Over the years nightmares have been a frequent friend in the Hopper house. Chills and a scream lodged in the back of her throat is the only way that Christine Hopper knows how to wake up. Her father tries hard to believe his daughter has a handle on...
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The group of four boys and one fiery girl take the steps down to the yard of another big house in Lock Nora. Dustin calls out over the younger kids pushing through them to get to the door, "Like, seriously, rich people are such suckers." He and Lucas sandwich themselves next to Max Mayfield. Dustin holds up a hand. "Wait. You're not rich, right?"
Max shakes her head. "No, I live up Old Cherry Road."
"Oh."
Max looks between the two of them as Mike and Will trail behind. "No, it's fine. I mean, the street's good for skating.
Dustin hums as he unwraps a candy bar. "Hmm. Yeah, totally tubular." Through a mouth-full of nougat he gives Lucas and Max a look. "What? Did I say that right? Or is it, like, tubular."
Lucas, bouncing off his friend, holds out an arm in emphasis of a Californian surfer. "It's, like, totally tubular."
"Totally tubular!"
"What a gnarly wave, dude..."
The two boys continue as Max shadows her smile with her red hair. Will films them from behind, but their voices are two indistinct to catch exactly what they're saying. He turns the camera to Mike, who has a frown on his face.
"Did you agree to this?"
"What?" Will brings the camera to his waist.
"To her joining our party," says Mike, his voice rising in frustration.
Will shrugs, not seeing the issue. "It's just for Halloween."
Mike glances at him, shaking his head. He sighs, "You should have checked with me."
"Well," Will begins, glancing at his other best friends. He doesn't see the problem with Lucas and Dustin bringing a girl along. Chris was a part of their party once, and Eleven—who he never met—joined them last year. "They were excited. I guess I thought you'd be okay with it."
"She's ruining the best night of the year." Mike hurries off to the next house after his statement, leaving a confused Will behind. Will wraps his pillowcase tighter around his arm and steps forward, only to have a few older guys jump out at him.
"Watch it, Zombie Boy."
Will startles, swallowing at the guys that push themselves in Will's face. With his guard down, Will trips backward, his camera falling from his hand. He lands hard on his back and opens his eyes to face the Upside Down. It takes him a moment to realize where he's at, but then he sees the dust particles that Chris hates so much float around him.
"Mike?" Will pushes himself up to stand, taking in the darkness around him. The road is cracked, black veins pulsing underneath. Bare tree branches creak with wickedness. The house at the end of the cul-de-sac is vacant and covered in the Upside Down's grip.
