Summertime was always a pleasant season for the town of Hawkins, Indiana. The year was 1984 and computers were on the rise thanks to help of a company known as Apple. Hot dates bloomed and so did the sky as it cleared of spring rains and moody clouds. Kids ran around in their bicycles, racing and playing war games. A different kind of child had settled into their community not too long ago.

Will Byers was one of these bicyclists as he had more energy than all the other boys in town put together, including his friends. They were racing around the town square, waving hello and a happy wish to everyone they met, including some members of their families as they went on their way to do some shopping. Teenagers and other twelve year olds came to watch them racing around, being wary of all the trucks and cars that came to and fro, stopping at every moment they came in front of them. This only disgruntled the drivers.

Upon making his way to the movie theater, Will came across a young girl in pigtails, whom he had never seen before. Curious, he rolled up to her.

"Hey, little girl? Are you new around here."

The girl who appeared to be about six years old seemed shy, but she answered straight away.

"Yes, I'm waiting for my mommy to take me to see a movie. She's getting the tickets."

Will smiled his best, trying to earn her trust.

"What's your name?"

"Gertie."

"Well, Gertie, you are welcome to stay as long as you like."

Dustin Henderson, the heavy-set member of the quartet who had his front teeth removed, wheeled his bike quietly behind his two other friends, the odd Mike Wheeler and the dark-skinned Lucas Sinclair, who were forming a gap.

"I'm going to win," he muttered quietly.

But his thoughts of victory had diverted him straight into a trash can that frightened Will, but intended no harm as memories of the Upside Down began to haunt him. His feet soon had a mind of their own and they pedaled his bike straight into a trashcan, falling over on it's left side and Will rolled twice away from the spilled trash. Thankfully, he did not bleed, but Troy Harrington and his friend James who had a nasty habit of treating Will and his friends as if they were sideshow attractions, no, subhumans, laughed while some of the citizens nearby just watched. They could have helped him up, but they were certain that Will was able to support himself.

"Nice work, loser," came the not-so-nice voice of Troy.

Will heard him and fought back verbally.

"Call me that again and I swear to God that will kick your sorry a….ssssssssssssssss."

He was surprised to see his own father Lonnie standing above him like some guardian angel. The visits his father made to the family were scarce even after he returned.

"Are you all right, son?" he said kindly above the hissing. "You didn't break your crown or anything, did you?"

"No."

Will shook his head, he was more concerned that his father was standing right in front of him. And without his girlfriend Cynthia as well.

"Will," his father said at last. "I wanted to talk to you about something that concerns your education."

"My education? Out of all the kids in this neighborhood?"

"I'll take you home, we can discuss this with your mother."

Will's mother Joyce and his older brother Jonathan were just about as surprised as Will himself seven minutes earlier when he came into the house. Both parents were seated at the dinner table while the boys sat on the couch where black letters and colorful lights once hung above and had long since vanished since November.

"You know, Joyce. I think all that time in wherever it was he disappeared to must have rattled his brain."

"It's not exactly rattled, Lon. He's recovered pretty fast, both mentally and physically."

"But what about his intelligence? I know you think that I might not have thought of that before, but I think being in that place has had a unique effect on him."

Will felt like cringing into his soul. The Upside Down did have a unique effect on him, for he could remember the night he went to the bathroom and coughed up a slug into the sink.

"There's this town called Lillian, which is in Ohio," Lonnie continued. "And they've got a wonderful school and with us being divorced and all I was wondering that if I took Will off your hands, it will make life easier for the both of us, especially since Johnny's now a man."

"I guess so," sighed Joyce, who felt like there was no hate in her heart anymore. "But how much will it cost?"

"Not a single penny," Lonnie reassured her. "It's free. Save it for when Johnny goes to college."

"Look's like Dad has finally softened up," the older brother said to the younger.

But Will was thinking about something else.

"What do I tell my friends?"

"The truth."

"What about my school? Principle Coleman, Mr. Clarke…."

"They'll get the message. I just hope Dad will give you enough time to do all that."

But Jonathan soon realized that he spoke too when his father said.

"Will, start packing."

Will faced him with an uneasy expression.

"Right now?"

"Sure," his father relaxed his arms. "We've got a train to catch."

Without further ado, Will rushed to his room without even realizing his legs were going that fast and packed five shirts in red, tan, chartreuse, verdigris and almond, three jeans in black, white and blue, a toothbrush and two books, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 which he had just purchased from the school's book fair last month and Alien by Alan Dean Foster. Will also took his backpack which was already filled with his school supplies. He did not even think that was he going to stay for too long, and even so, he had packed only a few necessities in not to keep his father waiting. He was certain that Jonathan or his mother would send more of his things once he was settled in. And speaking of his mother and brother, they were standing outside waiting to see him off.

"Are you sure you want to go with him?" Joyce asked. "You don't have to."

"Mom's right," Jonathan added. "We're all the family you have. Dad doesn't really count."

"He is still my father, no matter what," said Will. "And he's not doing anything wrong this time, he actually cares for my education."

The horn of Lonnie's 1972 Oldsmobile 442 blasted along with a shout.

"Will! It's time!"

Joyce and Jonathan each gave Will a big hug and spoke again.

"Don't forget to write."

"I won't, Mom."

"And don't forget to read since you're going a special school."

"I won't forget that, Jonathan."

And he rushed over to his father's car and went around to the front passenger seat all without looking back.

"Can't I at least say goodbye to my friends first?"

But his father slammed his right foot down on the gas petal without another word. Jonathan and Joyce were sorry to see him go and when they told the news, everyone including Troy and Jennifer Hayes, a girl whom Will had romantic feelings for, was very silent all throughout the day.