the boys.
"She isn't there either."
Well that was interesting. Looks like we have a new friend.
and if El isn't there in reality... nor in the upside down, where CAN she be?
Guess we'll learn more next time ;)
BTW I'm having super fun writing this story everyone, leave a review to let me know how I'm doing.
Thanks for reading everyone and have a great day!
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