chapter one
[ the vanishing of will byers and melissa hopper ]
in the basement of mike wheeler's house sat four boys playing dungeons and dragons and a girl, half watching and half flipping through a magazine.
"somethings coming.....something hungry for blood." mike wheeler said, reading from the games manual.
"a shadow grows on the wall behind you! swallowing you in darkness.....it's almost here..." he said, looking at the other boys who were all on the edge of their seats.
"what is it?" will byers, the quietest of the group asked.
melissa smiled when she heard wills voice.
"what if it's the demogorgon?" dustin asked, panicking slightly, "oh jesus were so screwed if it's the demogorgon..."
"its not the demogorgon..." lucas cuts in.
"an army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" mike said, making the three boys sigh in relief and melissa to slightly giggle about how into the game they were.
will couldn't help but smile at the sound. he loved when she laughed. she sounded so happy.
"troglodytes?!" dustin asked in disbelief.
"told ya!" lucas said, smugly, making melissa and will smile.
"wait..." mike interrupted, softly, "do you hear that?" he asked, "that....that sound?"
"that didnt come from the troglodyte, no that came from something else," making the boys lean forward and melissas head turn to the side in curiosity.
"the demogorgon!!" mike revealed, slamming the figure onto the table, making the boys groan and melissa to giggle at their reaction again.
"we're in deep shit." dustin said.
"will your action!" mike yelled.
"i don't know!" will exclaimed.
"fireball him." lucas said.
"i'd have to roll a thirteen or higher." will informed.
"too risky. cast protection spell?" dustin said.
"don't be a pussy, fireball him!" lucas yelled.
will shook his head and looked over at melissa questionably.
"don't look at me." she started, "i'd say fireball him but it may be to risky like dustin said." melissa finished, placing her magazine to the side now more interested in the game.
mike slammed his hands down on the table, gaining everyone's attention, "the demogorgon is tired of your silly human bickering! it stomps toward you. boom!"
"fireball him!!" lucas said impatiently.
"another stomp, boom!" mike carried on.
"cast protection." dustin repeated.
"he roars in anger!" mike said making lucas and dustin repeat what they said earlier.
"fireball!"
"protection!"
"and!" mike encouraged.
"fireball." will finally revealed throwing the dice so it rolled off the table.
"oh shit!" mike shouted as all the boys began crawling on the floor. melissa stood up, the ends of her dress swish around as she looked around for the dice.
"where did it go?" lucas asked.
"i don't know." will replied.
"is it thirteen?" dustin asked.
"i don't know!" will repeated frustrated.
they were all looking around for the dice besides dustin, who was pacing back and forth. mrs. wheeler opened the basement door and yelled down to mike, making him stomp up the stairs up to her.
"oh i got it!" will shouted raising his hand to reveal the dice and gain the other threes attention, "does a seven count?"
"did mike see it?" lucas asked making will shake his head. "then it doesn't count."
melissa frowned.
will nodded putting the dice on the table as the four of them started packing up to leave.
melissa grabbed her magazine and slid it into her bag then put on her jacket and threw her bag over her shoulder.
"hey guys, does anyone want this?" dustins voice drew their attention to the last slice of pizza.
"no." the three said before going upstairs.
"there's something wrong with your sister." dustin said to mike as he joined the others outside.
"what are you talking about?" mike questioned.
"she's got a stick up her butt." he informed.
"yeah, that's because she's been dating that douche bag steve harrington." lucas agreed.
"that's not true. nancys totally bitchin." melissa argued for the girl who's practically like an older sister to her, "and steve harrington sure is a hottie. gosh i die everytime i see him."
both mike and will rolled their eyes.
"nah-uh she used to be cool." dustin argued to her, "like that time she dressed up as an elf for our elder tree campaign."
"nows shes a real jerk." lucas told them as he and dustin began to peddle away.
"bye boys!" melissa called out, waving to them.
"bye mel!" they said back.
she smiled.
"and by the way that was four years ago!" mike shouted after them to dustin.
"later." lucas yelled.
"it was a seven." will spoke up catching mike and mel's attention.
"huh?" mike asked confused.
"the roll, it was a seven. the demogorgon, it got me." as will spoke the last sentence sent shivers down melissas back.
it got me.
"see you guys tomorrow." will said, as he began peddling away.
"bye will." melissa waved and will waved back.
"you sure you don't wanna stay over." mike said to melissa as she grabbed her bike, "you can just sleep in my room. hopper will probably come pick you up tomorrow." he suggested.
"no. it's ok." she glanced at her watch, "dad is probably late. i'll just bike home."
mike nodded and waved to melissa as she drove off.
it was really dark out and come to think of it, melissa felt like this wasn't such a good idea. you see her house happens to be the furthest away from mikes.
"i should maybe just turn around." she said to herself as she drove down a really dark road. fog covered half the road, making it hard to see.
melissa stopped her bike and looked around, seeing where she was. she actually had to no clue where she was.
"shit." she cursed.
suddenly melissa heard a noise coming from the woods. her eyes widened as she scanned the dark woods.
"maybe just an animal."
she made a choice just to keep peddling forward. maybe the house wasn't that far.
but that's when she saw a figure, standing in the middle of the road, looking right at her.
melissa gasped and turned on her bike, making her fly down a hill and crash.
she groaned as she felt her head. a wet substance appeared on her hand.
blood.
melissa stood to her feet, panicking. the tires on her bike were popped. she doesn't even know how that happened.
she heard a low growl and looked up, seeing the figure ontop of the hill. "shit!"
she began running, running as fast as she could, through the woods and to her house.
"dad!" she cried, tears flowing down her cheeks, "dad are you here?! dad!"
hearing a stick snap, she ran up the stairs and banged on the door, "dad if you're drunk or asleep or in the shower or anything let me in! please!"
the figure was approaching. not stopping. it's density was to get her. to get melissa. it wanted melissa as much as it wanted will but the good thing was, it had already gotten will.
banging on the door didn't help. she felt hopeless. "dad." she whimpered, "please." she felt alone.
"dad! PLEASE!!"
the stairs creaked. her whole body shook, as the figure towered over her.
it wasn't a figure. not even close.
it was a "demogorgon."
the lights surrounding melissa shined so bright she couldn't even see. the last thing she did see though was the lake surrounding her house then everything went black.