Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Mindflayer
Veronica slowly began to wake up as she started to hear voices. At first, they sounded muffled and far away before slowly they became clearer and louder. A small groan left her lips as she shifted against the soft texture of something.
"...hey there kiddo..." a deep, familiar voice sounded from beside her.
Blinking her eyes away a few times, Veronica turned her head to see her father sitting in a chair beside her bed. His eyes looked tired even with the slight gentle smile on his face. Seeing his face was enough to bring strong relief to her body.
"Dad," Veronica whispered with a bit of shock as she sat up quickly, the quick movement causing a headache to form. She winced back from the pain and closed her eyes tightly.
"Woah, hold on there...need to take it a little easy," Hopper spoke, reaching out for his daughter as she moved quickly. "Gave everyone a bit of a scare there."
Veronica closed her eyes tightly from the pain, "W-What happened?"
"A lot." Hopper sighed, leaning forward on his elbows slightly. "What's the last thing you remember?"
Veronica slowly opened her eyes and looked toward her father with a hard look of concentration. Quickly she began to flip through her mind and play out the memories she had over the last few days. Everything was clear. From going to school to heading out for flowers with Steve, to ending up at the junkyard with Dustin and the other kids. But everything started to slowly fade away with them walking down the train tracks back to town. After that, it's all blank. Her dark brows pinched together in confusion, a look crossing over her face that Jim was able to catch onto quickly.
"What's wrong?" He voiced
"I-I don't remember how I got her," Veronica spoke softly, pausing for a few moments to make sure she was remembering correctly. But nothing was coming up after walking down the path with Steve beside her. "I-I don't remember anything after leaving the junkyard with Steve."
"Steve? Steve Harrington?" Hopper questioned, Veronica quickly nodding her head. "W-We were going after Dart...h-he'd molted again...a-and there were more than before."
"You're talking about the Demogorgon that Dustin had found?" Hopper sighed.
Before he'd come to watch over Veronica, Hopper had everyone break down the events of what had happened. He knew that he'd missed out on a few after leaving Joyce's home and then ending up at the Lab. It seemed that everyone had a piece of a story that was forming into something bigger than he was expecting. The last thing he was expecting was a middle school finding a slug-like creature that soon turned into the monsters they'd nearly escaped at the Lab.
"Y-You know about that?" Veronica questioned
"I know a lot more than you think, kid. Seems you had another round of dark spots in your memory." Hopper frowned.
He sat there for a moment before reaching behind him and pulling forward a drawing. It didn't take long for Veronica to recognize the drawing in his hands. It was the same one she'd seen Joyce have with Will only the night before in the dining room. It caused the nauseous cold feeling to settle in her gut again as her dark eyes stared down at it. The feeling seemed to cross her face as Hopper watched her closely. Suddenly her face went pale as her focus was solely on the drawing in front of her.
"Veronica." Hopper spoke, snapping his daughter out of her focus and back to him, "Have you seen this before?"
"Y-Yes." She spoke with her voice barely over a whisper.
"Have you seen this before the other day? The creature in the photo?" Hopper spoke. Veronica slowly nodded her head. "When?"
"Papa never wanted me to talk about it again," Veronica responded quickly
"Well, Dr. Brenner isn't here anymore. I am. Now...when was it?" Hopper spoke, his voice becoming a bit more firm. He didn't miss the slight flinch she did as he spoke.
Hopper never wanted to scare or intimidate his daughter. But the issue with whatever was happening in the basement of the Hawkins Lab was showing to be a bigger and worse issue than he ever thought. Hopper thought everything to do with the Upside Down was done and in the past. But it seemed that Dr. Owens thoughts were becoming more and more true.
The Upside Down wasn't done with Veronica and wasn't planning to let up any time soon.
"I-It was during the times Papa would make me go into the darkness..." Veronica started
"Into the Upside Down?" Hopper asked, clarifying.
"Yes," Veronica spoke "He'd always send me back. Always make me look for more. He...He wanted to know more about it...interested int how it made me change."
"Change?" Hopper's thick brows pulled together tightly, "Change how?"
"I'd...I'd change and come back with more...able to do more."
Hoppers stomach rolled, realizing what she meant after a few moments of silence between the two of them. Hopper remembered the files that Owens had given him, and now he'd wished he'd read them. Veronica began to fidget with the blanket beside her, quickly becoming nervous and frightened of what she would have to talk about.
"Veronica...w-would your powers change?" Hopper asked softly, she nodded her head. "Stronger?"
"Yes." Veronica's eyes began to fill with unshed tears.
"Ok. Ok." Hopper moved closer and quickly grabbed her hands, trying to bring her some comfort. "Now...when you went into the Upside Down...the darkness. Was this Shadow thing always there?"
"No. Sometimes the creatures...Demogorgons would be there too." Veronica sniffled and reached to wipe a stray tear. "No matter how mu-much I told Papa I didn't wanna go...he'd make me go."
Hopper suddenly became angry toward a man he already hated, and hated that he could no longer punish him. He waited a few passing moments to allow Veronica to calm down, knowing that bringing these memories up weren't going to be easy. But knew it was something he was going to have to do in order to understand more.
"Veronica, Dr. Owens talked about this...thing being like a virus to Will. You know what a virus is right? Like a illness?" Veronica nodded her head, "Now we think that the way that Will got this...virus is from this shadow thing...and he got to Will somehow and got inside of him. Mike said Will described it as entering his entire body and being every where. Did anything like that happen to you?"
Veronica froze quickly and stared toward her father blankly. The memories flashed through her mind. Of fighting off the Demogorgons when she was only a child. To being held down by the Shadow Monster. To suddenly feeling consumed by the monster. She remembered that after that one trip to the Upside Down – that Papa never treated her the same.
"Veronica...please..." Hopper whispered "I just wanna know. I just wanna understand."
Veronica whimpered "Y-You're gonna think I'm bad."
Hopper softened, "No! No, honey, no. I could never think that you're bad. Never. Why would you think that?"
"Because I can see it. I can see the fear, I can feel it. I can taste it." Veronica cried, her grip becoming tightening around his. "I'm good...I'm good, I promise."
Hopper reached up and caressed her face, anchoring her focus back to him. "I don't doubt for a second that you're good. Do you understand me? Nothing is ever going to change my mind about that. Ok? I love you, you are my daughter."
Veronica stared into her father's eyes and felt the conviction in his voice and knew he was speaking the truth. She moved quickly to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he body collided into his. Her face nuzzled into the crook of his neck and relaxed into his embrace, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly. Hopper felt his body relax as she jumped into his arms.
"I've got you...I'm not letting anything bad happen to ever, ok? But I need you to tell me everything." Hopper spoke, his hand moving up and down her back gently.
"Ok." Veronica whispered, before moving back to her seat, reaching up to wipe away her tears. It took a few minutes more before she spoke again. "The moment I saw Will's drawing the first time I knew that something was wrong. That same day I had a episode...a smaller one...but I saw the Shadow Monster. It was searching for something...a-and suddenly it was like I knew what it wanted."
"What did it want?"
"It was angry, I-I couldn't tell exactly what...but it wanted to hurt...it wanted to destroy..." Veronica sighed "It came for me before, when Papa sent me in for the last time. I was so scared, and I tried to run...I tried to run but it wouldn't let me go. All I remember was being surrounded by it...and then it all went blank."
The thoughts of the kids theory of Will being connected to the Shadow Monster, or Mindflayer as they called it, wasn't sounding so outlandish to him. But now Jim was starting to piece together that Will wasn't the only one connected to the being that was on the bring of bringing his town to a end. He remembers of the year before of how Veronica seemed to appear in place of the monster that was terrorizing Jonathan, Nancy and Steve in the Byers home. Remembers of her crying of burning and being in pain when she came to his office, only to discover that Owens and the rest of the lab had been burning the unknown spread in the basement of the Lab.
"Do you still feel it now?" Hopper asked, making sure to keep his eyes locked on his daughters face.
Veronica quickly began to shake her head, "No...no. I promise."
"Do you know when you're able to feel it?"
Veronica shook her head slightly, "I-I just don't feel like myself. Like...like...I'm able to feel its emotions. I remember becoming violently sick after the junkyard...felt a fit of intense anger coming from the direction of the Lab."
Hopper nodded his head slowly, "Dr. Owens was telling me about how there seems to be...another inside of you. And with everything that's happened over the last few weeks or so...I think I know what's going on."
Veronica's brows pulled together tightly as she waited for her father to continue.
"Between last year and now I think that you're connected to the Upside Down and whatever creatures are within that place." Hopper explained, "Dr. Owens believed that whatever is affecting Will is the same as you, but different...and with the...experiments that Dr. Brenner did...I think you're connected, that your powers are connected to that place."
Veronica's lips turned down into a frown, "S-So...I'm bad?"
Hopper quickly shook his head, "No...no, I don't think so. But I think you can help us, in a way."
"Help?"
"Yes. We need you to talk to Will and help us get to him. If you're connected like I'm thinking, kid. Then I think you can help us solve this thing."
Hopper placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as the two of them left her bedroom and walked toward the main part of the home where the others sat. The first people that Veronica saw were Jonathan and Nancy, both posted beside Will who was still unconscious on the sofa. Jonathan stood quickly, Nancy tucked slightly behind him, as his eyes watched Veronica closely. A frown cast on her lips more as she felt the wave of unease and nerves coming from them both. Joyce was sitting on the small armchair off to the side with a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The older woman gave her a saddened smile, thick waves of grief coming off of her.
"We sure about this?" Jonathan asked, looking past Veronica and to Hopper. She dipped her head further, suddenly feeling shunned and ashamed by someone she saw as a brother.
"I'm sure," Hopper spoke, squeezing Veronica's shoulder for a moment.
"You're not a spy, are you Ronnie?" Mike's voice caused her head to turn in his direction, seeing him standing in the doorway of the kitchen with Lucas and Dustin beside him.
When her eyes traveled up farther she saw Steve standing not too far behind them leaning against the kitchen counter. His lips turned up slightly and gave her a small gentle wave. It was enough to lighten up some of the intense moods she was feeling.
"I'm not. I-I promise." Veronica spoke. "I want to help, however I can."
The kids all smiled, a sense of relief relaxing their bodies and causing a smile on each other their faces.
"I told you, no way she's a spy like Will." Dustin declared "A spy for the Mindflayer wouldn't have protected us back at the junkyard."
Veronica's smile broadened more, "Thanks, kid."
Veronica's eyes shot to Jonathan for a moment before walking further toward the dining area with the rest of the kids. Dustin was the first to move forward and wrap his arms around her waist, holding her tightly in an embrace. She was taken aback for a moment before returning the affection.
"I'm glad you're ok. We all were worried that he got you too." Dustin spoke, before standing back. Veronica nodded her head before ruffling his curls.
"Couldn't get me even if he tried, I promise."
Veronica looked up and around at the others, before back over her shoulder to her father. He stood tall within the doorway nearly filling the entire thing with his frame. Veronica sighed softly and turned her attention down to the small worn down dining room table in the Byers kitchen. Sitting on top was one of the many Dungeons and Dragons books that Veronica had seen Will with in the past. The book was opened up to a page with characters and descriptions between the two. But her eyes zeroed in on the creature that was titled; the Mindflayer.
"So...what are we going to do about this..." Her brows pulled together in confusion "...Mindflayer?"
"That's what we've named the Shadow Monster that you and Will have seen," Mike spoke.
"It's an ancient being from another dimension that is so old that it doesn't know what or where its true home is. So it takes over and controls other plants. Ultimately wiping out every other living being on the planet to claim it as his own."
"So it kills everything?" Veronica asked
"Essentially," Dustin confirmed, "We know that the Mindflayer controls the demodogs, and is also connected to both Will and the tunnels that are forming beneath Hawkins."
"Tunnels?" She questioned "What tunnels?"
"They are on the outskirts of Hawkins, spanning out further towards the town." Jim spoke up, "Travel through them enough and it leads towards the Lab. It's like a vine system that is spreading and stretching out. It's toxic and slowly killing every living thing within reach. Farms and decimated because of them. I was down there...not exactly a place one wants to be,"
Veronica's brows pulled together as she looked toward her father, a memory coming back to her. "Yesterday? Were you suffocating?"
Jim looked down at her confused, "Y-Yeah...h-how did you know that?"
"I felt it," Veronica spoke "I-I kept coughing all day at school and I couldn't understand why. Little pieces of white...ash was coming out of my lungs."
Jim's brown eyes widened in amazement as he stared down at his daughter. "You amaze me more and more each day, kid." Veronica couldn't help but perk up slightly from his words. "Now, we are going to have to get inside Will's mind in order to figure out how to get rid of this thing. It's not simply just going to go away."
"And I'm guessing you've thought of that?" Veronica asked.
"Remember how you went in and help El remote travel in order to search for Will?" Joyce spoke, coming up to stand with Jim. "You were able to get into her mind to help push her along? Would you be able to do that alone?"
Veronica nervously fidgeted with her hands before slowly nodding her head, her eyes staying locked with Joyce as she spoke. "I'll find him."
Joyce smiled, reaching to gently caress her face. "I know you will, sweetie."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Are we sure this isn't going to push her too far?" Steve asked, looking around to everyone with a worried and nervous look on his face.
"I can do it, Steve," Veronica spoke firmly.
"Last time you did this, you disappeared," Jonathan spoke up, scratching nervously at his neck. "You literally teleported away from us and into the Upside Down. How are you going to stop that this time?"
"We don't know if it's going to happen or not, I don't have control over that part of my powers. If it happens, it happens." Veronica shrugged her shoulders.
Steve took a step forward, "Ronnie,"
"I'm doing this!" Veronica snapped "Please. Let me make my own decision."
Veronica looked around the room one by one waiting for anyone to give any arguments. But as she looked into each other eyes, she was met with silence.
"Alright then, you heard the girl, let's get this thing going," Jim spoke, clapping his hands together, causing everyone to jump into action.
"Ronnie! Hey..." Jonathan called after her, jogging a short distance in order to catch up. She turned toward him and quickly he could see her defenses go up.
"What do you want, Jonathan," She spoke, turning to head back towards the back of the shed, where Hopper, Joyce, Steve, and Mike were already clearing out. But before she moved too far, Jonathan grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Please, can you just...hold on for a second. I-I want to talk to you." He sighed heavily as she stopped to turn toward him. "I want to apologize."
"About?"
"About being gone. I-I should've been here for you and Will," Jonathan spoke, "I messed up and it wasn't the very big brother of me to ditch the both of you."
Veronica could see that he was mournful, "I'm not even mad about that. It's more so who you were with than anything else."
"What? Nancy?"
"You know what she thinks about me, Jonathan. And you ran off being...friends with her or something. How would you feel if I ran off with Tommy? Or Carol? Knowing what they did to you and how they treated you."
"I-I...we wanted to take down the Lab and make them pay for everything they did to you, Will, and Barb," Jonathan whispered, taking a few steps closer to her. "Don't you want that? To make them pay for what they've done?"
"Dr. Owens and the Lab weren't the ones that kidnapped me and did experiments on me, Jonathan." Veronica scoffed "My god, did you stop and think for even a second what you were doing?!"
Jonathan looked down between them in shame as she continued to scold him. His shoulders slumped slightly and Veronica's stomach rolled with illness from the emotion coming off of him.
"No, I didn't. You're right. I-I got caught up in it." Jonathan spoke looking down at her with deep sympathy in his eyes.
Veronica's shoulders slumped as her defenses came down, "I just don't want how you feel about me to change because you're spending time with her more. Because as much as I would like to, I don't think Nancy is ever going to like me, Jonathan."
"We don't know that," He shook his head, but Veronica quickly gave him a pointed look, causing him to rise his hands in defense. "Alright...ok, but it won't matter cause how I feel and care about you I never going to change. Ok? You're family to me, Veronica and no one is going to make that any different any time soon. You're my sister, understand?"
Jonathan reached and gently grabbed her shoulders, bending down slightly so his eyes were connected with hers more.
"I already have one sibling within this things clutches and I don't want another. You don't have to do this, Ronnie. We can think of something else to do."
"I want to, Jonathan..." She reached up and gently caressed his face, giving him a small smile. "Will is my little brother too. Let me protect my family the way I know how."
He sighed heavily and nodded his head knowing that he wasn't going to change her mind any time soon. Jonathan took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her smaller frame, pulling her tightly into his chest. Veronica responded by doing the same and nuzzling her face into his neck slightly. Her body relaxed into his more and let the calmness she felt overtake her and clear her mind. Jonathan stood there for a while, rubbing his hand over her back, before stepping away from her. He gave her one final look before walking back toward the shed and helping clear the rest of it out.
When she saw movement to her left, Veronica spotted Nancy standing in front of a pile of junk and debris at the back of the house. The two of them are close and talking to one another. For a moment a sadness came back over her as she watched the smile that spread across Steve's face, how gentle and loving he looked down at her. She couldn't help but wince back slightly before turning away and following Jonathan.
Stepping into the storage shake that was at the Byers property, it looked nothing like the cluttered mess that it once was. The entire inside was covered with black and blue tarp and cardboard held together by thick strips of duct tape and staples. A single light bulb swung back and forth causing ominous shadows to spread across the small space. Veronica looked around before turning around to face her father and Joyce.
"This will work, bring him in." She spoke, walking across to the other side and standing where a single chair sat.
Jim nodded his head once before signaling back toward the house where she knew Jonathan was waiting. Veronica felt nervous but she wasn't sure if it was herself feeling that or everyone else around her. She closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths – shutting herself off from everyone else around her making her feelings void. She knew in order to try and find Will by tapping his mind, her focus was to be on him and no one else.
Short minutes passed when she heard movement again. When her large brown eyes opened she watched as Jonathan walked through the doorway and into the shack with Will in his arms. The young boy was still unconscious from before. Jonathan gently set him down on the chair before grabbing the rope down on the floor and using it to tie around his younger brother. Once Jonathan was done, he looked up to Veronica, giving her a small and encouraging smile. They silently seemed to communicate with each other – letting the other know that everything was going to work and be alright.
Joyce followed in behind Hopper and Mike before closing the door behind her. A bright light was turned on with it facing towards Will. Veronica winced back slightly from the brightness, knowing the light was being used as another tool so that Will was unable to know where he was exactly. Because if Will was able to know their location that meant that the Mindflayer would as well.
"Here," Mike stepped forward to Veronica, holding a pair of swimming goggles. The goggles were duct taped to make them impossible to see out of. The same goggles that El had used last year in the kiddie pool. "I found them in the house, thought maybe they'd help?"
Veronica took them from his grasp, "Thank you."
"Do you need a radio or anything?" Joyce asked
"No." Veronica sighed and quickly placed the goggles on top of her head, "I can channel him without it. Just...have to focus."
Joyce nodded her head and watched as Veronica slowly slid the goggles over her eyes. Veronica took a couple more deep breaths before reaching forward for Will. Joyce reached over and grasped tightly to Jim's hand as her eyes focused on Veronica. Suddenly she was standing rigid with her breaths coming out short and even. Suddenly the lights around them brightened for a moment, Veronica's body becoming slumped with her head falling forward between her shoulders slightly. Jim hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and holding onto the ammonia bottle in his hands. He tipped it upside down, soaking the cotton balls in his hands, before walking forward.
The moment they were dipped under Will's nose, the young boy woke with a large gasp and a shock. He fought against Veronica's hold for a moment, but her fingers dug into his shoulders and kept him in place. Suddenly Veronica's body became rigid again before she spoke in a monotone voice.
"I'm in."
Veronica gasped as she looked around and noticed the void that was surrounding her. Her head moved side to side searching for anything but all she saw was endless blackness. A chill ran down her spine as a cold chill wrapped around her frame, making her arms erupt in goosebumps. Slowly she walked along waiting for anything to finally appear to her. Veronica knew that she was within Will's mind. But instead of stumbling along a memory, she was welcomed with a void. A void she was familiar with. The sort of void she'd find herself in whenever Dr. Brenner would send her into the Upside Down.
"I need you to bring Will forward...i-it's dark..." Veronica spoke, her voice was robotic as she stood behind Will. The young boy stared at them blankly.
"Do you know when March 22nd is?" Joyce's void echoed around Veronica, "It's your birthday."
Slowly, one by one, things started to come into view for her. It was starting to be peeled away like fog moving away as the morning got warmer. Veronica saw a light and walked forward, smiling as it became clearer and clearer. At one moment a song started to echo through making things clearer and stronger. Veronica didn't know the song but she knew that it was something that Jonathan played all the time blasting from the speakers within his bedroom.
"Will?" Veronica called out "Will do you hear me? Please!"
Veronica stumbled forward and fell on her hands, letting out a hiss as she felt a pain shoot up along the palms of her hands and up to her wrists. Her eyes closed for a moment from the impact, but when they opened, she was welcomed back to the backyard of the Byers' home. An eerie sense of deja vu came over Veronica when her head slowly rose up and she saw the fort in front of her. The fort she knew that Jonathan and Will had built in their backyard years ago. The same place she found him before, the last time she went searching for him.
"Will," Veronica spoke breathy, pushing up off the forest ground and rushing toward the small shelter. "Will!"
She shouted forward as she pushed the white curtain to the side, revealing the small boy inside. His knees were pulled tightly to his chest as he rocked back and forth. His head popped up at the sound of his voice, brown eyes becoming wide with shock as he stared back at Veronica.
"Oh my god," She smiled and moved into the fort, bringing the smaller child into her arms. "I am so happy I found you."
"H-How are you here? D...Did I imagine you?" Will asked,
Veronica pulled back and shook her head, caressing his face as she smiled down at him. "No. I-I came looking for you. Your mom and Hopper...everyone! They are all trying to figure out a way to defeat the Shadow Monster."
Will whimpered slightly "He made me do it, Veronica. He made me. I didn't want to."
"Shhh, shhh," Veronica soothed softly, "I know. I know you don't have to tell me. We know all about what he's making you do. But we're hoping that you can help us."
"Help? Help how?" Will looked toward her confused
"You've seen what he see's Will. You know how to stop him." Veronica spoke. "Think. Has he shown you anything that you could think of that would stop him from hurting anyone else?"
Will's brows pulled together tightly as he thought through the visions and memories that the Shadow Monster had shared with him. Whether the creature wanted to or not.
"T-The tunnels, they are all connected to one place." Will started "It's spreading underground Hawkins. It's all connected to this larger gate that is within the basement of Hawkins. Hopper's seen it, he'll know what I'm talking about."
"Ok...what does that have to do with stopping him?"
"Close it. You have to close the gate."
Veronica opened her mouth to speak but cried out in pain as she felt a fire shoot through her body. She lurched forward and gripped tightly to the old blankets that rested on the floor of the fort.
"Veronica! Veronica!" Will screamed as he watched her wither in pain, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried out.
"Veronica!"
"Veronica!"
"Ronnie!"
Veronica felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her back, cutting the connection between her and Will. Slowly everything around her moved away like mist. The goggles that rested on her eyes were quickly removed and her eyes opened to see her father staring down at her. The pain that she felt while within Will's mind was still moving through her body like electricity. She slumped in her father's arms and gripped tightly to him.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Hopper asked, caressing her face and wiping away the tears that fell.
"He knows...he knows..." Veronica whimpered and slumped into his chest more as the pain slowly started to fade away. Causing her body to feel weak and fatigued.
"He knows? Who knows?" Joyce spoke
"The Mindf-flayer" Veronica panted out, "He must've sensed me, pushed me out. But Will...h-he told me, what we have to do to." Veronica took a deep breath "We have to close the gate, said that dad would know that meant."
Hopper held to her tightly and glared over his shoulder towards the nearly catatonic boy that was tied down to the chair behind him. Blank brown eyes stared at him. He knew that it wasn't Will that had done this to his daughter but Hopper couldn't stop the flare of anger that went through him.
The shrill sound of a phone echoed from outside of the shack, causing everyone to jump slightly at the sudden noise. Veronica felt her father stiffen for a moment as he looked in the direction of the door. The noise was short and only lasted for a couple of seconds before soon it rang out again. This time for a slightly longer period of time.
"Shit," Jonathan cursed,
Veronica's eyes moved to Will and watched as his eyes closed, and quickly fluttered while his eyes rolled toward the back of his head. Her grip tightened on Hopper's forearm, drawing his attention in the same direction she was looking in.
"He knows." Hopper moved quickly and grabbed the small bottle and needle from the table against the wall. "He's figured it out."
Everyone moved quickly as Hopper passed the needle to Joyce, allowing her to dose another sedative dose into Will's system. The young boy slumped forward as he fell unconscious again. Veronica wobbled for a moment as she rushed out after Mike, with Jonathan bringing his brother into his arms once he was untied. Hopper was at the front of the group as they exit the shack quickly, pausing for a moment as the tense silence of the night surrounded them. It was only seconds before the screeching sound of the Demogorgons sounded from the distance.
"Shit...shit...they know...they are coming...fuck..." Mike panicked slightly from beside Veronica.
"Get inside! Get inside!" Hopper ordered.
Veronica reached down and grabbed Mike's hand and quickly pulled the younger boy behind her. The two of them burst through the back door of the Byers' home with Joyce and Jonathan close behind them.
"They are coming," Veronica spoke as she passed by the group standing within the kitchen. "We're gonna need weapons, stuff to defend ourselves with!"
Steve was the first to move to rush toward the living room and grab his bat from the floor. Jonathan set his little brother down on the couch that was farthest from the door and pressed tightly against the wall. It was only a few passing seconds before Hopper came walking through the back door with a shotgun in his arms. As he walked passed the kitchen, she grabbed another gun.
"Get away from the windows!" Hopper shouted toward Dustin, Max, and Lucas.
Veronica acted quickly and pushed the three of them behind her, using her body as a shield as her father took a stance beside her. His attention moved to Jonathan as he held out the shotgun.
"Do you know how to use this?" Hopper shouted. Jonathan looked at him dumbfounded and stuttered slightly "Do you know how to use this?"
"I do," Nancy stepped forward, taking the shotgun from Hopper's grasp, checking the ammo, before standing beside the Chief.
Another shriek sounded but this time closer to the home. They could tell that it was at least two as they echoed back and forth to each other. A loud noise sounded from the east side of the house causing the group to shift as one.
"What are they doing?" Nancy panted out, her gun pointed toward the direction of the noise.
The sounds of screeching, clicking, and chittering could be heard as they moved along the house.
"Circling," Hopper answered, as another loud bang came closer, right outside the front door.
"Maybe I should go and do something?" Veronica spoke
"Are you kidding me? No!" Hopper spoke, "We're all gonna work together."
Veronica nodded her head, listening to her father as another short moment of silence fell over them. Till another shriek echoed through and caused everyone to tense up again. But this sound was different. It sounded like the demodogs were in pain. Another one let out a groan before it became silent again. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited...and waited...and waited. But before anyone could speak a word, a loud crashing noise sounded out through the small living room as the front window shattered. Veronica moved quickly and sent the flying object in the opposite direction of the home, not even catching what was flying at her. Hopper followed the motion with the point of his gun. But as the form flopped to the ground there was nothing. No movement. There lying against the side of Joyce's favorite armchair was the corpse of a demodog, its face opened up slightly.
"I-Is it dead?" Max spoke from behind Veronica.
"It looks like it," Dustin spoke up.
Hopper was the first to move, stepping forward slowly with his gun still aimed toward the creature. He hesitated for only a moment before he kicked his work boot against the side of its body. It rocked slightly beneath his foot before resting back into place. It was dead. He relaxed slightly for only a moment.
"Yeah, it's dead."
"What the hell killed it?" Mike asked, looking around confused.
The front door creaked behind the group drawing their attention back toward the front of the house. The one relaxed forms tensed up again with their bodies pivoting in that direction. Hopper stepped forward first with his machine gun propped back and aimed toward the door.
Veronica's brows pulled in confusion as she watched the locked chain of the door move along before unlocking itself, the small chain swinging slightly with some sort of unknown force. She suddenly felt like the hairs at the back of her neck were standing up as the door lock clicked to unlock.
"Dad," Veronica whispered as the door slowly opened and a small form came from the shadows.
A small gasp left Veronica's lips as her eyes fell on the sister that she felt that she once lost. El's eyes connected with her almost immediately. Everyone stood in shock as they watched Eleven steps into the living room of the Byers' home. Veronica felt like she was in a daze as she stared down at the younger girl.
"Eleven?" Veronica's voice cracked, stepping forward and pushing past those in front of her. Her body collided with El's and wrapping her arms around her. "Oh my god, Oh my god."
El's arms wrapped around Veronica's body as they body began to cry, holding onto each other like they were going to disappear.
AN: I couldn't stop writing last night, I really wanted to get to this point in the story. Please let me know your thoughts, I know it was a long one. Did it make sense?