"What was Will saying? Like home... Like home... but dark?" Mike sighed. "And empty," Lucas adds. "Empty and cold. Wait, did he say cold?" Dustin asked. "I don't know. The stupid radio kept going in and out," Lucas retorted. "It's like riddles in the dark," Dustin sighed. "Like home. Like his house?" Mike asked. "Or maybe like Hawkins," Lucas suggests. El mumbled something. "What'd she say?" I question. "Upside down," Mike whispered. "What?" Lucas asked. "Upside down," he repeats, walking over to the d&d board. "When El showed us where Will was, she flipped the board over, remember? Upside down. Dark. Empty." Mike explained as the three of us walked over to the table. "Do you understand what he's talking about?" Lucas asked Dustin and I. "No," we reply. "Guys, come on, just think about it. When El took us to find Will, she took us to his house, right?" Mike asked. "Yeah. And he wasn't there," I retort. "But what if he was there? What if we just couldn't see him? What if he was on the other side? What if this was Hawkins and... this is where Will is? The upside down," Mike explained. "Like the Vale of Shadows," Dustin added.

"The Vale of Shadows is a dimension that is a dark reflection or echo of our world. It is a place of decay and death. A plane out of phase. A place of monsters. It is right next to you and you don't even see it," Dustin spoke eerily. "An alternate dimension," Mike added. "But... how... how do we get there?" Lucas asked. "You cast Shadow Walk," Dustin explains. "In real life, dummy," Lucas retorts. "We can't cast Shadow Walk, but... maybe she can," Dustin mumbles. "Do you know how we get there? To the Upside Down?" Mike asked. El shook her head no. "Oh, my god!" Lucas sighed.

time skip

As the pastor spoke, Dustin noticed something. "Just wait till we tell Will that Jennifer Hayes was crying at his funeral," Dustin spoke, Mrs. Wheeler shushing him soon after.

time skip

 "Mr. Clarke?" Mike called. "Oh, hey, there. How are you four holding up?" Mr. Clarke asked. "We're in mourning," Lucas spoke stiffly. "Man, these aren't real Nilla Wafers," Dustin blurt. "We were wondering if you had time to talk?" Mike asked. "We have some questions," I explain.

"So, you know how in Cosmos, Carl Sagan talks about other dimensions? Like, beyond our world?" Mike asked. "Yeah, sure. Theoretically," Mr. Clarke corrected. "Right, theoretically," Mike added. "So, theoretically, how do we travel there?" I ask. "You guys have been thinking about Hugh Everett's Many-World Interpretation, haven't you? Well, basically, there are parallel universes. Just like our world, but just infinite variations of it. Which means there's a world out there where none of this tragic stuff ever happened," Mr. Clarke sighed. "Yeah, that's not what we're talking about," Lucas cut in. "We were thinking of more of an evil dimension, like the Vale of Shadows. You know the Vale of Shadows?" Dustin quizzed. "An echo of the Material Plane, where necrotic and shadow magic--" Mr. Clarke starts. "Yeah, exactly. If that did exist, a place like the Vale of Shadows, how would we travel there?" Mike asked. "Well... Picture... an acrobat... standing on a tightrope. Now, the tightrope is our dimension. And our dimension has rules. You can move forwards, or backwards. But, what if... right next to our acrobat, there is a flea? Now, the flea can also travel back and forth, just like the acrobat. Right? Here's where things get really interesting. The flea can also travel this way... along the side of the rope. He can even go... underneath the rope." Mr. Clarke explained while drawing on a plate.

"Upside down," We gasp. "But, we're not the flea, we're the acrobat," Mike follows. "In this metaphor, yes, we're the acrobat," Mr. Clarke agreed. "So, we can't go upside down?" I ask. "No," he replies. "Well, is there any way for the acrobat to get to the Upside Down?" Dustin asked. "Well... you'd have to create a massive amount of energy. More than humans are currently capable of creating, mind you, to open up some kind of tear in time and space, and then... *folds plate and stabs a hole in it* you create a doorway," Mr. Clarke explained. "Like a gate?" I ask. "Sure. Like a gate. But again, this is all--" "Theoretical," Lucas cuts him off. "But... but what if this gate already existed?" Mike asked. "Well, if it did, I... I think we'd know. It would disrupt gravity, the magnetic field, our environment. Heck, it might even swallow us up whole. Science is neat. But I'm afraid it's not very forgiving," Mr. Clarke explained.

time skip

"It would take a lot of energy to build a gate like this. But that's gotta be what happened. Otherwise, how'd Will get there, right?" Mike exclaimed. "Right," El stuttered. "What we want to know is, do you know where the gate is?" Lucas asked. El shook her head no. "Then how do you know about the Upside Down?" I quiz. "Dustin what are you doing? Dustin?" Mike calls. "I... I need to see your compasses," He exclaimed. "What?" I ask. "Your compasses. All of your compasses, right now!" He demanded.

We all throw our compasses on the table. "What's exciting about this?" Mike questions. "Well, they're all facing north, right?" He asked. "Yeah, so?" I continue. "Well, that's not true north," Dustin reasoned. "What do you mean?" Mike asked. "I mean exactly what I just said. That's not true north. Are you guys seriously this dense? The sun rises in the east, and it sets in the west, right? Which means that's true north." Dustin explained. "So, what you're saying is the compasses are broken," Mike rewords. "Do you even understand how a compass works? Do you see a battery pack on this?" Dustin sighs. "No," Mike replies. "No, you don't. Because it doesn't need one. The needle's naturally drawn to the Earth's magnetic North Pole," Dustin corrects. "So what's wrong with them?" Lucas asks. "Well, that's what I couldn't figure out, but then I remembered. You can change the direction of a compass with a magnet. If there's the presence of a more powerful magnetic field, the needle deflects to that power. And then I remembered what Mr. Clarke said. The gate would have so much power--" Dustin stated

"It could disrupt the electromagnetic field," Mike gasped. "Exactly," Dustin exclaimed. "Meaning, if we follow the compasses' north..." Lucas starts. "They should lead us to the gate," I smile.

Mike and El walked behind Lucas, Dustin, and I. "Guys, this is super unsafe. I mean, these are old tracks and we don't know if one of them came loose. Someone could get really hurt and my mom and dad are out of town so if I get tetanus, who's gonna take me to get the shot? Because Steve won't," I rant. "Y/n, we'll be okay. Just relax," Dustin begs. "How much further?" Lucas sighs. "I don't know. These only tell direction, not distance. You really need to learn more about compasses," Dustin replies. "I'm just saying. How do we know when we get to the gate?" Lucas asks. "I think a portal to another dimension is gonna be pretty obvious," I sneer. "Do you think she's acting weird?" Lucas asks. "You're asking if the weirdo is acting weird?" I quiz. "I mean, weirder than normal?" he corrects. "I don't know," I shrug. "Who cares?" Dustin adds.

time skip

"Oh, no," Dustin blurt. " 'oh, no' ? What's, 'Oh, no' ?" Lucas asked. "We're headed back home," Dustin panted. "What?" I ask. "Are you sure?" Lucas questions. "Yeah, I'm sure. Setting sun, right there. We looped right back around," Dustin explained. "And you're just realizing this now?" Lucas quizzes. "Why is this all on me?" Dustin asked. "Because you're the compass genius!" I exclaim. "What do yours say?" Dustin asked. "North," We shout. "Makes no damn sense," Dustin breathed. "Maybe the gate moved," Mike sighed. "No, I don't think it's the gate. I think it's something else screwing with the compasses." Dustin corrected. "Maybe it's something here," Mike suggested. "No, it has to be like a super magnet," Dustin explained.

"It's not a magnet. She's been acting weirder than normal. If she can slam doors with her mind, she can defiantly screw up a compass," Lucas groans. "Why would she do that?" Mike asked. "Because she's trying to sabotage our mission," I defend Lucas. "Because she's a traitor!" he adds. Lucas and I walk closer to her. "Guys, what are you doing?" Mike asks. "You did it, didn't you? You don't want us to reach the gate. You don't want us to find Will," Lucas hisses. "Lucas, come on, seriously, just leave her alone!" Mike calls. "Admit it," Lucas demands. "No," El murmurs. "Admit it!" He repeats, grabbing her arm and looking at her sleeve. "Fresh blood. I knew it," Lucas groans. "Lucas, come on!" Mike shouts. "We saw her wiping her nose on the tracks! She was using her powers!" He sneers. "Bull! That's old blood. Right, El?" Mike asks. "Right, El?" He repeats. "It's... not... it's not safe," She cried.

"What did we tell you? She's been playing us from the beginning!" I shout. "That's not true. She helped us find Will," Mike defends. "Find Will? Find Will? Where is he, then? Huh? I don't see him," I hiss. "Yeah, you know what I mean," Mike exclaims. "No, I actually don't. Just think about it, Mike. She could've just told us where the Upside Down was right away, but she didn't. She just made us run around like headless chickens." Lucas accuses. "All right, calm down!" Dustin interrupts. "No! She used us, all of us! She helped just enough so she could get what she wants. Food and a bed," Lucas retorts. "She's like a stray dog," He adds. "Screw you, Lucas, and screw you y/n!" Mike shouts. "No, screw you, Mike. You're blind... blind because you like that a girl isn't grossed out by you, which is so stupid and crazy because you have people who've been here forever that you just ignore. Wake up, man! Wake the hell up! She knows where Will is, and now she's just letting him die in the Upside Down," I retort. "Shut up!" he yelled. "For all we know, it's her fault," Lucas added. "Shut up!" Mike repeat. "We're looking for some stupid monster... but did you ever stop to think that maybe she's the monster?" I hiss, pushing Mike lightly. "I said shut up!" he yelled, running into me. Mike and I tackle each other to the ground, Mike landed on top of me. Dustin, Lucas, and El were all yelling, but I couldn't care less. "Mike, stop. Mike, you're hurting me," I wheeze out. Mike ignored my calls. "Mike, stop!" I cry as Mike continued to push me harder into the grass. All of a sudden, I get a boost of energy. I roll out from under him and pin him to the ground. All of a sudden, El screams. I'm pulled off Mike and thrown across the grass. Landing into a piece of metal.

Mike's pov

Y/n is blacked out. "Y/n! Are you all right?" I pant. Dustin, Lucas, and I tried shaking her awake, but she wouldn't budge. "Why would you do that?" I shout, turning to face El. "What's wrong with you? What is wrong with you?" I yell. After a few more shakes, y/n woke up.

your pov

"Are you okay?" Mike breathed as I sat up. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Dustin asks. "Let me see your head," Mike reaches out for me. I slap his hand away. "Just... Y/n. Y/n, let me see," Mike continues. I stand up. "Get off me," I cry. "Y/n, come on!" Mike called after us. "I told you that you were hurting me, Mike. But you did what you always do, ignore me," I croak, beginning to walk away. "Just let 'em go," I hear Dustin sigh. I heard footsteps coming towards me, I turn around to see Lucas. "Do you wanna just spend the night at my house?," he offers. "Yeah, thanks," I smile. He nods in response.

time skip

Lucas and I arrived at his house. "Hey, Lucas. Oh, y/n! What a lovely surprise," Mrs. Sinclair smiled. "Yeah, thank you," I smile in return, feeling light-headed. "Will you be joining us for dinner?" She asks. "Oh, I was wondering if I could spend the night? I'm not quite sure where my brother is and I don't really feel safe riding home alone," I sniffle. "That's perfectly fine with me," She smiles.