(      darkest before dawn      /      act one      )
episode seven | stranger things

❛ THE DOORS TO CURIOSITY ❜

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      EVERYONE IN THE GROUP — with the exception of Eleven — had been to Wills house at least once. None of them had expected this when they entered. One of the walls had been boarded up, and another had the ABC's painted on them. Empty coffee mugs and pizza boxes half full covered the table space, while bundles of holiday lights were grouped across the floor.

The party wasted no time, Mike immediately jumping in to explain everything to adults. He used the same example that Mr. Clarke used to explain it. Aurora couldn't help the grin on her face when the reality of the situation came down to her.

They were talking about a straight science fiction movie. There was no such thing as monsters and alternate dimension where they existed. But then Aurora would glance at Eleven, and think about how terrified Will sounded, and her thoughts would change.

"Is this gate under ground?" Hoppers voice had everyone's head turning.

"Yes." Eleven answered softly, and Aurora gripped her shaking hands in hers.

"Near a large water tank?"

"Yes."

"How did you know all that?" Dustin tilted his head to look at the chief.

"He's seen it." Mike came to the realization before the rest of them, Hoppers face gave no indication but everyone knew it was true.

"Is there any-any way that you could reach Will?" Mrs. Byers questioned Eleven, "that you could talk to him in this—"

"The Upside Down," Eleven countered.

"Down, yeah." Mrs. Byers nodded softly.

"And my friend Barbara?" Nancy questioned, "can you find her, too?"

Eleven nodded, and Aurora felt guilty. The girl was only their age, and she was put through so much. And now they were going to force her to do it again. But, she couldn't do much as they moved to the table.

Everyone surrounded Eleven as Wills radio crackled. She could sense her nerves and gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and stepping away. Elevens eyes were closed as she began to breathe heavy, the light hanging above them flickered as the radio static grew louder.

Before it dropped. The room grew silent and Eleven opened her eyes softly, a solemn expression on her face, "I'm sorry."

Mrs. Byers stuttered for a few seconds, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I can't find them," Elevens voice broke as a tear dropped from her eye. Aurora stood up, and grabbed Eleven, pulling her to the bathroom.

"Eleven," Aurora spoke as she flipped the light on, "It's alright, I promise. You tried, and that's all that matters." Eleven turned the facet on, and splashed her face with water, ignoring the blonde girls comfort. Aurora grabbed a towel, handing it to the girl.

Eleven ignored her hand, and opened the door quickly. She left the bathroom, as Aurora sighed leaning against the bathroom sink.

A hand knocked on the open door, "Are you okay?" Aurora nodded, her eyes clenched shut as she tried to breath in softly.

"That doesn't look like fine, Rory," Jonathan pulled the girl into a hug, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Aurora huffed, "I just feel like this has been the longest week of my life. I mean, I lost Will and then we found a girl in the woods with powers. I got grounded for the first time in my life and I disobeyed my aunts so many times. Then I found out Will was alive and then..." Aurora choked on her words, trying not to cry.

Jonathan shushed the girl, and hugged her tighter. "It's okay, Rory. You lost your best friend, you haven't had anytime to morn."

Aurora shook her head and pulled away from the hug, "No you lost your brother. You haven't had time to morn, I'm sorry."

"Hey," Jonathan grabbed her head, making the girl look up at him, "we both lost Will, but now we have to go find him again. So let's go get him back."

Aurora nodded, and followed the boy out. She entered the living room with Jonathan, as Dustin spoke on the phone. He was seated at the table, writing as fast as he could before hanging up the phone.

"You really just called our science teacher?" Aurora spoke, "on a Saturday? At ten-o'clock at night?"

"You never keep a curiosity door closed," Dustin grinned, as Aurora rolled her eyes with a laugh, "do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?"

"I think so. Yeah," Mrs. Byers answered confused.

"Good. Then we just need salt. Lots of it."

"How much is lots?" Hopper questioned.

Dustin glanced at the paper, "fifteen-hundred pounds."

"Well," Nancy scoffed, "where are we going to get that much salt?"

"The school!" Aurora grinned, and Dustin snapped his fingers.

That's all it took for them to load up in the car, Aurora being shoved in between Mike and Lucas. The ride was awkward to say the least, Aurora and Mikes hands kept brushing against each other, neither of them made any move.

They all piled out of the car quickly, unlocking the doors to the school thanks to Aurora knowing where the janitor kept an extra key.

The adults went to grab the salt and hose as the friends pulled the kiddie pool into the gym. While, Lucas and Dustin did that, as Aurora stayed with Eleven trying to prepare the girl.

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MIKE AND NANCY BEGAN wheeling the hose back to the school as they talked. It was weird to the boy, he barely spoke to his sister and now he was having a full conversation with her.

"No more secrets, okay?" Nancy pleaded, "from now on we tell each other everything."

"Okay." Mike nodded, a smile on his face, "do you like Jonathan now?"

"What? No! No, no, it's not like that." Nancy shook her head, "So, you like Aurora?"

"What? No! But, hypothetically, do you think she likes me?" Mike had a growing blush as he glanced up at his sister.

Nancy just laughed, "I think you've been oblivious for a long time Mike." The girl picked up her wheelbarrow, as Mike stood by, a large grin on his face as he thought of what Nancy said. "Come on!" Mike scrambled towards the girl.

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MRS. BYERS BEGAN WRAPPING tape around a pair of science goggles as Eleven and Aurora sat across from her.

"This will keep it dark for you." Mrs. Byers tried not to look at Eleven, worried she would send the girl into a panic, "just like in your bathtub." It was quiet, as Eleven sighed deeply, "You're a very brave girl." The woman added again, grabbing one of Elevens hands as she spoke.

Eleven nodded, as Aurora stood up, trying to leave and allow them to have a soft moment. She let to door close softly, before walking down the hall, turning a corner to quickly and running into a chest.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Mike spoke, as he steadied her with a grin.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Aurora mocked before she sighed, "do you think we're going to find him?"

Mike leaned against the wall, before sinking down to sit on the floor, Aurora following suit. "I think...I hope we do. I mean, Will is my best friend. I can't imagine what I would do without him."

Aurora grabbed his hand, smiling softly at the boy. No words had been spoken, but none were needed. Aurora and Mike held hands as they leaned against the wall, just breathing before everything went crazy. It was peaceful.

"Rory," Mike started, causing the girl to open her eyes again, she watched as Mike glanced down at their hands before she felt self-conscious, and tried to pull away. Mike made sure their hands stayed together, "I—"

"GUYS!" It was Dustin that came running from the gym, "come on."

"We can talk later?" Aurora asked, and Mike could only nod before they jumped up and followed Dustin back to the gym.

Hopper was cutting open the bags of salt to pour into the full kiddie pool, as Jonathan helped him. Dustin held a carton of eggs in his hand, too excited for the events that were going to follow. He dropped an egg in, and sighed as is sunk to the bottom before yelling for more salt.

"Dude," Jonathan spoke, "I'm right here." Dustin just smiled sheepishly at the boy as more salt was poured into the pool.

They had to do it twice more before the egg floated, and by that time Mrs. Byers and Eleven had entered and Aurora ran to great them.

"You know you don't have to do this, El." Aurora smiled softly at the girl, "it won't prove anything if you back out."

"No," Eleven nodded, "for Will and Barb."

Aurora grinned, as she led the girl over to the bleachers where Eleven pulled off the borrowed jacket and socks. She kept the dress on, as Mike set up the radio.

"I'm right here, El," Aurora assured as the girl pulled on the goggles Mrs. Byers handed her.

Everyone was silent as Eleven entered the pool. No one wanted to even breath as Eleven sunk down into the water, the dress slightly ballooning around her before being drenched in water as El floated on her back.

Almost immediately the lights around them flickered, as everyone looked around. Then the lights gave out entirely, the emergency light being the allowing factor for any of them to see.

Aurora took in a breath as Eleven spoke, "Barbara?" Eleven paused as Nancy tensed across from Aurora,

The electricity pulsed again as Nancy grabbed Jonathan's hand, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Mike met Auroras worried gaze, and tried to give her a reassuring smile, but nothing worked.

"Is Barb okay?" Nancy began question Eleven, "Is she okay?"

Aurora jumped as Eleven began screaming, "Gone! Gone! Gone!" Lucas grabbed Auroras hand and Nancy began sobbing. Mrs. Byers started comforting Eleven, as Aurora squeezed Lucas's hand.

"Castle Byers." Eleven whispered, causing Mrs. Byers to glance at Jonathan and Aurora worriedly. Aurora leaned forward in a panic, "Will?"

Mrs. Byers inhaled sharply, as Lucas squeezed Auroras hand. "You, you tell him I'm coming. Mom is coming!"

The radio crackled, "hurry."

"Okay, okay listen, you tell him to stay where he is," Mrs. Byers spoke, still holding Elevens hand as Dustin grinned at his friends. "We're coming. We're coming, okay? We're coming, honey." Mrs. Byers's voice cracked at the end of her statement.

Eleven began screaming Wills name in a panic, as whimpering sounded from the radio before it popped loudly. The three friends stumbled away from the radio as Eleven surfaced, Mrs. Byers pulled the goggles off harshly as she comforted the girl.

Aurora felt helpless. Will was out there and she couldn't do anything. Eleven could. It seemed like everything Aurora was meant to do, Eleven could do ten times better.

Eleven was pulled from the bath, as Lucas, Dustin and Mike as began wrapping her in towels. Aurora sat with Mrs. Byers and Jonathan as Hopper questioned them.

"So this fort," the older man sighed, "where is it?"

"One mile north of Wills house, a mile west of mine." Aurora spoke softly, "I can show you!"

"No," Hoppers voice was sharp, "No, no, no. Did I mention, no? You stay here with your friends, you two," Hopper pointed at Mrs. Byers and Jonathan, "come here."

Aurora sighed, all she wanted to do was help in some way. The girl dragged her feet towards her friends, "Thank you," She softly told Eleven, "you helped all of us."

"Hey, Aurora," Dustin started, "You know that thing you did, at the cliff, what was that?"

"What was what?"

"You know the," Dustin grabbed Lucas's arm, before the latter dramatically fainted.

"I don't know," The three boys sent the girl a look, "what, two of my best friends fake their death and now you're going to tell me, I have superpowers?"

"Yes," Lucas grinned, "yes we are!"

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( LET ME SPEAK : )

i feel like this chapter is very cliché...
which i'm all for but still! the love
confession should be next chapter
so get excited my children!!!!!!!!!!

credit goes to fivehxrgreeves