Lost boys • Will Byers

1

Danny sat and watched the game unfold in front of him. He'd quit because it'd been five hours too long and he really wanted to go home. "Will! Your action!" Mike asked. Danny glanced up immediately and looked at the panicked boy. "What'd I miss?" Mike rolled his eyes. "The entire thing! A demogorgan is about to get Will." He stared at Will, his thoughts running wild.

"Uhh— I don't know." Will looked around his eyes settling on Danny, who shrugged. "Fireball?" He suggested. "I'd have to roll a thirteen or higher!" Will said worriedly. "Too risky. Cast a protection spell." Dustin said. "Don't be a pussy. Fireball him!" Lucas said. "Cast protection." Dustin argued.

Danny rolled his eyes. "This is why I don't play." He sang. "This is why we don't invite you." Lucas sang back.

"You guys are assholes." He shook his head.

"The Demogorgan is tired of your silly human bickering!" Mike slammed the table once again. "It stomps towards you. Boom!"

"Cast protection!"

"Boom!"

"fireball-"

"Another stomp, Boom!"

"Cast protection!"

"It roars in anger!"

"Fireball!" Will finally yelled.

He threw the die. We watched as it rolled off the table and onto the floor.

"Oh shit!"

"Where'd it go?"
"Where is it?"
"I don't know?"

Danny laughed to himself as they panicked, looking for the die. Meanwhile, Dustin was panicking in the corner. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"

"Mike!" Mrs wheeler called from the doorway. Apparently he didn't hear her because he kept looking. "Mike!" She called again, louder this time.

"Mike!" She practically screamed.

"Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign!" Mike threw his hands up.

"You mean the end? Fifteen after."

"Oh, my god! Freaking idiot!" Lucas groaned.

"Why do we have to go?" Danny heard Will complain. He smiled at him. "Because It's fifteen after." Will laughed. They always made fun of people when they told time like that. And it was always hilarious.

Danny watched Will from his chair. They always took Dungeons and Dragons so serious. He'd never understand why.

While Mike stomped up the stairs to complain to his mother, Danny looked around for his coat, slipping it on once he found it.

"Oh, I got it! Does the seven count?" Will called out. Danny glanced over at him. He held up the small die, the bold seven facing towards us.

"It was a seven? Did Mike see it?" Will shook his head. "Then it doesn't count." Lucas told him.

We all scrambled to get our stuff. Dustin picked up the box of pizza. "Hey guys! Does anyone want this?" He asked, showing the last piece of pizza. "No." They all said in unison. "Take it upstairs." Danny suggested. Dustin nodded and carried the box up the stairs.

They all walked outside and got their bikes. "There's something wrong with your sister." Dustin said shaking his head. "What are you talking about?" Mike asked. "She's got a stick up her butt." Dustin said. Danny laughed, slowly shaking his head. "That's teenagers for you. I swear all my brother does is eat and hide in our room." He said with a chuckle.

"It's just because she's been dating that douchebag, Steve Harrington." Lucas said. "Yeah, she's turning into a real jerk." Will chimed in.

"She always been a real jerk." Mike said with a shake of his head. "Nuh-uh, she used to be cool. Like that time she dressed up as an elf for our elder tree campaign." Dustin gave the example.

  Danny remembered that day. As usual he watched from the sidelines, not wanting to look dumb. He gave in, though, once Will asked him to play.

"Four years ago!" Mike yelled as they all biked away. "Just saying!" Dustin yelled back.

"Hey, are you sleeping over tonight?" Will asked him, as he pedaled next to him. "Uh... my mom said she doesn't want me having sleepovers on school nights anymore." Danny said with a shrug. Will looked hurt, but he didn't say anything. "It's probably because we never sleep and I have a D in history right now." He laughed. "Oh— yeah probably." Will said in agreement.

Danny knew the real reason his mom didn't want them having sleepovers anymore. It was because they did it nearly every night. Maybe his mother wanted to see him more, but he didn't think so. Deep down, he knew that she knew about him. And that's why she didn't want them having sleepovers.

As he passed by his house, he glanced at Will, who was staring straight ahead.

Danny looked down. Will looked over at a sign on a fence. When Danny looked back up again, he saw a large figure on the road. He shrieked and veered his bike, falling into the ditch on the side of the road.

Will stumbled and got off his bike to see if he was okay.

"Why'd you fall?" Will asked. "Huh? I thought I saw something." He laughed nervously, causing Will to laugh as well.

"Oh shit." Danny mumbled. Will followed his eyes and saw the same tall figure Danny had seen minutes before. It had unnatural arms that no human could ever possess.

"Run." Will said quietly, helping Danny up. They back up slowly into the woods, seeing if the creature would follow. When it did, they turned around, and began to sprint.

Danny could feel the pain in his legs from the fall. The blood gushed down, soaking his pants. His chest ached from running so fast.

Suddenly, Will began to slow down.

"We're almost there." He told Danny.

They ran up the stairs, ignoring the flickering porch light. Will locked the door behind them and opened all the doors.

"Mom? Jonathan?" He called out, panic in his voice. He ran over to the phone and began to dial 9-1-1.

"It's just static." He told Danny, who was shaking. They shared a look. Will came over to Danny and grabbed his shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. Maybe it's gone."

As if on que, the door began to unlock. The knob twisted and turned. The boys watched in horror as the door flew open.

Danny pushed Will ahead of him towards the back door.

They ran out to the shed in the backyard. The boys used to play in there when they were young. Danny remembered when Will's dad yelled at them for knocking over his toolbox.

Will took the shotgun off the wall, the same one they'd been told never to touch, and shakily put a bullet in. He pushed Danny behind him and aimed the gun for the door.

They waited and waited, but there was no angry creature. Nothing knocked the door down. Nothing tried to eat them.

There was only a flicker of the light, then suddenly, they were gone.