Chapter Eight

"Who is that?" Joyce asked motioning towards the sleeping girl on her couch.

"Our friend." Lucas stated. "She's just like Eleven."

"What?" Hopper raised an eyebrow.

"She can do everything El can, plus more." Mike said.

"I found her. I've been hiding her." Max said.

"So there's more like Eleven?" Nancy asked.

"Loads more." Hopper nodded. "We'll get to that later. We need to figure out Will."

The group went silent as they tried to conjure up a plan.

"The Mind Flayer knows where he is, right? So we take him into the shed, cover everything and try to force it out." Mike suggested.

"That might work." Hopper said.

Soon, the shed was covered from top to bottom. You couldn't see out or in. They sat the sleeping Will in the chair, tying his arms and legs down.

Jonathan pushed the play button on the radio and turned the volume up. "Should I stay or Should I Go" blared through the box.

Will's eyes opened and he glanced around. Like magic, Lila's eyes opened at the same time.

"Bad." She breathed heavily. "Bad!"

"What? What's wrong?" Max asked grabbing her arms.

"Will's bad!" She cried out. "Inside of him!"

"Calm down!" Max exclaimed. "It's okay."

"No, no." She shook her head. "He's going to die!"

"Shit." Dustin hissed. After thirty minutes or so, Hopper, Joyce and Will appeared in the house. Will was knocked out cold, once more.

"It didn't help." Hopper said. "There's got to be another way."

"He likes it cold, right?" Joyce asked. "Could we burn it out of him?"

"Use the heaters." Jonathan nodded.

"Soon." Lila spoke up. "Dying."

Joyce looked at her in horror. "Can you communicate with him?"

"No." Lila shook her head. "Bad. Scary."

"Lila," Max pleaded. "For Will."

Lila hesitated before nodding. They got everything ready for her before she placed the blindfold over her eyes.

She breathed heavily as she held a picture of Will in her hand.

She snatched the blindfold off. "You need to close the gate."

Just as the words flowed from her mouth, the front door slung open. Eleven stood there, dressed in all black.

She looked around before locking eyes on Lila and Mike. She ran towards them, engulfing both of them into a hug.

"Sister." She cried out. "Mike."

"I never gave up on you." Mike said as pulled away.

"I know. I heard." Eleven said.

"Why didn't you let me know you were alive?" Mike asked.

"Because I wouldn't let her." Hopper spoke up before walking towards Eleven. "What's this. Where have you been?"

"You've been hiding her!" Mike shouted, pushing Hopper.

"Hey!" Hopper shouted. "Let's talk, in private!"

Hopper pulled Mike away from the group and into a room, slamming the door behind them.

Eleven looked at Lila once more before hugging her. "You made it out."

"After you." Lila nodded.

"I'm so happy." Eleven said.

"Sister." Lila said, kissing her cheek.

Hopper and Mike appeared again. "Can you close the gate, El?"

She nodded.

"You take Will to my cabin, burn that shit out of him." Hopper growled before grabbing El's arm.

As soon as the adults left, an engine roared from down the driveway.

"Shit!" Max yelled. "It's Billy!"