A year ago...
"I don't understand," Karen sobbed.
"The mall was built over the remains of Hopkins Lab," the mortician said. "When they decontaminated it, it's possible they didn't get rid of all the chemicals. This is probably what killed your son. We're still trying to figure out what caused the mall to be destroyed. I'm so sorry for your loss, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler."
Nancy and Jonathan were watching from a window. They had paid the mortician to lie. He agreed, not being able to describe what killed Mike. "I feel bad about lying," Nancy muttered sadly. Jonathan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "They deserve to know the truth."
"Would they be able to handle the truth?" Jonathan asked. "Even if they believed you."
A new batch of tears came to Nancy's eyes. "I thought it was all over," Nancy cried. "When El closed the gate, I thought our troubles were over. Now Mike is gone, along with Hopper, Bob, and Barb."
Jonathan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Nancy leaned into his shoulder, beginning to sob. "How?" Nancy sobbed. "How did you deal with it? When you thought. Will was dead."
"I didn't have much time to cope," Jonathan whispered. "But I will be here for you. Every step of the way."
"Thanks, babe," Nancy said. Jonathan pressed a kiss into her head. He checked the clock behind her. He would need to be home soon since his mom was making a big announcement.
There was a knock on Dustin's door. Steve opened the door, seeing a girl with long hair. Her hair was black with blue streaks. Her skin was olive-colored. "Kali Parsad?" Steve asked.
"Yes," Kali said. "Your Eleven friends, right?"
"We are," Steve said.
"Where is she?" Kali asked.
"She's in Russia, saving her father," Steve said. He let her into the house.
"So which one of you is Eleven's boyfriend?" Kali asked. "The one she left my gang to help."
There was a moment of silence. "He died about a year ago," Dustin explained solemnly. "Something from the Upside-Down got him. I don't know if you've heard of the Mind Flayer, but it was that. He died to get rid of it."
"Oh," Kali said. There was another moment of silence. She sighed softly, deciding to change the subject. She could tell it was still a little too soon to talk about it. "So, what did you guys need help with?"
"There was a tremor in the ground," Steve said. "Will here can sense things from the Upside-Down. He said it was related to the Upside-Down."
"Then let's go to where Hopkins Lab once was," Kali said. "That's where the barrier between the dimensions is the weakest."
They quickly made their way to where the mall once was. It was now just a giant hole in the ground. No one had decided to build on it yet. The land was said to be cursed due to all of the death connected to this plot of land.
The hole went straight down. They stared into it and saw that there was a large hole, opening up into the Upside-Down.