𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒

VALERIE HENDERSON did what not many kids her age were doing on a Sunday evening. She was playing Dungeons & Dragons with her younger brother, Dustin Henderson, and his friends, who are Will Byers, Mike Wheeler and Lucas Sinclair.

"Do you hear that? Listen" Mike asks the group "Something is coming... something hungry for blood.." Mike says as he looks around at the group "A shadow grows on the wall behind you... swallowing you in darkness.. it is almost here.." Mike says as Valerie hears Will speak up "What is it?" Will asks as Dustin looks around "What if its the Demogorgon? Were in deep shit if its the Demogorgon" Dustin says before earning Valerie's elbow in his side, causing the boy to jump slightly.

"Its not the Demogorgon" Lucas says "We're not that far up shit lane yet" Valerie says to the boys before Mike speaks up "An army of Troglodytes charge into the chamber" Mike says making Valerie jump when the boy slams six winged miniatures onto the map "Their tails drum the floor. Boom! Boom! Boom!" Mike says "Troglodytes?!" Valerie exclaims "Toldja" Lucas says "Pfff" Dustin says as Mike looks over his shoulder.

"Wait... do you hear that? Boom! Boom! BOOM! That sound... it didn't come from the Troglodytes. No. It came from something else" Mike tells the group making Valerie raise her eyebrow before Mike slams the two-headed monster miniature onto the board.

"THE DEMOGORON!" Mike yells as the group look at each other "We're in deep shit" Dustin says as his sister shakes her head, defeated. "Will, your action" Mike tells the Byers boy "I-I don't know" Will says as Lucas speaks up trying to give the boy an idea "Fireball him-" Lucas tells the boy "I have to roll a thirteen or higher" Will says as Dustin looks at the boy.

"Too risky. Cast a protection spell" Dustin tells the boy "Don't be a wimp! Fireball him" Lucas yells at the boy as Valerie shakes her head "Both of you shut up and let the boy think" Valerie tells them as they both roll their eyes.

"The Demogorgon is is tired of your silly human bickering. It stomps toward you. BOOM!" Mike says as Lucas yells "FIREBALL HIM WILL!" Lucas shouts at the boy "Another step. BOOM!" Mike says "Cast protection!" Dustin yells at Will "It roars in anger" Mike says as Valerie looks over at a confused Will before both Lucas and Dustin yell "Fireball!" Lucas yells "Protection!" Dustin yells "And-" Mike goes to say before Will yells "FIREBALL!" Will yells as he rolls the dice. Too hard. The dice lands on the other side of the basement.

"What is it?!" Lucas asks "I don't know" Will says "Is it thirteen?" Dustin asks as Will looks at the boy "I DONT KNOW!" He yells before the group of five scramble to find the dice "Jesus Christ, I'm a seventeen year old and yet I'm looking for a dice with a bunch of 12 year olds" Valerie thought shaking her head, when the basement door opens revealing Mrs Wheeler.

"Mom! We're in the middle of a campaign" Mike says to his mother as Karen looks down at the boy "You mean the end" Karen says tapping her watch "Just twenty more minutes" Mike asks his mother before running up the stairs after her.

Valerie watches the three boys shove stuff into their backpacks "Does the seven count?" Will asks "It was a seven?" Lucas asks as Will nods "Did Mike see?" Valerie asks as she ties her laces before standing up seeing Will shake his head "Then it didn't count" Valerie said making the boy smile slightly.

"Hey guys, anyone want this?" Dustin asks holding up the pizza box with one slice left "No" The three other people in the room says as Valerie watches Dustin look down at the box before heading upstairs with his sister following "Hey Nancy, there's a slice left if you want. Pepperoni and sausage" Dustin says as Valerie leans on the wall next to the bedroom "Hold on" Nancy says to the person on the other side of the phone before walking over to the door before slamming it in Dustin's face.

"Hey, don't worry. She's a bitch for turning down pepperoni and sausage pizza" Valerie says loud enough for Nancy to hear as she rubbed her brothers back trying to comfort him before walking out to the boys while Dustin broke the pizza in half so both him and Valerie could eat it.

"Somethings wrong with your sister" Dustin says with his mouth full "What are you talking about?" Mike asks as Valerie looks down at the boy "She's got a stick up her butt" Dustin says "Its cause she's seeing that barf bag, Steve Harrington" Lucas says as Valerie nods agreeing with the boy "Yeah, she's turning into a real jerk" Valerie says as Mike looks up at the older girl "She's always been a jerk" Mike says "Nu-uh she used to be cool. Like that time she dressed up as an elf with Valerie for our Elder tree campaign" Dustin says as he gets on his bike while Valerie gets in her car.

"Straight home, buddy" Valerie tells Dustin, who rolls his eyes slightly "Yes mom" Dustin says earning a giggle from Lucas "I'm timing you boy" Valerie tells him before driving off first, letting her brother ride home with his friends.

The next day, Valerie drove into the school parking lot before parking in the same spot she did everyday expecting Jonathan Byers to already be waiting for her, but he wasn't here.

Valerie walked towards her locker opening the door before looking around, seeing Nancy Wheeler and Barbara Holland standing together when Nancy pulls a piece of paper out of her locker reading it before closing the piece of paper and walking off towards the bathroom, leaving Barbara standing by herself before spotting Valerie, smiling at the girl in the year above before turning around and walking off.

The day went by normal until Dustin got home, running upstairs to his sisters bedroom "Val!" Dustin yells as he opens Valerie door making the glass of water on her bed shake slightly "What Dustin?" Valerie asks as her brother sits down on her bed "Will, he's gone" Dustin says, out of breath from running up the stairs.

"What do you mean 'he's gone'?" Valerie asks sitting up "These police officers came into school and were asking us all these questions" Dustin says to the girl "But we saw him last night, he was fine" Valerie says as she sighs "They're holding a search party for him tonight" Dustin says to the girl.

When Dustin walks out of the girls room Valerie leans back and puts her hands over her face sighing "If i had just given them all a ride, Will would still be here" Valerie mumbled.

A few hours later Valerie hears Dustin trying to sneak downstairs "You're doing a shit job at sneaking out" Valerie says to the boy making him turn and roll his eyes at her "I'm coming with you" Valerie says as she grabs her hat from the desk in her room before following Dustin downstairs, seeing their mother fast asleep with Mews, their cat, asleep on top of the woman "Come on" Valerie whispered to the boy grabbing his arm and their coats before quietly making their way out of the door, onto their bikes.

Valerie rode down on her bike next to Dustin coming into view of Lucas and Mike "Dustin!" Lucas yells quietly as the two stop in front of them "I brought Valerie for help"" Dustin says as she girl rolls her eyes "And?" Valerie asks as she looks at Dustin "Protection" Dustin says as the boys nod in agreement, knowing they could trust the girl "Come on, we need to get moving before my mom realises I'm not in the basement" Mike says to the group before all four start biking.

Valerie and the boys rode down a hill before coming to a stop, seeing a barrier on the side of the road before getting of their bikes, when the sound of rain startled the four "Guys.. you feel that?" Dustin asks as he puts his hand on his head "I think we should go back" Dustin says as Mike turns to look at the boy "No, were not going back.. Just stay close" Mike says before walking over the barrier "Just stay on channel six... don't do anything stupid" Mike says as him and Lucas walk in towards the forest.

"Come on, stick by me" Valerie says before Dustin looks between his sister and friends before yelling "Hey guys, wait for us" Dustin yells as him and Valerie run towards the two boys before the rain starts pouring down harder as the four make their way further into the forest.

"Will!" Mike yells as they carry on walking "Will!" Valerie yells as the rain carries on pouring soaking the group of four "Guys, i really think we should turn back" Dustin says to the group as the rain starts getting heavier "Seriously Dustin, if you want to be a baby. then go home already" Lucas says making Valerie turn towards the boy, clearly pissed at the comment he made about her brother.

"I'm just being realistic, Lucas" Dustin says back "No, you're just being a big sissy" Lucas tells the boy "Shut up!" Valerie tells them as the both go quiet for a few seconds "Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad?" Dustin asks before carrying on "And we're going to the exact same spot where he was last seen? And we have no weapons or anything" Dustin says as Mike looks at the boy "Dustin, shut up" Mike tells the boy.

"I'm just saying, does that seem smart to you" Dustin tells the boy Valerie hears something "Shut up" Valerie tells them as she hears rustling "Do you guys hear that?" She asks as they all stop before turning around to more rustling when they hear a twig snap behind them, making them all turn and gasp when they see a young girl with a yellow shirt on staring at them.