November 9th, 1983

Byers Household

Stumbling through the thick woods, my feet continued to lead me toward an unknown destination.

The air around me was thick and heavy, with noticeable debris floating around in the air. Burning my lungs as I breathed it in.

The trees behind me rustled before a low growl erupted from all around me.

Stumbling out from behind the woods, I realized that I had ran into the backyard of Harrington's House. Only it wasn't as grand as the night before.

The pristine white walls were now decayed, littered with black vines that spread from the dirt of the yard and up the walls. The same vines that seemed to decorate everything in this nightmare world.

A scream came from within the drained pool in front of me, causing me to jump but for some reason, I couldn't stop myself from walking toward the pool. Whether or not it was out of fear or curiosity, I couldn't tell. Maybe I wasn't even in control of my movements anymore.

"Help me!" The voice from the pool screamed before two hands grabbed onto the pool ladder and a body began to pull itself out of the decay.

"Barb?" I called out and ran towards her, but it seemed that she couldn't tell I was there. "Nell!" She screamed and tried pulling her body out of the pool but was stopped and pulled back.

"Help me!" Barb screamed one last time before the air fell silent again. I stood in my place next to the pool, falling to the floor.

Then from behind me, a low growl came from something that sounded inhuman and slowly turned around.

~~~

I launched up from my spot on the bed letting out a quiet yelp, clutching my chest as I tried to catch my breath from the nightmare. No more than a few seconds later Jonathan launched through my bedroom door still rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked, looking around the room frantically in his dazed state.

"It was just a nightmare. I'm sorry you can go back to bed..." I mumbled and combed my fingers through my messy and slightly tangled hair. Shrugging off the comment, he leaned against the doorframe, combing his hand through his own tousled hair. "I didn't hear you come in last night. How was the party?"

"Lame. All they did was chug two beers and then go swimming in their clothes. It was pretty boring." I said thinking back to last night. Slowly the memory of me running back home flashed through my mind, shrugging off the memory, I was quick to change the topic.

"So, how was Dad?" My question hung in the air as Jonathan rolled his eyes before taking a seat at the end of my bed. "Useless as ever. Said he misses us and all that bullshit. Wants you and I to move into the city when we graduate."

"As if." I chuckled lightly at the thought, though I slowly came to a stop as a quiet mumbling could be heard coming from the room next to mine.

Wills room.

"Will? Honey, it's Mom." Jonathan and I looked between each other before jumping off of the bed, and running toward the door. "Honey, it's me. Just talk to me." Mom continued to whisper frantically from down the hall.

Will had found his way home. He had to of, right?

Pushing open the door to Will's bedroom, Jonathan and I only found Mom alone in the room. She sat on the edge of Will's bed surrounded by lamps, practically begging for them to talk to her. "Mom?" The two of us pulled her out of her trance with the lamps.

"Jonathan. Nellie. Come here, come here." She stood from her spot and ushered us over. "Mom, what is this?" Jonathan questioned as he sat down next to her on Will's bed, while I stayed in my place by the door. "It's Will... It's Will, he's trying to talk to me." She explained before looking around the room. "Mom he isn't here?" Jonathan stared down at her in disbelief and worry. "You think he's trying to talk to you?" I questioned her.

"He is here, through the lights..." She stumbled on her words and pointed towards the lamps again. "Look, just watch." She stated and turned towards the lights. "Will, we're all here now. Can you show them what you showed me, baby?" She spoke to the lights with the same softness as she did Will. Suddenly, one of the lights blinked on before going back out just as quickly.

I stood still in my place, shocked. While Jonathan shook his head, obviously irritated with her behavior. "It's the electricity Mom, it's been acting up. It's the same thing that fried the phone." I shook my head, disagreeing with him before speaking up. "Electricity doesn't just do that, Jonathan... I- I think I saw something too... With the lights." Jonathan glared at me as Mom let out a sigh of relief. "What, where? When? Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, rushing over to me.

"I didn't know what it was. It's just the light on Will's bike. It flashes its light when I'm around, I just thought it was nothing." Mom grew hopeful and turned back to an annoyed Jonathan. "Are you seriously feeding into this? Nell, that bike crashed. The bulbs probably just knocked loose." He stated, trying to put a reasonable explanation on the strange events occurring in our home.

"It is not the electricity Jonathan! Something is going on here!" Mom exploded and pointed towards the light before motioning her hand towards the wall. "Something is happening with the lights and with the wall and-" "Oh there's also something with the wall? Anything else you want to add?" Mom stopped her rambling and fell back into Will's bed. "I just know he is here."

"No, mom." "Maybe I need more lamps..." Jonathan stopped Mom by grabbing her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "No Mom, lamps aren't going to fix this. He's missing, and people are looking for him and they are going to find him." She nodded, slowly beginning to calm down and agree with my brother's words. "Mom, just try to get some sleep." I mumbled, carefully giving her a small hug. "Yeah, please get some rest. I'm gonna go make breakfast." Jonathan nodded in agreement before moving out of the room.

Jonathan and I made our way out of Will's room, while Mom stayed behind. As Jonathan went into the kitchen, I stopped him by grabbing lightly onto his arm. "Bad timing, I know. But can you drive me to school?" He furrowed his brows and stared down at me confused, "You don't wanna walk with Nancy?"

"We kinda had a disagreement last night, or something like that... just can you drive me? Please?" He nodded and rubbed my shoulder lightly, "Of course, just be ready in an hour."

Walking into my room I shut the door and stared at the clothes on my bed. Nancy's white dress and Steve's blue jacket. Rolling my eyes I grabbed the two articles of clothing and threw them to the other side of the room, still frustrated over the events of last night.

"Come in Nell, over." Sighing, feeling whatever anger I had pent up inside me slowly fade away, I grabbed the walkie from my desk. "Morning Mike, what do you need? Over." I spoke into the walkie and went towards my closet, pulling out a black sweater and a pair of ripped jeans.

"We are going out to search for Will tonight, and look into where we found Eleven, over." Furrowing my brow I held the walkie to my lips. "Eleven?" I asked and waited for Mike's response.

"The girl you found. You can call her El for short though. And when you're done talking, say over. Over." Nodding I held the walkie back up. "When and where Mike? Over." "Back yard, my house, 3:15. Over."

"I'll be there, I gotta go. Over and out."

Pulling my clothes on I picked up Harrington's jacket before making my way out of the room and towards the kitchen.

~~~

"You need a ride home? Cause I gotta stay after and develop some photos." I shrugged and held Steve's jacket under my arm as I pulled my book bag over my shoulder. "I'll swing by and keep you company but I think I'll walk home, I've got time to kill."

"Who's jacket is that, Nell?" He asked glaring at the coat under my arm. "Some boy from the party. Just gotta return it, see ya!" I said before quickly closing the car door and making my way towards the school entrance.

As I made my way down the hall and towards my history class I spotted Tommy and Carol by the lockers. Avoiding their gaze I quickly made my way past them only to have Carol's nasally voice stop me in my tracks. "Hey gal pal, we missed you last night. What happened?"

Carol held a smug grin on her face while Tommy threw an arm around her, "Well, you're lucky you made it out before us." He commented with a smirk. "What are you dimwits talking about?" I asked annoyed that I had to deal with them so early in the morning.

"The moaning? Steve and Nancy were seriously going at it last night." Tommy smirked as he recounted the events from last night, "What? No, that's crazy. Nancy wouldn't do that." I stated, trying to stand up for my friend.

"But she did do that, literally." Carol grinned before catching sight of the jacket under my arm. "Oh, how sweet. We'll return that for you." She faked a smile before yanking the jacket away. Rolling my eyes I continued down the hall only to be greeted by Steve and Nancy kissing against her locker. Inwardly groaning about the situation, I walked past the happy couple and into my history class, noticing Barb's seat was left empty.

But, she's usually early for our first period? I thought to myself as I unzipped my bookbag, pulling out my history book for the class.

Nancy walked in a couple of minutes later with a pleased grin on her face before dropping it when she noticed the disappearance of Barb as well.

Sitting down, Nancy poked me on the shoulder, "Hey, where's Barb?" I shrugged but didn't turn to face her. "Shouldn't you know?" I mumbled in response.

Sighing Nancy leaned back into her seat and stared at Barb's chair. Shaking my head I finally turned to her. "You and your new friends scared her off. Besides I thought she was supposed to drive you this morning?" Nancy shook her head and began tapping her pencil.

"Somethings wrong... she never just skips. Especially not without warning." Nancy stated and glanced between the chair and me. "Why don't you call her Mom after school? And I'll ask around if anyone's seen or heard from her?" Nodding, Nance turned back to the front of the class while I thought about the nightmare that involved Barb just a few hours ago.

~~~

Once lunchtime rolled around I didn't quite realize the predicament I was in until I walked through the cafeteria holding my tray and awkwardly looked for a seat in the crowded cafeteria.

Lunch usually consisted of sitting out by Barbs' car or somewhere outside with Nancy but today, those plans had changed.

Walking past one of the tables, I heard my name being called a few times before turning to see Nancy sitting with Steve, Carol, and Tommy. "You can sit with us if you want?" She called out with a hopeful grin as I made my way toward the group.

"I think I'll pass on this one Nance, thanks though." I quickly faked a smile before turning to walk away. "Hey, don't be a bitch, Byers." Tommy called out, causing me to stop in my tracks. "Excuse me?" I turned towards the table again and made my way back towards the teens.

I opened my mouth to insult the group back but stopped myself once I noticed Jonathan watching from outside the cafeteria. "Cat got your tongue, Byers?" Carol joked.

"You're not worth the waste of breath." I muttered, walking past the group of teens before dumping my tray into the trash bin, quickly following Jonathan out into the hall.

"What exactly where you planning to do in that situation?" Jonathan laughed at me as we made our way down the hall. "Not sure, it was either cuss him out or spread potatoes on his face." Jonathan nodded in approval

"Potatoes, definitely potatoes." He stated before opening the door to the photography room.