May 2nd, 1986

Hawkins, Indiana

Woods near Lover’s Lake

Three hours, forty-three minutes, twelve seconds.

 

That’s how long Eleven had been sitting in front of the gate in the woods, arms wrapped around herself as she stared into the pulsating mucus that covered the entrance. A gentle red glow emanated from the spaces between, and as each wave of movement shifted the goo, a pulse of energy came forward, too. To the normal human, nothing ominous would have been felt, but Eleven was not normal. She had been raised with the ability to detect what laid beyond the veil, and the longer she sat there, the closer whatever was on the other side seemed to get.

 

Three hours, forty-four minutes, seven seconds.

 

Another pulse, and a deep breath came from the young woman. Exhaling through her mouth, she allowed herself to slip her eyes shut, trying to focus on whatever was causing the change in energy. All she saw, however, was her argument with Mike Wheeler just an hour before her arrival at the gate site.

“He’s so cool, dude! He’s always trying to fight for the good of mankind, but he tries not to be violent at first. He’s such a good leader, too, and he’s always thinking of his team. Oh, and his powers–”

 

“ . . . What do you like about me?”

 

“Wh-huh??”

Her eyes opened, staring into the abyss before her. Whatever was approaching was nearly there now, and she still hadn’t figured out what exactly was beyond that door. It was more important than her fight with Mike, after all. There had been more times than she cared to count where a creature came through and attacked Hawkins and her friends. She wasn’t about to let that happen again just because she was distracted by a breakup, and gripping her shirt, she tried to concentrate even harder . . . only to be met with more recent memories.

“I–I mean, you’re a real life superhero, and he’s just a cartoon.”

 

“That was not what I asked, Mike.”

 

“I know, it’s just–that’s way more badass than anything else, right??”

 

“ . . . I’m just a superhero?”

 

“Just?? El, you’ve saved Hawkins, saved our friends, so many times! That’s pretty amazing if you ask me.”

 

“But that is all you like about me . . . “

 

“Wait wait wait, El, I didn’t say that, I–El?? EL!! COME BACK!! EL!!”

 

“I AM DUMPING YOU, MIKE!”

 

“EL!!”

Three hours, forty-six minutes, eighteen seconds.

 

Tears were starting to sting at her eyes, but she ignored them, not even attempting to reach up to wipe them away. She needed to focus, and she needed to forget what Mike had said. He hadn’t even tried to come up with any reason other than her abilities as to why he had stayed at her side, and part of her wondered if he would even have given her a second glance if she had been raised in a normal family, with a normal education, and with normal ‘abilities’ – or the lack of abilities, to be exact. She wondered if she would have met any of her friends, and the longer she thought about it, the less aware of her surroundings she was . . .

 

. . . Allowing the figure behind her to approach without her notice.