Dotson and Harrington |Steve Harrington|

Will... A Flea |chapter 20|

"Okay," Mike began to explain, pointing with the marker. "So in this example we're the acrobat. Will and Barbra and that monster, they're this flea."

"But Will isn't a flea..." Jackylen dumbly pointed out. Mike sighed as he continued.

"And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clark said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."

"A gate," Dustin interjected.

"That we tracked to Hawkins Lab," Lucas added.

"With our compasses." Everyone was confused. Not just Jackylen. "Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field and that can change the direction of a compass needle."

"Is this gate underground?" Hopper asked.

"Yes," the young girl, Eleven, said.

"Near a large water tank?"

"Yes."

"How do you know all that?" Dustin stuttered.

"He's seen it," Mike realized.

"Is there any way that we could... that you could reach Will?" Joyce asked. "That you could talk to him in this-"

"The Upside Down," the girl said.

"Down right."

"And my friend Barbra?" Nancy asked. "Can you find her too?" As the girl nodded, the boys wasted no time getting what they needed at setting it up for her in the kitchen.

Static starts to come from the radio as everyone stares at the bald girl with closed eyes. The static increased, the lightest started to flash causing everyone to slightly panic. Then she opens her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"What?" Jonathan said, holding onto her son's hand, tight. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I can't find them." Jonathan had to walk away as Joyce kept her composure.

"Hey Eleven," Jackylen said, kneeling beside the girl. "Let's go wash up. That always helps to clear my head."

As she stood up, she led the girl to the bathroom and started the sink water. After Jackylen slightly got her hands moist, she placed them in the young girl's cheeks to cool her down, the young girl put one of her hands over Jackylen's as she slightly smiled. But Jackylen had questions that wanted to be answered that only she could tell her.

"Eleven," she said. "Did the bad man ever... hurt you?" As the girl nodded, Jackylen dropped her hands to wait for what would come next. The girl grabbed Jackylen's wrist as tightly as she could then let go, fear of hurting her. "They hurt your wrist?" She nodded. She put her hands back on the young girl's cheeks. "They're not going to hurt you anymore," she said. "Do you know a time where your power was more... powerful?"

"Yes," she said, blankly as usual. "The bath."

"The bath?" She nodded. "Okay." Suddenly Eleven wrapped Jackylen into the hug before heading out.

"They won't hurt me?" Eleven asked.

"Not anymore," Jackylen said, slightly pulling away from the hug. As they went back they interrupted a conversation of course about her. Ans about her power.

"The bath," Eleven said, with Jackylen's hand on her shoulders.

"What?" Joyce asked.

"I can find them. In the bath."

"How do we do that?" Jonathan asked, looking back at the group.

"I have a idea," Dustin said, going over to Ms. Byers phone. He dialed a number and began to talk about lots of science forever. Then he hung up after writing down something.

"Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?" He asked Joyce.

"I think so. Yeah," she replied, a bit confused.

"Good. Then we just need salt. Lots of it."

"How much is 'lots'?" Hopper asked.

"Fifteen hundred pounds," he replied looking up from his paper.

"We're the hell are we supposed to get that much salt?" Jackylen asked, still by Eleven.

"I know a place," Hopper said, grabbing his keys. Everyone headed back outside and into the car for the thousandth time that day. They drove to Hawkins Middle School and decided to set up a base of operation there.

Joyce, Eleven, and Jackylen scoured the halls, finding a science room for their very minimal supplies. Duck tape and goggles. As Jackylen sat next to Eleven, her head resting on the older girls, Joyce started to tape up the goggles.

"This will keep it dark for you," she explained. "Just like in your bathtub. You're a very brave girl. You know that don't you? Everything you're doing for my boy... for Will... for my family... Thank you."

She held the young girl's hands to comfort her as she began to steer away from the subject of her family. "Listen. I am gonna be there with you the whole time. And so will Jackylen."

"And if it ever gets too scary," Jackylen said, rubbing the girl's shoulder. "In that place, you let us know, okay?"

"Yes," Eleven replied, trying to keep calm.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Okay then," Joyce smiled, standing up from her chair. Jackylen and Eleven allowed slightly after and headed into the gym with everyone else.

The kiddie pool was set up filled with salt and water. Everyone stood around as Mike got the radio set up and Eleven was taking off her knee high socks and watch. Joyce gave her the taped up goggles she had made only moments before.

Once she put it on, she got into the pool and laid flat to float. Jackylen sat on her feet next to Joyce and Hopper, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen. Happen.

The lights started to flicker in the gym then dark. Everyone sat patiently and watched the young girl in the kiddie pool. It felt like forever until she muttered her first word.

"Barbra?" Jonathan put a reaching hand on Nancy's shoulder as she held her breath.

'She must be okay,' Nancy thought. 'If Will's okay then Barb must be okay.' Oh how she was so wrong. The lights flickered once more, causing everyone to speak up. "What's going on?" Nancy asked, staring up at the lights.

"I don't know," Mike answered.

"Is Barb okay?" Nancy asked the girl. "Is she okay?"

"Gone... gone," Eleven repeated. Nancy put a hand over her mouth as a pit formed in her stomach. Her best friend was dead.

"It's okay," Joyce repteaded to the freaked out girl. "It's okay, we're right here. We're right here honey. I got you." Joyce started to hold onto Eleven's right arm as Jackylen started to hold onto the other. Not even caring that she was wet. No one did.

"Don't be afraid," Jackylen chimed in. "We're right here with you. It's okay, you're safe. None of those assholes of monsters are going to hurt you."

"Castle Byers," Eleven muttered. Everything was silent.