The morning sunlight crept through the trees, casting long, flickering shadows across Hawkins. It should've been a peaceful start to the day, but the tension hanging over the town made the air feel thick, like everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.
Mike Wheeler stared out his bedroom window, biting his lip. He couldn't just sit there while his best friend was missing. The longer he thought about it, the more restless he became. He grabbed his walkie-talkie from the desk, his mind racing.
"Lucas, Dustin, you there?" Mike's voice cracked through the static, betraying his anxiety.
After a moment, Lucas responded, his voice quieter than usual. "Yeah, I'm here. You got a plan?"
Dustin chimed in quickly, "Please tell me we're not just sitting around. We gotta do something."
Mike took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "Meet me in the woods, where we found Will's bike. We're gonna look for him ourselves."
There was a brief silence before Lucas asked, "Are you sure about this? I mean, what if—"
"I'm sure," Mike interrupted, more forcefully than he intended. "Will's out there. He's gotta be. We're his friends. If we don't look for him, who will?"
There was no argument after that. Just a crackle of static as the boys agreed to meet.
Within the hour, they were all at the edge of the woods, bikes abandoned on the ground. The trees loomed over them, the mist still clinging to the undergrowth. It was eerily quiet, and even though it was daytime, the woods felt different—like something was watching them.
"We're splitting up?" Dustin asked, glancing around nervously.
"Just enough to cover more ground," Mike said, trying to sound confident. "But not too far. Stay close enough to hear each other."
Lucas nodded, though he didn't look convinced. "Alright, but if anyone sees anything, anything at all, you yell, okay?"
They moved through the trees, the crunch of leaves underfoot the only sound breaking the stillness. Mike's heart pounded in his chest, every rustle of the wind making him jump. He kept glancing around, hoping to catch a glimpse of something—anything—that would lead them to Will.
"Guys, over here! I found something!" Dustin's voice cut through the silence, filled with a mix of excitement and fear.
Mike and Lucas rushed over to where Dustin was crouched, pointing at a small footprint in the mud. It was tiny, too small to be an adult's.
"Do you think it's Will's?" Lucas asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mike examined the print, his mind racing. "It has to be… But where would he go?"
Before anyone could answer, there was a rustling noise behind them. They all froze, exchanging wide-eyed looks.
"What was that?" Dustin whispered, gripping his flashlight like a weapon.
"I don't know," Mike whispered back, his throat dry. Slowly, they turned toward the sound, expecting to see a squirrel or maybe a stray dog.
Instead, a girl emerged from the trees.
She looked to be about their age, maybe a little younger. Her hair was cropped short, almost buzzed, and she was wearing what looked like an oversized hospital gown. Her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights, but there was something else there—something that made Mike's skin prickle.
"Who are you?" Mike asked, his voice shaking a little despite his best efforts.
The girl didn't answer. She just stared at them, her expression unreadable. She looked scared, but also… curious, like she wasn't sure if they were friends or something she should run from.
Lucas took a cautious step forward. "It's okay. We're not gonna hurt you."
The girl flinched slightly at the movement, but she didn't run. Instead, she pointed to herself and said in a soft, almost inaudible voice, "Eleven."
The boys exchanged confused glances. "Eleven? Like, that's your name?" Dustin asked, his brow furrowing.
She nodded, her eyes never leaving theirs.
"Eleven," Mike repeated, trying to wrap his head around it. "Where did you come from? Are you lost?"
She hesitated, then nodded again. But there was something in the way she looked at them—like she was afraid to say too much. Like there was something she couldn't talk about, something that scared her more than being lost in the woods.
Mike swallowed hard. Whoever this girl was, she wasn't just lost. She was hiding—from something, or someone. He didn't know how he knew, but he did.
"Come with us," he said, offering his hand. "We'll help you."
Eleven looked at his hand for a long moment before slowly reaching out and taking it. Her hand was cold, and she was trembling. Mike tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he wasn't sure it worked.
As they led her out of the woods, the boys couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into something much bigger than just finding Will. The forest felt like it was closing in on them, the shadows growing longer, even though it was still morning. And as they walked, Mike couldn't help but glance back, half-expecting to see something—some dark figure—following them.
He knew one thing for sure: this girl, whoever she was, was connected to everything that was happening. And somehow, she was the key to finding Will.
But as they reached the edge of the woods and the sunlight finally hit their faces, Mike felt a shiver run down his spine. The danger they were facing was more real than any of them had imagined.