A month later

Mike's POV

I seriously think the universe hates me. Like, first Will goes missing, then El, then El again! This is bullshit. Pure Bullshit. I keep calling El, hoping I can hear anything from the lab, but the static is dead. It's been 70 days since the love of my life was taken from me, again. I'm not giving up hope. I'm going to find a way to get El back.

It had become a routine, again; calling El every night at 11:11pm. Max always says that that time is meant for making wishes, so I call El at that time every night, hoping my wish to hear her voice will come true. But so far, her logic hasn't worked. I call bullshit on Max's logic.

I looked over at the clock to see the time. 11:10pm. I quickly got up from my seat on the couch and crawled into the blanket fort. I held the supercom with one hand and I turned the dial to find a blank channel.

Just as the clock turned to 11:11, I pressed the button and began to speak. "El, its day 70. I dont know if you can hear me, but if you can, please give me a sign. I need to know if you're okay. I've been talking to Hopper and he's planning a rescue mission for you." I took a shaky breathe and continued. "I hope you're okay El. You are the strongest and bravest person I know, and I know you'll be okay, but still, please just tell me if you are. When we find Brenner, I promise i'll kick his ass," I couldn't help but smile as I said that. "I'll be there soon, El. I love you."

I set the supercom down and stared at in for a minute, hoping for some sort of response. But the line stayed dead. I sighed and trudged upstairs and into my room and flopped onto the bed and shut my eyes tightly. Images of El flashed through my mind and pain stabbed me in the heart again. I rubbed my eyes and and turned my head to my bedside table. A smile formed on my lips as I looked at the sliver picture frame. Inside was a picture of El and I at the Snowball. The Snowball had been one of the best nights of my life.

I remember us slow dancing together and us kissing during our dance. I remembered how beautiful she looked when she walked through the gym doors wearing that gorgeous dress. I remembered the happiness I felt when I saw her; I think that's when I truly realized how much I loved her.

I brushed my hand against my cheek and felt the familiar wetness running down my face. Tears. My heart ached and I began to cry harder as I curled up on my bed and closed my eyes. God, I missed her so much. Slowly, the thoughts disappeared from my head as I drifted into sleep.

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'Mike... Mike...' A soft, yet familier voice whispered in my head.

I looked at the area around me; it was pitch black. I turned around to see a person standing behind me; El. Her beautiful eyes looked dark and dull and her skin was pale.

She gazed at me with sad, tried eyes and I noticed a new scar on her forearm. The skin around the scar was dark, like a bruise.

'El, are you okay? Where are you?' I pressed my hand against her cold cheek.

'Upside Down," she said quietly. 'They sent me here. I need you to save me, please. '

Panic struck my heart at her words, 'El I'll find you, I promise. Please try to stay sa-"

My words died in my mouth. Her eyes. El's once brown eyes were now lighter, almost blue and green. Her eyes glassed over as she smiled at me coldly and flicked her wrist, tossing me back a few feet. I hit the "ground" and I groaned in pain. When I looked back up to where she was standing, she was gone. I was alone in the darkness of the void.

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"MICHAEL, TIME TO GET UP!"

I groggily sat up and rubbed my eyes, El's dream-message replaying in my head. I needed to talk to Hopper, we needed to find El.

I quickly got dressed and went downstairs. Mom was setting the table while dad was reading the newspaper and Holly was playing with some of her blocks on the living room carpet.

"Morning everyone. Have to go to school early." I grabbed an Eggo from a plate on the counter. "Bye." I ran outside and to my bike.

"Michael!" I heard my mom yell from behind me as I rode down Mirkwood and to Hopper's cabin. I dropped my bike on the grass and jogged along the gravel path to the porch.

I knocked on the door as loud as I could, hoping to wake up the probably hungover Hopper. The door opened with a creak. "What do you want, Wheeler?"

"I heard her voice on my supercom and I had a dream about her and she was talking to me," I exclaimed. "She's in the Upside Down and we need to save her before-"

"Kid, kid." Hopper lit a cigarette. "We're going to save her, just not tonight.

"Wait, what? Why?" I shouted angerly as I glared at Hopper. "Why can we save her tonight? She could be dying! She's been in there for 71 days!"

"Because, kid," Hopper sighed and took a drag on his cigarette, "we are still trying to figure out the best way to-"

I jogged back to my bike and began riding down the street to the school. I couldn't listen to Hopper's bullshit anymore. I was going to save El, tonight.

I walked to the bike rack and chained my bike to the metal bars along with the rest of the party who had been talking when I approached. "AV room, now!"

I began walking towards the doors and I could feel the party staring at me, but I heard reluctant footsteps follow. I pulled out my key and opened the AV room door, and shut it behind us once we were all inside.

"Mike, whats wrong?" Dustin asked as he stared at me with curious eyes.

"I-is it about El?" Will asked and I nodded.

"Hopper isn't helping us find her tonight, or soon, for that matter," I explained. "I-I dont care what Hopper has to say right now, I got a dream message from El and she's in the Upside Down." I looked at the sickened expressions on my friend's faces. "I'm saving her tonight and I need your help. Please?"

Dustin sighed and nodded. "Fine... I'm bringing snacks, though."

Max nodded reluctantly. "Of course I'll help," Will spoke up. "She saved me from the Upside Down, so I should return the favor."

All eyes landed in Lucas. "And what happens if we die, huh?" He rolled his eyes. "What happens if Brenner kills us?"

"He won't," I replied. "At least, I don't think he will. Oh come on Lucas, help me please!" I asked desperatly. Lucas sighed and nodded after being elbowed in the ribs by Max.

I smiled, thankful for such understanding friends. "Lets meet at Mirkwood tonight, around 8:00,okay?" Everyone nodded and the school bell rang, "Don't tell anyone," I said quickly before we headed to class.

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I snuck out of my bedroom with my backpack filled with supplies; my supercom, extra batteries, eggos (for El)and a water bottle. I dashed to my bike and quickly rode it down to Mirkwood where Lucas and Max were already waiting.

"Took you long enough..." Max mumbled, as she pulled back a strand of her fiery red hair.

"The eggos took time to make," I protested. "Where's Will and Dustin?"

"I'm here!" Will shouted as he stopped his bike next to us.

He panted heavily as Dustin rode over the hill. "No fair, you cheater!" he shouted at Will who had a smug smirk on his face.

"X-men 134?" Will asked, earning a annoyed nod from Dustin.

"Okay, okay, should we get going?" I asked.

"Yeah we can," Dustin spoke up. "Uh, hey Mike, remember how you said not to tell anyone?"

"Yeah?"

He looked down at his shoes. "I may have told someone about us going to the lab. But we need help, we can't do this alone!" Dustin proclaimed.

"Who did you tell?" I asked cautiously, hoping it wasn't Hopper.

I heard a car engine pull up near us. "Hey, shitheads!" a voice shouted from the open window as the car stopped next to us.

In the driver's seat sat a guy wearing Ray Banz sunglasses and a smirk on his face. He pulled off his sunglasses and we all asked in awe and surprise, "Steve?"