Chapter Text
PROLOGUE
THE NIGHTMARE
Will doesn’t have to guess where he is. He’s been here before… many, many times. Needless to say, it’s a part of him at this point. A prison which he can never truly escape.
Dense fog covering the forest causes goosebumps to prickle his skin. Lightning strikes overhead, bathing the forest in a red glow. Slime and vines constrict around the trees as the stench of decay assaults the teenager’s senses. The Upside Down beckons to Will, wanting him to join it, begging him to make it whole. It terrifies him, a horror that no living being should ever know.
The cry of the Demogorgon reminds Will that he’s not alone. It appears before him and screams, head splitting open like a flower, revealing innumerable teeth threatening to tear him limb from limb. Will raises his father’s shotgun and fires, staggering the creature just long enough to run. He has no destination in mind, only the knowledge that as long as he keeps moving, he has a chance to live another day.
As he runs, the toxic spores give off a dim glow. The light swirls through the air, just bright enough to cut through the fog. Will instinctively follows the light, desperate for some kind of guide through the oppressive darkness. The outline of a small shelter appears in the distance. Will cries in relief, instantly recognizing Castle Byers. He’ll be safe there. He forces his legs to pick up speed, knowing he has a decent shot at making it.
Will scrambles into the fort. His legs fail him as he collapses on all fours, crawling to the large pillow without making a sound. The Demogorgon prowls outside the fort, confused by the loss of its prey. It eventually wanders off, and Will knows that at least for now, he’s safe. He rocks back and forth, desperate for some kind of comfort. He wants out of this awful, awful place. He longs for his mother’s arms, his brother’s protective embrace, the comfort of his friends. Will begins to sob, wondering if he’ll ever make it back home. The longer time passes, the more it seems like he’ll die in the Upside Down, all alone.
That is, if he isn’t already dead… like most things in this hellish purgatory.
A new sound from outside. It begins quietly, almost indiscernible, but slowly builds. Will fears the worst, dreading what kind of monster is coming for him next. But as the sounds get louder, they become more familiar. They don't sound like monsters, but instead human beings. Will dares to hope his rescue has finally come.
Hesitantly, he peeks his head out of Castle Byers. Will is greeted by the bustle of people all around him. They go about their business, carrying shopping bags or chatting with friends. It’s the Starcourt Mall, in all its splendor. The shoppers pay no mind to the childish fort, unconcerned with its odd presence at the mall’s entrance.
Puzzled, Will climbs out of Castle Byers to explore the mall. He passes by many familiar sights: the Gap, JCPenney, RadioShack, the jewelry store, the perfume shop. He eventually finds his way to the food court and spots Scoops Ahoy. A relieved grin spreads across Will’s face. Surely Mike and the others are inside, pestering Steve for free ice cream or to be snuck into the maintenance hallway leading to the movie theater.
He steps into the ice cream parlor, expecting to be greeted by his friends. Instead, Will finds himself back in the food court. Confused, he looks back at the path he just took, but only sees a long corridor of darkness. The shoppers are gone, but Castle Byers is still there, now sitting in the middle of the lower floor plaza. Without really thinking, Will walks toward it.
A blast of thunder, followed by a strike of lightning. Castle Byers crumbles before Will’s eyes. His sanctuary, his safe place, gone in an instant. Reduced to nothing but a pile of rubble.
Will cries at the loss of his stolen childhood. He runs to the fort, hoping to find some way to salvage it. Before he can get too far, the vines of the hivemind shoot out and ensnare him. Will struggles, trying to fight them off, but the vines are relentless. They coil around the teenager, binding him tightly in place. Will tries to scream, but a tendril lodges itself down his throat. He can’t move or speak. All he can do is silently sob.
The rubble begins to vibrate. A guttural snarl rises from underneath. Will doesn’t have to guess what happens next, because he already feels it. A familiar chill at the nape of his neck.
The Mind Flayer rises from its resting place, sending the remains of Castle Byers flying. The spider monster roars, its form built from the melted remains of the Flayed, a grotesque amalgamation that shouldn’t exist. The Mind Flayer gazes down at its other half, his form immobile and ready to rejoin the hivemind. If the monster could feel human emotion, it would certainly be pleased.
Will closes his eyes, hoping it’s over quickly. A single tear slides down his cheek.
Another loud noise, like a second blast of thunder. Not thunder, but… gunshots? That doesn’t seem right, either. Could it be… fireworks?
The captive boy’s eyes open. The Mind Flayer writhes beneath the onslaught of a colorful fireworks display, which illuminates the mall in a prismatic array. Will’s artistic eye can’t help but marvel at the sight. With one final, anguished scream, the Mind Flayer collapses, seemingly dead. The mall turns dark and silent. Will prays his ordeal is finally over, but the vines don’t retract, still binding him in place. He shudders at what terror could possibly happen to him next.
Embers begin sprouting from the Mind Flayer’s corpse. Small at first, they quickly burn brighter. The fire spreads, burning along vines on the walls and floor. The inferno roars to life, setting the entire mall ablaze.
The heat from the flames is too much, way too much. Will wished for warmth before, but not like this. He can feel the fire boiling his blood, cooking his body from the inside out. It threatens to consume his entire being. Will struggles against his bindings, cursing the tendril lodged in his throat, wishing he could scream in pain.
A dark humanlike figure stands amongst the flames. Will narrows his eyes in a futile attempt to get a better look. He can’t decipher who it is or what they want… whether they’ve come to save him or destroy him. The flames begin to dissipate, burning out of existence, like they’d never been there at all. The surroundings fall to darkness as the enigmatic figure vanishes with the flames.