-november 10th 1983-
-reader's pov-
the lamp in the AV room was flicked on by mike and it made a slight buzzing noise. the room was dark seeing as the only light source was from the small table lamp.
"now what?" asked dustin whilst el sat at the table, the heathkit placed in front of her.
"she'll find him," mike assured whilst pressing and twisting a few knobs and buttons on the radio, it eventually turned on, "right el?"
el didn't respond, she just let the noise of the radio spread through the room instead.
she closed her eyes and her facial expressions changed whilst she concentrated.
"she's doing it!" mike exclaimed, "she's finding him!"
"this is crazy!" dustin added.
"calm down, she just closed her eyes," lucas spoke which caused me to chuckle quietly.
but then not even a second later the lamp burst and the room went
pitch-black, we all gasped at the sudden sound from the shattering glass bulb.
then a loud, repetitive clanging noise echoed out from the radio, it intensified the longer we listened.
"what is that?.." asked a anxious dustin.
the clanging noise continued until a small, frail voice called out, "mum?"
"no way.." lucas breathed.
"holy shit.." I whispered whilst I carried on listening.
"mum?" will's innocent and dear voice called out, "please! mum!"
"will! will! it's us are you there?!" lucas yelled at the radio.
"can you hear us we're here!" dustin shouted.
"hello? mum?" the distorted voice of will was heard again.
"why can't he hear us!" lucas asked in a panic.
"I don't know!" I answered strongly, trying not to let my worries show.
"It's like home.. but it's so dark.." will's voice echoed, "it's so dark and empty.. and cold! mum? mum!"
our faces were all horror-strucken as we continued to listen but suddenly the radio burst into a mini electric explosion before it turned to flames.
"shit! el!" I yelled whilst grabbing her arms and pulling her away from the fire.
with quick-thinking, dustin grabbed the fire extinguisher whilst the fire alarm set off and he put out the fire.
"el? are you okay?" I asked, my voice shaking in fear as she didn't respond. she just looked up at me with tired eyes as the blood that trailed from her nose began to dry.
"can you move?" I asked but she didn't answer me again so I got ahold of her sides and lifted her into my arms, bridal style.
unsurprisingly, she wasn't that heavy as I sprinted down the corridor along with the boys and every other fleeing student.
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we were now safely located back home in the basement. we were all positioned in different places around the room. el was lay out on her stomach, taking up 3/4 of the sofa. whilst I sat comfortably on the remaining quarter but with a shaky leg which jolted up and down in worry. dustin was perched upon a step on the staircase whilst lucas and mike sat on two chairs that were placed in two corners of the room.
"like home.. like home.." mike repeated will's words, "but dark?"
"and empty." lucas added.
"empty and cold," dustin spoke, "wait did he say cold?"
"I don't know the stupid radio kept going in and out," lucas complained.
"It's like riddles in the dark," dustin sighed aloud.
"like home.. like his house?" mike spoke his thoughts.
"or maybe like hawkins?" I offered.
"upside down." el quietly croaked.
"what'd she say?" lucas asked.
"upside down." I repeated her words.
"what?" lucas questioned, confused.
"upside down." mike seemed to get the idea as he rushed to the dnd table, "when el showed us where will was, she flipped the board over, remember?" he then demonstrated by flipping the board as the two boys raced to the table and I peeked my head up so I could see.
"upside down." mike informed once the board was blank again, "dark. empty."
"do you understand what he's talking about?" lucas asked to dustin.
"no." dustin simply replied.
"guys, cmon think about it. when el took us to find will, she took us to his house, right?" mike recalled.
"yeah- and he wasn't there." lucas reminded him.
"but what it he was there." mike argued, "what if we just couldn't see him? what if he was on the other side? what if this is hawkins.." mike pointed to the upright board before flipping it over again, "and this is-"
"the upside down." I finished for him whilst he nodded in agreement.
"where will is.." they all caught onto the idea, especially dustin. it was as if a light bulb had just appeared over his head as he spoke with a large grin of realisation, "like the vale of shadows!"
"exactly!" I exclaimed.
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-november 11th 1983-
today was the day, the day I had been dreading and fretting since I found out about will's disappearance on november 7th. the day of his 'funeral.'
I stood in line, with the boys, watching over will's casket which his 'body' apparently rested in. and despite knowing he wasn't dead I still felt extremely sorrowful. my eyes searched the crowd until they fell upon joyce byers, will's mum, god knows how much pain she was currently going through. I can't wait to see the look on her face when we bring will home, because we will bring him home, I know it. another person that stood out in the crowd was jennifer hayes, who had tears streaming down her face as she sniffed.
"just wait till we tell will that jennifer hayes was crying at his funeral!" dustin sniggered quietly before karen silenced him with a 'shh.'
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I carefully threw my white rose into the casket before walking to my adoptive mother who was talking to lonnie, will's dad but him and joyce split up a while ago. and to be honest, I never really like lonnie anyway, will would always tell me stories of how lonnie would call him names and be abusive. it made me feel incredibly sorry for him.
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lost love
Fanfiction"and she disappeared just as fast as she appeared." eleven hopper x fem reader
