After school the next day, Nancy took Carrie with her to Hawkins Middle School. They met Mike coming out the front door, with the entire gang trailing after him. He smiled at Carrie and said, "This is the whole party, that's what we call ourselves. This is Will, Dustin," (he shot Dustin a warning not to show off his teeth) "Lucas, Max, and the one we really wanted you to meet, Jane."

They all shook Carrie's hand as they were introduced, but the girl with slicked-back hair and smoky eyes threw her for a loop by offering her left hand instead. And when Carrie stuck out her own, Jane very clearly turned her head to stare at Carrie's arm. "No tattoo," she said.

Nancy put a hand to her face, embarrassed. "Jane's still learning about certain social skills, you'll have to excuse her."

Carrie shrugged. "I don't mind. But what does she mean about a tattoo?"

Jane turned her own arm to show the "011" she was stuck with for life, unwilling to go through any more procedures even to have it removed. "I got it from the same place that made me able to do this." She slipped off her backpack, and with a quick dip of her head it was floating in midair.

The rest of the group quickly rounded on her, shouting for her not to do it out in the open. Carrie would have found it funny, except the act itself was still stuck in her mind. She had just barely discovered her own powers, and suddenly here was someone else who could do it too?

Jane put the backpack back on and turned back to Carrie. "So what can you do?"

Carrie blushed. "I can't just do it when I want to. I have to be really upset, or something."

The other girl smiled. "I used to be like that too. Maybe I can help you get better at it. But, where did it come from?"

Carrie looked back at Wendy. "It just started a few days ago. I don't know anything else about it, just that Mama said it was evil."

Jane scoffed and said, "Right, the mouth breather."

Everyone paused for a few shocked seconds. But then Carrie started to shake, and a few titters escaped, and suddenly she was laughing out loud until it started to draw attention from the few people still around. The party quickly moved her down the sidewalk, until they seemed far enough away to avoid any more attention. That's when Max spoke up: "So this is getting to be a regular thing with you guys, huh? Should I expect another new girl next year?"

Carrie didn't know what to make of this at first, but the others were all so clearly amused that she quickly got on board with it. Mike then spoke up again: "Well, whatever happens, it sure can't hurt to have another badass psychic in the group, right?"

"Exactly what I was thinking."

Everyone spun to face the new arrival, to which it was Dustin who first started talking again. "Mr. Clarke, we were just talking about a new game…"

The teacher held his hand up. "I'll just stop you right there. You really thought you were being subtle with all that stuff you were asking about other dimensions and how to cross over? And don't think I just forgot about whatever it was in that box you were all so afraid to show me." Now having gotten their full attention, he continued, "Yeah, I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now, and I don't quite understand everything that's been going on, but I've gotten enough to know how big a deal it is. And with our new arrival here, I think it's about time I just offered my help."

Carrie shyly looked away, and Mr. Clarke's voice softened. "Oh, don't worry, dear. I'm sure you're just caught up in this like the rest of them. But if what I suspect is true, you'll have a part to play in this, and you should be prepared for it as much as possible."

Nancy stepped forward. "Excuse me, but as far as I know you're just a middle school teacher. And we've been doing pretty well on our own. So just what are you offering here?"

Mr. Clarke smiled. "That's exactly the kind of question you should be asking. And the answer takes a bit of explanation. The short version is, when I was around your age I had my own experience with, well, monsters."

Everyone suddenly stiffened at that, and he went on unfazed, clearly having expected it. "I lived through it, but a lot of people didn't, and I did everything I could to leave it behind. I moved here, and changed my name, and just tried to live as normal a life as I could. Unfortunately, that's not an option anymore." He took a deep breath, before divulging the information he hoped he'd never have to give again.

"My name is Mark Petrie."