suıʞʍɐɥ oʇ ǝɯoɔlǝʍ sƃuıɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs

Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers

sɹǝʎq llıʍ ɟo ƃuıɥsıuɐʌ ǝɥʇ
ǝuo ɹǝʇdɐɥɔ

November 6, 1983

Hawkins Indiana, small town where everybody knows everybody and their business. I was in my room listening to the radio while I finished up some school work. "The demogorgon got Will!" I looked over at my bedroom door to see my younger brother, Dustin, standing there a little out of breath. "What?" I asked. I had been so focused on my work that I didn't comprehend anything he had said. "Will. The demogorgon got him," Dustin said. I turn around in my chair as he sits on my bed. He was at his friend Mike's house with their other two friends, Will and Lucas, playing Dungeons and Dragons.

"Why didn't he cast a protection spell?" I asked. I didn't know too much about D&D but I picked up on a couple things here and there while listening and watching them play. "That's what I said! But Lucas talked him into throwing a fireball!" He said. I laughed and turned back around, finished the last bit of my work and packed it away. "Well, it's time to get ready for bed. We have school tomorrow. Do you want a ride?" I asked. Dustin shakes his head, "no. I'm going to ride my bike with the guys," he said. He got up off my bed and walked out of my room and across the hall to his room. I got up, closed my door, and crawled into bed.

November 7, 1983

The next morning I woke up and got ready for school then walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast. "Good morning, Sweetie," my mom said, setting a plate on the table. "Morning. Thank you," I said, sitting down. Dustin came out shortly after and quickly ate his breakfast before rushing out the door. After I ate I set mine and Dustin's dishes in the sink. "I'll see you later, mom," I said, picking my bag up off the floor by the door. "Okay, sweetie, have a good day at school," she said.

I walked outside and dug my keys out of the pocket in my denim jacket. I was in love with my car. I worked hard to get it of course my mom did help me out too. I'm only seventeen and working at the arcade didn't get me very far. But with the money from working at the arcade and babysitting plus money I saved from birthdays and Christmas I was able to get a good chunk of the money I needed to buy it. My mom chipped in the rest as a birthday present. My car is a viper blue pearl 1969 Pontiac Firebird with a manual transmission. My car got a lot of attention, especially from the guys at school. Of course, you always have the guys who think a girl can't have an amazing car and know how to drive it. But it's as simple as ignoring them.

When I get to school I park, grab my bag off the passenger seat, get out and lock my car before heading into the school. As I walked down the hall I saw Nancy Wheeler, Dustin's friend Mike's Sister and her friend Barbara  Holland. They were standing by Nancy's locker talking when I walked past, Nancy's voice stopped me. "Hey, yn." I turned around and looked at them both, "hey. How's it goin'?" I asked. "Nancy is dating Steve Herrington," Barb said. My eyebrows nearly hit my hairline. I was so shocked. "Steve " The Hair" Harrington? The king of Hawkins High?" I asked. Nancy looked down, a blush tinting her cheeks. "We are not dating," she said.

"He likes you though. If you start dating you'll be popular!" Barb told her. "Steve Harrington? He's such a jerk though," I said. Nancy looked up at me, "he's actually really nice. He's different when he's not around his friends," she said. I looked to my right to see the jerk himself walking towards us. "Right. Well, I need to get to class. See ya," I said. Before I walked away, Steve and I made eye contact. I cleared my throat and walked down the hall to my first class.

After school let out I drove down the road and to Hawkins Middle School. I saw Dustin and his friends walking out of the school and got out of the car. "Dustin! Come on!" I yelled. He said goodbye to his friends and pushed his bike to the back of my car. "How was school?l I asked while I unlocked the trunk. "Well, this morning some kids made fun of me because my teeth haven't came in yet and pushed me down—" I cut him off before he could continue. "Was it that Troy kid again and his little sidekick James?" I asked. He nodded and helped me lift his bike up into the trunk. My trunk wasn't very boy but we made it work.

Dustin has Cleidocranial Dysplasia. It's a rare genetic condition that affects teeth and bones. So Dustin doesn't have his front teeth yet and his collarbones never formed so he doesn't have any. "I'll kick their ass for you if you want," I said. He smiled and we got into the car. "So besides that, did anything good happen?" I asked. "Mr. Clark got the new HealthKit Ham Radio in for AV Club. We can talk to people in Australia!" He said excitedly. I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "Will is missing," he said.

I took my eyes off the road for a few seconds to look over at him before looking back. "What do you mean he's missing?" I asked. "The chief was in to talk to me, Mike, and Lucas. He never went home last night after we left Mikes," he said. I looked over at him and then back at the road. My right hand was on the gear shift and I shifted down. The Byers didn't live that far from our house. "I'm sure he's fine. Hopper will find him," I said as I pulled into our driveway.

We were sitting at the table eating dinner when mom spoke up, "I don't want you two out past eight. Not while that poor Byers boy is missing," she said. "What? No way, we have to help look for Will," Dustin said. "Dusty, I don't want you out there. I know you're worried about your friend but it's not safe," mom said, standing up and taking her plate and his to the sink. I helped her clean up while Dustin stormed to his room.

After helping my mom clean up after dinner I went to my room, turned my stereo on and started on my homework. An hour later I saw movement outside my bedroom window. I got up and saw Dustin pushing his bike through the yard and to the road. "Damnit," I whispered. I grabbed my jacket and my keys then headed for the front door. Luckily our mom had gone to bed already so I didn't have to worry about sneaking out.

It didn't take me longer to find Dustin, Mike, and Lucas. They were all standing but Mirkwood. It was the way Will took to get home. They named it Mirkwood from the Hobbit or something. I stopped the car, my headlights lighting up the road. I shifted into park and put my E-brake on before opening my door. "Hey! What do you three think you're doing?" I asked. They turned and looked at me, "looking for Will," Mike said.

They were already last the barrier and walking towards the woods. "Hey! No. You guys let this up to the Chief!" I yelled. "Sorry, NN!" Dustin yelled back and they kept walking. "Fuck," I hissed under my breath. I reached into my car, shut it off and pulled the keys from the ignition before running after them.