𝘼𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙧―𝐃.𝐇. 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐉.𝐇.

02

“Okay, okay, okay. One at a time, all right? You. You said he takes what?” Hopper said to stop out overlapping chatter and pointing at Mike. 

“Mirkwood.” Mike nodded. 

“Mirkwood?” Hopper asked before turning to Callaghan and Powell. “Have you ever heard of Mirkwood?” 

“I have not. That sounds made up to me.” Callaghan admitted. 

“No, it's from Lord of the Rings.” Lucas said. 

“Well, The Hobbit.” Dustin added. 

“It doesn't matter.” Lucas said. 

“He asked!” Dustin argued. 

“‘He asked!’” Lucas mocked before they started to whack one another. I felt bad for Mike seeing as he was in the middle of them. 

“Shut up, guys!” What idiots. Why am I friends with them again? 

“Hey, hey, hey! What'd I just say? One at a damn time. You.” Hopper pointed at me. 

“Mirkwood, it's a real road. It's just the name that's made up. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet.” I explained. 

“Yeah, all right, I think I know that.” Hopper wrote it down in a notepad. 

“We can show you, if you want.” Mike told him. 

“I said that I know it!” Hopper told us. 

“We can help look.” We nodded seeing we agreed with Mike. 

“No. After school, you are all to go home. Immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book.” said Hopper. 

“The Hobbit.” Dustin said. 

“Shut up!” Lucas smacked it. 

“Hey! Stop it! Do I make myself clear?” Hopper stood up. “Do I make myself clear?”

We nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Where the hell do you think you’re going? Steve Harrington?” I asked my brother as he was trying to duck out of our house. 

“I’m just going out. No big deal.” Steve shrugged me off. 

“You’re lucky Troy is at James’s for the night and dad and Mildred left after we got home on their ‘business trip.’ Have fun! Not shagging one of my best friend’s sister.” I called. 

He sent me a look before leaving the house and walking away. I waited a few moments before running out to my bike and going towards Mirkwood. The boys were there waiting for me. 

“Your brother is at my house for you to know.” Mike told me. 

“I know. I saw him leave. But it is good to know he isn’t dead in a ditch somewhere. I would like that to happen to Troy though.” the boys chuckled at me. 

“Hey, guys. You feel that? I think maybe we should go back.” Dustin said. 

“No.” We turned towards him. 

“We're not going back. Just stay close. Come on. Just stay on channel six. Don't do anything stupid.” Mike said as we walked down into the woods. 

"Hey, guys, wait up. Wait up!” Dustin called. 

“Then, hurry up, dweeb!”  I yelled back at him. 

“Will!” Lucas called. 

“Will!” I yelled out. 

“Byers! I've got your X-Men 134!” Dustin shouted. “Guys, I really think we should turn back.” 

“Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby, then go home already!” Lucas told him. 

“I'm just being realistic, Lucas!” Dustin argued. 

“No, you're just being a big sissy!” I’m sorry, Dustin, but Lucas is right. 

“Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad? And we're going to the exact same spot where he was last seen? And we have no weapons or anything?” he has a point. 

“Dustin, shut up.” Mike said. 

“I'm just saying, does that seem smart to you?” Dustin said. I heard the twig snap. 

Please, please, please, please, please. Don’t start panicking. Don’t start panicking. Don’t start panicking. My hands. They’re cold. Something wet. Ah! Man. I’m scared. 

“Shut up. Shut up. Did you guys hear that?” Mike said. 

And a girl with a shaved head came out from behind a tree covered in rain water. I widened my eyes as she sent me a look. Well, more towards my gloved hands that were hiding my face. She knew. Somehow this girl. This girl knew why I wore them.