One-Shot

You are passing through Hawkins to grab lunch and get gas. What could go wrong?

If you were to drive into Hawkins, Indiana, you'd see the usual welcome sign along the road with the current population on it.

But then, you'd stop, then backtrack to reread the sign.

Added to the sign, someone added a nailed-on sign under Population:

Upside Down Residents:

Demogorgans: 60

Demo Bats: 400 (and counting)

Mind Flayer: 1 (It comes and goes depending on Gate availability)

Russians: (Census still pending)

Hawkins Lab scientists: (Census still pending)

Telepathic translators/trainers on sight: 2 (Plus gang and "The Party")

Please see the ' Dungeons and Dragons' game manual and Jane Hoppers regularly updated ' Janes Declassified: 'Upside Down' Survival Guide' upon entry at the visitors center and any commercial store!

There was also an advertisement for Eggos, and another for a mall under construction on a nearby billboard (a group of different handwritings overlapping each other in spray paint added: "Brought to you by Hawkins Lab and the Russians fighting for custody over a gate in that spot Jane is too lazy to close. But 11 needs practice! (The Russians like to think we don't know they're here. They're so obvious!)

You shake your head and continue anyway, thinking its' a prank.

But as you drive closer, things get… really really Strange.

You see kids riding on bikes. They were chasing after a group of dogs. But what made you nearly slam the brakes was what you THOUGHT were dogs, were clearly anything but!

"C'mon, Dart! Don't let them win!" A ginger haired boy cheered on one of the… things trailing in third place as the other things of the same species opened their faces like a flower and screeched as if bragging.

This 'Dart' took that challenge and gave a burst of speed to the kids cheering.

Shaking your head, you drive away from that unusual sight. The kids weren't in any fear or danger, so you continue on.

Up above, birds flew around.

Nope! Not birds, bat-things that also had a flower face! You decide to follow that signs' advice to read those two books.

Getting closer to town, you see more and more of those things, but the locals remain unafraid.

You see taller, more human-shaped things walking around or running on all fours.

There was a traffic light out and one of the person-shaped things had commandeered a vest and two hand-held stop signs to direct the flow of traffic.

You look at your coffee wondering if you spiked it or not, only to realize. Yup, it's still there.

A cop car has what looks to be the Chief of Police sipping his own coffee, encouraging the… thing? Person? What did that sign call them?

The thing held up Stop as it screeched menacingly at cars. Used the other sign to point at a senior citizen at the crosswalk. Face closed in, it ushered the gentleman to pass with the sign pointed at him (the man waved gratefully at the thing as he passed.)

Now, safely across, the traffic continued.

Gleefully waving the signs around, and screeching at others to stop, the locals seemed to understand its directions. As there appeared to be no problems, shockingly.

Finally stopping at a store, you run inside, and the locals seem to understand you're a visitor as a woman ("Call me Joyce,") ushered you to sit and pass you two books as you calm down.

Near hysterical, you ask her many questions. But you only seem to have more before the conversation is through.

Though you did find out her son was one of those kids on bikes earlier, she smiled exasperatedly and walked towards a walkie-talkie to talk on it.

An hour or two later, while eating lunch at a small outdoor restaurant, you finally grasp what's going on.

According to the introduction to Jane's book, it gives a brief history that also involves time travel !

And you think back to the kids on bikes, where was this Jane kid? Teenager?

Jane appeared to prevent many catastrophes! But it involved setting these Demogorgon's on the town as the catch. The prospect of no longer starving on the other side led to these things becoming domesticated? (There were impressive illustrations by Will Byers that showed the residents of the Upside Down in impressive detail for such a young age. There were supplemental candid photos next to them as well. Even a very creepy version of the buildings you passed through was covered in vines. That photo, and drawing, of a Gate was utterly terrifying and morbidly cool-looking. See the chapter involving Will's not-Disappearance and the marked pages in 'Dungeons' and Dragons' for more information.)

Pulling in beside you is a strange van that opens up to a bunch of punks you'd normally see in the city. Trailing behind were two very different girls.

"C'mon Jane, you need to eat!" The elder declared teasing the younger.

Jane?

"But I'm meeting up with Mike-!"

"You can flirt with your future boy-toy later. Eat!"

Future-? Yup, that's her.

The group wander in and are warmly welcomed by the employees.

You later see a young lady walk by later in town with two boys with their arms around her. Huh?

The happy scene is distorted by the nail bat one guy holds with the other with a gun in its holster. With the gear they had on, they looked like they were about to go hunting.

A local answered your unasked question. "Oh, they've probably just left the mandatory improvised self-defense classes run by Chief Hopper and the Police force. Every citizen in town is now required to attend at least once a week. There's even a tournament monthly to encourage it!"

The one with the bat kissed the lady, then the other guy, goodbye as he apparently was dropping them off at Joyce's work. He drove off in a car parked nearby as the trio disposed of their combat gear in the trunk. (Your eyes widened from just a glimpse of its' contents!) He then drove off to pick up the kids after talking on a walkie-talkie. (The kids from earlier?)

There was an overweight, cheerful fellow with a camcorder pointed at the sky. He also pulled out a walkie-talkie and talked to Joyce. "Hi, Joyce! I see the Mind Flayer on my camera. It must have just come home in the Upside Down!"

You look to the sky but don't see anything.

"I'll call the kids later. Will seems to be much better lately. Story or not, I don't blame him for freaking out. I'll keep you updated on its movements."

He put the camera away and went back inside to a tech-looking store.

That's right, the kid was possessed by the thing the first time around. Yikes.

Keeping an eye on the sky in confusion, you then see others randomly point a camera to the sky. Someone even calls the cops to alert them the Mind Flayer was back.

The locals have it covered, so you carry on. You had lunch, now, you just need gas and then you can leave for your final destination an hour away.

You turn on the radio, accidentally picking up their radio-chatter.

You change the station and hear Kate Bush and just let it go as he rode on. Far, far away.

Bob Newby rolls with his past/future relationship with Joyce to absolutely look after the fam. Whether or not Joyce picked him, or Hopper, I purposely left vague because I liked both pairings for her. No hating please!

Yes, I brought in Jane's sister to help her family with the Demogorgon's! Her crew even gets paid to help the cops from the citizen side of things. They finally have a home and are going straight. Jane's arrival was a godsend to them. (They still like dressing like that though.)

Yes, that is Dart. Whether Will made him or someone else did I'll leave up to debate.

The Nancy/Jonathan/Steve debate... I am of the shippers that go for a poly with them. Nancy could go either way and I hated how she led both of them on and being so indecisive. So, I had Jane ask the very innocent question of 'why not date both? Its only cheating if its a secret from the other, right?' The three in question interrogated Jane for an hour and then spent the next few days thinking about it before agreeing. Rocky at first, but smooth sailing since.

(Unrelated, I also like Steve/Billy. You will see that at one point)

Happy October! I have many Halloween fics planned!