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

❛  MONSTER OR MAN?  ❜

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AURORA SAT WITH HER friends on the bleachers of their middle school gymnasium. Eleven had fallen asleep leaning up against Aurora, who would constantly run her hand up and down the girls arm.

The kids sat in silence; Mike kept tapping his foot softly, and Aurora had been chewing on her lip — so much that it had begun to bleed — Lucas and Dustin had begun a silent game of rock-paper-scissors to pass the time.

"With," her voice echoed through the gym, "with what you started to say earlier? What were you going to say?"

Mike stopped bouncing his foot as glanced behind him at the two boys, "um, it wasn't much. It was nothing, promise."

Eleven moved forward, and Aurora nodded before smiling at the girl, "Thanks for joining us sleepyhead," Aurora would've said more, but Mike stood up abruptly and ran out of the gymnasium, "did I say something wrong?"

"No..." Lucas responded, before Mike came running back.

"They're gone," Mike ran a hand through his hair harshly.

"What?" Lucas and Aurora questioned.

"Nancy and Jonathan," Mike took a few steps closer, "his cars gone."

"They're probably just sucking face somewhere." Dustin reasoned.

"No," Mike shook his head as Lucas groaned, "no way!"

"Did they go with the chief?"

"I don't know!" Mike threw his hands up in frustration.

"No," Eleven spoke.

"What?" Mike leaned closer, his voice sharp, "did you see them? Do you know where they went?"

"Yes."

"Where?" It was clear that the boys were getting frustrated with Elevens one-word responses. "Where did they go?"

"Demogorgon."

"Shit, man!" Dustin cried out as he stood up, "oh god."

"What do you mean by that?" Lucas questioned, in a much softer tone, only Eleven didn't answer, the girl have fallen back asleep rather quickly.

"Woah," Dustin exclaimed, "see! You did that!"

Aurora shook her head, pulling her hand away from Elevens, "No, she's drained! She needed to sleep, you know, to find Will?"

"No," Lucas spoke this time, "You grabbed her hand and she fell asleep."

"Like," Dustin grinned, "Felicity Hawkins!" When no one caught on to his reference, Dustin groaned, "Lullaby? She can sing people to sleep, and control them!! Can you do that? Try it!"

"Okay," Mike spoke up, "calm down, Dustin. It just a theory. Besides, we have bigger issues! Like Nancy and Jonathan going to the demogoron themselves! We can't just wait around."

"Mike," Lucas rolled his eyes, "in case you forgot, we're still fugitives. The bad men are still looking for us."

"Yeah, and we don't even know where they went." Dustin nodded, still watching Aurora with curiosity.

"El can find them."

"Um," Aurora spoke up from her spot not to Eleven, trying to keep her voice soft so she didn't wake the girl, "no, El, cannot find them. She needs sleep and food. She probably won't be good for a while. She's drained and we can't push her too far."

"I still think we should stick to the chiefs plan."

"Exactly," Lucas shrugged, "we stay here, keep El out of sight and keep her safe. That's the most important thing, remember? Besides, Nancy's okay. She's with Jonathan."

"Yeah, and she kind of a badass now, so..." Dustin rolled his eyes, before smacking Lucas in the arm and the pair left quickly.

"Where are you going? You just said stick to the plan!" Mike rolled his eyes.

"We are," Dustin shouted, still walking with Lucas, "I'm just going to get some chocolate pudding. I'm telling you, Lunch Lady Phyllis hoards that shit."

"Are you serious?" Lucas harshly whispered to the boy as Mike yelled the same objections.

"They," Dustin sharply pointed behind him as he whispered, "need some alone time."

"Like Aurora said," Lucas agreed, "El needs to be recharged!"

Eleven had woken up with the yelling, so Aurora and the girl had both stood up to watch the two boys leave. Mike sighed as he turned around, jumping slightly as Eleven had been much closer to him than Aurora.

The said girl made eye contact with him, before a blush grew on their cheeks and she glanced away quickly.

"Come on." Mike ushered them to the cafeteria where he sat them at a table by the windows, Aurora noticed it was the table they all sat at every lunch.

Dustin voice screamed from the fridge, "I found the chocolate pudding!" Aurora sighed, knowing that Lunch Lady Phyllis's stash had been found, which meant no more double chocolate puddings for a while.

"Okay!" Mike screamed back, causing Eleven to jump slightly. "Are you feeling any better?"

Eleven just shrugged in response, "What's putting?"

Aurora grinned, "Pudding is amazing, it comes in all different flavors and is basically like ice cream!"

Elevens confused look had Mike smiling, "It's this chocolate goo you eat with a spoon. Don't worry, when all this is over you won't have to keep eating junk food or leftovers like a dog anymore. My mom, she's a pretty awesome cook. She can make you whatever you like."

"Eggos?"

Aurora laughed softly, as Mike sent her a mock glare, "well, yeah, Eggos, but real food too. See what I was thinking was—"

"You can stay with me!" Aurora cut the boy off, "My rooms so big, so we can share, and I guess I can paint over the pink walls and we can have a neverending sleepover! My aunts are amazing cooks too, and I think you'll love them, they'll love you too. And we can be sisters, for real."

Eleven grinned, "sisters."

"Yeah, sisters!" Aurora nodded.

"Eleven!" Dustin shouted from inside the fridge, and the girl jumped again, "come have some!"

"I'll come with you in a second, El." Mike told the girl, who stood up hesitantly, and walked into the kitchen, a few moments later Aurora heard Elevens laugh.

As soon as Eleven was out of sight, Aurora turned to Mike, "Okay, this sounds crazy," her hands were shaking as she spoke, but Mike quickly grabbed them, "but I wanted to tell you something."

Mike cut her off, leaning in and kissing Aurora quickly. The girl couldn't move, to in shock that the Mike Wheeler — the very same boy she liked since the third grade — had just kissed her.

"Oh no," Mike whispered after Aurora had sat in silence for a while, "I just ruined everything didn't I. I'm so sorry!"

Aurora grinned and leaned forward to kiss the boy again, "You didn't ruin anything."

As she said that, both of the kids were blinded by bright headlights. Before the car turned, Mike jumped up.

"It's Nancy," he said as he began running to the door.

"Mike, what if it's—" Aurora sighed as the boy left, before softly touching her lips, the feeling of kissing Mike Wheeler hadn't gone away yet, and all she could do was grin madly.

Lucas, Dustin and Eleven walked back into the gymnasium, the two boys holding a pile of pudding, as Eleven licked the top of an open one. Aurora couldn't stop grinning.

"Guys! Guys," Mike shouted, running back to the cafeteria, "they found us."

They all jumped up and began running, Aurora snagged a cup of pudding before following. Mike was in the back, making sure Aurora caught up before running to the front to lead the group.

"How did they find us?" Lucas questioned as they all climbed down a short flight of stairs.

"I don't know," Mike spoke, "but they knew we were in the gym."

"Lando." Dustin spoke, and this time, no one said anything about his comic book reference. In front of them, the doors slammed open as agents flooded the room, all of them shouting as Mike yelled for them to move.

They stumbled up the stairs before turning down a different hallway, but had to quickly back up as more agents came hurling down the corner.

Everyone was shouting, and feet were pounding harshly on the ground as the group maneuvered around another corner, following Mikes directions. Somehow, Eleven had gotten to the front, with Mike and Aurora right behind her.

Everyone stopped at the sound of a gun cocking in front of them. Eleven acted the quickest glaring as the people in front of them. The lights around them began to flicker, as a woman stepped forward before her eyes and nose began to bleed out as she shook uncontrollably.

Around them, all of the agents began to do the same. All of them dropping to the floor with blood bleeding from the faces. All of them met the same fate — death. Blood pooled around the party as Eleven dropped to the ground.

Aurora dropped with her, "El," She placed a finger under her nose, feeling a huff of air leave as she moved her hand to her neck checking for a pulse. But she wouldn't wake up.

Entering through the doorway in front of the party, was a taller man. Aurora had seen him once when they were riding away from Mikes house, this time he seemed to have the exact same expression on his face, shock.

"Step away from the girl," the man demanded.

"No," Aurora whispered, her eyes still on the man as she pushed herself from the ground.

"Aurora?" The man spoke questionably, "is it really you?"

"How do you know her name asshole!" Mike shouted.

Aurora tried to pick up Eleven as slow as possible, but one sharp look from the man had her stopping in her tracks, "Leave her."

"No," The three boys stepped in front of Aurora and Eleven, "You want her, you'll have to kill us first!"

"That's right."

"Eat shit!"

Aurora grinned slightly as the boys comment, before men came up behind them, grabbing the kids. Aurora tried to fight back, but the men were too strong. The three boys were screaming things at the man, as Aurora struggled.

"No!" Aurora shouted as the man picked El up, "don't touch her!"

The man motioned something, and Aurora was forced forward to her knees in front of them man. He let go of Elevens face to touch Auroras, she tried to pull back but the older man kept his hold tight.

"You look just like your mother," Aurora stopped moving at his comment, "but you have your father's will."

"How do you know my parents?" Aurora voice was soft, and they could barely hear it over Mikes yelling.

"I am going to take you both back home," Brenner nodded, and he stood with Eleven in his arms and Aurora still being held in the other man's, "where I can make you both better."

Aurora started struggling as Mike screamed, "Don't take them you bastard! Don't you take them! Aurora!" The electricity surged, as Mike stopped screaming, connecting the dots in his mind before he managed a whisper: "Blood."

"What?"

"It's blood!" Mike shouted, "that's what calls it!"

The party glanced around, finding them surrounded by blood. Aurora began to struggle more, trying to get away, before the guard let go as a monster surged from the wall directly in front of them. Brenner placed Eleven down as well, before the party rushed to grab them two girls and run.

Dustin was the one that carried Eleven as guns fired behind them. Mike led them as he held tightly to Auroras hand. They threw open a door, and softly placed Eleven on a lab table.

"Just," Mike whispered to the girl, "hold on a little longer okay? He's gone. The bad man's gone."

The gunfire stopped, and the school was quiet for a second before a growl shook everyone, Auroras mind flashed to the night after Will had disappeared. The night where she had heard that same growl. She sniffled, shaking away her thoughts before focusing on what was happening in front of her. The gunfire started again, closer to the door.

Aurora moved father away from the door, as Mike continued talking to Eleven, trying to illicit some try of reaction out of her. Dustin was panicking, and Lucas was still. Mike glanced up as the door was thrown open as the monster jumped on top.

The boys began yelling as Lucas rushed to grab his wrist rocket. Aurora stood behind the boys, watching the monster glance around the room. Its footsteps heavy, as Lucas shot the first rock.

Its mouth opened like a flower, revealing rows and rows of teeth as it hissed, taking faster steps towards them. Lucas shot another rock, which did nothing to deter the monster as it moved closer.

He pulled another rock back, as Eleven sluggishly pushed herself off the table. She used her powers to push the monster back as one of Lucas's rock hit it in the chest. The girl moved through the boys, taking slow steps forward.

"Eleven!" Mike shouted as he moved to grab the girl, "Eleven stop!" The girl threw her hand back as Mike flew through the air, Aurora dropped to his side as she cursed.

It seemed like silence had fallen over the school as Aurora glanced at the girl she had known barely a week. The monster struggled against her hold, and Aurora knew it wouldn't last long. Eleven kept walking.

"Eleven!" Aurora screamed, "please, I-I thought we were going to be sisters?"

The girl turned back at this, "for Will." The split second of lost focus had the monster gaining control, as it broke from Elevens hold and jumped for the girl.

"Sleep!" Aurora shouted, thrusting her hands forward as she trusted Dustin's crazy theories for once. The monster stumbled for a moment allowing Eleven to gain the upper hand once more. This time she thrust both hands forward as she glared at the monster.

She kept one up as she turned her head slightly, "Goodbye."

The monster opened its mouth again, as Eleven began screaming. Aurora had dropped to the ground at the sound, a raging headache forming. Lucas held the girl tightly, as she tried to move out of his hold, screaming and crying as Eleven and the monster screamed.

Then, silence.

The lights had stopped flashing, the screaming had stopped and it was rather silent beside Auroras sobs. The monter and Eleven were gone.

"No," Aurora mumbled, pushing out of Lucas's hold with an extreme amount of force, running to where the girl had been just moments before, "El? El? Eleven?"

The three boys followed, all of them shouting for Eleven. Aurora had fallen to the ground, tears running down her cheeks as she cried for the girl.

"No, no, no," Aurora mumbled as she felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her, "why, why did it have to be like that?" Aurora gave into the sleep, as her head dropped to the ground. Her body engulfed in a dreamless sleep.

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(      LET ME SPEAK    :      )

THE KISS!!!!!!! shshshhshehehe
i am as excited about it as you
are! but rory literally has zero
breaks...lol not sorry!

credit goes to fivehxrgreeves