³𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ✔

021-bring her back

CARLA HAD NEVER BEEN IN SO MUCH PAIN.

The minute the ceiling exploded into an array of colors—fireworks—her body was filled with immense pain.  It felt like every nerve in her body was on fire, every muscle was being torn, and every bone broke.  She couldn't even explain how much she fucking hurt.

A whimper of pain left her lips as she hunched over, pain bursting within her chest.  From the side of her vision line, she could see Billy doing the same, grappling over at the sudden feeling. 

"Flay this you ugly piece of shit!"

Carla recognizes the voice but she can't put a name on it—she really knows the voice, why can't she name who it belongs to? Hell, Carla doesn't really remember anything before twenty minutes or so ago—and she doesn't even have time to try as another round of color bursts into the air, pain rolling through the Wheeler girl. 

Yet through the pain,  through the brightly colored lights exploding in her vision, the voice in hear head continued to pound.

Get Eleven, it was the only thought in her mind. Sure, her body hurt like hell with every hit, but she could only focus on the voice as it embedded the instruction into her head, Get Eleven and  take her out of the picture.

And just like that, the Wheeler girl was pushing down her winces and pacing over to Eleven as the firework debris fell above her.

  The Hopper girl was now in an upright position, and was starting to back away from the scene—away from Billy (who was on his knees, also grunting in pain at every hit to the Mind Flayer) and Carla, away from the monster—but of course, her leg with stopping her from going to far, the girl barely moved.

 Carla, with intentions in mind, slams the young girl back down, causing a frail cry to leave the Hopper's lips.  Then without a second thought in mind—other than the chanting of him in her head—the Wheeler brought her hands to El's neck, just as Billy had done back at the sauna test.  He wanted El out of the picture, and Carla was going to be the one to do it.

El let out a choked gasp, eyes widening. "No—please! Stop!" Her hands clawed at Carla's hold, trying to break it, to pry her grip away before she lacked of oxygen for good. 

"I have to do this." Carla grits, face wincing as another round of colors burst into the sky, reflecting on to the two teens. She had to do this, she had to get rid of Eleven for the sake of him. She couldn't fail.

"No, you don't." El manages to get out, trying her best to try and get through to Carla.  Her frail hands ran over the Wheeler's tight grasp, trying to get her off—trying to get her to realize who she was.  "Carla—stop."

Carla wasn't sure what overcame her, but suddenly her hold on El's neck became looser.  Her body froze, and she looked at the Hopper.  Able to fully breathe again, Eleven slightly gasped and held on to the Wheeler girl's hands. This was her chance.

"2530." El stated, voice full of tears. She didn't know how to bring her sister back, but she was going to do it. "You—you live on 2530 Maple Street. Your name is Carla Michelle Wheeler." She started spewing facts about the Wheeler, praying she'd remember herself. "You go to Hawkins High, and you work at the library because you love helping people—you really love helping people."

"Hey, asshole! Over here!"

Another explosion, but the pain isn't as bad as Carla stares at Eleven. The girl's words implant in her mind, and her head is suddenly throbbing again—it feels like her brain is being broken apart once more, as if it were a puzzle. Like certain pieces were being taken out and reconstructed.