Animal Instinct \\ Stranger Things [Seasons 1-5]

i

[Word Count: 4,010]

| chapter - one |

\ curiosity killed the cat /

> episode - one, part - one <

Salis remembers the day William Byers went missing.

It was like any other day. He was settled in the Wheeler's basement watching them play through their DnD Campaign. He would've played himself but as a French boy, he hadn't much heard of it until he came to the little town of Hawkins, Indiana. And so therefore, he thought it'd be best if he just watched on the sidelines.

Four young boys sit at a table with multiple figures, dice and a light to see what they were doing. All the while, Salis was watching from a separate chair, having no prior knowledge to this... game? Was that the word for it? He wasn't sure.

He's never really played, games, in France before. Only ever focused on studying, weekends at Notre Dame with his father and other boring things.

But as he watched, the brown suspenders that usually went over his white button-up shirt were slacked, now dangling over his hips, around the chair.

"Something is coming. Something hungry for blood." Mike narrates as he looks around, no flaw to be heard in his tone. "A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness..."

Momentarily, Salis looked around, and even so much as twisted in his chair, looking up and down, side-to-side. But... there was no darkness to be seen, or shadows, other than the lights reflecting from the walls of this basement.

The boy was confused, eyes squinted.

Until - "Sal...?" The boy turned to his brother, Dustin, raising his eyebrows and humming. "It's not real, remember? It's just a game."

It clicked, "Oh..." Salis nodded. "Désolé." He apologized.

["Sorry."]

The four got back into character and continued to focus.

"It is almost here."

"What is it?" William had a certain innocence to the way he spoke.

"What if it's the Demogorgon?" Dustin worried as William pushed himself back into his seat. "Oh, Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the Demogorgon." He placed his hand on his temple.

"It's not the Demogorgon." Lucas was sure of it, without a single doubt.

Mike cut back in, "An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" He slams down a few figures onto the table.

Lucas flung his arm, knowing it was the case. "Troglodytes?" Dustin smiled.

Lucas returned the smile, "Told ya'." As the group chuckled together.