Chapter Text
A blaring alarm sounded as fluorescent lights buzzed over a hallway of a sterile hospital hallway. Suddenly, a scientist burst through one of the doors, panting as he ran down the corridor. He rounded a corner and hurried to an elevator, constantly glancing over his shoulder, eyes wide with terror.
The elevator arrives. The scientist leaps inside and pushes the button to the top floor. Then, a low, inhuman snarl echoed from above. His eyes widened as he saw the source. Before he could react, a force ripped him upward into the ceiling. His legs kicked violently as his scream echoed down the empty corridor.
___________________________________________________________________________
A group of four boys sit around a card table in a dimly lit basement. A grid map is spread out on the table before them, along with a nearly empty pizza box,canned Cokes, and the all-important Dungeons and Dragons manual.
“Did you hear that? Listen…” whispers Louis the dungeon master of the game “As a shadow grows on the wall… behind you swallowing in darkness. It is almost there. “
The other boys lean forward.
“Well what is it?” Mumbles Zayn the more timed one of the group who is playing as a wizard.
“What if it’s a demogordon we’re in deep shit if it's a demogordon” states Niall, the loudest of the four with a unique sense of humor. So much so that his character is a dwarf.
“It better not be a demogordon” says Liam who is playing as a knight. Louis waits for them to settle down before continuing. “ An army of Troglodytes charge into the chamber!” He slams six signed miniatures onto the map. He keeps going and says “their tails drum the floor. Boom! Boom! Boom!”
“Troglodytes?!” Naill exclaims.
“Told you” Liam remarks.
“Pfft” Naill replies, rolling his eyes.
Louis looks over his shoulder. His eyes grow wide “wait… do you hear that? Boom! Boom! Boom! That sound doesn't come from the troglodytes. No. It came from something else.” Louis slams a large two headed monster onto the map. “The demogordon” he finishes.
They all stare. “We’re in deep shit” Naill exclaims.
Louis motions to Zayn “your action”
“I don’t know” Zayn says as he stares at the board debating his move.
“Fireball him!” Liam urges
“I will have to roll 13 or higher,” Zayn tells Liam.
“Too risky” Naill counters “cast a protection spell” Liam and Naill argue over which move is better until finally Zayn says “fine fireball him.”
Zayn rolls the dice too hard and it rolls to the over side of the basement landing by the steps.
“What is it?” Liam questions. “Is it a thirteen?” Naill asks.
“I don’t know!” Zayn expresses.
The boys scramble to look at the dice. When suddenly the door opens to find Louis’ mom Jay standing at the top of the stairs.
“Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign.”
“I think you mean the end.” She taps her watch “sorry boys times up.”
Louis chases her out of the basement. “Twenty more minutes-“ he asks “it’s a school night Lou. The girls just went to sleep. You can finish next weekend.”
“It’ll ruin the flow though” she eyes him “Louis” he throws his hands up “I’m serious mom, how was I supposed to know it would take ten hours?”
“You’ve been playing for ten hours? Louis it’s late, please wrap it up.”
In the basement the boys pack their things up into their backpacks. Zayn asks “Does seven count?”
“It was seven?” Liam sighs “well did Louis see it?” Zayn shakes his head. “Then it doesn’t count.”
The boys zip up their back packs and race up the stairs. Naill holds up the pizza box. There’s one slice left. “Does anyone want the last slice?”
“Nope” Liam and Zayn say simultaneously.
Naill heads upstairs, pizza box in arms. He walks up to a bedroom door. Through a crack in the door, he sees Taylor. This is Louis’ sister, she’s very girl-next-door pretty. She is on her bed in pajamas, a phone in hand,fingers twisting its cord, long slender legs kicked in the air.
“I know I know! I don’t think so - so yeah, he’s cute, but Selena! Selena! Listen to me”
Naill waves, trying to get her attention. “Hey Tay there’s a slice left if you want it.”
In her phone she says “Hang on” she walks over to Niall and shuts the door on his face.
__________________________________________________________________________
Naill goes downstairs and into the garage. He’s halfway done with the pizza slice. Zayn and Liam are mounting their bikes and Louis is seeing them off.
“Louis, something is wrong with your sister.” Naill says with a mouth full.
“What’re you talking about?” He replies
“She’s got a stick up her butt.”
Liam laughs and says “it’s because she’s now with that barf bag Travis Kelce.”
Naill agrees “she’s turning into a real jerk.”
“Well she’s always been a jerk.” Louis says annoyed.
Naill climbs onto his bike. “Na uh she used to be cool. Like when she dressed up as an elf for our elder tree campaign.”
“That was four years ago!” Louis exclaims. Naill rolls his eyes “just saying”
Nail and Liam bike off. Zayn stays behind. “It was seven,” he says.
“What?” Louis questions. “The roll was seven. The demogordon got it for me.” He shrugs then says “see you tomorrow.”
Zayn smiles at Louis then bikes away joining the others. The headlight of a car buzzes. Strange, but Louis chooses to ignore it.
____________________________________________________________________________
The boys bike home. Their handle bar lights wink in the dark night.
Liam peels from the group. “See ya ladies.”
Naill laughs “kiss your mom good night for me!”
Liam gives him the bird then bikes up towards his own house. It looks almost identical to Louis’.
Zayn and Naill bike in silence for a moment before Naill says “race to my place? The winner gets a comic.”
Zayn quirks an eyebrow. “Any comic?”
“Well yeah” Naill smiles. Zayn decides he’s heard enough and takes off.
“Hey I didn’t say go!” Naill yells.
Zayn whizzes past a house at the far end of the neighborhood. He waves at Naill. “I’ll take your X-men 134!” he says, as he keeps biking away.
Naill stops out of breath looking bummed. “Son of a bitch.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Zayn continues biking on his own along an empty forest road. He lives much farther out than the other boys. It is quite eerie.
The only sound being the cicadas and a light breeze.
A tall figure stood in the middle of the road. Zayn yanks his bikes handle bars and loses control. He veers off into the woods. He crashes and flies off the bike. Almost comically as he eats dirt. Then he hears strange guttural sounds coming from behind him.
He pushes to his feet and turns to the sound. Foliage shudders. Something is coming. Zayn runs abandoning his bike.
He bursts out of the woods, to the road of his house. It is small compared to the other boys. Lower class and is almost falling apart.
He slams the door behind a shaggy dog. A mutt named Chester comes to greet him.
“Mom! Jonathan! Mom!” He calls out. He checks both of their bedrooms, but he is alone. Zayn scrambles to the living room window. It is dark, the wind rustles and hanging laundry flutters on a clothes line.
The figure returns. Behind the clothing line. Zayn can’t make out its features, but its proportions are off. Head too large, one hand larger than the other, body swollen.
The wind rustles again and the figure is gone.
Zayn pales his heart in his throat. He rushes to the phone in the kitchen, calling 911. It does not ring just low static.
“Hello?! Is anyone there?!” He then hears the strange noise he heard in the woods. Rising and lowering in pitch. Almost like inaudible words.
Zayn looks back at the door, and sees the figure's shadow in the cracks. Then the lock turns almost like an invisible hand is moving it.
Zayn drops the phone, and rushes to the back door. He enters a tool shed behind his house. He looks searching for something, at last he spots it. An old rifle, its dusty hanging on the wall.
He tries to load the rifle as fast as he can. Which isn’t very fast as his hands shake and tremble from fear. Finally he snaps the chamber and aims at the door.
A shadowed figure appears behind him. Zayn senses the movement and turns, but does not shoot.
Paralyzed in fear. Shock. Holding back tears.
“Please please” he mumbles. A high Pritchett shrieking sound fills the shed. The light bulb overhead glows brighter and brighter blinding the shed. It almost looks like it will burst. When suddenly it stops, returning to a normal wattage.
The shed is empty.
Zayn has disappeared.
______________________________________________________
Morning light shines through the window of a trailer. It is littered with trash from empty beer cans, plates that have probably been there for days, scattered red and blue pills, to an old junky tv playing the daily news report. Despite that there are family photos hanging on the walls of the perfect family: a husband, wife, and daughter. In the middle of this mess lay middle aged Desmond Styles, who typically just goes by Des walks in wearing nothing but a worn Levi jeans and a blue bracelet on his wrist.
The sun splices in his face waking him up. He grimaces clearly hung over. Des stands to a decrepit porch, he lights a cigarette. Takes a long drag. The trailer is parked by a lake, albeit a bit lonely at times but nonetheless beautiful. Des rubs his arms, and turns inside, deciding it's too cold for the beauty today.
Rob gets ready for the day. He showers, it’s so tiny he barely fits. Studies his beard in the mirror and contemplates shaving, ultimately deciding against it. He pops open a plastic vital labeled “Tuinal” used for insomnia. He shakes out two capsules red and blue. Swallow it with a mouthful of water and then get dressed. He wears a pair of brown pants and a matching collared shirt. Also a belt with a holster.
Lastly a gold badge that reads “Hawkins Police Chief"
He grabs his keys to leave, he doesn’t bother to turn off the ongoing news program. The trailer door then slams shut.
____________________________________________________________________________
Back at the Malik house, Zayn’s older brother Jonathan cooks breakfast. He has lanky hair, quietly handsome but would never believe you if you said it.
“Where the hell are they?” bursts Jonathan's mother Anne.She races past looking frazzled wearing a wrinkled “Malvald General Store” uniform as she searches for her keys.
“Check the couch,” says Jonathan. She snatches them up, gives Jonathan a peck on the cheek and races for the door, only to pause at the last second realizing something. She turns back to Jonathan.
“Where’s Will?” she asks. Jonathan shrugs “sleeping I guess.”
She gruffs “You gotta make sure you wake him. Jonathan, how many times do I need to tell you.”
“I’m making breakfast.” Anne shakes her head irritated. She rushed down the hall clapping her hands. “Zayn, time for school, let's get up.” She throws the door open and it's empty.
She strides back over to Jonathan clearly worried. “He came back home last night right?”
“I don’t know-” she cuts him off “What do you mean you don’t know?” He sighs “I got back late when I was working. Eric asked if I could cover for him, and I figured we could use the extra money.” She puts her hand up “We talked about this, I told you not to take shifts on the nights I’m working.”
“He was over at the Wheelers all day, I’m sure he just stayed the night again.”
Anne grabs the kitchen wall phone and dials a number. Jay picks up “Hello”
“Jay hey it’s Anne.”
Oh, hey Anne”
“I was wondering if Zayn is with you guys?” Anne asked.
“No I don't think he is, is everything alright? Is he not home”
Anne sighs “No I was working late, so I’m sure he just left for school early. I’ll see you later. Bye.”
She hangs up the phone. She looks over to Joanthan who shares the same look of worry on his face.
Louis Liam and Niall ride their bikes past the high school, making their way toward Hawkins Middle School -- a quaint one-story brick building tucked beneath a water tower.
As the boys slot their wheels into bike racks, they look around all the kids streaming in. Looking for Will.”I don’t see him weird.” says Louis “I’m telling you his moms right he just went to class early.” states Liam. Naill nods along “yeah he’s always paranoid Gursky's gonna give him a pop quiz.” Louis nods, feeling better.
Then comes along two boys Troy and James. Notoriously known as bullies to the other four boys.” Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Step right up and get your tickets for the freak show!” Troy barks. The boys don;t run they just stand there like statues. They have become used to this kind of event.
Troy sizes them up “ Who do you think would make more money at a freak show: "Frogface,""Midnight," or "Toothless?" James laughs “Ooof. Tough call, tough call.” he eyes Naill “I'd go with Toothless.”
“My teeth are coming in, I told you a million times, it's called cleidocranial dysplasia –” Niall grunts. In a mocking lisp James says “I told you a million times”
Troy isn't having it “Do the arm thing.” Niall hesitates. “Do it freak!” Niall sighs and relents. He pulls his arms across his body pulling his shoulders together due to not having a collar bone.
Troy and James share disgusted looks.
“Ew gets me everytime!” They shove the boys and walk off.
Louis says to Niall “I think it’s cool, like a superpower or Mr. Fantastic.” “except I can;t fight evil with it.” The boys pull their backpacks on and head to class.
Taylor enters high school. As she walks down the hall she gets stopped by her best friend Selena. “So did he call?”
Taylor gasps “keep your voice down.”
“Come on Tay did he?”
“I told you it’s not like that.” Selena shoots her a look. “Okay, I mean, yes, fine, he likes
me, you know, but not like that “ She lowers her voice. “ We just made out a couple times. Selena says
“Jesus, you're gonna be so cool now it's ridiculous –” Taylor playfully slaps him “I am not!”
“You better still hang out with me, that's all I'm saying. If you become friends with Brittney and Patrick –” Taylor fake gags “Gross. And I'm telling you, this was just a one-time “ Slenea scoffs“two-time thing, alright?” Taylor silences. There is a folded note taped to the inside of her locker, addressed "Taylor ." She opens it. It reads: “Meet in the bathroom - Travis” Taylor looks up at Selena. Speechless. “You were saying?” Selena remarks.
—--
Taylor is now full on making out with --Travis Kelce when the bell rings. away from Travis. Taylor crashes back to reality. Her cheeks are flushed.
She pulls away “Okay -- I -- I have to go –”
“One more minute –” Travis kisses her again. Taylor gives in for a bit, but...
“travis “ (between kissing) “I really have to go” She finally tears away from him. Pulls on her backpack.
“Let's do something tonight, yeah?” Travis asks. “I-I can't -- I have to study. Kaminsky's chem test –” Travis scoffs “What's your GPA again? Three-point-ninenineineninenine-- ?” “Kaminsky's tests are impossible –” Travis smiles “So let me help –” Taylor laughs “you failed chem” Travis disagrees “C-minus” she laughs again “Well in that case.”
“So should I come over, say, eight?” she quirks an eyebrow “Uh, are you crazy? allow that, no way --My mom won't”
“Who says she needs to "allow"anything? I'll just climb through your window -- she won't even knowI'm there. I'm stealthy -- like a ninja.”
“You are crazy.”
“Okay, okay, forget your place --we'll just chill in my car, find a nice quiet place to park –” he smirks. “ Travis, I have to study -- I'm not kidding.”
“Why do you think I want it nice and quiet?” Taylor can't help but smile. “You're an idiot. “ She heads for the door. At the last second. “I'll meet you at Dearborn and Maple. At eight. To study.”
With that -- she's out. Travis gives a victorious karate chop!
___________________________________________________________________________
Outside Hawkins police station n n American flag flutters on a flagpole. It is quaint. in, really quaint. If the sign out front didn't read "POLICE", you'd probably mistake it for a gift shop.
As Des’ Chevy Blazer Police car pulls into the lot.
He lumbers inside. Smoking a cigarette. His secretary, Florence , an old lady , sits behind a glass partition. “Good of you to show –” she says exasperated
“ Mornin' to you too, Flo.” Des makes a beeline for the coffee machine. Officer Callahan and Officer Powell look up from a game of five-card draw, their boots kicked up on their desks.
The mood here is casual, to say the least.
“ You look like hell, Chief.” Callahan says
“ Your wife looked worse when I left her.” Des refutes. Powell cackles at this. Hopper begins to make himself a cup of coffee. Florence walks up to Hopper, yanks the cigarette out of his mouth, and snubs it out.
“While you were drinking or sleeping or whatever it is you deem so important on Monday mornings, Phil Larson called, said some kids stole the gnomes out of his garden again –”
“ Gnomes again, huh? I'll get right on that. Yeah, tell Phil” Des heads back through the bullpen with his coffee.He's already lighting up another cigarette. Florence nips at his heels.
“ A more pressing matter -- Anne Malik can't find her son this morning –” Des sighs “Yeah, alright, I'll give her a call. Just give me a minute –”
“Chief, Joyce is very upset and –” Florence claims “ What have we talked about? The morning is a time for contemplation and coffee”
Florence continues “Chief, she's –” He interrupts Contemplation. And coffee. Hopper heads up to the second floor.”
He crashes to a stop. Almost spilling his coffee. Shit. Anne is already in his office.She looks back at him. Not happy. “I've been waiting an hour –” she says “Yes yes I apologize lets get started.”
Type-hammers slam ink onto a police report. A single, ominous word forms one letter at a time: "MISSING." Hopper looks up from the typewriter. He now has on a pair of
Reading glasses , which lend him a more earnest look. His desk, however, shatters the illusion: it's cluttered with papers and mugs and candy wrappers, like the desk of a child.Joyce paces. Dragging on a cigarette. She's on edge. So far out she might just fall right off.
“ I just don’;t understand what has taken so long. “ Anne exclaims
“And I apologize again –” Des says as he continues typing. “An hour Rob!”
Des sighs “I understand. But a boy his age, most likely he's playing hookey –” Anne looks offended. “Not Zayn , no. He wouldn't do that. He's not like that –”
“You never know. My mother thoughtI was on the debate team, when really I was screwing Chrissy Carpenter in the back of my dad's boat –” Des sighs.
She takes another drag on her cigarette. Fights tears. “ Zayn's not like that. He's got a couple of friends. But everyone else, they -- they make fun of him. Call him names, laughing at him, his clothes –” Des’ raises an eyebrow “His clothes? Clothes? What's wrong with his clothes?”
Anne throws her hands up “I-I don't know. Does it matter?”
“ I guess not,” he replies. Joyce takes another drag.
Des scratches his stubble. “Have you heard from Lonnie lately?” Joyce hesitates. This is an uncomfortable subject. “He was in Indianapolis last I heard. That was about a year ago.
But he's got nothing to do with this.” Hopper rummages around his desk. Unearths a pen and a pad.
“What's his number?”
“I told you, he's got nothin' to do
with this –”
Des sighs “Kid goes missing, ninety-nine times outta a hundred the kid's with a parent or relative –”
“What about the other time?” Des raises an eyebrow “What?”
“You said "ninety-nine outta a hundred." What about the other time? The one!”
Des removes his reading glasses. Leans forward. “This is Hawkins, Anne. In four
years, you know the worst thing I've seen? You know what it was?” Anne is beat “When that owl attacked Eleanor Gillepsie. Thought her hair was a nest. I mean -- it does look like a nest, doesn't it? All that frizz?” Hopper chuckles at the memory. Trying to lighten the mood.
Joyce begins to relax a little. But only a little.
Anne looks at him “I'll call Lonnie. before he talks to a --He'll talk to me” he stops herself.
“-- pig?” Des finished for her. “Cop.” Anne states. Anne sits down. She snuffs her cigarette in an ashtray. Then she looks back up at Des. Her eyes are bloodshot. Glassy.
“Find my son, Rob. Find him.” Des takes this in. All at once he feels burdened with a
responsibility he doesn't want. He finds his composure, nudges his glasses back on his nose, and resumes typing.
_______
Black, unmarked sedans accelerate up to the entrance of a laboratory hidden in the woods. Almost like it’s meant to be unseen. They slam to a stop and a group of NSA agents get out.
They walk up to a Dr. Simon Cowell . A grey haired man, he guides inside the hospital. Shoes drum on linoleum as the group walks through the corridors of the hospital. . Dr. Cowell wears a casual suit, loose tie, stubble. He clearly hasn't slept in some time.All around them -- chaos. Scientists whipping to and fro. One scientist says to an agent “We've evacuated the east wing
sealed it off, following quarantine protocol.”
They arrive at a plastic quarantine door Cowelll zips open the plastic door and enters a preparation lab room. Dr. Brenner,multiple other scientists , the agents, and a trio of soldiers silently dress into hazmat suits. They secure hoods. Gloves. Boots.
They walk over to a the freight elevator as it groins and shudders as it carries the group down
the bowels of the labs. The soldiers are armed with M16- style rifles with barrel-mounted flashlights.The Lead Agent looks up at the ceiling, uneasy.
The elevator crashes to a halt. The doors open.The group exits into the dark corridor.
They make their ways through the corridors of the hospital. As their flashlights sweep around, we see that a few things seem almost unwordly: The fluorescent lights are completely dead. The atmosphere is dense, clouded in a white fog... spore-like particles dance in the air... there
are cracks in the cement... It's like this place is... dying.
The group of men enter the lab. Sweep the area.It's a total nightmare here. Fleshy mold like growths cling to the walls, and the atmosphere is even denser, making it difficult to see.
A doctor named Braun motions to an observation window. He says “Myself and Doctor Cowell were observing. These strange circumstances as we discussed earlier.” One of the Agent's flashlights cuts through fog, illuminating the far wall. Fleshy mold-like growths smother the entire wall,alive, wet, throbbing. In the center of this growth, there is what appears to be a twelve foot diameter opening. This is… the rift it undulates almost breathing alive. The men breathe heavily through their masks.
“ This is where it came from?” asks one of the agents. Dr. Cowell nods. Another asks him “and the boy too?” Cowell sighs “He can't have gone far.” The men look down into an isolation tank. It has a clear viewing window, and is filled with water. But no one's in there. At least not anymore.
____________________________________________________________________________
A young boy is standing outside a forest. He stumbles as he walks pigeon toed. Wild curly hair feet are bare, his skin is pale. He wears a tattered white hospital gown spattered with mud.
He is more like a wild animal than a child. He stares at a run down restaurant . A sign reads:
"Benny’s Burgers and Ice Cream” The side screen door swings open and exits a middle aged man presumably Benny carrying out a trash bag. He has sleeve tattoos, a greasy apron wrapped around his waist. The Young Boy watches him closely as he dumps out the trash, then heads back inside.
The Young boy sneaks through the side screen door. He creeps but stops and watches very intently as, in the dining room, Benny drops a plate of burgers and fries off at...
A table of chain smoking regulars.
The Young boy sneaks into the kitchen. He steps up to a pan of french fries. He reaches in and
picks one up. It's almost... like he's never seen a french fry in her life. He tries it. I love it. He starts to eat more when Benny notices him.
“HEY -- !” The young boy snaps back around and Benny is headed back into the kitchen.
He grabs the french fries and sprints out of the kitchen. He blows through the swinging doors
As Benny sprints through the dining room and races as fast as he can for the back door!
But a split second before the young boy reaches the door Benny catches her. The french fries scatter across the floor. Benny whirls him around.
“Think you can steal from me,kid?”
The boy writhes in his arms, trying to tear free but --Benny holds him tight. But his expression softens as he realizes that this is no normal boy at all. The boy starts crying messy tears as he sobs in fear.
“What in the hell?” Benny says as he takes in the hospital gown on the boy. Finally he stops struggling. He locks eyes with Benny. Breathing hard.
____________________________________________________________________________
Back at the middle school Louis, Liam and Niall sit in a science classroom. The bell rings and their teacher Mr. Clarke calls after his class as they begin to grab their books and backpacks.
“ Remember: Finish Chapter Twelve,and answer twelve-point-three on the difference between an experiment and other forms of science investigation–” Mr. Clarke silences as he realizes he's talking to no one, everybody is gone. Well, that is, almost everybody.
The boys gather at his desk excitedly. “Did it come?” asks Louis, Mr. Clarke hesitates. Gives the boys a sad look. “Sorry, boys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but… It came.”
The boys burst through the door to the A.V. Club as it bursts open. They race inside. Mr. Clarke follows close behind.
“The Heathkit ham shack. Ain't she a beaut?” A brand new ham radio sits on a desk amidst a pile of older equipment. The boys examine it with wide, expectant eyes.
Niall smiles “I bet you can talk to New York on this thing –”
“Think bigger –” Mr Clarke says
“ California -- ?” Liam asks
“Bigger.”
“Australia?”
Another nod.
Liam laughed “Oh man. When Will sees this he's going to totally lose his shit -- “
“Liam –” Mr. Clarke scolds.
“Sorry.” he says
The boys sit down by the radio. As Liam starts to work the dials, Louis grabs up the transceiver, practicing in a bad Australian accent “'Ello, this is Louis Tomilson President of Hawkins Middle A.V.Club –” Niall takes the receiver. His turn. In an even worse Australian accent “'Ello, this is Niall Horan ,Secretary and Treasurer of Hawkins Middle A.V. Club -- Do you eat kangaroos for breakfast -- ?”
A sharp knocking sound interrupts the fun. Mr. Clarke turns.The principle is in the doorway.
“Sorry to interrupt... but may I borrow Louis, Liam, and Niall ?” Chief Desmond and Officer Callahan now step into view. Louis Liam and Niall expressions darken. .
A few minutes later Des is questioning them in the principals office “... So you were... racing?
The three boys are now scrunched together on a couch. Des and Callahan sit opposite.
Niall replies “It was me and him, actually –” Liam interrupts “My house is the first up –”
Then Louis interrupts “He takes Mirkwood home –” Niall disagrees “ No We were racing on a bet and –”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. One at a time.” he points at Louis “You. You said he takes... what?”
“Mirkwood”.
"Mirkwood?" Des questions. To Callahan he asks “have you ever heard of a "Mirkwood?"
“Sounds made-up.”
Liam clarifies “It's from "Lord of the Rings" –”
"The Hobbit" Niall corrects
“It doesn't matter -- !” Liam expresses
Des glares at them“Hey! What'd I just say? One at a
damn time.” He points at Louis . “You. continue.”
“Mirkwood. It's a real road. It's just the name that's made-up –”
“What's its real name?” Des asks
“I don't know. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet.” Des jots this information down on his pad. “Yeah I know it”
“We can show you, or we can help you look” Louis suggests.
Des looks up at the. “No, after school you three go home. I mean it.” He l makes eye contact with each of the boys. He continues “That means no biking around looking for your friend. No investigating, no nonsense. No Lord of the Ring shit.”
“The Hobbit” Niall says. Des sighs then says “Do I make myself clear?” The boys share looks worried, shaken by his tone and all nod.
—--
A small child's fort is placed in the woods. A tee pee constructed with sticks and tar, a sign hangs on the front labelled "Zayn's Castle.” Inside is a twelve years old dream. Comic books, drawings, toys and in any other situation Anne knows she would find Zayn hiding in there. Like most things today they are unordinary.
She looks desperate. Her panicked voice in silence yells “Zayn!” Jonathan yells with her now. “Zayn! Zayn!” They both stride into the woods continuing to call out for Zayn.
—---
In Benny’s Burgers a burger is being cooked on the boiler. Benny slides a plate of the finished burger and fries to the boy. He is seated at a table in a dining room, it is just him. The regulars are gone. His hospital gown has been replaced with a shirt that says "Benny's Burgers and Ice Cream” ; it is far too big and hangs just above his knees.
He snatches the burger and begins to devour it. “Your parents forgot to feed you?” Benny asks.
The boy doesn’t respond and just keeps eating. “That you ran away?” Still nothing. “They hurt you?” No response. “And... you went to the hospital, right? But you got scared, ran
off, found your way here?” The boy finally looks up at Benny. Has he hit close to the
mark? It seems like he is finally going to speak, but then he returns to eating the burger.
Benny has no choice -- he yanks away the plate. The boy looks up at him, confused. “I'll give it back, you can have as much as you like, maybe even some ice cream; but first, you gotta answer a few of my questions. We got a deal?” No response.
“We'll start easy. My name's Benny.” Benny Hammond. He holds out his hand. Wraps it around his tiny hand. “Nice to meet ya. And you are...?” Still no response. Benny sighs. He starts to withdraw his hand when he notices a small tattoo on the inside of his lower left wrist. It reads in simple black lettering: 011.
"Eleven"? The Young boy yanks his hand away. “What's that mean?”
“No.” the boy quietly says.
“Well I'll be damned. No? No, what” Still nothing.
“Alright, guess "no" more food then. Benny starts to walks with his plate when:
The boy says “Eleven.” Benny turns back around. “Eleven. Yeah. What's it mean?”
The Young boy points to himself.
Benny walks over to his phone. He is now on a corded phone in the kitchen. The voice hushed calling child protective services. “All I know is, poor thing's scared to death... confused…I think he’s been abused or kidnapped or somethin'.” The operator asks for his address. “It's 4819 Randolph Lane. Randolph,right.”
"Eleven" is finishing off his fries. He becomes aware
of a soft, high pitched noise. Eeeee. Eeee. Eeee. He looks up. It's an old and rusty metal fan. It
Squeaks with every turn. Eeeee. Eeee. Eeeee. It is incessant. Annoying. Eleven narrows his eyes and – The fan and the blades stop. Like they somehow froze. Eleven looks away. Content now. He continues eating her fries.
—---
Des heads into the woods, searching for Zayn with Powell and Callahan behind him.
“Hey, I got something here.” Des calls. He kneels down by Zayn's bike and brushes away some leaves. Callahan and Powell race over to him.
“That his bike, Chief?” asks Callahan. Des nods. Note some scraped bark.
“Looks like he crashed.”
“Maybe he got hurt in the fall.”
Des looks back to the road. Squints in the sun. “Not so hurt he couldn't make it
home. And a bike to these kids… that's like a Cadillac. Doesn't make sense he'd leave it out here.” He pauses “ He'd walk it home. He was in a hurry.”
—--
Inside Hawkins Labs there is a radio monitoring room. Half a dozen agents are seated by bulky radio equipment all wearing headphones. Voices can be heard through the headphones
“I’m going to the grocery store.”
“I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Yeah the shipment came in.”
They're listening in on the town. Spying. The last agent in the is listening on a familiar voice
“Lonnie. It's Anne–”
“Lonnie isn't here right now –”
Anne is on the phone. Pacin. Dragging hard on a cigarette
“Who is this? Cynthia? This is Joyce -- Joyce, Lonnie's ex-wife. I need to speak to him -- This is
an emergency... no, not later, now”
CLICK. The phone goes dead. Anne burns with anger. In the living room , Jonathan works on a missing person poster. “Mom, you need to stay calm.”
“I'm calm.” She hangs up, dials the number again. The phone rings. But this time no one answers. It goes to a message.
“ Hey, you've reached Lonnie, I'm not here at the moment but…”
Anne’s rage rises and rises and...beep . Her turn.
“Lonnie, some teenage whore just hung up on me. You don't call me back in the next hour. I'll report you for not paying child support. I swear to God I will and I'll make sure you rot in jail where you belong – WHAM!” Anne slams the phone down.
“Mom.”
“What?” And that's when we realize: Jonathan isn't looking at her. He's looking out the window.
“Cops.” Anne explodes out onto the porch. Jonathan follows. It's Des and the officers, parking in the driveway. As Rob exits, he pulls Zayn's bike out of the back. Anne and Jonathan fight in panic seeing Zayn isn’t back.
Des and his officers search the house. Anne and Jonathan trail. On edge. “And it was just sitting there -- ?” asks Anne
“Yes –” replies Rob
“Was there any blood or -- ?”
“No –”
Jonathan buts in “If you found his bike out there, why're you here?”
“He's got a key to the house?” Des says
“Yeah -”
“So maybe he came back here.”
“So -- what? You think I haven't checked my own house -- ?!” Anne exclaims
Des shakes his head “Never said you didn't”. He inspects the back door. The adjacent wall is dented, the paint chipped. He opens the door: its handle aligns with the damaged wall. Someone threw it open. Hard. “This always here?”
Anne sighs “Probably. I have two boys. Look at this place –”
“But you're not sure?”Anne hesitates. Not sure. Suddenly they hear --
Whimpering comes from the backyard. Hopper and Joyce step outside onto the porch.
They find Chester pacing in front of the shed. Whimpering .
“This normal?” Des asks
“Just hungry, I'm sure. Come on…” Anne leads Chester back to the house by his collar.
But Des doesn't follow. Not yet. His eyes turn to the shed. Wood groans as Des heads into the shed. It's still dark in here. He flips a light switch. The naked light bulb hums to life.
He walks up to the rifle wall mount. The rifle is, of course, missing. He inspects the mount. There are fingerprints in the dust. Someone was here... recently.The light bulb flickers. Des turns and looks up at the light. It fluctuates, growing bright, then dim, then bright, then dim, then the light cuts out then makes an almost growl like sound. He looks around. “What the hell is that coming from?”
Rob removes a flashlight from his utility belt, clicks it on, and slowly sweeps its beam across the darkness. He makes out with nothing. But that sound, whatever the hell it is, persists. It gets louder. Louder.louder still . And then – The beam illuminates a figure. Hop reaches for his gun, but – Officer Callahan steps into the light.“You deaf I've been callin' you.” Hopper looks back at the light bulb. life. Returning to 48 Watts. Strange. It flickers back to
Hop shakes it off and strides to the house. Moving fast. Callahan struggles to keep up. “ You sure you're alright, Chief?”
“I want you to call Florence, have her get a search party together, as many volunteers as she can muster,flashlights too.”
“Think we have a problem here?”
Hopper doesn't answer. Uncertain. He heads inside. The door slaps shut.
Later that night Jonathan and Anne sit around the coffee table. They are working on the MISSING PERSONS POSTER for Zayn. Bold red letters at the top read: "HAVE YOU SEEN ME?" They flip through a portfolio, looking for a photo. There are many photos of Anne and Zayn , as well as the town, and the people who live here. All artfully taken by Jonathan.
Just then the kitchen phone blares to life. Anne and Jonathan look up sharply. This must be news. Anne grabs up the phone. Her voice is tense, strained.
“Yes -- hel-hello?” There is no answer. Breathing on the other end.
“Lonnie...? Des...?” Still no answer. “Who is this?”
Jonathan stands up. getting worried now. The breathing grows louder. breathing of a child. Anne pales. It sounds like Zayn.
“Zayn?!! Zayn?!!” Jonathan races over to his mom.
“Where are you? Zayn?! Zayn?! Talk to me!” But Zayn's breathing is now gone. In its place...
Another sound guttural. Inhuman shifting in pitch.
Silence. Then --a night pitched shriek erupts from the receiver. Anne gasps in pain and drops the phone. She looks at her hand. Her palm is seared. She backs away from the phone.
Her eyes wide with dread.
Jonathan grabs the phone . His voice shakes.
“Who is this?! WHO IS THIS?!” But the phone line is now dead. Anne slumps down defeated.
___________________________________________________________________________
A constellation of flashlights glimmer in the night. Over two dozen search and rescue volunteers are scouring the woods for Zayn. They wear orange vests, grave expressions. Des walks with Mr. Clarke at his side.
“He's a good student.” Clarke says Des turns. Surprised, this man is speaking to him.
“What's that?” Des asks
“Zayn . He's a good student. A great one, actually. I can't fathom him getting into any kind of trouble.” Des nods. Look away. Mr. Clarke offers his hand.
“I don't think we've met. Scott Clarke. I teach at Hawkins Middle. Earth and Biology. “ Des shakes his hand. Then averts his gaze.
“Always had a distaste for science.”
“Maybe you had a bad teacher.”
“Yeah well Ratliff was a piece of work.”
“Ratliff? You bet. She's still kicking around, believe it or not.”
Des chuckles “Oh I believe it. Mummies don’t die, or so they tell me.” Mr. Clarke smiles softly.
“So you're local?”
“Class of fifty-eight.”
“Sixty-two. We just missed each other.” Clarke replies. They walk for another beat. Hopper seems lost in thought. “Sara, my daughter. She always understood that stuff. Galaxies, the universe, whatnot: Maybe she got it from her mother, I dunno. There's enough down here, I don't need to go lookin' elsewhere.”
“Your daughter. What grade is she? Maybe I'll get her in my class.”
“She lives in the city. With her mother.” Des looks down at a distant gaze on his face.
Des slaps Mr. Clarke on the back. “Thanks for coming out, teach. I appreciate it.”
Des picks up his pace, leaving Mr. Clarke behind.
A nearby volunteer whispers to Mr. Clark: “She passed a few years back.”
“Sorry?” Clarke asks.
“His kid.” Mr. Clarke darkens. He looks back at Des at his now distant silhouette.
Back at Benny's Burgers Water rushes out of a faucet as Benny cleans dishes.
Eleven sits on a counter. He eats strawberry ice cream out of a pint sized container.
“You like that ice cream, huh?” Eleven looks at him, smiles. He seems like an actual kid. For the first time this day, Benny knocks off the faucet.
“A smile looks good on ya”. Eleven stares at him. Confused.
“A smile”. Benny gives a big smile. Eleven smiles back. But his smile fades when he hears the sound of someone knocking. Eleven tenses. Nervous.
“Just... stay put. Whoever it is, I'll turn 'em away, a'ight?” Eleven watches while eating ice cream as Benny lumbers to the front door. He swings it open to find a friendly woman standing smiling.
“You must be Mr. Hammond?” she inquires
“'fraid so. Also 'fraid we've closed shop. Why don't you try back tomorrow –” Benny starts to shut the door, but the woman extends a hand.
“Connie Frazier. Social Services.” Benny stops. Opens the door back up. Embarrassed.
“ Ah Social Services. Apologies.” He takes her hand. His grip is firm. “Didn't think you were gonna make it here so quickly. That's a heckuva drive.”
She looks up at him “Not too bad this time of night.”
Benny nods, lowers his voice. “Listen. I still haven't told him about you. I didn't want him
runnin' off again. He’s a tad skittish.”
“The children I work with usually are.” she smiles “Where is he now?”
“In the back. Come on. I'll introduce ya.” Benny turns and lumbers toward the kitchen. “Apologies again for trying to turn you away. It's funny, your voice, it sounded different on the phone –” He pauses and looks around.
“Mister Hammond?”
“Yeah -- ?” As Benny turns… Connie raises a silenced pistol and shoots him in the side of the head. Limp he crashes to the ground with a heavy thud. He stills. Dead.
“Eleven watches in wide-eyed horror. He drops the ice cream, turns around, and sprints back through the kitchen.”
“Eleven blows through the double doors as the same agents in the lavatory sweep into the kitchen. They are followed closely by Dr. Cowell
Eleven sprints for the back screen door. a halt as – But he crashes to the ground. Two more agents sweep through from the back door. He is trapped. The agents raise electrical shock sticks.
Loud noises come from the storage room screaming chaos. Dr. Cowell and the agents exchange looks and they blow through the double doors to find They find both agents unconscious on the ground. Bones twisted. Heads bleeding.
Dr. Cowell explodes out the back door. He looks around. Desperate. But – He sees only darkness. Eleven is gone.
____________________________________________________________________________
Louis is lying down by the Dungeons-and-Dragons map in his parents basement. He looks
worried and restless. He examines the field of miniatures. The Troglodytes... the knight... the dwarf... and the wizard. He picks up the wizard. Study it. Considering. Then he picks up his walkie talkie “Liam? It's Louis. You copy? Liam?”
Liam finally answers. His voice crackles. “Hey, it's Liam.”
“I know it's you. And say "over" when you're done talking or I don't know you're done. Over.”
“I'm done. Over.” Liam says with an annoyed edge to his voice.
“I'm worried about Zayn. Over.” I was thinking... Zayn could've cast Protection last night. But he
didn't. He cast Fireball. Over.”
“What's your point? Over.”
“My point is... he could've played it safe. But he didn't. He put himself in danger to help the
party. Over.”
A very long beat. Then: Liam says “Meet me at ten. Over and out.”
Louis wheels his bike out of the garage. He starts down the driveway when he suddenly notices
Travis. He locks eyes with Louis. He's attempting to climb up to Taylor’s room. A very awkward beat. Travis holds up a hand. Hey. Louis just stares. Unbelievable. Then, without saying a
word, he climbs on his bike... and pedals off into the night.
Taylor sits at her desk, morosely studying her chem book, when she hears a dull tapping sound. She turns to find Travis outside her window. Taylor stares in shock, tries to wave him away, but he just knocks again, more urgently.
Taylor hurries over and opens the window. She whispers urgently “What're you doing? have to stay in tonight”
“I know, so we'll study here –”
“No, I told you, absolutely not, go away -- !”
“I don't want you failing tomorrow –” Travis climbs in anyway… Or tries to. His foot catches on the window frame and he stumbles, nearly toppling over a bedside lamp. He catches himself, turns back to Taylor, and strikes a pose.
Travis smirks “What'd I tell you? A ninja.” Taylor shakes her head. Unbelievable.
She shuts the window. Closes the blinds.
Travis and Taylor now sit on her bed. A few feet apart. Travis reads homemade flash cards, while Taylor answers the questions. "Sweet Dreams" by The
Eurythmics plays on her boombox loud enough that their voices don't carry out of
the room.
"... Which Polymers occur naturally?" Steve asks her.
“Starch and cellulose.” Travis nods and switches cards.
“Jesus, how many of these did you make?”
“You said you wanted to help!” she exclaims.
"During fractional distillation, hydrocarbons are separated according to their -- "
“Melting points.”
“Nope ! Boiling points.”
“That's what I meant –”
“But it's not what you said.”
Travis pushes down on the bed, and kisses her. Soon they're going at it, hot and heavy. After a moment of making out, Travis begins to unbutton her top but Taylor stops him.
“Travis, come on –”
“What?”
“Are you crazy?” She looks around. “My parents are here.”
“Weird. I don't see them.” he says
Taylor slides away. “Was this your plan all along? Get in my room, then... get another
notch on your belt?”
“What -- no! Jesus, no.”
“You know I'm not like Laurie. Or Amy. Or –”
or Becky --
“You mean you're not a slut.”
She frowns “That's not what I'm saying.”
“You're cute when you lie.”
“Shut up.”
Travis smiles. He picks up a Holly Hobbie doll and makes it shake its head in disapproval, speaking in a squeaky voice: "Bad Travis, bad; stay away from Miss Taylor!" Taylor can't help but laugh.
“You're an idiot.”
“ You're beautiful.” Taylor blushes.
Travis picks up the flash cards. Clears his throat. And reads "Compared to the rate of inorganic reactions, the rate of organic reactions generally is..."
Simultaneously it is silent as Louis, Liam and Niall bike down "Mirkwood" road. Louis leads the way. He slows to a stop. Liam and Niall pull up beside him.
“Why are we stopping?” Liam asks.
Louis doesn't answer. He just looks off into the woods. Niall and Liam follow his gaze to find a line of police tape, wrapped around a row of trees along the side of the road. The reality of what happened hits them right here. This isn't some make-believe D&D campaign. This is... real.
Suddenly a loud noise blares, They boys look up. Sheet lightning flashes the sky, illuminating dark omnipresent storm clouds.
A plop of water hits Niall's face “You guys feel that?” Niall holds out a hand. Watch water strike his palm. It's raining. “Maybe we should go back.”
Louis isn't listening. Or if he is, he doesn't care. He removes a walkie from his backpack, hands it to Niall.
Louis looks at the other two “No splitting up or anything stupid like that, but stay on channel six.
Just in case.” With that, Louis heads into the woods, ducking under the caution tape. Liam follows.
Niall is now all alone. Another thunder crash! It scares the shit out of him.
“Hey, guys, wait up! WAIT UP”!
He races after his friends as another boom rattles. The boys walk until they are deep in the woods. Soaked now. Their flashlights illuminate the rain.
“Zayn?Zayn???” Louis calls out.
“I've got your "X-Men!" One-thirty-four!” Niall yells. No response. Only silence. They march for a little bit longer.
“Guys, I really think we should turn back –” Niall says with worry in his voice.
“Seriously, Niall, if you want to be a baby, just go home already.”
“I'm just being realistic, Liam–”
“No, you're being a sissy –”
“You ever think Zayn went missing because, you know, he ran into someone bad? And now we're going to the place where he was last seen, and we don't even have weapons or anything –”
“-- Niall shut up” Louis snaps.
“I'm just sayin', does that seem smart to you ?!”
“Shut up!” Liam says.
Niall silences. Everyone turns to Louis.He's not mad. He's -- listening. In a voice he asks “You guys hear that?”
The boys listen. They hear rustling foliage. Everyone tenses. Louis slowly swings his flashlight around the dark woods. Ten degrees, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty. Something darts behind them. They whirl around. Startled. Their flashlights illuminate Eleven the young boy with wild eyes in Benny's T-shirt. Louis looks at him . He looks at Louis . Their gaze holds.