Hellfire's Angel | Stranger Things

The Vanishing Of Will Byers

           On the night that Will Byers went missing, Frankie Evans was blissfully unaware of the terror unfolding nearby while spread out on her bed writing her History paper. She tapped the notebook with her pencil, struggling to find the right words. The paper was due tomorrow, and she began to wish she hadn't left it until the night before to finish it.

She blamed her boyfriend Travis for the distraction. He'd been acting extra clingy the past few weeks, always wanting to hang out and constantly keeping her out late. She wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't taking a toll on her schoolwork. Not to mention her parents were growing tired of her late-night comings and goings. She'd made a promise to herself and to them she would stay in tonight to catch up on homework. Surprisingly, she was quite relieved to have some alone time, though she had to admit it would have helped to have someone who was better at history to help her with this paper.

By half ten she was still struggling when her mother stuck her head around the door to say goodnight. She looked a bright sight wearing a pink robe, matching fluffy pink slippers and her blonde hair curled tightly to her scalp with pink rollers. Frankie couldn't imagine them being comfortable to wear, but her mother was determined to have curls. Whereas she was content with her naturally straight hair.

People often told her she was her mother's double, that they looked like sisters. Though it was true her mother had kept her youth, Frankie felt Anya Evans was the most beautiful woman in Hawkins and her own features could not compare. They shared the same long golden blonde hair, dark ocean blue eyes and slim bodies. Her mother was skinny from working out daily and dieting, while Frankie was effortlessly slim.

I remember when I was your age, I could eat whatever I wanted and wouldn't gain a pound, Anya would say. Just you wait until you're my age and have to work to keep your figure.

Frankie disagreed. Staying skinny was the least of her priorities when she grew up.

"Don't stay up too late," her mother warned.

"I won't," Frankie replied, "Goodnight."

Alas, the History paper kept her up until half eleven after rewriting the conclusion several times. Now her mind was too active and falling asleep felt impossible. Her bag was packed for the morning, alarm set, clothes laid out, just in case she might struggle to get up in the morning, which no doubt she would considering the minutes were ticking by and still no sleep was near her. First, she had been mentally going over her homework, now her thoughts were on her boyfriend.

They had known each other since they were children, much like all the other kids their age in Hawkins. They shared the same circle of friends, always hanging out after school and at weekends. However, as they grew up, the dynamics of their group changed. Tommy H and Carol were the first to pair up, or rather, hook up. Steve became known as a bit of a player. Then one day, Travis asked Frankie out on a date and the rest is history. They had been together ever since.

Years later they were still a couple. Though now she felt herself drifting away from him. It wasn't that she didn't love or care about him anymore, she just wasn't sure if she was in love with him. She blamed the changes which came with growing up, they changed the boy she once knew, and not for the better. It was the boy who first asked her out that she cared about, that was why she stayed. She stayed beside she once loved him.

Sleep finally came, and she was abruptly awoken by her blaring alarm. Still half asleep, she managed to roll out of bed, change into her laid-out clothes, get washed and head downstairs for breakfast. Her mother was making toast while her father read the morning paper and sipped his coffee. The former greeted her with a cheerful good morning, the latter with a quick glance.