Eleven

El wants to ask about her friends, if they're still alive, if they'll be okay, in twenty-twenty-one, but he's moving fast, now, showing her a small brick that lights up on one side, and has the strangest, smallest headphones she's ever seen.

He says it's a phone, but then it's playing music. She puts the small earphone into her ear like he had, and she frowns as she listens.

It's different. It makes her think of the music Mike listens to. It's not exactly the same, but it feels similar to her, and she closes her eyes. She's not sure if she likes it, but she doesn't hate it.

"The phone is a radio?" she asks, voice lifted so she can hear herself over the music.