Y/N POV
"Hey, Will."
"Hi y/n."
I had decided to bike to Mike's house and stopped at that playground a block away from his house. It just so happened that Will was passing by too.
"What are you doing here?" Will asked.
"Just wanted to get some air before I'm stuck in a basement for seven hours," I joked.
We both laughed at my sarcasm. We walked towards the swings and each sat down on one. For some reason, I felt drawn to Will, like we were somehow connected. I knew it sounded stupid and cliche, but something about him made me feel so comfortable.
I pushed my thoughts aside and focused back on reality.
"So how exactly is Dungeons and Dragons played?"
"It's kind of a role-playing game. You get to choose your character and follow along with the story line. And you complete quests, battle monsters, and save people."
"Sounds pretty fun!"
"Yeah, me and the guys have been playing since we were little."
"So... who's your character?" I nudged him.
"Uh," he blushed. "I'm a wizard. "Will the Wise"."
I tried my best to hold in my giggles, but I just couldn't help it.
"I know... I know, it's stupid really," he said as he laughed off the embarrassment.
"No, no. I'm sorry," I sighed, calming down from my laughing fit. "It's actually really cute."
"Oh."
We both smiled as we stared at each other's eyes. Will broke the gazed and stared off at the ground. It was silent for a while. We had gotten bored quickly and decided to head to Mike's.
"What's on your mind?" I asked as we walked to our bikes.
"Nothing..."
I gave him a puzzled look.
"It's just that..." he looked hesitant to tell me, but I gave him a reassuring nod. "Something weird happened a couple days ago. The first night we met you..."
My mind immediately went back to what happened in my bathroom. I stopped in my tracks and grabbed Will's arm, pulling him back.
"Were you attacked my a monster?" I whispered.
Will's eyes widened and his facial expression contorted into one of both confusion and fear.
"Yeah... how'd you know?"
"Because... because the same thing happened to me that night."
We both exchanged knowing looks of fear. We described each of our encounters with the creepy figure, which we found out to be the exact same one.
"Listen, I just got a new hand radio. We can talk more about this tonight after the campaign, okay?" I said.
Will nodded, and we both agreed not to tell the others just yet.
When we got to Mike's house, Mike's mom answered the door.
"Hi, Mrs. Wheeler," Will greeted. "This is y/n. We're here for Mike's D&D campaign."
"Come on in sweetheart. Everybody's already down in the basement. And.... who are you again?" she said, aiming that last part at me.
"Oh I'm y/n. I'm a new friend, but Mike invited me to play tonight," I respond with a smile.
"Oh, okay. Well, um, welcome and make yourself at home."
She smiled at me lightly as we entered the home. Will pretty much gave me a mini tour as we made our way down towards the basement. He told me Mike had and older sister named Nancy and a younger sister named Holly. I recalled Nancy's name because I remembered hearing Rachel talk about her before.
"Hi guys!" Will waved as we walked down the steps.
"Mike your basement is awesome!" I exclaimed, looking around in awe.
"Thanks, y/n. We've already got the game set up, so now we can play."
We started to make our way to the small table on which the game was set up.
"But first," Dustin stopped me. "You must choose your character. Choose wisely."
He showed me a line up of tiny characters.
"I think I'll choose this one," I pointed to a figurine with a long, flowing cape and wings of fire.
"You have chosen to be a sorcerer."
"Nice."
They all gave me a quick lesson of what my class meant, and as dungeon master, Mike told me what my roles were supposed to be. We all sat around the table as Mike started the game. Soon enough, I got the hang of it and was fighting monsters and protecting villagers in no time.
**Time Skip**
"Something is coming.....something hungry for blood. A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness... it is almost here," Mike spoke in a slow and eerie tone.
Will sat up in curiosity, "What is it?"
"What if it's the demogorgon? Oh Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the demogorgon," Dustin whined.
"It's not the demogorgon!" Lucas answered.
"An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" Mike said smacking the game piece on the table.
Dustin just laughed, "Troglodytes?"
"Told ya," Lucas teased.
We all laughed and Dustin let out a little snort. Mike stops suddenly, a serious look now on his face.
"Wait a minute... do you hear that?"
We all leaned in closer as if to listen to the imaginary sound.
"That- that sound... boom... boom... boom!" He slammed his hand onto the game board in front of us.
"That didn't come from the troglodytes, no," he added. "That came from something else... the demogorgon!"
We all groaned in unison.
"We're in deep shit!" Dustin exclaimed.
"Will, your action!" Mike continued.
We all turned toward the wise one.
"I don't know!"
"Fireball him!" Lucas encouraged.
"I'd have to roll a thirteen or higher!"
Dustin shook his head, "Too risky. Cast a protection spell!"
Lucas disagreed, "Don't be a pussy, fireball him!"
"Cast protection," Dustin argued.
"The demogorgon is tired if your silly human bickering! It stomps toward you," Mike roared from behind his campaign game book.
"Fireball him," Lucas protested again.
Lucas and Dustin argued to Will of what he should do, all the words jumbled together in the air of the basement.
"Fireball!" Will yelled as he finally throws down the dice.
The dice rolled off the table and disappeared onto the floor.
"Oh shit!" we all said as we scrambled on the floor to search for it.
"Where'd it go?"
"Where is it?"
"I don't know!"
"Is it a thirteen?"
"I don't know!" Will emphasized again.
Just then Mrs. Wheeler yelled at us while we continued to search frantically for the dice. I heard her tell Mike that it was time to finish the campaign. With the rest of us still looking for the dice, Mike ran upstairs and I heard him complaining to his parents.
"Oh I've got it!" Will exclaimed. "Does a seven count?"
The three of us looked over at Will.
"Did Mike see it?" Lucas asked.
Will and I shake our heads.
"Then it doesn't count!"
Will glanced at me, but I just shrugged. We all packed up got ready to leave.
"Hey guys, does anyone want this?" Dustin asked holding up the almost empty pizza box.
"No," we all said and ran upstairs.
Mike led the lot of us to his garage where we all had stored our bikes.
"There's something wrong with your sister," Dustin said as he came into the garage.
"What are you talking about?" Mike questioned.
"She's got a stick up her butt," he replied simply.
I snickered.
Lucas nodded saying, "Yeah. It's because she's been dating that douche bag Steve Harrington."
"Yep, she's turning into a real jerk."
"She's always been a real jerk!" Mike stated.
"Nuh uh! She used to be cool. Like that time she dressed up as an elf for our Elder Tree campaign."
"Four years ago!"
"Just sayin'!"
I burst into laughter as I said goodbye to Mike. Lucas, Dustin, and I rode off.
When Will caught up to us I asked him, "What was that about?"
"I just told him the truth about the dice."
"Wise and noble," I nodded in admiration.
We both laughed.
"Hey guys, my street is up next! See you nerds later!" I called out to the two boys ahead of me.
"Hey y/n, don't forget about later!" Will yelled to me as I turned the corner.
I simply threw a thumbs up in the air and nodded. Once on my street, I pedaled even faster. I couldn't wait to get home and talk to Will about all the details of the other night. It wasn't just a coincidence that the same frightening thing happened to both me and Will at the same time. Right?