𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀, ( 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 )

[15] GET OUT YOUR COMPASSES!

THEY SIT IN THE WHEELERS' BASEMENT, Mike beside Eleven on the couch with his own copy of the 'Flea and the Acrobat' example Mr. Clarke showed them earlier that day.

Eleven watched as Mike jabs the pencil though the paper and her eyes go wide. "It would take a lot of energy to build a gate like this. But that's got to be what happened. Otherwise, who'd Will get there, right?" He says looking to Eleven with big hopeful eyes.

Eleven simply stares back in confusion and nods, "Right,".

"Michael, you're confusing her. Be more precise," Mariella comments, patting Mike's back softly from where she sat beside him. He turns his head to her and nods, mumbling out a "Yeah,", noticing how she pulls uncomfortably at her black dress which she wore to the funeral.

"What we want to know is, do you know where the gate is?" Lucas asks. Eleven shakes her head, no.

"Then how do you know about the Upside Down?" He asks another question, confused as Mike and Mariella look to her also confused. They hadn't noticed Dustin spinning in circles in the corner with his compass.

Eleven looks to her fingers and begins fumbling them before turning to gaze to Dustin. The rest follow her eyes and land of Dustin pacing back and fourth.

"Dustin, what are you doing? Dustin?" Mike asks, staring at him with furrowed brows and lips formed into a line. He pays no mind to Mike's calls. "Dustin!" He calls out again.

"Dustin!" Lucas shouts out, Mariella flinching at the sudden harshness of his voice and shaking her head with a small smile. She'd never get used to how loud these boys could be.

Dustin turns to them, snapped out of thought. "I... I need to see your compasses," He stammers out.

"What?" Mike asks.

"Your compasses. All of your compasses, right now!" Dustin states breathlessly, not bothering to explain his odd behaviour.

"But why?" Mariella says, leaning forward and looking him with a confused expression.

"Just give them to me!" Dustin shouts, moving his hands violently in the air in frustration.

"Alright! Okay," Mariella responds as they all begin to get up and scour the place for compasses.

They end up dropping seven compasses onto the table which the gamers manual resides and instantly Dustin sets to work, examining the face of each one, fumbling them around the table.

"What's exciting about this?" Mike asks, looking down at the table them to Dustin with confusion on his face.

"Well, they're all facing North, right?" Dustin responds, a smile on his face as he looks down at them.

"Yeah, so?" Lucas says, shrugging his shoulders — not understanding what the fuss was about.

"Well, that's not true North," Dustin answers as if it were obvious.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I just said. That's not true North," Dustin repeats. "Are you both seriously this dense?" He asks, sighing as he looks between the two confused expressions his friends wore and notices how Mariella stared down at a compass which she picked up.

"The sun rises in the Easy, and it sets in the West. Right? Which means, that's true North," Dustin explains, using his hands for elaboration.

"Wait... I see. Dustin! It's like Mr. Clarke said. A portal... It'd mess up the magnetic field!" Mariella comments, looking to Dustin with excitement.

"Yes! If we follow the compasses, it should lead us..." Dustin starts, trailing off at the end upon realization.

"To the gate!" Mariella jumps up, a smile on her face as she places the compass down onto the table.