A/N: Jonathan and Will aren't the children of Joyce in this. Also, this is a modern AU.

Will was texting Max when he got a call. He didn't recognize the number but remembered Jane said she was getting a new one. "Hey," Will said.

"Hello, Will," an unfamiliar voice said. "What's your favorite scary movie?"

So it's a prank call. It must be the anniversary of the first killings or something. "I don't like scary movies," Will said. "I'm more into action-adventure or fantasy. However, if I had to pick one, I'd say the original Poltergeist."

"That one isn't very gory," the caller responded.

"You don't need gore to be scary," Will responded. "And having gore doesn't automatically make something scary. Like, John Wick isn't a scary movie, and that film is very gory."

"Fair point," the caller said. "Have you seen Stab?"

"I live in Hawkins, Indiana," Will said. "Of course, I've seen Stab. I'm sure everyone has seen Stab here, at least the original one."

The microwave went off. Will was him alone. His mom was at a conference, he hadn't heard from his dad in years, and his older brother moved out a few years ago. "Let's play some Stab trivia," the caller said.

"No thanks," Will said. "I haven't seen that movie since I was twelve."

"Let me rephrase that," the caller said. "You play the game or say goodbye to your friend, Max."

The caller message Will. He nearly dropped his phone. It was a video of someone standing outside of Max's house. He was holding a butcher knife. Will could see Max behind a window, getting ready for bed. Will quickly ended the call and entered the chat with Max.

Will: Max, you need to call the police. There's someone outside your house with a knife.

His phone rang again. It was the same number.

Max: answer the effing call.

Crap. Whoever this is must've stolen Max's SIM card. Will reluctantly answered the call. He was shaking as if he got dropped into the waters around Antarctica. "Question one," the caller said. "Who played Joyce Byers, the original final girl from Stab and real-life Hawkins survivor?"

Will quickly pulled up the first movie's IMDB page. "Um," Will said.

"Ten seconds," the caller said.

"Wiona Ryder," Will screamed. "Wiona Ryder played Joyce in the original Stab movie."

"Correct," the caller said. "Question two; what horror movie did Casey Becker have to play trivia with?"

He checked the plot synopsis. Will was starting to hyperventilate. "Friday the thirteenth," he screamed. "She got two-thirds of the questions right but fumbled the last one! She forgot Jason's mom was the killer in the first movie."

"Correct again," the caller said. "Let's see if you fall for the same curse. Who was the killer in the original Stab movie?"

"Freak you," Will said.

"That's not the answer," the caller said. The tears were streaming down Will's face.

"Wait, I know this one," Will screamed in joy. "It was Lonnie Byers! Lonnie was the killer, and he was Joyce's boyfriend. He also killed her mom. I got you, you freak! I got you!"

"I'm sorry, but that's only partially correct," the caller said. "The killers were Lonnie Byers and Neil Hargrove. Say your goodbyes to Max."

The call ended. Will broke a vase and picked up a shard. "I'm coming, Max," Will said. He made a run for the door. He opened it, someone in a ghost face outfit waiting for him. The person slashed Will's stomach. He unleashed a screech. The wound hurt like crazy, but it was mostly a flesh wound.

Will slammed the door shut and locked it. He clutched his wound and used his other hand to message emergency services. "They're coming," Will screamed. His phone vibrated with another text from the person.

Unknown: Did you forget about windows?

Will felt something sharp enter his back. Will collapsed to the floor. He crawled to the kitchen, leaving a trail of blood. The attacker grabbed Will's ankle and started to drag him. Will kicked the attacker in the shoulder.

The attacker stomped on Will's ankle, breaking it. Will let out a loud sob as the attacker began to attack his face with his knife. Will used his hand to block his knife. The knife went straight through his palm, stopping inches from his face.

The attacker ripped the knife out. The attacker lifted the knife like it was Thor's hammer.