This by far is the longest chapter. 6719 words by far.

Dart appears from the tunnel hole and stares at the humans behind the safety glass.

Tech: Mother of God.

Hopper: Yeah wanna talk shit about the kid now we gotta go.

Tech: It's... it's polycarbonate. It can't get through.

That's what they thought as more rise from the tunnel.

Owens: Mother Mary and Joseph.

As more rise from the hole Dart bashes against the wall scaring the tech as it cracks.

Hopper: You sure about that glass?

Owens punches a button sounding the alarm throughout the lab.

In Will's room Jiyce still questions Will, Mike trying to get past the guards and Bob and El in shock as the alarm sounds.

Bob: What the hell?

Eleven: We're too late.

Joyce: What?

Mike: We're too late!

Bob: What's going on?

Eleven: We're under attack.

MP: What's going on down there? Does anybody copy?

[IN THE BASEMENT]

The lab folks run out of the basement evacuation the area in hopes of escaping as they reach the elevator doors that slowly open.

Owens: Stairs! Stairs!

Owens pulls Hopper to the stairway and run up the stairs as the dog's break through and runs through basement lab trapping a few in the elevator.

Realizing how Will is a spy for the monster El grabs a syringe.

Eleven: We need to make Will sleep.

Joyce: What?

Eleven: He's a spy. If he knows where we are,

Mike: So does the shadow monster.

Will: They're lying!

Mike: He killed those soldiers. He'll kill us, too!

Will: He's lying! He's lying! He's lying! He's lying! He's lying!

Will trashes around trying to leave but Joyce holds him down, she understands what El and Mike mean but it's her son, last year and a few days ago she'd do anything to protect her son but now is different.

As Hopper and Owens make their way to Will and the other, Dart and the other monsters do as well, destroying and killing anything in their path as guard shit at then but they are basically impenetrable.

Mike: Shit!

Bob: Those are gunshots!

Will: He's lying! He's lying!

Joyce: Okay, Will, Will, listen, listen. Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?

Joyce holds her sons arms down asking him hoping he'll answer to her way see fit.

Will: You're... You're... You're Mom.

Joyce closes her eyes as a tear escapes one eye.

Joyce:*to Bob* Hold him down.

Will: No! No! Let go! No! No!
Let me go! Let go!  No, let me go!

Bob holds Will down as Joyce takes the syringe from Eleven.

Joyce: I'm sorry.

Joyce apologies as she pushes the needle into Will's arm.

Joyce: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Will: Let me go! Let go! Let me go! No! Let go! Let me go! Let me go!

As Will continues trashing about he slowly subcomes to the drugs and passes out. Hopper and Ownes reach Will's room as the sound of gunshots ring throughout the Lab.

Hopper: We gotta go. We gotta go.

Hopper grabs the passed out Will and Owens takes lead. They make their way into the hallway and down the hall way a Demogorgon dog runs out killing another guard.

Owens: Come on!

Owens leads them into a security room. Inside the room Hopper sets will down and Bob looks at the monitors.

Bob: Oh, my God.

On the monitors Demogorgon dogs run throughout the lab killing or leaving bodies.

[With the other party]

The remaining party members trek back through the woods in attempt to find Dart and his new friends.

Lucas: You're positive that was Dart?

Dustin: Yes. He had the same
exact yellow pattern on his butt.

Becky: You stared at his ass during that?

Lucas: He was tiny two days ago.

Dustin: Well, he's molted three times already.

Terry: Malted?

Dustin: Molted. Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms.

Max: When's he gonna molt again?

Terry: It's gotta be soon, right?

Dustin: When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it.

Lucas: And so will his friends.

Terry: Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats.

Lucas: Wait, a cat?

Max: Dart ate a cat?

Dustin: No, what? No.

Steve: What are you talking about? He ate Mews.

Max: Mews? Who's Mews?

Steve: It's Dustin's cat.

Dustin: Steve!

Becky: Didn't you guys have this rule about Friends Don't Lie or some shit.

Lucas: I knew it! You kept him!

Dustin: No!

Lucas: No?

Dustin: No, I... No, I...

Steve: Spit it our lard-ass we're running out if time.

Dustin: He missed me. He wanted to come home.

Lucas: Bullshit!

Dustin: I didn't know he was a Demogorgon!

Terry: Did he have a face when you first saw him in your trash.

Dustin: No.

Terry: Then it should have clicked on you then.

Dustin: I wanted to make a cool discovery.

Becky: Still you should have at least told Hopper.

Dustin: So he could steal my discovery?

Max: Who cares you found a weird creature that was never found should have told somebody.

Dustin: Why do you care you never believed us.

Lucas: Oh, so now you admit it?

Steve: Guys, who cares? We have to go.

Lucas: I care! You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!

Dustin: So did you!

Lucas: What?

Dustin: You told a stranger the truth!

Max: A stranger?

Terry: This isn't the time for this.

Lucas: You wanted to tell her, too!

Dustin: But I didn't, Lucas, okay?

Steve hears a screech in the distance as the party continues to argue while Terry and Becky try to calm them down.

Dustin: I didn't tell her!

Lucas: We both broke the rule of law, okay?

Dustin: So we're even. We're even.

Lucas: No, no! We're not even. Don't even try that.

Terry: Kids this is not the time to be arguing.

Becky: Just kiss and make up.

Lucas: Your stupid pet could
have ate us for dinner!

Dustin: That was not my fault!

Steve: Guys?

Dustin: He wasn't gonna eat us.

Lucas: He was crawling
to come say hello?

Steve: Guys!

Steve finally grabs the parties attention as the look in the distance to see Hawkins Lab. The lab's lights are flickering and in the distance the screeching is heard. The official party members nod at each ither and walk towards the lab leaving a nervous Max.

Max: No, no, no. Hey, guys, why are you headed towards the sound? Hello? Hello?

Dustin: I don't see him.

Lucas: It's the lab.

Steve: They were going back home.

Becky/Terry: The gate.

[Hawkins Security Room]

The party plus Owens are still in the lab but Owens is now showing them how they can get to the exit.

Owens: Look, this is us, and
this is the nearest exit. But even if we somehow make it there, there's no way out.

Hopper: What do you mean?

Owens: The locks are fail secure.

Hopper: Fail secure?

Owens: If there's a power outage, the building goes on lockdown.

Hopper: Can it be unlocked remotely?

Owens: With a computer, sure, but somebody's gotta reset the breakers.

Hopper: Where are the breakers?

Owens: Breakers are in the basement, three floors down.

Hopper grabs a guards gun and is ready to leave but Bob stops him.

Bob: Hey, where are you going?

Hopper: To reset the breakers.

Bob: Okay, then what?

Hopper: Then we get out of here.

Bob: No, then the power comes back on. If you wanna unlock the doors, you have to reboot the computer system, and then override the security codes with a manual input.

Hopper: Fine, how do I do that?

Bob: You can't. Not unless you know BASIC.

Hopper: I don't know what that means.

Mike: It's a computer programming language.

Hopper: Teach it to me.

Bob: Shall I teach you
French while I'm at it, Jim?How about a little German? How about you, Doc? You speak BASIC?

Owens: No.

Bob: Mike, El?

Mike and El are smart but not that smart.

Bob: Okay, I got this. I got this.

Joyce: No. Bob.

Bob: It's okay. It's gonna be okay. Remember, Bob Newby, superhero.

Bob gives Joyce and kiss. He smiles and walks out of the room with Hopper. They find a dead guard and Hopper takes his gun and ear piece.

Hopper: Okay, grab his walkie.

Hopper grabs the gun.

Hopper: All right, you know how to use one of these?

Bob: No.

Hopper: This is a M1911, holds 7 rounds, hopefully you won't have to use them. See this slide, it's the safety. Safety on. Safety off. Point. Squeeze.Point and squeeze. Okay.

Bob: Easy-peasy.

Bob accidentally point the gun at Hopper despite it being on safety. Hopportunity points it away from him.

Hopper: If anything happens down there, I want you to come right back up.

Bob: Right back here. Listen. Don't wait for me. As soon
as I get those doors open...

Hopper: I'm gonna get them out.

Bob: Yeah?

Hopper: I promise.

Bob: Okay, well... I'll be in touch.

Bob leaves the area as Hopper runs back to the security room.

Outside in the entrance gate, a Johnathan and Nancy arrive to the shut down Hawkins Lab, visibly confused since the last time they were there they're we escorted to and from the lab itself.

Johnathan: Why are the lights off?

Nancy: Maybe it's closed?

Johnathan: Security took the night off? I don't think so.

Johnathan walks over to the security booth and presses Gate button, but it's not working.

Nancy: It's not working?

Johnathan: No! The power's off.

Nancy: Jonathan?

Johnathan: What?

Nancy: I think there's something in the woods.

Johnathan walks over to Nancy and sees what she means. In the trees they can see lights shining.

Johnathan: Hello? Who's there?

The lights get brighter meaning they're getting closer.

Johnathan: Who's there?

From the tree line the forest party.

Nancy: Steve?

Steve: Nancy?

Dustin: Jonathan.

Steve: What are you doing here?

Nancy: What are you doing here?

Dustin: We're looking for Mike, El and Will.

Nancy:  They're not in there, are they?

Lucas: We're not sure.

Becky: They probably are.

Terry: As well as Hopper, Joyce and Bob.

Johnathan: Why?

Johnathan gets his answer as a loud screech is heard.

Nancy: What the hell is that?

Becky: Ask Dustin, he took care of one.

Dustin: Let's not dwell on the past.

Lucas: That was literally 2 days ago.

Johnathan: Can someone tell us what's going on?

Lucas and Dustin ready to reply but Nancy stops them.

Nancy: Someone who can speak our English language.

Terry: Dustin here found a weird tadpole like creature in his trash, took care of it and now...

Becky: We are hunting down a Demogorgon dog that lead us here.

Nancy: He what?

Back inside the Lab, Bob stealthily passes through the hallways with Owens watching from the security cameras.

Owens:*over radio* Keep it together, Bob.

Bob: Oh, God.

Bob slowly makes his way downstairs to the breaker rooms. Once he reaches he stays behind the corner checking to see if the coast is clear. Bob smirks.

Bob: Okay, here we go.

Through all the panic in the lab Bob keeps his cool as he restarts the breaker turning everything on.

[Outside the Gate]

Lucas: We haven't seen Will since his last episode?

Johnathan: He had another episode?

Lucas: Yeah but this one was worse, haven't seen him since...

Nancy: Sorry for cutting you off Lucas but who's this?

Nancy asked pointing at Max whos behind the others.

Steve:*quietly to Nancy* Shouldn't have asked that.

Nancy: Why?

Becky: Cause she's in you situation of a shitty triangle.

The lights in the lab turn back on grabbing attention.

Terry: The power's back.

Dustin runs over to the booth.

Dustin: Let me try.

Johnathan: Hang on...

Dustin: Let me try, Jonathan!Son of a bitch! You know what...

[Security Room]

(An: We all know this scene and I hate writing the same thing over and over again so this *radio* will be for Bob here.

Owens and Hopper watch from the monitor as everything turns on putting the monsters on alert.

Owens: Okay, Bob, can you hear us?

Bob:*over radio* Loud and clear, Doc. Can you hear me back?

Owens: We hear you.

Bob: All right, give me a minute. Open sesame.

All doors have been unlocked by Bob, giving them all a chance to leave.

Owens: Son of a bitch did it.

Hopper: Right, I'll meet you outside. Nice job.

Owens: Hold on a second, Chief.

Hopper: What's wrong?

Owens: West stairwell's not clear anymore.

Owens points to a monitor showing that one of the monsters are in the stair well where Bob had came in from.

Bob: What's going on?

Owens: We've got some company.

Bob: Where?

Owens: The west stairwell.

Bob: I got an idea.

Bob runs back to the computer using his skill.

Hopper: What the hell's he doing?

Bob: Okay. And splash.

Bob turns on the sprinklers on a room above the monster run to the sound.

Owens: Okay. Okay, that worked. Now, get out of there.

Bob does as he's told and leaves the room leaving his gun behind.

Owens: Wait a second, Chief?

Hopper: What?

Owens: Take this.

Owens hands Hopper a radio.

Hopper: What are you doing?

Owens: Any more surprises, I'll let you know. Go. Go!

Hopper nods as he picks up Will with Joyce, Eleven and Mike following behind him. Owens stays behind and watches Bob over the monitor.

Owens: Hey, Bob?

Bob: Yeah?

Owens: I'm gonna guide you, okay?

Bob: Is there a problem?

Owens: No, it's just... It's, uh, getting a little crowded up here, so we're gonna have to take this slow.

Bob: Okay.

Owens: All right, just start walking. Okay, good.

Bob makes his way down the hall with Owens help, he's getting out if this helping the party beat this thing.

Owens:Okay, now, your next right. Now, keep going, keep
going, keep going...

Bob pants softly. He's sweating bullets. Was this what Hopper and Joyce had to go through last year, if so the future will be wild for all of them.

Owens: Stop!

Bob: What? What?

Owens: Bob, there's a door on your left, do you see that?

Bob: Yeah?

Owens: That's a closet.

Bob: Okay?

Owens: Yeah, I need you to get in it.

Bob: What?

Owens: Now! Right now. Get in the closet. There's one down the hall.

Quickly but quietly Bob walks into the closet. Down the hall a monster creeps down growling softly. Bob breathing becomes heavy but quiet. The shadow is seen on the floor. Bob's sweating bullets. The shadow passes leaving Bob in the clear but he waits.

Bob: *quietly* Jesus Christ. Okay.

Owens: How you holding up there, Bob? You all right?

Bob: Yeah. Yeah.

Owens: You got a pretty clear
shot to the front door.

Bob: Okay.

Owens: You can do this, okay? You're almost home free, all right, Bob?

Bob opens the door slowly and looks down checking his surroundings. He's in the clear as he walks out but behind him a mop handle falls and thuds making a noise.

Owens: Run!

He doesn't need to be told twice as he books it down the hall. He looks back and the monster is closing in on him. He knows they're faster but he's not giving up as the adrenaline helps him as he storms down the hall. Runs runs pass the door and closes it behind him breathing heavily. He made it.

Joyce: Bob!

Bob turns to see Joyce smiling at him. He braces to walk to her but is tackled down by the Demogorgon dog.

Joyce: Bob!

Bob screams as he tries to push it off of him but with its slimy skin it's practically impossible. It rears its claws back and strikes Bob's ribs making him scream in pain

Joyce: No!

Bob screams as its claws tears into his body. Hopper storms in and shoots the monster but with its hard skin it doesn't phase it. Bob reaches for Joyce as the doors break and more Demogorgon dogs storm in.

Hopper: Go!

Joyce: No!

Hopper: Go!

Hopper shoots the dogs as some pay no mind and go to Bob opening their faces and tears into his body.

Joyce: Bob!

Hopper grabs Joyce as more show up he pulls her out of the room and rushes them outside closing the door temporarily blocking them off as Joyce wails in shock.

Joyce: Bob! No!

Mike: What happened?

Eleven: Where's Bob?

Joyce: No!

Hopper: He's gone! He's gone!

At the front of the lab two cars speed and halt to a stop. Hopper recognizes them. Its Johnathan and Joyce's car. In Johnathan's car is Johnathan and Nancy while in Joyce's car is Terry and Becky.

Johnathan: Come on! Get in!

Joyce grabs Will and puts him  and herself in the backseat while Mike and Eleven run to Joyce's and Hopper runs to his jeep.

Terry: What the hell happened?

Eleven: We'll explain when we get to wherever we're going.

Becky: Was Dart one of them?

Mike: What?

Terry: Was Dart in there?

Eleven: One of those things was Dart?

Becky: Dart had molded and is now a dog size Demogorgon.

Mike: Son of a bitch!

As the party drives away from the lab at the gate Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max wait.

Dustin: Guys?

They back away from the road as Johnathan and Terry speed away from the lab. Hopper stops next to the kids opening the passenger door.

Hopper: Let's go.

Dustin is the first to run inside with Max and Lucas following with Steve being last.

Lucas: Come on!

Dustin: Come on, let's go! Let's go! Come on!

[Byers Residents]

At the Byers Residents, the full party arrive. Will is asleep in his room while Johnathan watches him, Joyce in the bathroom having a panic attack, Hopper on the phone and the other party members sitting around the house.

Hopper: Sam Owens. Dr. Sam Owens.

Woman On Phone: How many people at the lab?

Hopper: I don't know how many people are there! I don't know how many people are left alive!

Woman On Phone: Have you contacted the police?

Hopper: I am the police! Chief Jim Hopper!

Woman On Phone; Is there a number I can reach you at?

Hopper: Yes, the number that I gave you, yes.

Woman On Phone: Okay, yes, I got it. 6767...

Hopper: I will be here.

Woman On Phone: I'll have them contact you.

Hopper slams the phone on the wall and sighs.

Becky: They didn't believe you, did they?

Hopper: We'll see.

Eleven: "We'll see"? We can't just sit here while those things are loose!

Hopper: We stay here, and wait for help.

Terry: Everyone at the lab is either dead or hiding, until Owens or a higher up contact 'then' were sitting ducks.

Nancy: Once Will wakes up those things will know where we are.

Lucas: Maybe if Dustin didn't hide Dart this wouldn't happen.

Dustin: How is this my fault?

Eleven: It's not his fault, regardless if he found Dart or not we'd still be in this situation.

Mike: What we need is a plan.

Dustin: All we know is that the Shadow monster has control over Will and that Dart and the other follow the shadow monster.

Max: Do we know if it has a weakness?

Dustin: We don't know at all.

Eleven: Everything was easier with Five here.

Hopper takes notice of Eleven's words. If Five was there he'd be able to see in the Upside Down or something.

Max: What do you mean?

Becky: Five would be able to find something about the Shadow Monster.

Dustin: He would use his powers to kick its ass.

Lucas: And Dart and his goons.

Steve: I never got a chance to meet Five.

Mike paves around the kitchen with the puzzle Bob bought for Will.

Mike: Did you guys know that Bob was the original founder of Hawkins AV?

Dustin: Really?

Mike: He petitioned the school to start it and everything. Then he had a fund-raiser for equipment. Mr. Clarke learned everything from him. Pretty awesome, right?

Dustin/Lucas: Yeah.

Mike: We can't let him die in vain.

Dustin: What do you want to do, Mike? The Chief's right on this. We can't stop those
Demo-dogs on our own.

Max: Demo-dogs?

Dustin:Demogorgon dogs. Demo-dogs. It's like a compound. It's like a play on words...

Steve: Makes sense.

Max: Okay.

Eleven: I mean, when it was just Dart, maybe...

Lucas: But there's an army now.

Dustin: Precisely.

Mike: His army.

Nancy: What do you mean?

Mike: His army. Maybe if we stop him, we can stop his army, too.

Dustin: The shadow monster.

Mike: It got Will that day on the field. The doctor said it was like a virus, it infected him. And so this virus, it's
connecting him to the tunnels? To the tunnels, monsters, the Upside Down, everything.

Hopper: Whoa. Slow down. Slow down.

Terry: Maybe milk it down for some of us to uunderstand.

Mike: Okay, so, the shadow
monster's inside everything. And if the vines feel something like pain, then so does Will.

Lucas: And so does Dart.

Mike: Yeah. Like what Mr. Clarke taught us. The hive mind.

Steve: Hive mind?

Dustin: A collective consciousness.

Eleven: It's a super-organism. And this is the thing that controls
everything. It's the brain.

Becky: You guys have any D&D monster like that?

Eleven: We do, Dustin?

Dustin: The Mind Flayer.

Max The what?

Steve: What?

Dustin reaches for his bag and pulls out his D&D campaign book.

Steve: Jesus you carry that everywhere?

Lucas: Always.

Dustin flips through his boom to monster contents.

Dustin: The mind flayer.

Steve: What the hell is that?

Dustin: It's a monster from
an unknown dimension. It's so ancient that it doesn't
even know its true home.

The others don't follow.

Dustin: Okay, it enslaves races of other dimensions by taking over their brains
using its highly-developed psionic powers.

Hopper: Oh, my God, none of this is real. This is a kids' game.

Dustin: No, it's a manual. And it's not for kids. And unless you know
something that we don't,
this is the best metaphor...

Lucas: Analogy.

Dustin: Analogy? That's what
you're worried about?

Eleven: Can you guys not argue like a married couple for 10 minutes.

Dustin: Fine. An analogy for understanding whatever the hell this is.

Nancy: Okay, so this mind flamer thing...

Dustin: Flayer. Mind flayer.

Nancy: What does it want?

Dustin: To conquer us, basically. It believes it's the master race.

Steve: Like the Germans? Uh, the Nazis?

Dustin: Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Nazis.

Lucas was ready to question Steve but Becky stops him.

Becky: Look you guys have to speak English sometimes cause when you do we say stupid shit.

Terry: We try to follow but it's hard.

Dustin: Uh... If the Nazis were from another dimension, totally. Uh, it views other races, like us, as inferior to itself. It wants to spread, take over other dimensions. We are talking about the destruction
of our world as we know it.

Steve: That's great. That's great. That's really great. Jesus!

Nancy: Okay, so if this thing is like a brain that's controlling everything, then if we kill it...

Eleven: We kill everything it controls.

Mike: We win. Theoretically.

Hopper: Great. So how do you kill this thing? Shoot it with Fireballs or something?

Dustin: No. No, no Fire...
No Fireballs. Uh, you summon an undead
army, because...

Max: Dustin, real world how do we destroy it in the real world.

Hopper: What the hell are we doing here?

Lucas: I thought we were waiting for your military backup.

Hopper: We are!

Dustin: How are they gonna stop this?

Mike: You can't just shoot this with guns. The guys at the lab already tried that.

Dustin: You don't know that! We don't know anything!

Eleven: We know it's already killed everybody in that lab. We know the monsters
are gonna molt again. We know that it's only a matter of time before those tunnels reach this town.

Joyce: They're right.

The party turn to Joyce and see her face stained with tears, pain and hurt.

Joyce: We have to kill it. I want to kill it.

Hopper: Me, too. Me, too, Joyce, okay?

Joyce: But how do we do that?

Dustin: We don't exactly know what we're dealing with here.

Mike: No. But he does. If anyone knows how to destroy
this thing, it's Will. He's connected to it.
He'll know its weakness.

Max: I thought we couldn't
trust him anymore. That he's a spy for the mind flayer now.

Eleven: Yeah, but he can't spy if he doesn't know where he is.

Hopper, Joyce, Mike and Eleven all rush to the shed in the backyard. Hopper opens the door and turns the light on.

Hopper: Yeah, this'll work.

Hopper clears the shed out chucking object out.

Nancy and Steve both search for anything they can cover the shed in to hide their location.

Nancy: Hey. What you did, um, helping the kids...that was... really cool.

Steve: Yeah. Those little shits are real trouble, you know?

Nancy: Believe me, I know.

Steve: Turns out I'm a pretty good babysitter.

On the other side Dustin, Lucas and Mike all search for stuff as well.

Dustin: Hey. I'm... I'm sorry about Dart and all. I guess I just thought that he was my friend. I was wrong. I broke the rule of law, so if you want your girlfriend to... to take over my spot in
the party, I understand.

Mike looked at the two, not really confused but he was confused on why now they want to talk about this.

Lucas: She's not my girlfriend.

Dustin: I saw you two holding
hands in the bus, Lucas.

Dustin: She was just scared. Maybe, but I could feel it.

Lucas: Feel what?

Dustin: The electricity.

Dustin walks away with a sheet to the shed leaving a now confused Mike and Lucas.

Mike: Electricity?

Lucas: I don't know.

The two search now.

Lucas: You tell El?

Mike: What?

Lucas: Did you tell El?

Mike: It wasn't the time, besides she doesn't really like me like that.

Lucas: How do you know?

Mike: We've all been friends for years, when she's with us, she happy and smiles all the time, with Five, she was alot different.

Lucas: But Five's not here.

Mike: He may not be here but when he comes back I know El is gonna confess. I'm just a friend. It hurts to say it but Five is my friend too and I don't wanna hurt him as well.

Lucas doesn't push further as he and Mike continue the search.

Inside the house Max and Eleven searches for tape and rags and such. It was silence, El wants to have the party happy but she hates the fact that Max could be a replacement for Five but Five would always apart of the part. Maybe she could try to be nicer to Max.

Max: I get why El was your mage now.

Eleven: What?

Max: Lucas. He told me all about him.

Eleven: Well, he shouldn't have, should have told us about it first.

Max: Is it because you feel like I'd replace him?

Eleven: Everyone except Mike and me can see that.

Max: You know I won't be able to replace him right. All I can do is ride a skateboard while Five literally has powers, I mean am I wrong El?

Eleven: Jane.

Max: Huh?

Eleven: My friends call me El, just because the others say you're in our party doesn't mean you can call me Eleven. You do know that, right?

Max: Yeah, I know. I mean, why would you want a stupid
zoomer in your party anyway?I'm just saying, Five? He sounds like he was really awesome.

Eleven: Yeah, he was. Until that thing took him. Just like it took Bob.

Max: You sure this is gonna work?

Eleven: He knew who Mike and I was. He's still in there. It's gonna work. It has to.

Eleven stops and exhales.

Eleven: Just don't call me that around the others.

Max: What?

Eleven: You can call me El just not around the others.

Max: Oh ok...El.

Eleven face scrunched up as if she's thinking.

Eleven: Yeah still weird.

Outside in the front yard Becky and Terry keep watch. It was quiet and they didn't like it.

Terry: What's your take on this Mind Flayer thing?

Becky: Want my honest opinion?

Terry nods.

Becky: It's fucked.

Terry stifles a chuckle. She's not wrong.

Becky: If Jane never told us about Five, the Demogorgon or Upside Down. I wouldn't believe it at all. Speaking of Five did you notice Hopper's reaction when Jane mentioned Five?

Terry: What do you mean?

Becky: Hopper looked zoned out when the kids were talking but when Jane said Five, it grabbed his attention.

Terry: What are you thinking?

Becky: Hopper is good. But when he's hiding something he gives himself away.

Terry: You think he found Five?

Becky: Maybe, I'm not sure.

Terry: If he found Five, he hid him. Kept him safe and wanted him safe.

The door opens and Hopper walks out surprising the two sisters.

Hopper: We're all set up get inside.

The sister follow Hopper inside where the party all wait.

Steve: So what's the plan?

Mike: Me, El, Ms. Byers, Johnathan and Hopper will go into the shed and try to get through to Will hoping he isn't to far gone.

Eleven: Just try not to make any sounds to make him realize he's home.

Nancy: Why?

Eleven: Cause the Mind Flayer knows Will's home location, that's why we set the shed up to cover everything to make it seem like he's not here.

Mike: If we get through maybe well be able to know how to beat the Mind Flayer.

Hopper: Let's go time of the essence!

Mike and Eleven follow Hopper out the backdoor to the shed where inside Joyce and Johnathan looking nervous and scared.

Hopper: All right, you ready?

Joyce: Yeah. If he finds out where we are... will he send those dogs after us?

Mike: He won't find out.

Johnathan: Yeah, but, if he does...

Eleven: Judgment day.

Hopper grabs a bottle of cleaning supplies and a rag. Hopper turns to them and nods as he wets the right and puts it under Will's nose. He holds it there for a while before Will lets out a loud gasp and wakes up. Heroes to move but realizes he's tied up.

Will: What? What? What is this? What? What is this? Why am I tied up?

Joyce being the lovely mother she is kneels next to her youngest and puts her hand on his should speaking to him softly.

Joyce: Will, we just wanna talk to you. We're not gonna hurt you.

Will: Where am I?

Hopper walks over to Will, holding up the picture of The Mind Flayer.

Hopper: You recognize this? Do you recognize this?

Joyce: Hey. We wanna help you. But to do that, we have to understand how to kill it.

Will doesn't answer the question as he continues to thrash around and scream out again.

Will: Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up?

Hopper pulls Joyce away as he carefully puts force on the boy trying to stop him from moving without hurting him.

Hopper: Hey. Will calm down.

Will: Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up? Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!

Hopper doesn't let go as Will continues to thrash around, mindlessly screaming making the other start to cry as the lights flicker.

Will: Let me go! Let me go!
Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!

Will begins to let off as his screaming comes to a stop.

Will: Let me go...Go...Go...

Hopper let's go of Will as Joyce walks over to Will, tears in her eyes. Last effort.

Joyce: Do you know what March 22nd is? It's your birthday. Your birthday. When you turned eight, I gave you that huge box of crayons. Do you remember that?

Will stares at Joyce in confusion, she knows that Will it but with the Mind Flayer in his mind she has to push through to get her son back.

Joyce: It was 120 colors. And all your friends, they
got you Star Wars toys, but all you wanted to do was
draw with all your new colors. And you drew this big spaceship, but it wasn’t from a movie. It was your spaceship. A rainbow ship is what you called it. And you must have used every color in the box.

Joyce seems to be getting through to him but she continues as the others think of a memory they had with Will.

Joyce: I took that with me to Melvald's and I put it up and I told everyone who came in, "My son drew this." And you were so embarrassed. But I was so proud. I was so, so proud.

Will's breath shakes, Eleven notices. 'It's working'.

Johnathan: Do you remember the day Dad left?

Johnathan walks over to his family and kneels down to Will.

Johnathan: We stayed up all night building Castle Byers...just the way you drew it. And it took so long because you were so bad at hammering. You'd miss the nail every time. And then it started raining, but
we stayed out there anyway. We were both sick for
like a week after that. But we just had to finish it, didn't we? We just had to.

Mike steps up next, a tear rolls down hid cheek as he brings up his favorite memory of Will.

Mike: Do you remember the
first day that we met? It was... It was the first
day of kindergarten. I knew nobody. I had no friends and... I just felt so
alone and so scared, but... I saw you on the swings
and you were alone, too. You were just swinging by yourself. And I just walked up to you and... I asked. I asked if you wanted to be my friend. And you said yes. You said yes. It was the best thing I've ever done.

Eleven takes her turn as she brings up her most important memory of Will.

Eleven: Remember the you first thing you said to me when we met? I was wearing that Star Trek shirt and reading Never Ending Story. You, Mike and the others were wondering how to ask me to join the party. Dustin and Lucas were arguing saying how a girl wouldn't know a thing about D&D while Mike tried to be the middle man.

El walks over into the light, tears running down her face.

Eleven: You were the one who asked me to join the party, I just stared at you scared to say anything. By the time you turned around I spoke up and said, "Level 11 mage, what about you and your friends over there?" You smiled and gave me the nickname Eleven cause of my level and eleven words.

Joyce: Will, baby... if you're in there, just please...please talk to us. Please, honey, please,
can you do that for me? Please. I love you so much.

Will's breath shakes again and it looks like he's broke through.

Will: Let me go.

Joyce sighs and Johnathan, Mike and El back away. They lost. Or so they thought. Hopper who's leaning against the wall hears tapping. He looks over to Will to see him tapping on the chair. Hopper soon realizes what it is as he pulls the family and Co away inside the house.

Dustin: What happened?

Hopper grabs a pen and piece of cardboard.

Hopper: I think he's talking,
just not with words.

Hopper writes down on the board dots and dashes.

Steve: What is that?

Party: Morse code.

After Hopper completes the Morse code he writes down the words.

Hopper: H-E-R-E.

Becky: Here.

Mike: Will's still in there.
He's talking to us.

Terry: There's a chance that this Mind Flayer thing doesn't know Morse code so he's using it to speak?

Hopper: Looks like it.

Becky: So all you gotta do is keep talking to him.

Johnathan runs to his room and grabs his stereo and a tape. He walks out the room and outside with Hopper and the others. Johnathan sits in the chair in front of Will as he puts the tape in the stereo plays it.

Johnathan: Do you remember the first time I played you this? Mom and Dad were both
arguing in the next room. So I played you the mix tape I made you. And it was the first time you got into music. Real music.

Will taps on the chair in code as Hopper sends the message back with Will's radio.

Mike:  And then the party
escaped into the sewers, and there were those big insect things, and you guys were still on level one. Then you cast Fog Cloud and you saved us. You saved the whole party.

Hopper continues to send messages through the radio and El takes the seat.

Eleven: Remember when the first time you brought me to the AV Club you told Mr. Clarke that I was joining the party and the club, you were the one to teach me how to work it and the rules. You told me how in the party it's group effort and no secrets. Ever since then I've been with you guys and I'm not letting that go.

Hopper spots another message and sends it through while Joyce takes a seat

Joyce: You saw that little girl and she was in the sandbox and she was crying. You gave him your Tonka Truck and I told you we couldn't
afford to buy another one. You said she should have
it because she's sad. "She's sad, Mommy." I love you so much. So, so much.

Hopper sends the final message as he can hear the phone rings which grabs the attention of everyone in the shed. Will's eyes roll to the back of his head. Joyce grabs a syringe and give Will a shot knocking him out. Hopper cuts will lose and Johnathan grabs him.

Mike: They're gonna be on us know.

Hopper: Get inside! Let's go!

They all leave the shed and Johnathan puts Will in his room closing the door as Hopper walks in with a rifle.

Hopper:  Hey. Hey, get away from the windows! *to Johnathan* Do you know how to use this?

Johnathan: What?

Hopper: Can you use this?

Nancy: I can.

Hopper hands Nancy the rifle as he and Nancy point it at the door, Steve gripping his bat, Lucas pulling the wrist rocket at the ready, Mike with a candle stick, Becky with a machete and Eleven with a pipe. They hear screeching in the distance.

Max: Where are they?

Through the screeching and growling the party listens as the demodog screeches in pain now.

Max: What are they doing?

The sound stops suddenly putting the party on edge and panic. It was to quiet. Way to quiet. Until the window breaks and the demodog is throw through it.

Dustin: Holy shit.

Hopper slowly walks to the demodog and touches it with the barrel if the gun.

Dustin: Is it dead?

Dustin doesn't get his answer as the lock on the door unlock. Hopper and Nancy point their guns to the door as it slowly opens. From the blind spot of the door a figure walks into the house making Hopper and Nancy lower their guns and the rest if the party are in shock. Eleven is the first to walk in front with a smile on her face.

Eleven: Five.