AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (BENEATH HIS FEET) | STRANGER THINGS ✓

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | WE'LL BE OKAY (WE PROMISE)

After what seemed like forever, they finally had a plan, thanks to Dustin. The plan was to go back through the ventilation system to reach the base of the weapon. But when Dustin offered for him and Erica to help navigate, Sheriff Hopper cocked his assault rifle and that was the end of that. However, once they realized that they needed both Dustin and Erica, they were reluctant to agree to let the pair navigate Sheriff Hopper, Mrs. Byers, and Murray.

     "I have to warn you, though," Dustin told them, "it's not that simple. I've been to the comms room but we're also gonna need a radio tower that's been situated at the highest point in Hawkins — which I've already done, by the way. So if you want us, you got us. But we're gonna a head start. And a car."

     "Okay." Sheriff Hopper nodded a little too nonchalantly as he dug his hand into his front pocket and chucked the car's keys at Steve. "You're taking them, Harrington."

     Steve caught the keys with one hand and Dustin, Erica, and Robin headed out. Will was conversing lowly with his mother when Mrs. Byers spotted Amanda. Or, at least, that's what Amanda thought it looked like.

     "Honey?" Mrs. Byers asked Will, "I'm probably crazy for thinking this, which isn't really crazy at this point, but is that Amanda Schwartz sitting by the fountain over there? I mean, I thought I saw her at the general store but I didn't wanna freak Hopper out."

     Yup. Mrs. Byers definitely saw her. Amanda was slow in standing up off the fountain and walking over to her and Will. "Hi, Mrs. Byers."

     "Sweetheart, what are you doing here? Where's your mother? She must be worried sick!"

     "About that. Well, for starters, I'm not actually — " the word alive came out after but it came out a little distorted because Amanda's whole body started going in and out of existence. "This is technically a projection. My physical self is probably waking up from a coma right now which is why I'm glitching like this and probably because the Mind Flayer is getting close, too."

     Mrs. Byers took this all in with a confused nod. "Okay. How long have you been like this?"

     Amanda did some mental math, counting up the days in her head. "Since about the end of June. So, close to a week, I think."

"Can your mother see you? Has she seen you?" Mrs. Byers continued asking questions. Amanda shook her head. "No, I don't believe she can. Will and I have this theory that whoever came into contact with a Demogorgon or the Mind Flayer at some point can see me because I was taken into a tunnel by a Demogorgon."

"Huh." Mrs. Byers took a look at her son. "You knew about this? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not his fault, Mrs. Byers," Amanda cut in, "I was the first one to contact him, I got him wrapped up in all of this and for that, I'm sorry. I should've known better and stopped all contact with him after learning what he's been through."

"You don't have to grill her, mom," Will piped up, "she's cool. It's actually nice having her around because. . .because she gets it."

"Oh. Okay," Mrs. Byers nodded. "You'll be fine, right? You'll be okay?"

Will nodded. "We'll be okay, mom."

The two of them hugged one last time and Mrs. Byers was reluctant to hug Amanda because she didn't know if she could feel her or not. They both went their separate ways and Amanda followed Will out of the mall to meet up with Mike, Lucas, El, and Max.

"El, you're bleeding," Amanda pointed out. "Are you okay?" Mike asked urgently. "Yeah," El winced. Mike set her down in the back of the car. "What's wrong?"

"I. . .I don't know," she whimpered. Amanda went over to the side of the car when she heard the engine sputtering and giving up. "Everything okay up here?"

"Yeah," Nancy answered, turning the engine over once more and the engine failing again. "Or at least everything should be."

"Did you leave the car on?" Amanda asked. "No," Nancy replied. "Does it have gas?" Johnathan questioned. "Yes," Nancy muttered as she tried again to ignite the car. "Is this car fairly new?" Amanda inquired. "Yes!" Nancy yelped. "Pop open the hood," Johnathan and Amanda said together and Nancy popped open the trunk. Then, they all went to check out the damage.

     "Why is the ignition cable missing?" Amanda asked after she scanned over all of the car's parts. Both Johnathan and Nancy looked at her. "What?" She shrugged, "my dad wanted a boy and then he got stuck with me. You do the math."

     Then, there was the sound of an engine revving. But it wasn't Nancy's car. The three looked over to see Billy in his car, revving the engine and probably getting ready to hit them head-on. Amanda looked at him and she felt herself distort again.

     "Everyone back in the mall!" Nancy ordered and the kids went back to seek asylum from Billy in Starcourt.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'

"Scoops Troop, do you copy? We are stuck in Starcourt Mall. I repeat: we are stuck in Starcourt Mall. Billy has found us and we need back up. I repeat: Billy has found us and we need back up."

Mike was pacing back and forth, yelling into the radio, and it was starting to stress Amanda out. "Mike?" she asked. Mike stopped pacing. "What?"

"Can you stop pacing? It's stressing me out."

"We need backup, Mandy. We can't sit around and wait for help to come."

"I know, it's just that we don't need the emergency transportation. The car's perfectly fine. We just need an ignition cable." Amanda then looked over to the flipped over car near the hot dog counter. "Any chance that car has one?"

Johnathan looked over at her, awestruck. "Where has she been this whole time?"

Amanda got up off the floor went over to the car. "In a tunnel."

The rest of them went over to the car and tried to push it over. "Let me try," El suggested and got into her stance. She raised her arm and concentrated as hard as she could to move the car. However with little luck, she wasn't able to. "It's okay," Mike assured her, "you just gotta give yourself a break, that's all." He turned to Johnathan and the rest of them. "Hey, grab those poles, will you?"

They all grabbed and got ready to push the car again. "Great," Johnathan commended, "now all the way. Three, two, one. . .Push!"

And so they pushed. The car finally turned over and Johnathan was quick to check how to get the hood open. "Check inside the car."

Nancy went over to the driver's side to look for anything that would pop the hood. "Do you see it?" Johnathan asked. "I don't know. Hold on," she responded. "It should be under the wheel," Amanda suggested. "I'm not seeing it," Nancy answered. Johnathan rushed over to help her find it and Amanda moved out of the way.

Looking up, Amanda saw the skylight crinkling and saw a piece of it fall into the fountain. She then felt herself distort and come back. "Guys," she said, but no one heard as they were all too busy with something. More pieces of the skylight fell into the fountain. "Guys!" she repeated, louder this time. "Got it." Nancy got the hood open as soon as a majority of the ceiling fell in.

"Nancy!" Johnathan moved her out of the way when the Mind Flayer let out a terrifying screech.