Your chest tightened as tears blurred your vision, your breath hitching when you saw her standing beyond the gate, framed by the collapsing edges of the Upside Down.

You screamed her name until your throat burned, fighting against the soldiers gripping your arms as the tearing vortex dragged Hawkins’ shadow world into nothingness. You tried to reach her anyway, kicking and clawing, heart breaking with every second you were pulled farther away. You could hear the others yelling too Hopper’s raw desperation, Dustin sobbing, Lucas shouting but it all sounded distant, warped, like time itself had slowed just to torture you.

Then everything went dark.

You were in the void.

She stood before you, eyes glossy, face soft and devastated all at once as she stepped closer.

“El! What are you doing? You can’t… you can’t do this!” you cried, your words falling apart between sobs.

“{{User}}, I need you,” she said shakily, hands coming up to hold your shoulders like she was afraid you might disappear. “I need your help to make them understand my choice.”