Meet the Hawkins ~ Stranger Things

Prologue

November 6th, 1983

Hawkins, Indiana

Wheeler residence

James Hawkins

"Something is coming. Something hungry for blood." James leaned forward across the table, waiting with a ball of anxiety rolling in his belly. Sweat pooled around his brow before falling down the side of his face. Turning to his right, sitting right next to him was his friend, Will Byers. A scrawny kid, with old hand me down clothes, wide eyes and pale skin that made him look sickly, and had a bowl cut of brown hair.

"A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing everything in darkness." Mike Wheeler was the tallest of the group. He was pale as well, but he didn't look as sickly. His hair was shaggy black that hid his ears and his eyebrows. His face was littered with little freckles. He was also the one who lived in the house, so he was the most relaxed. "It was almost here."

"What is it?" Will asked. James could see that the boy with the unfortunate haircut was just as nervous as he was.

"What if it's the Demogorgon?" Dustin asked. Dustin was the opposite of James. Where James was a ball of nerves, Dustin was a little ball of energy. The kid with messed up teeth always wore skater shirts, or band shirts. His skin was naturally sun kissed and his curly hair always a mess under the baseball cap. "Oh, Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the Demogorgon." The boy leaned forward and put his hands in his face.

"It's not the Demogorgon." Lucas said. Lucas was the voice of reason in the group. While his logic may not be right all the time, it was still logic, which was something the other boys didn't really have. Lucas had dark skin, and short black hair and always wore sports jerseys. Lucas was about to speak again, but Mike butted in.

"An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" Mike yelled and slammed down a couple of small figurines of the tiny monsters.

Instantly, all the boy's relaxed, with Dustin looking the most disappointed. "Troglodytes, really?"

"Told ya." Lucas chuckled.

James though, he watched Mike carefully. The little bastard was smirking to himself. James narrowed his eyes and said nothing, knowing the dungeon master had something up his sleeves.

"Wait a minute." Mike said softly. James leaned forward again. He grabbed his dice and waited patiently for Mike to unveil what he had. "Did you hear that? That... that sound? Boom... boom... Boom!" Mike slammed his hands on the table, making Lucas and James jump back. "That didn't come from the troglodytes. No, that... that came from something else." Mike looked each of them in the eye. First to Will the Wise, the wizard. Then to Dustin, the artificer. To Lucas, the party's ranger. Before looking James dead in the eyes and slamming down one last figurine. "The Demogorgon!"

All the boy's groaned. Lucas placed his head on the table. Will through his hands up. James looked towards the heavens to grant him mercy while Dustin said what they were all thinking. "We're in deep shit."

Lucas picked his head up and turned towards James. "Eldritch blast him!"

James combed his fingers through his blond hair and shook his head. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You're a warlock, Eldritch blast is the only thing you can do!" Lucas yelled.

"Screw you! At least my blasts are accurate! I never took out a party member's eye!" James retaliated while gesturing to Dustin who was wearing a plastic eye patch.