Over the years nightmares have been a frequent friend in the Hopper house. Chills and a scream lodged in the back of her throat is the only way that Christine Hopper knows how to wake up. Her father tries hard to believe his daughter has a handle on...
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Robbie locks the door to the AV room behind him. Mike leads El to the ham radio. He sits her down in the chair. Mike turns on the radio. Dustin and Lucas crowd on either side of El, who closes her eyes.
"Now what?" questions Lucas.
"She'll find him. Right, El?"
El doesn't answer. Chris inhales sharply, grabbing onto the back of the other chair. She presses her hand to her forehead. "What's she doing?" Chris questions, her voice high in annoyance.
"She's doing it. She's finding him!" gasps Mike.
Dustin stares at Mike. "This is crazy."
Lucas waves a hand. "Calm down. She just closed her eyes."
The light above them shatters. Dustin gasps. "Holy..."
Chris stands, frozen in place. Her eyes have glazed over. Robbie watches her, eyes widening in worry. The three boys lean over to listen to the intensifying sound of something clanging.
"What is that?"
"Mom?"
Chris gasps, her eyes flying open. She pants, pushing her hands out in front of her. It's completely dark. Her shoulders are pressed against two walls. One is clean and patterned with the same wallpaper as the kind at the Byers' house. The other is the Shadow version of it. Chris is stuck in the wall. A gateway between the shadows and her world.
"Mom?" Will's voice is crystal clear to Chris. He sounds terrified; his voice is soft and high.
"Will?" Chris turns, watching as hands press against the wall to the left of her. Joyce is on the other side, trying to listen to her son.
"Mom?"
"Will!" shouts Chris.
Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and Robbie all turn to Chris. Their faces are pale with shock. Dustin puts a hand to his head. "Holy shit. She's there! She's there with him!"
Robbie groans to himself. He waves a hand in front of Chris's face. Mike holds out a hand to Robbie. "Leave her. Don't mess with this, Rob. If she can find Will, then let her sleep."
"No way," whispers Lucas, glancing at El in awe.
"Mom," Will calls.
Chris moves forward in the walls, her hands splayed out in front of her. She squints in the dark, watching as dust floats from one side of the wall to the other. "Will!"
"Will!" cries Joyce, her hands slamming against the wall. Chris startles at the noise of Joyce trying to reach her son.
"Please," Will sobs.
"Will! It's Chris."
"Chrissie?"
Chris's hands press on either side of the walls. Her hands start to sink toward either side. One stretches against the wallpaper; the other is covered in black goop that seeps down her hand and wrist.
