Chapter 1: The Party
November 15, 1989.
"REEFER RICK" LIPTON–LATE 30s, TALL, WAVY BROWN HAIR, HAZEL EYES– is getting ready to go deer hunting. Rick has been dreaming of this day for many years now. He has been home for 3 days, after being imprisoned for drug dealing. Rick is loading up everything he will need for his hunting trip: a .22 Rifle, extra ammunition, a deer call, an extra change of clothes, and a sack lunch consisting of two PB&J sandwiches, a bag of potato chips, a thermos full of warm vegetable soup, and a canteen full of water. After loading his gear into the boat, Rick pours some gasoline into the gas tank, pulls the motor cord three times before it finally cranks, and hops into the boat to begin his journey across Lover's Lake to hunt in the woods on the other side of the lake.
Reefer Rick departs for his journey across the lake. He is just past the banks of the lake and is bent over retrieving his binoculars. Rick hopes to do some bird-watching along the way to the woods. Rumor has it, there's a Bald Eagle currently nesting in the pines along the banks of the lake, just beyond the dam, and Rick hopes to catch a glimpse–and a photograph–of the majestic creature. As Rick is searching for birds through his binoculars, he spots a blue blob out of the corner of the binocular lens, to his left, in the direction of the shoreline. "What the hell?" exclaimed Rick when his eyes saw the alien object. Rick immediately turns the boat towards the mysterious sight and heads to the shoreline to inspect it.
Reefer Rick is now at the shoreline of the lake and realizes the peculiar blob is a human body! Rick rushes out of the boat and onto the shore to see if this person is dead or alive. After he approaches the body, Rick realizes the body is that of a man. "Excuse me! Excuse me, sir! Is everything okay? Are you alright?" Rick belted with a hint of dread in his voice.
When Rick's calls yield no response, he comes to the sad conclusion that the man is indeed dead. He gets closer to the man and his stomach drops at the sight before him–lying dead on the ground is Johnny Baker, Rick's card-playing buddy and occasional drug deal partner. Rick rushes over to Johnny's body. "Johnny! Oh my God! Johnny, what's, how, who did this to you?" said Rick with an animal-esque shriek. Rick frantically searches over Johnny's body for any signs of foul play: gunshot wounds, stab wounds, forced blunt trauma. Any sign, or signs, that might point to a cause of death. Then, just as Rick is getting up to go call for help, he gets the fright of his life when Johnny's body begins to squirm, wiggle and jiggle, and shake and a most unusual slug-like creature comes out of Johnny's mouth. And that's not all–a cluster of black, alien-like vines squelching like a child playing in the mud with his feet. The vines then began to emerge underneath Johnny's deceased corpse. "Oh shit!" Rick shouts and he immediately flees from the scene and races for his home to call the police.
"Thank you for calling the Hawkins Police Department. Flo speaking, how may I help you?"
"Flo! This is Rick Lipton–"
"Oh, Rick, I heard you got back to town a few days ago. Everything treating you alright?"
"Yes ma'am, everything is just fine. Flo, please listen, I need you to get the Chief out to my house immediately. I've got a situation. I… I… I… can't quite explain it. Johnny, Johnny Baker, I found him on the banks of the lake–Lover's Lake, and he's, uh, he's dead. I found his body. I don't know who or what killed him. But some kinda slug-thing crawled up out of his mouth and there are some kinda vines all over him…"
Unbeknownst to Reefer Rick Lipton, his phone, along with just about every household in Hawkins, Indiana, has been wiretapped by the U.S. government and his call to the police station is being recorded and currently heard by Colonel Jack Sullivan and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Military on wiretapping machines.
"Is this what you were waiting on, Colonel Sullivan?" asks one Joint Chief of Staff.
"Yes, sir. This is precisely what I've been waiting for," replies Colonel Sullivan.
"And you said this thing, this place, has been in Hawkins before? But it's been inactive for the past 3 years. Is that correct Colonel?" another Joint Chief of Staff asks.
"Yes, sir. That is correct, sir."
The first Joint Chief asks another question: "And the Soviets–they once knew about this place and had access to it?"
"Yes, sir. But don't worry–the Soviet situation has long been taken care of and is no longer a concern of ours."
"Good. Lord knows we can ill afford this problem to once again invade Hawkins, much less have the Soviets involved."
"How do you suggest we proceed in this matter, Colonel Sullivan? I give my full permission and cooperation for however you and your subjects can fix this–permanently."
"As do I, Colonel."
"Thank you, sirs, for your cooperation and approval. I will need as much weaponry and as many troops as you can provide me. This task will also require the complete support and collaboration of all U.S. Army forces."
"We will see to it that you have all that you need to complete this mission, Col. Sullivan."
"Agreed. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm off to ye old supermarket to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving. Patricia has been nagging me about it for a week now."
As the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the other generals, agents, and other Pentagon employees are making Thanksgiving plans, Colonel Sullivan is relaying the enormous mission ahead of him in his mind and makes one final request of the Joint Chiefs: "Sirs, if I could make one last request for you. If this mission is to be accomplished, I will need the people of Hawkins to be under control. The last thing we need is mass hysteria. Permission to invoke Martial Law if this gets out of hand?"
After permission for emergency Martial Law is granted, Colonel Sullivan boards a military helicopter and departs for Hawkins. He radios in: "It's back, Owens, and I need you to convince the girl to join forces with me to defeat it, once-and-for-all. If you don't, I will, and I don't think either you or she will appreciate my methods of persuasion. You have one week."
Friday, November 15, 1989. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
Mike runs towards the door to Professor Sparks' classroom. He is a few minutes late and today is a big day in Professor Sparks' class: the Calculus midterm. Mike is not normally a nervous ball of goo when it comes to Calculus (or any subject, truthfully) or Calculus exams, but today's exam is different. He needs to pass this test with at least an "A" minus or else his grade will drop to a "B." After entering the classroom, Mike quietly makes his way over to his desk. Although he received a glaring face of disapproval for his being late to class from Professor Sparks, Mike leans over to chat briefly with Dustin.
"Did I miss the exam?" Mike asks Dustin worriedly.
"No. Ole Sparky was just about to pass it out before you came in. And not that I'm surprised, but you're five minutes late. Where the Hell have you been?" Dustin exclaims.
"Urm…it's a long story, Dustin. But all that matters is: I'm here and I'm ready to ace Ole Sparky's exam!" Mike responds gleefully. "Is that so, Mr. Wheeler? I hope you have prepared well. I'd hate for Ole Sparky to give you an "F" on your semester examination." Mike and Dustin immediately jolt up from their conversation and come face-to-face with Professor Sparks who does not appear amused by their little discussion or the nickname which they jestly coined for him. The professor just smiles as he hands them their exams and repeats the action until every student has his/her test. After handing out the final test paper, Professor Sparks goes over to his desk, picks up his timer, and sets it: "Class, the examination has begun. You have exactly sixty minutes. Once you have completed your exam, please place them face down on my desk. And no. cheating. Good luck, everyone." The way Professor Sparks said everyone sent shivers down both Mike and Dustin's spines. It was as if Ole Sparky was directing his comment at them! The two friends shake this horrid thought from their minds and begin taking their test.
Thirty minutes have ticked by and Dustin is on the second to last question: "Determine favg for f (x) = 8x - 3 + 5e2-x on [0, 2]." Oh, that's so easy. It's this. Of course, Dustin is already almost finished with his test. He is a Mechanical Engineering major after all. Plus, you don't just infiltrate a secret, well-guarded Russian base underneath a mall, befriend a creature from an alternate dimension, or create a ham radio to communicate with your girlfriend in Utah, just to let a little Calculus test put you out of commission, right?
As Dustin whizzes through his test, Mike is struggling with question fourteen out of fifty. And it's not the math that has his mind in a fog. Mike's not sure what has got his mind so out of focus. Is it the pressure of not realizing his dream of becoming a Computer Engineer if the results of this exam go south? Or is it because he hasn't seen El in the flesh in almost three months and he misses her desperately? Or could it be that he's excited to be going home in two days? It's probably a combination of all three. Mike shakes these feelings off and continues working on solving–trying to anyway–the problems that lay before him.
Tick. tick. Tick. Ding! "Alright, class, pencils down," announces Professor Sparks.
Dustin and Mike exit the classroom and walk down the hall. They are going to their next (and last) respective classes of the day: Mike to Professor Gordon's class for English Literature; and Dustin to Professor Stewart's for Biology. Before the two friends enter their respective classrooms, they briefly make plans for later in the evening.
"Hey, Mike, don't forget about Lucas's game tonight. We're Freshmen in college now; we can't let him down as we did as Freshmen in high school," says Dustin.
"Totally. We're more mature now. I'll be there. See you later, man," Mike answers.
Mackey Arena, Purdue University.
Lucas is preparing for a test of his own. Albeit, this test does not come with a pencil and a sheet of paper. The outcome of this test is decided not with merit, but with literal blood, sweat, and tears all on a waxed, hardwood floor. Lucas may be just a Freshman on the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team, but tonight he will be more than just a Freshman on the bench. Tonight, Lucas will be a starter–for the Boilermakers! Junior starting Shooting Guard, Miles Kilpatrick, suffered a torn ACL a few days ago in practice. With Lucas being the backup Shooting Guard, it was only natural for the coach to send him in to replace Kilpatrick in tonight's game. It's the first game of the season and the Boilermakers are squaring off against in-state rival, Ball State. Needless to say, Lucas is nervous about the game, but he's also excited. Thinking about the last time he had to go in unexpectedly in a game and how well that turned out for him, Lucas is confident both he and his team will do just fine. He just hopes that Mike and Dustin won't be total assholes this time around and not show up to the game. But they gave you their word. They've grown up since then, they'll show, Lucas says to himself. He just wishes Max could be here, in person for the game. I know, I know. Max has to work and would be here tonight if she could. But she's my muse. Maybe she'll have time after her shift to at least cash the game on T.V Lucas says to himself, hoping to relieve his worries. Lucas cannot wait to see Max while on break. He's got so much to tell her! And it's not all focused on basketball. Lucas, a Military Science major and a cadet in Purdue's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), just received the Superior Cadet Award. Lucas received the honor for being exemplary in his ROTC duties and for maintaining excellent academic standards. His parents and Max are going to be thrilled when he shares the good news. But first things first: focus on playing well tonight and beating Ball State. That's why the team is having a light, walk-through practice today. Lucas continues to be in his own world when–
Bang! Lucas takes a ball right to the side of his face via team captain, Drew White affectionally known as "Whitey."
"Wake up, Sinclair! We gotta game to win, tonight!"
"Yeah, sorry, Whitey. I was just, uh, I was–"
"Yeah, yeah, no excuses, Sinclair. Just grab a ball and jump in on 3-man weave, alright."
"You got it, Whitey." responds Lucas.
It may not seem like it after this exchange, but Lucas and Whitey get along very well and Lucas genuinely respects Whitey as his captain. He knows that Whitey has his back, just like he has Whitey's. Whitey is in stark contrast to Jason and has even hung out with Lucas, Mike, and Dustin to play Nintendo.
Lucas picks up a ball and falls in line to begin the three-man weave drill.
The Pratt Institute, New York City, New York
In Professor Romero's class, Will is putting the finishing pieces on his end-of-the-semester project: a sculpture. The assignment was to create a sculpture of a person or entity from his past that is a reflection of who he is at present. Will had been extremely anxious about making his sculpture as he had never sculpted anything a day in his life. He always considered himself to be a drawer or painter–not a sculptor. Nevertheless, Will had no choice in the assignment, so he decided to make this the best sculpture Professor Romero has seen in her life! And the subject Will chose to use for his project surprised even himself.
"Very good, Mr. Byers. Very good, indeed. But if I may, what…exactly do you call this thing you are sculpting?" Professor Romero posits sincerely.
"Oh, um, it's an uh, it's called a Demogorgon. It's a character from Dungeon & Dragons, it–" Will replies when suddenly another student named Nick Whipple cuts him off.
"Typically is eighteen feet tall, with two heads and long tentacles for arms…but this one looks nothing like that. Why does it have claws for arms and teeth and why does it look like a venus fly trap?" questions Nick.
"Oh that, well, I was trying out some creative liberties," answers Will, nervously.
"Relax, Byers. I was just messing with you. I like it. Different, but it looks awesome. I mean, how boring would the world be if there was no variety in it?" says Nick, warmly.
Nick softly smiles at Will, but before he can return the gesture, Professor Romero takes the opportunity to chime in. "Your sculpture is exquisite, Mr. Byers, but if I may, why did you choose to sculpt a De-mo-gor-GON as a reflective piece?" Will is hesitant at first to explain why he decided to create a sculpture of the Demogorgon because if he's completely honest, he doesn't even know why. But Will quickly snaps out of this mindscape of doubt and answers Professor Romero.
"Well, I'm from a small town in nowhere Indiana, and growing up my friends and I were nerds - we still are in many ways - and we would play D&D for hours in my friend Mike's basement. Then, one rainy night in November, after playing a 10-hour campaign featuring the Demogorgon, I was…kidnapped. The last words I said before leaving Mike's house that night were 'the Demogorgon, it got me,' and so the Demogorgon has been in my psyche ever since. Anyway, I survived my kidnapping by remembering the love of my mom, brother, and my friends - that's what helped get me through. And as crazy as it sounds, had it not been for the Demogorgon, I wouldn't be the person I am before you today: brave, strong, and facing my fears every day."
Professor Romero is in tears and Nick is in awe after hearing Will tell his story. So much so that Romero gives Will an "A+" on his project and offers him a summer internship; Nick races to catch up with Will after class is dismissed.
"Hey, Byers!" calls Nick.
"Hey, Nick. What's up?" Will pauses in the hallway after Nick catches his attention.
"What you said back there…was really powerful stuff, man. I'm going to lunch, would you care to join me?"
"Yeah, I'd like that," says Will with a gleam in his eye.
Will and Nick are enjoying their lunch in the food court at Pratt and making light conversation:
"So, Will, how does a kid from 'nowhere' Indiana make it to the famous Pratt Institute?" Nick asks inquisitively.
"My mom has always encouraged me to follow my dreams, no matter where they may lead me. I've always loved art and I hoped to one day attend a university that caters to art. But it wasn't easy for me to get in and both my mom and my brother have helped pay the remainder of the balance that my scholarships can't pay."
The two Art majors continue talking when Nick asks, "So what town did you say you were from?"
"Uh, I didn't," responds Will, nervously.
Nick chuckles, "relax Will. I'm not going to stalk your hometown or anything like that. I'm from a small town myself. Rhinebeck, New York to be exact. I used to hate it there, growing up ya know? But after being here in the city for the past three months, I've found that I miss it and my family, ya know?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I get it. I've grown to miss my hometown too while I've been at Pratt. I'm looking forward to going back for Thanksgiving and seeing all my friends and family. But maybe, Nick, if it's cool with you, you can come to visit sometime. Maybe on Spring break or for the summer?"
"I'd really like that, Will." smiles Nick.
After lunch, Will and Nick depart for their respective dorms. Once Will enters his dorm, he begins packing his suitcases, preparing for his flight back to Hawkins, back home the next day.
Family Video Store, Hawkins, Indiana.
"Thank you. Come again," El says after ringing a customer's purchase.
"You're getting the hang of it, El. Good job," Max commends El after watching her interaction with said customer.
"Thanks, Max. I just hope that was our last customer for the day. I'm pooped."
Max laughs, "Just look on the bright side, El. At least we don't have to be in this shit hole on Thanksgiving or the day after."
El returns the laugh, "Yes. Thank goodness for that."
El and Max are both employees at the Family Video Store. Keith had to find replacements for Steve and Robin after they left and El and Max needed jobs, so it all worked out perfectly. Max was made Assistant Manager of the store after displaying exemplary skills and rental numbers. Although Max would much rather be working anywhere but Family Video or attending college right now, she is grateful for her position because it means more money. And more money means her mom doesn't have to spend night and day working two jobs to pay the bills. El, on the other hand, is just a sales associate. Like Max, she likes working at the video store, but her desire was (and is) to attend Purdue with Mike. More than that, El's chief goal is to one day become a mentor or a counselor to children like her. Children born with disabilities who struggle to control their disabilities or function with them in the world. El reminds herself regularly that she is lucky to have found Mike, Hopper, Joyce, and all her friends and family here in Hawkins; people who truly love her and who have helped shape her into the young woman she is today. Naturally, El wants to show that same love and kindness to others who either don't currently have such a support system or who were born into an environment void of such compassion. But Hop felt El wasn't yet ready to take on such a feat. Hopper admires El's ambition and she knows that, but Hopper as well as Eleven knows that the military and other government agencies still have their eye on her and it's best (for now) that El remains in Hawkins. Plus, Hopper encouraged El to continue learning responsibilities and how to live in the "real world" and figured her getting a job would be a great place to start. And it's not that bad having a job. El gets to spend her money however she pleases and she has been putting some aside for when she does get to attend Purdue. But having this job isn't always smooth-rolling for El. There are many days when she gets so frustrated with it that she has those urges, but fortunately, El's been able to resist and keep her powers at bay long enough not to act upon them. But today, something happens that causes El to snap and she loses her composure.
Because Family Video closes early on Fridays, Max, and El are busy closing up the store when some customers–probably no older than thirteen years of age–enter. The young customers begin rifling through various VHS tapes, seemingly having no idea as to what they are looking for exactly.
"Can I help you find something?" El asks one of them.
"No, ma'am. Just looking." answers one of the customers.
More like making a mess, El sarcastically says to herself.
The customers continue rifling through the tapes when one of them suddenly removes a tape from its box, which El sees.
"Excuse me. You can't do that!" El admonishes the customer.
"What? I don't need the box and the customer is always right." replies the troublemaking customer.
"But you are damaging store property and if you want to rent that movie, I think you should stop doing that!" El tries to reason with him, but he clearly doesn't care about anything she just said because he and his buddies begin repeating the action with several other VHS tapes. El tries her best to make them quit, but they ignore her repeated pleas and El decides she has had enough.
"What the hell?!" one of the boys cries out.
As the boy is holding the videotape in his hand, the tape inside the VHS begins to roll itself out and continues doing so until all the tape is completely unwound. Afterward, El wipes her nose of the blood that has protruded from her nostril and stands there, hands in fists waiting for the unruly customers to make their next move. The only move the boys are ready to make is to run for the door and get the heck out of there.
"Let's go, Jerry!"
"Yeah, Tommy. Let's get the hell out of here before that weird girl calls the cops on us!"
After the customers leave, Max comes running from the ladies' room where she had been cleaning to see what all the commotion was about.
"El, are you alright? What happened out here? I heard some screaming and–what the hell happened to these tapes?"
Through tears, El tells Max about the incident that just occurred. "It's okay, El. It's okay. You handled it the right way and you were in the right, not them. They were probably going to try and resale the tapes, which is why they were taking them out of their boxes. Though maybe next time, you could try not to use your powers on the customers. I have a feeling Keith wouldn't like that very much…"
El laughs softly at the suggestion and the girls finish cleaning up and closing the store. After this is completed, they exit the store and load up in Max's car so that Max can drop Eleven off at Hopper's cabin. The two friends chat about anything and everything they can think of, but they spend a good deal of time talking about Mike and Lucas and how they can't wait to see them over the break.
Max and Eleven arrive at Hop's cabin and as El gets out of the car, Max asks El to do something:
"Hey, El. I know this may not be what you want, and I can't believe I'm even saying this, but it's okay to open up to Mike about work. I'm sure he'll understand," Max says with a sincere yet friendly smile.
"Thank you, Max. For everything. I couldn't have asked for a better friend," El returns with just as much sincerity.
After this exchange, El closes the car door and heads for the cabin and Max backs out of the driveway, heading for her house. Max is looking forward to going home after a long day at work, but today is a special day because she will be able to watch Lucas play in his first college basketball game. Although she wishes she could be at the game in person, the T.V. will suffice for now; all that matters to Max right now is that she will be watching Lucas play and she will be his number 1 supporter the entire way.
The Hawkins Post, Hawkins, Indiana
Nancy, now an official reporter at the Hawkins' newspaper, is sitting at her desk scribbling down some notes on her notepad while speaking on the telephone.
"Yes, yes, thank you. I will stop by Mr. Lipton's home in just a bit. You have a great day as well." Nancy hangs up the phone and finishes jotting down her notes. After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Journalism, Nancy interned this past summer with The Indianapolis Star. Her bosses and colleagues at the Star were so impressed with Nancy's knowledge and work ethic, that they sent out referrals to every single newspaper in the entire state of Indiana. Nancy will be the first one to tell you she never imagined she would be back in Hawkins, much less The Hawkins Post, after going off to the big city and living out her dream of becoming a "big city reporter." But Hawkins is Nancy's home and deserves an objective reporter such as herself. Not only that, but Nancy has literally bled and has risked her life time and time again for her beloved town of Hawkins. Besides, Bruce, Tom, and those other assholes are long gone and the Post's new editor, Kevin McGowan, is a far cry from Tom. Kevin genuinely cares about the citizens of Hawkins and wants them to be informed of the goings-on in the world around them. Kevin is also a wonderful boss; he treats Nancy and the other women in the office like actual people instead of coffee runners. While Kevin does listen to their suggestions on stories they believe ought to be covered, he does–on occasion–assign them stories he believes the community will want to read. Admittedly, Nancy enjoys most of the stories Kevin assigns her, but this most recent one did leave Nancy scratching her head. For the last few weeks, Nancy has been working on a story under the working title: "'Reefer' Rick Lipton: Drug Dealer Returns home after years in State Penitentiary," which Nancy at first did not want to write. However, given Nancy's history with "Reefer Rick,"-or his house, at least–she is intrigued to sit down and speak with a Hawkins legend such as him. Thus, Nancy has a scheduled interview with Rick Lipton in about 30 minutes at his home. Nancy finishes gathering her things, grabs her car keys off her desk, gets into her car, and drives to the Lipton residence.
While en route to meet with Reefer Rick, Nancy turns on the radio to drown out the silence. Nancy hums along to the music, until "There Is Frost On the Moon" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra comes. She immediately stops humming and tries to hold down the memories the song no doubt will generate. Memories of her and Jonathan at Murray's house desperately trying to expose Hawkins National Lab for what they did to Barb; memories of them drinking Vodka and resisting the urge to spit the alcohol out after feeling its burning sensation from their throats to their nostrils. The memories of togetherness, unity, and their consummation of that unity, when they were happy and together flood through Nancy's mind with such ferocity that she quickly clicks the radio dial to turn it off. Pull yourself together, Nance. You need a fresh, unemotional mind when talking with Rick. You're a big girl, now. You can handle a breakup. You've done it once, you can certainly do it again. After reassuring herself, Nancy continues to Reefer Rick's place.
Hawkins Police Department
Steve and Robin are playing a game of Go Fish at Steve's desk at Hawkins' P.D. and they're both down to one card apiece.
"Do you have a…9 of hearts?" Steve bequests Robin.
"Go fish, Harrington." Robin laughs when Steve lets out a frustrated sigh.
"Do you have a King of spades?" Robin asks Steve.
"Damnit, Robin! How do you always beat me?" Steve asks in frustration.
Robin chuckles at Steve's obvious disappointment in losing again, then says "Because you're always too busy thinking about Susan, Becky, Rita, or whatever P.Y.T. is currently on your mind."
"Touche," Steve says admittingly.
Although Robin regularly beats Steve at Go Fish or whichever game they frequently play to pass the time at work, they both love being police officers for the Hawkins Police Department. Sure, the pay isn't as great as it is elsewhere and Chief Powell isn't as on top of things as Hopper was, and, yes, they joined the police force for the sole purpose of becoming detectives instead of traffic cops, but they legitimately love serving the people of Hawkins. Like Nancy, Robin and Steve have given everything of themselves to protect their town from alternate forces and they consider their jobs to protect Hawkins' citizens to be admirable. Steve and Robin are putting the playing cards away when Flo comes in to inform them of the call that came in while they were out on patrol earlier.
"Rick Lipton called. There's been an emergency at his place. Something really strange happened over there and since you two are the only officers here at this moment, I need you to go over there and check it out," says Flo.
"Wait a minute. Rick Lipton. As in "Reefer Rick" Lipton?" questions Robin.
"Honey, I don't know this 'Reefer Rick' you speak of, but if he lives at 2121 Holland Road, then he's the Rick Lipton who called in," responds Flo.
The two best friends immediately grab their gear and leave the police department. After getting into Steve's police cruiser, Steve tells Robin to send Hopper a message via Morse Code: "Emergency. Need help." Robin tries the message again and again, but Hopper isn't responding.
"Damnit, Hopper. Pick up!" Steve shouts exasperatedly.
"Maybe he's not at home, Steve," says Robin, trying to reason with him.
Steve checks his watch. "At 6 o'clock with El, Will, and Jonathan not there? No way. He and Joyce are probably just making out like there's no tomorrow," Steve responds cynically and flips the switch, turning the blue lights and sirens on.
Hopper's Cabin
Hopper and Joyce are indeed lip-locking on the couch when the door unlocks, causing them to (reluctantly) come up for air. The lovebirds manage to recapture their composure as El comes walking through the door.
"How was work, El?" Joyce asks sincerely.
"It was…alright, I guess. Nothing happened most of the day."
"That's wonderful, kid. I'm so proud of you," Hopper says with a smile on his face.
"Thanks, Dad," responds El with an even bigger smile on her face.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Why don't you go freshen up, I'll call you when it's ready," says Joyce.
As El scampers off to her room, Hopper busies himself setting the table. Shit! I completely forgot today's Friday and El would be home early. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll be so glad when Mike comes home tomorrow. Maybe then El will venture out behind work and this cabin, Hopper says to himself as he puts the plates on the table. Moments later, Joyce calls El down for dinner and the little family begins eating their meal: hamburger steak with gravy, mashed potatoes (firm, not runny), and broccoli. The family makes small talk amongst each other and while Joyce is enjoying it, she can't help but be excited for when Will and Jonathan return home tomorrow. Then, they will all eat together as one, big, happy family.
After finishing her meal, El asks to be excused and goes to her room to try on clothes. She and Max went shopping the other day and El bought some dresses that she adored Max encouraged her to wear one on Saturday so Mike can see them after he gets home. So, El is modeling in front of the mirror trying to determine which one to greet Mike in. I want Mike to see me in something that says 'I am still El, I've matured, but I am still the Eleven you fell in love with.' He's still going to be the Mike I fell in love with, why should he expect anything different from me?
Satisfied with her selection, El sits on her bed and thinks of Mike and all the things she will say to him. Sure, they've been communicating via telephone and letters, but nothing compares to speaking to each other in the flesh. Before she heads off to the living room to watch Miami Vice with Joyce and Hopper, El thinks of what Mike is doing at this very moment and hopes that whatever it is, he's at least thinking of her and is as thrilled to come home tomorrow and see her as she is him.
Mackey Arena, Purdue University
The time is now 6:45 PM and the game between Purdue and West Indiana State has reached its conclusion. Purdue won handily, 104-56 with Lucas scoring 23 points, 3 assists, and only 3 fouls. It's safe to say, his coach and teammates were pleased with the True Freshman's performance tonight. And, as Lucas was playing, he had scanned the crowd feverishly until his eyes landed on Mike and Dustin, so it was a win on all accounts. Lucas meets up with his two best friends after showering and the three of them begin making their way back to their respective dorms. They start talking about how good the game was and how proud they are of Lucas. They then bring up the subject of Thanksgiving break and how pumped they are to be going home tomorrow. Suddenly, the friends are interrupted when a voice behind them calls out, "Mike! Hey, Mike, wait up a sec! I need to talk to you."
Mike, Lucas, and Dustin turn around to find the source of the voice, which belongs to Roger Pembroke, III. Roger, an upperclassman at Purdue, is the president of the Gamma Pi Nu fraternity. Standing at 6'2" tall with wavy blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes, Roger is a very attractive specimen of male. And all the girls on campus know this fact. Roger is quite the ladies' man, Mike suspects he's had at least 4 "girlfriends" in the time he's known him. Not only is Roger a handsome devil who none of the ladies can seem to get enough of, but he's also a rich kid. Mike doesn't know much about Roger's family or what it is they do for a living that provides Roger with such an extravagant lifestyle because Roger rarely if ever talks about them. He does talk about his 2 Dobermans, Tilly and Minka, but other than that Mike couldn't even tell you the names of Roger's parents. Nevertheless, the boys pause their walking to allow Roger time to catch up with them.
"Hey Roger, what's up?" asks Mike.
"We're having a party tonight at the Gamma Pi Nu house, sorta an impromptu, last-minute party before the break. Wanna come? It'll be a great chance for you to meet some more Gamma Pi's and earn your spot as a Gam Gam since you're still just a pledge and all. Whatta say, Mikey? You in?"
Mike isn't quite sure if he should go to the party or not (and wishes Roger were asking him anywhere but in front of Dustin and Lucas), but says 'yes' because he wants to be a member of Gamma Pi Nu and when's the last time he got invited to a party. This may be his only chance to prove to Roger and the rest of Gamma Pi that he has what it takes to be a Gam Gam.
Dorm, Purdue University
Thirty minutes later, Mike and Dustin are back in their dorm, discussing Mike going to the frat party.
"I just don't see why you have to go, Mike. I mean we have a Greyhound to catch at 7:30 AM sharp tomorrow. Plus, one party isn't going to make a difference. If Roger and the rest of those douchebags think you're good enough to be in Gamma Pi Nu, then they'll accept you as you are; and if it takes a party or toilet papering a sorority house or whatever other stupid pledges you've had to do so far, to make them see you're worthy of being a member of the frat, then maybe…maybe you shouldn't waste your time doing all that stupid shit." Dustin says passionately.
"Dustin, I get what you're saying and what you're trying to do and I'm grateful, honestly. But this is something I've got to do for myself; I've got to find out, Dustin. You know just like Lucas and everybody else back home knows, I'm not the type that these frats let in, and for the brothers of Gamma Pi Nu to see that I have at least some potential, tells me I might just make it with these guys."
"What did El think about it?"
Mike hesitates for a brief moment, unsure of how to respond to Dustin's question.
"Uhh, think about what?"
"You going to the party."
"Oh that, well, I um, I haven't told her."
"Jesus, Mike! Why didn't you tell her about it?"
"For the same reason I didn't tell her about me even pledging a fraternity: I don't want her to feel left out. I mean you know how heartbroken she was when we all left for college and she wasn't allowed to even apply muchless go."
"Yeah, I guess you're right, but don't you at least want El to be prepared for when you come home and are acting like a complete meathead after being around those guys?"
"I'm not gonna be a 'meathead'. When I get home, El is going to see the same Mike she's always known and loved before I ever left for college."
After Mike makes this declaration, he gets a shower, changes clothes, brushes his teeth, and leaves for the Gamma Pi Nu house. As soon as Mike leaves, Dustin goes down to the Common Room and, using the pay phone, calls Suzie.
Gamma Pi Nu House
Mike walks up to the door and rings the doorbell. Nobody answers the door, so Mike rings it again and again and again, all his tries to no avail. So, Mike opens the door and walks in; music is blaring throughout the house and partygoers are either singing at the top of their lungs, dancing, or lip-locking with whoever they brought to the party. Ah, that explains why no one answered the door Mike ponders to himself. Mike is looking around for Roger when he spots him in the living room, and he makes his way over to him.
"Hey, Mikey's here!"
"Thanks for inviting me, Roger! Glad I came!"
"No problem, buddy. Hey, listen, since you're here, I thought we could go and do your initiation. How'd that sound?"
"Sounds…awesome. Yeah, let's do it!"
Roger takes Mike to a back bedroom and there waiting is a chair with Mike's name on it and a sorority chick with an electric razor in her hand. The girl instructs Mike to sit in the chair and before Mike can even ask what's going on here, Roger pushes him onto the chair. "Here it is, Mikey: your initiation ceremony. Each member of Gamma Pi Nu gets his head shaved upon initiation, including myself. Alright, Samantha, do it."
Before Mike can resist, Samantha places the razor firmly on the hairline at the nape of his neck and begins shaving all his long, precious locks off.
Lipton Residence, Hawkins
As Mike is getting a very unexpected haircut, Nancy is about to receive a surprise of her own.
Nancy has just arrived at "Reefer" Rick Lipton's house at 2121 Holland Drive and is immediately flooded with memories of that Spring in 1986. She pauses and takes a moment to think of Eddie Munson hiding out here, waiting patiently for herself and the others to deliver the leader of the Hellfire Club his much-needed food while he was on the run from Jason and his Satanic Panic-crazed cronies. Nancy quickly relinquishes her mind of such thoughts and proceeds to knock on the door, "Mr. Lipton, Nancy Wheeler with The Hawkins Post, we were scheduled for an exclusive interview." After repeated knocks and no answer, Nancy decides to go around back and check. Nancy is walking towards the back of the house when she hears faint noises in the distance. Sounds like somebody talking. As Nancy is going to investigate the source of the sounds, she hears sirens approaching and turns around to see a Hawkins P.D. car coming up the drive, number 030–Steve's car.
Steve and Robin climb out of the car and are quite stunned to see Nancy already at the scene.
"Nancy, what are you doing here?" asks Steve.
"I have an interview with Mr. Lipton, for my exclusive on his being released from prison. What are you doing here?"
"We received an emergency call from Reefer Rick saying that he found a body," answers Robin.
"Oh, okay, that makes sense, I guess." Nancy begins making her way to find Rick, but Steve calls her back.
"Whoa, whoa, Nance. Where are you going? We have an active crime scene here, you can't just go off and do whatever."
"Steve, I know you're doing your job, okay, I get that, but I came here to interview Rick Lipton and I'll be damned if I leave here without at least questioning him. It might not be the story my editor was hoping for, but it's something," retorts Nancy.
Robin lightly chuckles at the exchange and Steve, realizing that he has just lost this argument, begins walking towards the lake shore where Rick is.
"Are you two coming or are you gonna just keep standing there? C'mon, let's go. Geez, you two are getting as bad as Henderson."
After the trio gets to the shoreline, Robin and Steve begin roping off the scene and put up the yellow police tape. As the two police officers do this, Nancy goes over to speak with Rick.
END CHAPTER.