𝟬𝟱
𝟬𝟭𝟭? 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭𝟭!

    𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐄'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖, casting diagonal shadows that danced across her cluttered desk like playful phantoms. Her room, a tapestry of mismatched posters and scattered books, felt more like a refuge than a prison—each corner a testament to her fleeting interests. She sat cross-legged on her bed, absentmindedly toying with a fraying thread on her favorite sweater, its soft fabric a familiar comfort amidst the tumultuous whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her mind.

    With the silence enveloping her, she allowed herself to ponder the day's events, replaying snippets of conversations like a worn-out cassette tape. The sudden intrusion of police officers into the mundanity of her school day, the shadowy specter of Will's disappearance looming over Hawkins—each moment felt more like a catalyst than a mere occurrence. She grimaced, the weight of it all pressing down on her. The allure of becoming a hero, if only in a small, self-serving way, tugged at her heart. Yet the thought was laced with an uncomfortable truth: it stemmed from boredom, not bravery.

    Her parents' absence echoed in the stillness, their late work hours stretching into the night like the yawning expanse of a deserted highway. It wasn't that they didn't care; rather, their indifference settled like dust, accumulating in the corners of her mind. Elise sighed, casting a glance at the mirror that reflected a girl caught between childhood and something more—something murky and undefined.

    The shrill ring of the telephone jolted her from her reverie, the sound cutting through the air like a knife. She hesitated before answering, a mix of apprehension and curiosity flickering within her. "Harrington residence," she announced, trying to infuse her voice with a nonchalance she didn't quite feel.

    "Hey, Elise! It's Dustin!" came the enthusiastic voice, punctuated by the sounds of excitement in the background. "You coming to school tomorrow? There's something important we need to figure out."

    "Dustin, what's going on?" Elise leaned against the doorframe, feeling the pulse of her heart quicken at his words.

    "We think we might have a lead on Will. It's... it's about that girl," he said, and Elise could almost hear him gulp on the other end. "The one from the woods."

    "Yeah, I know which girl you're talking about," Elise's mind raced. The enigmatic girl with the haunted eyes and the peculiar haircut, whose name remained a mystery. "I'll be there," she replied.

    The next morning dawned cool and crisp, the air thick with the anticipation of a new day. Elise dressed quickly, donning Steve's worn-out hoodie that smelled faintly of his cologne. She slung her backpack over one shoulder and stepped outside, the crunch of leaves underfoot a satisfying prelude to the chaos that lay ahead.

    As she approached Hawkins Middle School, the familiar sights greeted her like old friends—students huddled in clusters, laughter echoing off the brick walls. But today felt different, charged with an energy she couldn't quite place. Elise navigated the hallways, her thoughts oscillating between the excitement of the impending meeting and the lingering worry for Will.

Her first class dragged on, the teacher's voice fading into the background as she stole glances at the clock. Each tick seemed to mock her anticipation, each second stretching like a rubber band on the verge of snapping. Finally, the bell rang, and she bolted from her seat, weaving through the throngs of students until she spotted Dustin and Lucas by the lockers, his expression a mix of determination and anxiety.

"What is it?" she asked, breathless.

"I don't know, I'm as panicked as you are." Dustin admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But Mike thinks we need to regroup at his house after school. You know, brainstorm and stuff."

Elise nodded, her heart racing at the prospect. "What about the girl?"

"That's what the whole shit is about," Lucas explained, moving out his hands.

    The school day slipped by like grains of sand through her fingers. Each class felt like an eternity, each lecture an obstacle to the unfolding mystery. By the time the final bell rang, Elise was practically vibrating with anticipation.

    "Let's go!" she urged the boys, their footsteps echoing as they made their way out of the school.

    The walk to Mike's house was a whirlwind of whispered plans and half-formed ideas, their words laced with the urgency of youth. They reached Mike's basement, the familiar sanctuary for the boys—a hallowed ground of Dungeons & Dragons maps and scattered comic books.

    Inside, the air was thick with excitement. Mike, his face flushed with enthusiasm, waved them over. 

    "What is it?" Dustin asked, squinting his eyes.

    "The girl— her name's Eleven—" Mike tried to gesture with his hands.

    "Eleven? More like stage eleven!" Lucas furrowed his brows in frustration.

    "Not funny, man," Dustin scolded, his expression fading, "She could really have cancer!"

    "But she doesn't!" Lucas argued.

    "But what if she does, you don't know that!" 

    "Shut up!" Mike yelled at them, both of them immediately stopping until Dustin hit Lucas on his right arm.

    The tension in Mike's basement crackled like electricity in the air, each of them standing on the edge of something they couldn't quite grasp. Elise leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching as the boys bickered. There was an undeniable sense of urgency hanging between them, but it was buried beneath a layer of confusion and frustration.

    "Eleven?" she finally repeated, her voice cutting through the chaos. "That's her name?"

    Mike nodded, his eyes wide with excitement and something else—something almost reverent, as if he were on the verge of uncovering a great secret. "Yeah, I found out today. It's the number tattooed on her arm. I think that's her name. Or... well, maybe not her real name, but it's all she's given us."

    Elise exchanged a glance with Lucas, who still looked skeptical. The girl—no, Eleven—was sitting quietly in the corner, her head slightly bowed, her face hidden beneath the mop of short, uneven hair. She was a mystery, wrapped in silence and shadows, and the more Elise looked at her, the more her unease grew. There was something not quite right about all of this, something that made her stomach churn with apprehension.

    Dustin, ever the curious one, edged closer to Eleven, his voice softening. "Does she say much now?"

    Mike shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Barely. She just nods or points. But I think she understands everything."

    "Yeah, sure, she understands everything," Lucas muttered sarcastically, folding his arms. "We're just supposed to trust this... this stranger with no explanation, no answers? We don't even know where she came from!"

    Elise couldn't help but agree, though she kept her thoughts to herself for the moment. The idea of sheltering this girl—especially with Will Byers still missing—felt wrong. What if Eleven was connected to it? What if she was the reason Will disappeared?

    "But look at her!" Dustin's voice rose, as he motioned toward Eleven. "She's scared, she's alone. We can't just throw her out there."

    Lucas huffed, pacing the room. "And we can't just assume she's harmless either! For all we know, she could be dangerous, and here we are, giving her shelter like we're running a charity. What if she's involved in all of this? What if—"

    "She's not dangerous!" Mike's voice shot out, loud and sharp, silencing the room. His face was flushed, his fists clenched by his sides. "I... I know it. She's not the reason Will's missing. I think she can help us find him."

    That caught Elise's attention. Mike had always been the dreamer, the one who believed in the impossible, but this was different. He wasn't just imagining things—he genuinely believed Eleven held the key to something bigger. Something darker. And that belief, as reckless as it seemed, had the boys hooked.

    "How do you know?" Elise asked, her voice calm but firm. "What makes you think she can help?"

    Mike hesitated, glancing back at Eleven before speaking. "Because she's shown me things. Yesterday, when we were alone, she pointed at a picture of Will. She... she knows something."

    Lucas scoffed. "Or she's just messing with you."

    But Elise could see the doubt creeping into Lucas's expression. He wasn't entirely convinced that Mike was wrong, and neither was she. There was something strange about Eleven, no doubt, but the more they argued, the more Elise wondered if they were missing something important.

    "Okay, let's say she does know something," Elise said carefully, her eyes flicking between the boys. "Then what's the plan? We can't keep her here forever. What happens next?"

    Mike looked to the floor, biting his lip, clearly struggling with the weight of it all. Finally, he glanced up at her. "We keep her safe. At least until we know more. Maybe she can tell us where Will is. Maybe she's trying to help, and we just don't understand her yet."

    Elise sighed, her mind swirling with doubts and questions. Everything about this felt precarious, like they were balancing on the edge of a cliff, unsure if the next step would lead to safety or a fall into the unknown.

    Lucas groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "This is crazy. All of it. We should tell someone—our parents, the police, anyone. We're just kids! What are we gonna do if things go wrong?"

    "No!" Mike was quick to interrupt, his eyes flashing with determination. "We can't tell anyone. If we tell the cops, they'll take her away, and we'll never find out the truth. Don't you get it? We're the only ones who can figure this out."

    Dustin nodded, though he looked conflicted. "Yeah, but Lucas does have a point. If things get out of hand—"

    "They won't," Mike cut him off again, his voice low but firm. "We'll figure it out."

    Elise could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface, the weight of responsibility falling heavy on their young shoulders. It was as though they had stepped into a world much bigger than themselves, a world filled with secrets and dangers they didn't fully understand.

    In the corner, Eleven remained silent, her eyes flickering between them as if she were waiting for something, her face blank but alert. She hadn't spoken a word, hadn't offered any explanations, and yet somehow, Elise felt as though she held all the answers they were looking for. It was unnerving, how much of a mystery this girl was, and the unknown was the most frightening part of all.

    Lucas sighed heavily, his frustration clear. "Fine, whatever. But if this goes south, don't say I didn't warn you."

    Elise remained silent, her thoughts racing. The weight of their decision pressed down on her, a heavy cloud of uncertainty settling over the room. Mike was determined to help this girl, and Dustin seemed to be falling in line, but Lucas—Lucas was the voice of reason that Elise found herself agreeing with more and more.

    Still, there was something about Eleven. Something in the way she stared, unblinking, with eyes that seemed far too wise for someone her age. As much as she wanted to walk away from this mess, Elise couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the precipice of something monumental—something that could change everything.

    As the night wore on, the basement grew darker, shadows creeping into the corners like forgotten secrets. The flickering lamplight barely illuminated the space, casting long, distorted shadows against the walls. Elise found herself staring at Eleven, her curiosity slowly overtaking her fear.

    The girl seemed so small, so fragile, yet there was an aura about her—something powerful and unsettling. It was hard to pinpoint, but it was there, lurking just beneath the surface.

    Without thinking, Elise spoke softly, her words barely above a whisper. "Who are you?"

    For a moment, Eleven didn't respond. She didn't even flinch. Then, slowly, she raised her head and met Elise's gaze with an intensity that sent chills down her spine.

    It was in that moment that Elise realized they were all standing on the edge of something far greater than they could have imagined. A mystery that went deeper than a missing boy, deeper than anything they had ever encountered before.

    And the girl sitting in the corner of Mike's basement? She was the key to it all.

.ೃ࿐ IRIS SPEAKS !

i feel like this is such a big argument in the stranger things fandom but i think jonathan deserved to have his camera broken by steve, bc why are you taking pictures of my girl without a shirt? i would have broken the camera too

sometimes putting yourself in the place of another character makes you see why they do certain things! steve didnt have good parental figures which is why he might have acted the way he did in season 1 but dustin really changed him

opinions?