A PROMISE KEPT

A STRANGER THINGS fanfiction

Image cover by @ArashiMatoi (instagram)

DISCLAIMER: Stranger Things is a work of fiction created by Matt and Ross Duffer and broadcast by Netflix. The copyrights belong to the rightful copyright holders (The Duffer Brothers, Netflix, etc). Fanfiction written in 2016; edited and re-uploaded in 2019.

Take note that the story takes place 20 months after the end of season one. This is an alternate fan-made ending to the story of STRANGER THINGS.

PART II: THE RESCUE

Mike never acted so hastily in his life before.

After hearing those words, he contacted Dustin, explaining him what had just happened in less than 30 seconds. He knew that saving Eleven might put him on the same path as facing the Demogorgon. She did destroy it, but who was he to say for certain that it was the only one of its kind? And a sling shot wouldn't do this time.

As he rode in high horses on his bike towards the rendezvous point with Dustin, his backpack was prepared. There was no way in his mind that he'd come back home without her.

...

Dustin and Mike walked in the woods, the same ones where they tried finding Will when he disappeared. The compass was leading them there.

"She must have opened a gate," Mike said. "But why didn't she do it before?"

"Remember what Mr. Clarke said," Dustin said, "it takes a large amount of energy to pierce through dimensions."

"We gotta hurry!" Mike started jogging towards the direction the compass. "The last time she used that much energy, she was defenseless!"

"Right behind you, dude!" Dustin jogged as well. "And by the way, 'told you I was right!"

"About what?"

Dustin tapped his stomach, "Trust my gut! I told you you'd find her, didn't I?"

Mike smiled to his comment. Indeed, he did say it. "I owe you one. Big time!"

"No you don't, that's what best friends do for each other! Now let's go find your princess!"

Princess. The sound of that word embarrassed Mike, but it made him smile. He didn't protest about it. After all, everyone knew by now how he felt for her.

The compass led the boys into a deep area of the forest. The needle spun around tirelessly. They had reached their destination, but they didn't see anything that remotely looked like a gate. Mike tried to contact Eleven, but static was the only answer. Nevertheless, the static did increase a notch on their arrival to the destination.

Waving their hands, trying to see if it was an invisible portal in midair? It didn't work. Looking into the earthy ground? Even less. No portal in sight.

Then it hit Mike. "Wait a minute..."

"Did you find it?" asked Dustin.

"Nancy told me that when she was trying to find Barb with Jonathan," he explained, "she had stumbled in a gate around this same spot."

"And where was it?"

"At the base of a..."

Mike turned hearing a gurgling noise. He followed it along with Dustin.

The boys didn't know what to think of their finding. One thing was for sure, it wasn't natural. The way Nancy had described it to Mike couldn't compare to the real thing that stared at their stunned faces.

"...tree." Mike said.

A wide and large hole was at the base of a tree's trunk. It was covered with slimy cobwebs. Its inside pulsed with a gurgling sound and a shade of rotten crimson that glowed strangely. The boys kneeled to have a closer look. They could barely see the other side, but they knew its destination.

The Upside Down.

And Eleven was there, waiting. Finally.

Mike put down his backpack and unzipped it. He started unpacking the items he took from home: a large ball of thin rope, a small gallon of gasoline, matches and two axes.

"Someone came prepared," said Dustin.

"Didn't you?" asked Mike.

"Well..." Dustin unzipped his backpack and gave Mike some snacks, "For Eleven."

"For Eleven?"

"Don't you think she's gonna be drained after opening that portal?"

"Good point," Mike concluded taking the snacks. This one gave Dustin an axe. "Here's the plan: I'm going in there to find El. To make sure I don't get lost, tie the rope around me to be able to find my way back."

"You think it will be enough?" Dustin said, looking at the ball of rope that was as big as a basketball.

"I just hope I won't have to go far enough."

"And what's the gasoline for?" Dustin asked.

"Before I go in," Mike said, "we'll spray it on the tree. There's no telling that the Demogorgon won't follow us."

"Yeah, Eleven did blast that son of a bitch, but we don't know if it survived or if they are more of its kind."

"That's why as soon we come back, you light up the tree and burn it. We must make sure that bastard can never cross to our world ever again."

"And if it does," Dustin tapped the axe in his palm, "we'll take care of it; permanently!"

"Right!" Mike affirmed.

Dustin tied the rope around Mike's waist. The rope was sturdy as they tested it. There was a lot of rope to travel with; they hoped that there'd be enough to find El before they'd run out of it. But their worries weren't aimed at the rope's length for the moment.

"All set," Dustin said.

"Thanks," Mike told him. "You're gonna be okay on your own?"

"Dude, you're the one going to the freaking Upside Down; I should be asking you that."

He laughed. "Yeah. I know, right?"

"Well," Dustin said, "go get our superhero back, okay? I'll stand guard."

"Count on it!" he slapped hands with his best friend and hugged before plunging into the unknown.

...

The Upside Down. Calling it a dark world would be an understatement.

Flashing the way, Mike walked slowly into this unknown dimension. The trees were bleak, the ground felt dry and lifeless, and there was this aura of perpetual night going on in this world. There was this strange snow that was delicately falling. It resembled snow, but it sure didn't feel like it.

As much as he wanted to continue his slow pacing, he knew that Eleven needed his help. He started jogging. So far, the rope held on.

"El?" he shouted with a low voice. "Eleven?" No answer.

He held his axe tightly. God knew the danger that could creep on him in an instant. But his resolution was made; he wouldn't leave here without Eleven.

He had been walking for roughly thirty minutes now. He finally reached a familiar building; the school. He was surprised there was enough rope to lead him there. He jogged faster towards it. It clicked in his mind that El's last standoff with the monster was at the school. Perhaps she was still in here.

This time, Mike couldn't care less about silence. He had to shout.

"ELEVEEEEEN!!!" he shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

His walkie-talkie screamed in static. He grabbed it in haste.

"Mike..." Eleven's voice; she sounded desperate. "Mike...?"

"I'm here! I'm at the school! Are you there?" he shouted back. "Eleven?"

A moment of silence sat for long seconds. Then, a light flickered in one of the windows on the upper floor. It flickered fast, but just fast enough for him to catch its glimpse. Mike didn't need any convincing. He started running Eleven's location, but a force held him back at his waist. The rope held him back.

"No, not now!" he said. That was it; end of the line. He grabbed his walkie-talkie. "Dustin, do you read? Over!" Static answered the call. It was no surprise. They were in another dimension after all.

Eleven didn't have much time. Mike did the only thing he could do. It was a crazy thing to do, but for her sake, it had to be done. He swung his axe and cut the rope. He tied the loose end around a fence's metal pole to make sure he'd find his way back. Hopefully the Demogorgon wouldn't think about cutting it, Mike thought.

He pushed the doors open quietly. The school was the exact replica of the one from the real world, but it was a destroyed mess. Floors and walls were cracked, rotten moister was found all over the place, trash littered everywhere, and a dim lit that barely lit up the halls; it was even darker than the way Will had described it.

He knew the school like the back of his hand luckily; that was the good news. The bad one? A gurgling and beast-like murmur echoed through the corridors. The monster was there. Playing it silently would now be a good call, Mike considered.

He reached the floor. The door to it wasn't there anymore. That was good; less needed attention from the menace. He peeked to the side. The sound of that gurgling monster seemed closer. Mike held his axe so hard that he could have smashed the wooden handle. He tiptoed through the hall that was filled with cracked ceramic tiles and walls. The flickering neon lights seemed to lead to where Eleven was. Mike prayed countlessly that she was okay.

An intersection was met. He peeked slightly to the left but was met by a disgusting roar. The Demogorgon. Mike retracted his head and held his breath. The monster lurked around the closed doors. Eleven was there and it felt it. If it found out in his room, she was dead for sure.

A nameless round can was near Mike's right foot. It was risky, but he needed a diversion; that can would do the trick.

He grabbed it quietly. He walked near the intersection. The monster still had its back turned. Mike swung the can to the stairs that lay in front of him. The can kept tumbling down the staircase and the monster rushed towards it without giving a glimpse towards Mike's side. It growled all the way downstairs as his roar was fading in the silence. It was gone, for now.

Mike ran to the third door on the left. His heart racing, he turned the knob quietly and entered. Flickering lights lit the room. The entire classroom was a mess; destroyed desks, a largely cracked blackboard and the usual rotten moisture creeping on the walls.

"Eleven?" Mike called. "Eleven, are you there?"

A creaking sound broke the silence. It came from the large metal cabinet. Its doors slowly opened.

Mike turned around slowly to look at the steps coming from behind him. His axe was ready to be swung. But when his eyes met the origin, his hands suddenly lost their grip over the weapon.

She had outgrown the pink dress along with the blue jacket, her clothes had lost their vibrant colors of once before, there was a slight loss of weight that she endured during her time here, most of her skin, now more pale, was covered in dirt stains, but the most significant change was her hair that were as long as that blond wig she once had. They were as messy as a bird's nest.

But what captured Mike the most was her eyes. They remained the same, innocent, caring and brave eyes that he saw from her since the first day that they met each other. Although they seem to have lost a lot of their warmth, he'd recognize those anywhere. And now, those eyes were heavily watery.

"Mike?" Eleven whispered.

"Eleven..." Mike couldn't believe it was her. He ran to her and held her in his arms tight. "Eleven! It's you!"

"Mike!" Eleven squeezed her arms around him like her life depended on it. Tears rolling on her cheeks, she sobbed incredibly in his neck. Mike was so happy that tears were also shed as well. But boys will be boys; he wiped them, wanting to be strong for her.

He wanted to stay like this forever, but he knew better than to remain here when a bloodthirsty monster was on the loose. He reluctantly cut the reunion to give Eleven some snack bars. "From Dustin, he thought you'd be—" Eleven didn't lose time snatching and eating them. The three bars were engulfed in record time. Mike wasn't surprised. Food looked incredibly scarce in this dimension.

"I've distracted the Demogorgon," Mike said, "but we have to leave now! Can you run?"

Eleven frenetically nodded her head. "Yes."

"Okay, let's go!" Mike picked up his axe in one hand and Eleven's in the other. Both of their grips were strong and tight.

...

The entrance door was in sight. A sense of semi-relief took Mike's heart. But he couldn't rest as long as he was in the Upside Down. From Eleven's held hand, he could feel her trembling. Mike couldn't even begin to imagine the hell and torment she went through during these months. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. He swore to himself he'd never let her live all alone.

He pushed the entrance doors open. The rope was still attached to the pole. The gate was still open. The couple ran towards it, but the Demogorgon stopped them in their track. A hellish roar escaped his hole of a mouth.

In a swift move of raw and pent-up anger, Mike rushed towards it and swung his axe at the monster. His aim was true and cut off clean one of the monster's petal lips. It screamed in pain. Mike swung again, but he wasn't lucky as the first strike. The monster swapped him away. He slid back to the entrance stairs of the school.

"Mike!" Eleven screamed. She ran to his side. "Are you okay?"

The monster ran towards them. The kill was imminent. But Eleven had something to say about that. In a burst of power she pinned the monster to a wall. She pressured so hard that it flew through the wall and ended back in the school, under a pile of rumbles. But that stunt drained her as she fell on her knees.

"El!" Mike called for her as he ran to her side. "Eleven, you're okay?"

Her nose was bleeding. She nodded to Mike's question, but he knew better. She wasn't okay. He pulled her on his back. "We're gonna make it, you hear me? We're almost home!"

Though Eleven nodded weakly, her arms held firmly around Mike's neck. She wasn't going to give up. She had faith in Mike and she was going to do her impossible to reach the finish line together.

Mike had been running for an intense amount of time. He kept on shaking the rope, signaling Dustin they were coming back.

A huge smile drew on his face. The gate, he saw it.

"DUSTIIIN!" he screamed. "WE'RE ALMOST THERE!"

Only a few meters separated them from home.

BOOM! The final obstacle came between them once again; the Demogorgon was back. And it looked wrathful like hell had broken loose.

Both Mike and Eleven were frozen in desperation. Mike couldn't put Eleven down; she was too tired to run. He couldn't battle the monster by himself. And if Eleven tried using her powers, this could cost her her life once and for all. They were running out of options.

The gate was just there, only a few meters away. But against the wall that the Demogorgon was, it was impossible to get through.

A sudden sound of metal plunging into flesh cut through the beast's snarling. It screamed painfully as it fell down and turned around. An axe was deeply planted right into his spinal cord. Mike and Eleven stared at their hero, Dustin, standing in front of the portal.

"What are you guys waiting for? Christmas? Move!!" Dustin shouted!

Dustin went through the gate first. He grabbed the matches and readied to light the tree in flames. Eleven followed. Once on the other side, she stumbled to another tree to rest her strength. Mike quickly followed.

"Dustin!" Mike said frenetically. "Now!"

The Demogorgon's arm grabbed Mike's ankle to pull him back.

"Mike!" Dustin grabbed his arm dropping the matches.

"Mike!" Eleven grabbed the other to pull him back.

They pulled him as hard as they could, but the monster was gaining on them. Their combined strength was failing. Eleven focused on the monster's arm. More blood fell from her nose and ears. She screamed putting her focus at its height and snapped the Demogorgon's arm in half. An anguishing scream erupted from the other side as it pulled back its broken limb.

Mike ran clear from the gate while Dustin captured the matches. A flare instantly lit up and was thrown at the tree to finally set it into vivid flames. The three friends stared into the fire as the gate was closing, hearing the final screams of the beast.

The nightmare was finally over.

Eleven was cradled in Mike's arms as she held his hand; Dustin sat on the other side as he held the other. Despite the horrible evening they went through, they couldn't help smiling at their accomplished mission.

"We made it," said Dustin.

"Thanks to you," Mike added. "Thank you for saving us."

Eleven squeezed Dustin's hand. "Thank you."

He looked at her with his signature smile. "Welcome home, Eleven."

To be continued...