C H A P T E R S I X T E E N

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C H A P T E R   S I X T E E N
Back Again

C H A P T E R   S I X T E E NBack Again

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They make a plan and clear out the shed, taking out everything that Will could recognize in there so they can finally wake him up and ask him some questions. Roni helps Hopper lug everything out from the shed.

Throwing boxes, tools, and yard equipment out, making it completely empty. Then they all taped up the wall with tents or anything to cover up the walls and floors so it would be untraceable. They even taped up the chair.

Jonathan carries Will into the shed and ties him up against the chair. The rest of them leave and Roni leans on the wall, twirling her hair. Steve notices his sister wasn't by his side grabs her arm, pulling her.

"Stop, Steve. I have to be in there," She said firmly. He shakes his head.

"No, you're not going in there with that-that thing!" He points to the shed.

"Will is not a thing! He is one of my best friends! Why are so overprotective?!" She yells back.

"Because you're my little sister. You're not getting killed on my watch," He looks her straight in the eye. "I'm not letting that happen." Steve spoke firmly.

Usually, Roni would fight everything her brother would say and do what she wanted. But seeing the look in his eye, it wasn't filled with annoyance and over-protectiveness. It was filled with sincerity. It was a long time since Roni had seen that look in his eyes. Like he truly cared for her.

Roni swallows and nods. He nods back and as they were walking back to the house, Steve puts an arm around her shoulders. She puts her arm around his torso. They wait patiently for something to happen. Just waiting, that was all they could do.

Hopper opens the bottle of ammonia and waves it in front of Will's nose.

Will's eyes burst open.

*****

Nancy leans on the wall with her arms folded. Dustin paces between the kitchen and the dining room. Roni picks at her purple nail polish, sitting at the dining room table. Steve swings his bat around and Max and Lucas sit together in the hallway.

The lights suddenly flicker, making Roni jump. But it soon stops. She sighs deeply and lays her head on the cool table. Then Hopper and the rest of them burst through the door, running inside. He heads towards the table Roni was sitting at and writes on a notepad. They crowd around him.

"I think he's talking, just not with words," Hopper tells them.

"Hey, what is that?" Steve asks.

"Morse code," The kids chorus. Steve flinches. Hopper writes out the word 'HERE'.

"Will's still in there. He's talking to us," Hopper continues. They look between each other with hope-filled eyes. Jonathan, Mrs. Byers, and Mike all tell memories with Will to try to get him to Morse code back to them. While Hopper presses the button on the radio to signal to the other's what he's saying.

Dustin hears what Hopper is saying and passes it on to Roni who writes it down on a sheet of paper. And Max and Lucas look on legend to know what word it is, leaving Nancy to write out each letter.

It doesn't take long to figure out what he's saying. They gather around Nancy and read, 'CLOSE GATE.' Roni's blue eyes widen.

Ring!

They jump at the sound. The phone rings once again. Dustin grabs it and slams it back on the hook. But it rings again and Nancy rips it from the wall.

"Do you think he heard that?" Max asks.

"It's just a phone. It could be anywhere. Right?" Steve looks between them. Demo-Dogs suddenly screech in the distance. Everyone turns their heads to the sound.

"They've found us," Roni said. She grabs her ax, swinging it around. Hopper stomps in and throws Nancy a gun. They all gather around in the living room. Their guns are loaded and pointed at the door.

Steve bends his knees to swing his bat, pushing Roni slightly behind him. Lucas loads his wrist rocket, pointing it at the windows. Roni frowns deeply and prepares her first swing at whatever monsters come her way.

They whip around when they hear them coming from the other side of the house. Sweat falls down the side of Roni's face. The Demo-dogs come back around towards the front, making a few gasp.

The Demo-dog from outside, could be heard groaning out in pain. The screeching and groaning stops abruptly. Something flies out of the window. Everyone screams. The dog lands in the corner of the room, unmoving.

Hopper nudges it with his foot and it does nothing. Roni sighs in relief but sucks in another breath when she suddenly wonders, 'What killed it?'

The door creaks and they whip around one last time. The lock turns and the chain moves off the slot. Roni grips the ax tightly and widens her stance for a more powerful swing. The chain unlocks and falls. And something twists the knob.

The door opens. And walking into the room was a wanted and most familiar face. One that nobody expected to see ever again.

Everyone lowers their weapons and gaps at who they saw.

Mike smiles brightly and emotionally. Roni shakes her head and grins wildly.

"He knew. He always knew," Roni whispers. She looks up at Mike's face with awe.

El was back.

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