Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish I owned Stranger Things, I don't

****Italic's are character's thoughts

The Vanishing of Will Byers

Chapter two, Will { Vanishing Act}

The night started off normal. Our party had been playing Dungeons and Dragons for at least ten hours and even though I rolled a seven towards the end, Dustin and I agreed the campaign was still a success so far. Lucas and I ran up the stairs and said good night to Mike's mom and the three of us went outside to wait for Dustin.

''There's something wrong with your sister'' Dustin said to Mike as the door slammed behind him.

''What are you talking about?'' Mike didn't look offered, just mildly confused at Dustin's outburst.

"She's got a stick up her butt'' Lucas hopped on his bike and nodded. "yeah it's because she's been dating that douchebag Steve Harrington''

''She's turning into a real jerk'' Our bike lights flipped on as Mike said that Nancy had always been a real jerk while Dustin protested. I started to feel bad about not telling Mike about the seven I had rolled, so I ended up confessing while the others got a head start on the ride home.

"well, see you tomorrow''. It didn't take me long at all to catch up with Lucas and Dustin, seeing as both of them lived closer to Mike than I did.

''Kiss your mom night for me!'' Dustin called after Lucas when he got home. ''race back to my place?''I didn't even bother to answer, just stood up on my bike and zoomed down the street, going much faster than Dustin. I could hear him cursing up a storm behind me and grinned. I went right by Dustin's house and shouted, "I'll take your X-Men 134!''

It was a really pretty night, the kind where the stars are shining, the air was crisp and cool, making me feel good all over. I figured mom and Jonathan must be home from work by now and worried over the fact that I wasn't there yet, so I decided to take the shortcut through Mirkwood.

There was a little bit of fog creeping in on the road, and my bike light flickered before going out. I looked up and saw what looked like a weirdly shaped man in the middle of the road.

I jerked on my bike and went off the side of the road. I picked myself up off the forest floor and heard what sounded like an animal behind me. I broke out in a run and got home in under ten minutes, didn't even realize I left my bike by the road.I burst through the door and locked it behind me, then went running up the hall.

''Mom, Jonathan? Mom?'' clearly no one was home, and I ran to check the window. The dog kept barking at the door, and I felt fear coil in my stomach because the monster from the road was outside my house.

Oh my god, ohmygodohmygod. I ran through the house and out the back door.

The shed… the shed is where the rifle is. The door slammed behind me and I grabbed the rifle.

ugh, stupid hands. come on come on. My hands were shaking so bad I could barley load the bullets. I pointed the rifle at the door, knowing somehow that it would follow me. Suddenly I felt the back of my neck prickle and the hair at my nape stood up. I heard a noise behind me and turned.

Oh my god. There it was, standing behind me. Grey and ugly, with claws for hands and no face. The light bulb above me started to get bright, it got so impossibly bright I had to shut my eyes. When I opened them, what looked like snow was floating around my face and I opened fire on the monster before I bolted.