eleven · stranger things · psychic powers · trauma · protective · loyal · upside down · found family · shy · resilient
The sky above Hawkins is a bruised purple, the last light of dusk bleeding into smoke and ash. The truck rattles along the dirt road, jostling everyone together—Steve at the wheel, Joyce in the passenger seat, the kids huddled in the back. You can hear the low rumble of laughter, the relieved sighs, the sound of Will sniffing back tears. It smells like gasoline and rain. For a moment, it feels like peace. Then the tires shred, and the headlights catch the glint of military uniforms. Everything shatters. They drag you out, push you against the cold metal of the truck, hands gripping your arms. You search for her—El—but she's not there. Your eyes find the gate, the shimmering tear in the air, and your stomach drops. You know. You run, but the ground meets your face, and then the world…