Will rode down the street for a while before the light on his bike flickered and then went out.
Will looked down at the light in confusion. He had built the light himself, so he knew it should be working fine.
The light turned back on a couple seconds later and Will looked up, only to see a tall, skinny figure in front of him.
Will gasped as he panicked and turned the handlebars to the right.
This caused him to ride into a bumpy ditch and fall off his bike. Will got up slowly and looked around.
The figure, now in front of him, began to growl.
Will gasped and whimpered before he turned around and bolted through the woods towards his house.
The night was foggy, and his only source of light was the moon. Will ran through the woods as fast as he could.
He was panting for breath; he had always had a weak and frail physique. The only thing keeping him up was fear and adrenaline.
He eventually reached his house and ran through the front door before he shut it behind him.
Will's dog started barking as he hurriedly locked the door.
Will shouted, his voice shaking, "Mom?... Jonathan? Mom!"
He looked through every room as his dog continued to bark nonstop as if it could sense something of intense malice coming towards the house.
After running through the whole house and finding it empty, he ran to the front window lifted the blinds to look outside.
Will's breath caught, he saw the tall creature stalking closer in the field out front.
The creature let out a terrifying screech as it suddenly sped up and rushed towards him.
Will's eyes widened as he backed away from the window. Will ran over to the phone and dialed 911 on the rotary phone.
As soon as the line connected static began to crackle through the phone.
Will said hurriedly, "Hello? Hello?"
Will whimpered as he looked at the front door, he saw the figure through the window of the door.
Suddenly, the lock on the door began to unlock itself. Seeing this, Will dropped the phone and ran to the back door.
He ran out, into the back yard. Hurriedly and panicked, he ran to the shed out back.
He entered thr shed and closed the door before he ran over to the counter and grabbed a box of ammo, then he grabbed a hunting rifle off the wall.
Will began to load the magazine for the rifle, he was successful and filled the magazine. Will loaded the clip into the rifle before he pulled back the release and aimed the rifle at the door.
As he was aiming at the door however, the figure suddenly appeared behind him. Will turned around while panting and shaking as he stared at the tall figure.
The only light in the room glowed intensely for a couple seconds before it stopped.
During this period of extremely bright light, Will had seemingly vanished into thin air.
Will appeared in a grey world, unknown particles falling everywhere.
The creature, still in front of him.
It lunged forward its smooth face split open, revealing rows upon rows of sharp jagged teeth.
Will screamed, raising the rifle and firing. He didn't stop.
The creature fell still after the third shot.
Will didn't stand still. He heard the shuffle of movement nearby.
He got low, moving fast. Going in any direction there wasn't any noise.
Eventually, he found a shelter. He was shocked to see that it was the fort he had built in the woods.
It wasn't the same as the last time he saw it. It was extremely deteriorated.
Not minding the dampness of the floor? He crawled in and closed the flap. Trying and failing to calm down.
He started humming the song he listened to with his brother. This helped a little, but he still shook slightly.
...
In a trailer, the TV was on, and the News was being announced. The news was talking about the power outage that occurred the night before.
A man was sleeping on the couch only 6 feet away from the TV. Suddenly, a dog barked outside, and the man woke up with a groan.
Hopper looked at his watch and groaned. He got off the couch and walked outside to have a cigarette.
The man took a puff before he went back inside as it was cold outside.
He walked inside and went into his bathroom. He got into the shower; it was ridiculously small.
He had to cup his hands so he could wash off his hair. He finished showering quickly and dried off before he brushed his teeth and put on deodorant.
He took a pill with a swig of beer before he lit another cigarette. Then walked out of the bathroom and began to get dressed in his uniform.
A sheriff's uniform. He walked out of the trailer hurriedly.
Puttinh on his hat and grabbing his keys as he passed through the door.
...
At the Byers household, Joyce was looking around for her keys and she couldn't find them anywhere.
Joyce said, "Where the are they? Jonathan"
He replied, "Huh!"
"My keys?"
Jonathan said, "Check the couch!"
Joyce groaned, "Ugh, I did..."
However, as she looked through the couch again, she found her keys behind the seat cushions.
Joyce said, "Oh, got them."
She walked over to the small kitchen and grabbed her purse.
Joyce kissed Johnathan's cheek before she said, "Okay, sweetie, I will see you tonight."
Jonathan said, "Yeah, see you later."
Joyce asked, "Where's Will?"
Jonathan said, "Oh, I didn't get him up yet. He's probably still sleeping."
Joyce said, "You have to make sure he's up!"
Jonathan said, "Mom, I'm making breakfast."
Joyce walked down the hall as she said, "I've told you this a thousand times."
She walked into Will's room and said, "Will! Come on, honey. It's time to get up."
However, she saw that the bedroom was empty.
Joyce walked back down the hall to the kitchen and asked, "Where's Will?"
Jonathan asked startled, "He's not in his room?"
Joyce questioned a sharp look on her face"He came home last night, right?"
Jonathan paused.
Joyce said, "Did he come home or not?"
Jonathan said, "I don't know."
Joyce said, "How do you not know?"
Jonathan said, "I was working last night."
Joyce asked firmly, "You were working?"
Jonathan said, "Eric asked if I could cover him. I said yeah. I just thought we could use the extra cash"
Joyce said, "Jonathan, we talked about this."
Jonathan said, "I know, I know."
Joyce said, "You can't take shifts when I'm working."
Jonathan said, "Mom, it's not a big deal. Look, he was at the Wheelers' all day. I'm sure he just stayed over."
Joyce sighed before she said, "I can't believe you. I can't believe you sometimes."
Joyce walked over to the phone and called the Wheelers'.
Karen picked up the phone and said, "Hello?"
Joyce said, "Hi, Karen. It's Joyce."
Karen said, "Oh, Joyce, hi." Nancy and Mike then got into an argument.
Mike put maple syrup on her eggs. Nancy said, "What the hell, Mike!"
Todd said, "Language!"
Karen said, "Quiet! I'm sorry this is just one of those mornings."
Joyce asked, "Was that Will I heard back there?"
Karen said, "Will? No, no, no, it's just Mike."
Joyce said, "Will didn't spend the night?"
Karen said, "No, he left here a little after 8:00 pm."
Karen asked, "Why? Is he not home?"
Joyce said, "Um, you know what? I think he just left early for... for school. Thank you so much. Bye."
Karen said, "Okay. Bye."
Karen sat back down at the table and helped Holly eat her breakfast.
After breakfast, Nancy went outside and got into Barb's car, while Mike rode out of the garage on his bike.
...
While all this was happening, John was in April's house eating breakfast with April and Lisa.
John had spent the night and decided to appease Lisa by cooking breakfast.
They all sat at the table and enjoyed their food.
Lisa broke the harmoneous morning, "Wow, John. April told me you were good at cooking, but I didn't think you were this good."
John said, "It took years of practice to get this good. When I first started, I burnt cereal."
April and Lisa laughed immediately, and the atmosphere was very homely, warm.
Lisa looked down at the silver watch John had gifted her and said, "It's time for you two to head to school."
John groaned as April dragged him outside the house and to the car.
April kissed John's cheek and said, "Come on, cheer up."
John said, "I will, if I get one more."
April smiled and kissed John's cheek again. She had gotten way bolder around John during the past weeks.
She was almost a completely different person. If it wasn't for the fact that she was still clumsy, you wouldn't be able to recognize her.
They got in the car and drove off down the road.
Lisa had seen this cute encounter and had a bright smile on her face. She silently forgave John for keeping her up half the night.
She was still horny, noticing she had time before work. She rushed into her room and opened a locked drawer on her dresser.
She grabbed a bright pink vibrator, it was heavy. The smallest and most expensive she could find at a discreet store.
She used some of John's money to buy it.
She sat back on her bed, lifting her skirt and removing her panties.
Pressing the vibrater head against her clit she turned it on. Immediately, a soft buzzing started.
She leaned her head back, her body releasing all its tension. She pressed harder. Moaning quietly.
She began to imagine a man coming into her room and fucking her.
She paused slightly when the man's face she imagined was John's.
She didn't stop. Moaning louder, "John... Harder! Agh!"
She spasmed, squealing as liquid shot out of her pink folds. She lay there silently, the orgasm lingering.
Thinking back, now clear headed she was shocked. She had just cum, while thinking of her niece's boyfriend.
She scolded herself, but her mind kept remembering the image of John's muscular body, covered in sweat as he mowed their lawn shirtless.
Her pussy clenched unconsciously, a delayed climax. She couldn't stop herself.
Bringing the vibrator back to her pussy. Her mind replaying the sound of April being railed last night in the room beside her.
When she climaxed for the third time, she slowly sat up, her body flushed. Her mind a mess.
Looking at the silver watch, she smiled unconsciously.
But the smile faded quickly. The time read 9:45.
She was extremely late.
Panic surged through her chest as she bolted for the phone.
In her rush, she tripped. Slamming her knee hard against the corner of the coffee table.
"Agh—!" she gasped, tears forming.
Clutching her leg as a dark bruise bloomed beneath the skin.
Wincing, she pressed the phone to her ear. The shrill voice of her boss cracked through the receiver.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?!"
"I'm sorry... I overslept, I,,,"
"You overslept? Again? This is the third time this month! Are you kidding me?"
She gritted her teeth. The pain in her knee flared. "Maybe if you didn't schedule me for 7:30, after a ten-hour shift, I'd wake up on time!"
"Oh, so now it's my fault?" he snapped. "You're fired. Don't even think about begging me for your job back."
Her breath caught. "Are you serious?"
She didn't wait for his answer.
"Fuck you. And your damn store."
The silence on the line stretched... until it clicked off.
The phone dropped from her hand. She stared blankly at the floor.
Her leg throbbed. And then the tears came like a flash flood.
Not just from the pain. From everything. The job. The mortgage.
The weight pressing on her chest like it might never let go.
But then... A presence.
John.
He stood in the doorway, ethereal, his face calm and warm, the kind of smile that felt the same as falling into a warm bed.
Her breath caught... not from pain this time, but something close to relief.
She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand.
"... It'll all be okay." she whispered
Looking up, the ethereal figure smiled. She blinked and it disappeared.
She got up slowly and limped to the kitchen, opened the freezer, and grabbed a bag of frozen peas.
Pressing it to her knee, she let out a quiet sigh. Not everything was okay.
But for a moment, it didn't feel quite so hopeless.
...
A couple hours earlier.
They arrived at the school and parked his car.
John got out of his car with April and many girls began to talk amongst themselves as they looked at them.
John looked over and saw, Mike and his gang were passing by.
John whistled and said, "Hey, Mike!" Everyone looked over at them because they thought John was going to beat up the middle schooler.
Mike walked over and said, "Hey, John. What's up?"
John asked, "Where's Will? He sick or something?"
Mike said, "I don't know... This morning his mom called the house looking for him."
John said, "Huh... Well, see you later." John then walked off, April following after giving the kids a quick wave.
Many of the middle schoolers looked at Mike with a glint in their eye.
Mike was friends with the King of Hawkins High, his popularity soared in an instant.
Mike was kind of weirded out, so he caught up to his friends quickly.
Meanwhile, John walked into the school with April, and they walked over to her locker.
Nancy and Barb were talking as they walked over. John knew that Nancy had been dating Steve for a little while.
So, when he walked over and heard them talking about making out, John was unfazed. Especially when John had already boned like 12 random bitches since he came to Hawkins.
He didn't feel anything for them, he just used their bodies to calm himself down some. He was used to fucking multiple women every day, so he needed some time to adjust.
John saw Nancy pull a note out of her locker, but he stopped paying attention and waited patiently for April to finish getting her things in order.
This kind of disappointed both Nancy and Barb to a certain extent.
They thought he would be at least a little interested in the note.
April finished up and said bye to Nancy and Barb before she walked away holding John's arm.
Nancy in spite of John, went to the bathroom to meet Steve. They started to make out fiercely, until Nancy regained her focus and said, "I have to go."
Steve said, "In a minute."
Nancy said, "Steve, I'm serious." Steve back away and Nancy went to grab her bag, but Steve grabbed it before her.
Steve said, "We should hang out later."
Nancy said, "I can't I have to study for Kaminski's test."
Steve said, "What's your GPA again, 3.99999".
Nancy said, "Kaminski's tests are impossible."
Steve said, "Well then, just let me help."
Nancy said, "You failed Chemistry."
Steve said, "C-"
Nancy said, "Well, in that case..."
Steve said, "So I'll be over around, say, like 8:00?"
Nancy said, "Are you crazy? My mom would never allow that."
Steve asked, "Why not? Mike told me you had John in there."
Nancy gasped, "What? No... it's different..."
Steve pushing, "How so?!"
Nancy paused, "He... he already has April. So my mom doesn't mind."
Steve pauses accepting the excuse. Nancy sighing in relief.
Steve said after a moment, "I'll climb through your window then. She won't even know I'm there. I'm stealthy, like a ninja."
Nancy said, "You... are crazy."
Steve said, "Wait, wait, wait. Just... Okay, forget about that. We can just... chill in my car. We can find a quiet place to park, and..."
Nancy said curtly, "Steve, I have to study. I'm not kidding."
Steve said, "Well, why do you think I want it to be nice and quiet?"
Nancy smiled and said, "You're an idiot, Steve Harrington." Steve sighed.
Nancy said, "Meet me at Dearborn and Maple at 8:00 pm. To study." Then Nancy walked out of the bathroom to head to class.
...
Meanwhile, Hopper dressed in his crusty Sheriff uniform had just arrived at work. An older lady said, "Good of you to show."
He slurred, "Oh, hey... Morning, Flo. Morning, everybody."
Calvin said, "Hey, Chief."
Phil said, "Damn! You look like hell, Chief."
Hopper said, "Oh yeah?"
Phil said, "Yeah."
Hopper said, "Well, I looked better than your wife when I left her this morning."
Flo said, "While you were drinking or sleeping, or whatever it is you deemed so necessary on Monday morning, Phil Larson called. Said some kids are stealing the gnomes out of his garden again.
Hopper said, "Well, I'll tell you what, I'm gonna get right on that."
Flo said, "On a more pressing matter, Joyce Byers can't find her son this morning."
Hopper said, "Mmm. Okay, I'm gonna get on that too. Just give me a minute."
Flo said, "Joyce is very upset."
He said, "Well, Flo, Flo, we've discussed this. Mornings are for coffee and contemplation."
Flo said, "Chief, she's already in your--"
Hopper said, "Coffee and contemplation, Flo!" He walked into his office and saw Joyce sitting there.
She got up and said, "Hey, Hopper." Hopper sighed before he walked over to his desk and began to listen to Joyce's story.
Joyce said, "I have been waiting here for over an hour, Hopper."
Hopper said, "I know. And I apologies again."
Joyce said, "I'm losing my mind!"
Hopper said, "Look, boy his age, he's probably playing hooky, okay?"
Joyce said, "No, not my Will. He's not like that. He wouldn't do that."
Hopper said, "Well, you never know. I mean, my mom thought I was on the debate team, when really, I was just screwing Chrissy Carpenter in the back of my father's Oldsmobile, so..."
Joyce said, "Look, he's not like you, Hopper. He's not like me. He's not like... most. He has a couple friends, but, you know, the kids, they're mean. they make fun of him. They call him names. They laugh at him, his clothes--"
Hopper interrupted, "His clothes? What's wrong with his clothes?"
Joyce said, "I don't know. Does that matter?"
Hopper said, "Maybe."
Joyce said, "Look, he's... He's a sensitive kid. Lonny used to say he was queer. Called him a fag."
Hopper said, "Is he?"
Joyce said, "He's missing is what he is."
Hopper asked, "When's the last time you heard from Lonny?"
Joyce said, "Last I heard, he was in Indianapolis. That was about a year ago. But he has nothing to do with this."
Hopper said, "Why don't you give me his number?"
Joyce said, "You know, Hopper, he has nothing to do with this. Trust me."
Hopper said, "Joyce, 99 out of 100 times a kid goes missing, the kid is with a parent or relative."
Joyce stammered, "Well, what about the other time?"
Hopper said, "What?"
Joyce said, "You said, 99 out of 100. What about the other time, the one?"
Hopper said, "Joyce."
Joyce said, "The one!"
Hopper said, "Joyce, this is Hawkins, okay? You wanna know the worst thing that has ever happened in the four years I have been working here? It was when an owl attacked Eleanor Gillespie's head because it thought it was a nest."
Joyce said, "Fine, I will call Lonny. He will talk to me before he talks to--"
Hopper said, "What, a pig?"
Joyce said, "A cop."
Joyce's voice cracked a little. She said, "Just, find my son, Hop. Find him!"