Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers Netflix

Half-Life, Valve

El promised to never use her abilities especially her spying powers unless necessary—it's one of the few rules that Hop added. El complied to the new rule. Privacy; that was what Mike told her whenever someone wants to be alone and not to be disturbed.

"You feeling better, kid?" Hopper asked as he sat beside El who is tucked in bed.

"Yeah, I think so." El assured her guardian. "Just need to rest a little more."

Hopper nodded and smiled. "Well, you should go to sleep then. Remember, we'll be visiting the Byers tomorrow. Your friends are going to be there. Um, Mike will be there."

El snorted at Hopper's expression when he mentioned Mike. "Can't wait to see him again. I'll be up tomorrow, Hop. I promise."

It has been three days since she closed the gate.

"Good Night, kid."

"Night, Hop."

Spying would usually allow her to see someone—and relive memories like what happened with her Mama—but as El fell asleep, she saw someone she doesn't know. Unlike the past times she used her powers, the void (as Dustin called it) wasn't dark and empty; El found herself inside some kind of science facility. El didn't hesitate but recognize the same aura from Hawkins Lab

Dull walls ran in both sides with fluorescent lights lit the hallway El stood. To prove her point, men and women in lab coats shuffled to mind their own businesses. To El's relief, no one seemed to notice her at all—a fourteen year old girl in their midst.

El's vision blurred and the scientists became faded figures. She wasn't dazed or anything as her eyes continued to fog the people around her. Then in the middle of the now-silhouette crowd was a man: another scientist, crystal clear unlike everyone else. He had chestnut-colored hair and sported what Hopper said to be a goatee.

When the man walked pass her, El instinctively followed him. The hallway stretched for a long while until the man entered a room full of lockers. El stopped and watched as the man removed his lab coat. She watched as the man walk towards an orange armor like the ones in Mike's comics. He took a deep breath and went to put the metal suit—which disassembled to parts for the wearer. The man clenched his fists when he was fully suited up.

Everything disappeared without warning and El couldn't help but yelp. She was back in the void she was used to be in when she spied. Before El could recover from the sudden dematerialization of the science facility, the darkness shifted to another scene: El somehow knew it's the same place from a while ago; the difference however was that everything is in ruins.

Flames roared in a few corners while sparks occasionally jumped from electronics that lay wrecked around the mess before her. There was no sign of life—not even voices that would indicate someone's presence. El gasped when she saw the body: it was a man wearing a blood-soaked lab coat with a bloodstained metal shard sticking out in his back. El gulped and began walking towards nowhere in particular, just forward and far from the body.

Unfortunately, El found more corpses. Most were scientists in their lab coats and some where blue uniformed men which El guessed to be guards when she saw the guns in their lifeless hands.

What happened here?

El tried to ignore the carnage around her in every step she took but she stopped her tracks when she saw something that made her gag. It was a mangled corpse of a guard whose body was split open, openly displaying its insides. El's gaze landed on the dead guard's face: it was frozen mid-scream. He was killed by something... not inhuman.

El squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the horror she's in would fade away but it didn't. She has seen her fair share of death and gore but the sight of a mutilated corpse was unbearable. She sighed shakily.

Might as well move forward. She told herself.

After a few steps later, El recognized the same hallway she was in when she first saw the scientist whom she followed. She felt a small hint of hope as she began to retrace the man's steps. El saw more debris and a few bodies along the way.

El paused when she heard the footsteps. It was the scientist. He was brandishing a crowbar, cautiously moving towards El with sharp look in his face. Can he see me? El wondered but was proved wrong when the man bypassed her like she's not there—which she was.

Again, everything vanished.

When the void readjusted again, El is now standing in front of a gigantic device that seems to be releasing a beam of energy with electricity is crackling around it. El doesn't know what it was but the sight before her was mesmerizing and it left her frozen in place.

"Beautiful... isn't it?" A slow and morose voice said. El turned to see a pale man dressed in gray-blue suit and in his hand was a briefcase. "A marvel to behold... yet... a mystery to ponder to young... minds such as yours."

El tilted her head at the stranger. He seemed normal but his green eyes and uncanny presence made El think otherwise. She noticed the weird way of how he talks—putting stress on the wrong syllables and pausing where it's not necessary.

The stranger raised an eyebrow, clearly amused with El's reaction. "Confused now, aren't you? It's not a surprise that you are. You don't even belong here."

"What is 'here'?" El asked, adamant for answers. "And who are you? What is going on?"

"You are eager to know everything now, I see." The stranger said, a small smile escaping his lips though his tone remained flat. "I'm currently... busy at the moment... managing an investment... but when an anomaly such as you appeared: I can't help myself but notice."

El was now more confused.

"You are special and yes, I know about your gifts... Jane or should I say, Eleven?" The stranger mused. El tensed when the man said her name. "Opening a rift between worlds... impressive. It seems that your... abilities are far powerful than everyone thought... Ms. Jane. Brenner and his lab... failed to unlock your full capabilities... my employers would be very pleased to... know about this... too bad we've already set our sights on a... investment as of now..."

"Who are you?" Out of all the questions she could raise, it was that.

The stranger shook his head. "Ms. Jane... you have your... own plate to empty... I'm sure you're not preoccupied with... trouble nowadays since... you've just closed the Gate..."—El's eyes widened as she remembered the looming shadow as she closed the Upside Down.—"But Ms. Jane, don't get comfortable: the danger isn't over yet... danger never truly goes away, it comes back... even more dangerous..."

El felt tears escape her eyes. The stranger's words: it scared her. She never wants to go through the nightmare with the Upside Down ever again and now, she's receiving clear warnings of the Mind Flayer returning to ruin everything.

"While the monsters grow stronger... so must you." The stranger said, snapping El's thoughts. "I wish we've met in different circumstances... you would make a fine... investment... but I see it's not supposed to be."

The device began to glow harshly until it became painful for El to look. She squinted and eventually shielded her eyes with her arm. The stranger however, was unfazed.

"The Resonance Cascade has already happened... it will after sixteen years from where—or should I say... when—you stand. That is if time aligns..." The stranger sighed. The room began to vibrate, shaking everything including the platform where El and the stranger stood. "I hope Mr. Freeman doesn't fail... my employers would... be displeased if our investment goes to waste..."

"What's happening?!" El insisted; she has so many questions but the stranger waved her off.

"Enjoy the rest of your Days, Ms. Jane..." The stranger said, not bothered by the obvious malfunctioning device. "Oh, and please: enjoy your summer... yes? An odd request but... please humor me... for now, though: it's time to rise and shine, Ms. Jane... rise and—"

"—shine!" Hopper announced as he entered El's room. "Today's the day, kid. You better be well now because—"

"H-Hop..." El sobbed, now wide awake. Hopper's smile faded when he saw El's bloody nose, watery eyes and trembling breaths.

The gruff police chief rushed to El's side to comfort her. "Hey, what happened?"

"Hop... I-I had a n-nightmare..." El cried, resting her face on Hopper's arms. "A man said t-the Mind Flayer will c-come back and, a-and—"

"It's all just a bad dream, kid," Hopper assured her. "It's okay, the Gate's closed, yeah? The threat from the Upside Down is over, kid. It's okay."

El kept on crying. The stranger's words were so real; the warning landed a heavy blow and she can't resist replaying it. Hopper held her close and tight, murmuring warm and consoling words. El was terrified with the though of the Upside Down coming back but as she stayed longer in Hopper's arms, she echoed her guardian's words: "It's just a bad dream. It's okay. The Gate's closed. The threat from the Upside Down is over. It's okay."

Slowly, El calmed down and the dream was already fading away in her memory just like every other dreams she had before—both sweet and bad.

Before she could move on however, she saw him: the stranger, standing in her room's doorway; watching El and Hopper.

The stranger nodded and moved along.

Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers Netflix

Half-Life, Valve