Hopper's voice cut through the low murmur in the Byers' living room."So… what's your plan?"
The way he said it wasn't impatient exactly, but it had weight — the kind that made everyone else fall quiet. Every eye shifted toward me.
I took a breath, ready to lay it out — everything Nancy, Jonathan, and I had been piecing together, the steps that might actually give us a shot. But before I could even get a sentence out—
"We know how to help!" Mike burst out, practically leaping forward like the answer had been burning a hole in his brain.
I blinked. "…You do?"
Mike nodded furiously, shooting a quick glance at Dustin as if they'd rehearsed this. "It's like this — we think we're like… an acrobat."
Jonathan squinted, clearly trying to connect the dots. "Acrobat? What?"
"Wait, wait," Mike pushed on, his excitement spilling over. "And the creature — the one that took Will and Barb — it's the flea on the tightrope."
Jonathan just stared at him. "Acrobat? Flea? You guys are losing me."
I raised a hand before the confusion swallowed the room. "I get it. What they're saying is—" I swept my eyes around the group, making sure they were with me — "imagine us walking in a straight line. That's our world. Solid, safe. But right alongside it, there's another line. Same shape, same space, just… darker. Dangerous. That's the Upside Down."
Nancy's brow knitted as she looked from me to the kids. "So you're saying there's a Hawkins over there too? Same streets, same houses…?"
"Exactly!" Mike's face lit up. "Which means Will and Barb are in our Hawkins — just not our world's version of it."
Joyce's voice came quick, urgent. "Alright, so if they're still there… how do we figure out exactly where they are?"
Dustin stepped in like he'd been waiting for the setup. "Through El. She found Will once before — heard him, saw him. We lost the connection, yeah, but we can try the same method again."
I shook my head. "No. El's too weak right now. If she tries again, she could burn herself out completely. She needs to rest, recover."
Jim cut in, his tone sharp. "What we don't have is time."
That landed like a stone in water — a quiet ripple of unspoken agreement. He wasn't wrong. Every second we waited, the risk grew.
Mike broke the silence. "You're El's brother, right? So… do you have the same powers?"
I gave him a short shake of the head. "No. I can't do what she can. All I've got are illusions — smoke, mirrors. Nothing that's going to find Will and Barb."
Joyce's eyes locked on mine. "Then… do you have anything else?"
I hesitated. "Nothing concrete." I leaned forward slightly. "But maybe one possibility. It's risky. I'm not even sure it'll work."
I didn't get to finish. Soft footsteps padded in from the hallway, drawing all our attention. El stood there — pale, but steady — her dark eyes fixed on us.
"I have a way to find them," she said quietly.
Everyone turned toward her at once. "What is it?" Hopper asked.
"The bath."
Dustin's face lit up with recognition. "The Sensory Deprivation Tank!"
Steve frowned. "The what now?"
Lucas jumped in, textbook-style. "It's a tank that shuts off all outside input — no light, no sound, no touch. Your brain can focus completely inward, like tuning a radio to one perfect signal."
Nancy crossed her arms. "And how exactly do we build one of those? Do any of you even know the process?"
Dustin grinned like he'd been waiting for this moment all week. "Nope. But I know someone who does."
He made a beeline for the phone, dialing with quick, sure movements.
While everyone's focus shifted to Dustin, El slowly crossed the room toward me. Her eyes were red, her voice small.
"Why don't I remember you?" she asked. "Or the others? It's like… something's missing. And those memories I do have — the blood, the bodies — they're everywhere. What is it?" Her voice cracked, the weight of it spilling through.
I stepped closer, lowering my tone. "El… now isn't the time. You're not ready for those memories yet."
Her jaw trembled. "But—"
I shook my head gently. "You didn't do anything wrong. Those images… they're just bad dreams. You're a good kid. You've always loved the people around you."
Her breath hitched. I pulled her into a hug, feeling her tense shoulders start to loosen just a little. "It's okay," I murmured. "Don't think about it now. We've got a lot to do. Your friends need you."
For a second, she stayed there, clinging like she might break apart if she let go. Then she stepped back, her eyes still glassy but steadier.
Across the room, Dustin slammed the phone receiver down with a flourish. "Got it, guys!"
All eyes turned to him. he said with a grin. "We can build it."
The faint hum of the room shifted then — a current of purpose threading through the air. Whatever doubts we had, whatever fear had been creeping in, there was finally something solid to hold onto.
For the first time in hours, it felt like maybe — maybe — we had a real shot.