Will Byers and the Ascension of the Upside Down

1. Its Happening Again

December 23rd, 1989
11:29 AM

Starcourt Mall, Hawkins, Indiana

   Will had gotten a summer job at the Mall at a store named Arcadia. He didn't know if he could keep it during the school year, but he proved himself a good employee to the owner. Sometimes, they would take out their kiosks to drum up more business for their stores. Arcadia was an accessory store that sold anything from fashion brands to 8-bit-inspired shirts and necklaces.

   The Kiosk would go out every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. "Oh, guys, he is looking this way," Robin told Dustin and Steve while waving, trying not to make him suspicious. "Why are we keeping this from him?"

   "Because he still has severe PTSD from being trapped in the Upside Down for a week," Dustin said, and Robin nodded. She was in there for a few minutes, which was too much.

   "I agree. He has been through enough. He will keep this away from him for as long as we can," Steve said, and they continued talking about what Max found. "So she found another demegorgan?"

   "A baby, she found two, but she killed them," Dustin explained.

   "Why now? It's been years since El shut the gate," Steve said, confused.

   "Maybe they were what's left over in the upside-down?" Robin asked, as no one knew if it had gone away after El closed the gate.

   "I'm not sure. Just if you see it, kill it," Dustin said, and the two nodded. "There are also probably several entrances to the upside-down. Mike and El are working on finding them right now," Dustin said, and Robin looked off in the distance. "What is it?"

   "It's just Will," Robin said, and they turned to look at him.

   "What's wrong with him?" Steve raised an eyebrow. He looked emotionless until a customer approached, and he would greet them with a smile and hold up a conversation.

   "He looks really sad,"

   "Which is exactly why we shouldn't let him find out about this." Steve said.

   "Maybe he already knows?" Robin suggested. "You said he had episodes about the Mindflayer before everything went down. Maybe he is having episodes again... He is somehow connected to the Upside Down."

   "We... can't take the chance. Maybe we could poke his brain... but nothing more than questions," Dustin said, "he was just really fragile a while ago... I don't want him to return to that," He said.

   "Yeah, let's just Google at him, and he definitely won't think we are talking about him," Steve said. The two of them quickly looked away before Will could catch them staring.

   "Wait, are those the guys that keep giving him a hard time?" Robin asked.

   "Oh shit... Yeah, it's Troy and James," Dustin muttered, getting ready to fight. Will hadn't grown to put up much of a fight, but the other boys have.

   "Hey, Zombie Queer, how's it hanging today?" James asked, and the two laughed. Will rolled his eyes as it had been about five years since he 'returned from the dead.'

   "Hanging like any other day," Will muttered as he looked down at Troy's back, "Another gift... let me guess, it's another handbag because I am a faggot?" Will busied himself with counting the cash register before moving some into the security box.