Chapter Text
November 1983
“Have a nice day” You said, smiling to the customer you had just finished severing. The cafe was unusually busy that afternoon, full of middle aged women laughing loudly and old men trying to read the paper.
“I’ll be with you in just a second” you called over your shoulder to the waiting customer, assuming it was yet another obnoxiously loud woman.
“It’s fine I can wait” As soon as you registered it was Nancy’s voice you turned.
“Oh my god, you don’t know how happy I am to see you. Linda! I’m taking a break, be back in ten” You called into the back room where Linda — your boss — was unpacking the most recent delivery.
You didn’t even wait for her to respond before you made your way to the door with Nancy. You passed the notice board, Will’s missing poster catching your attention as the draft from the door moved it slightly.
The nauseous feeling you had been trying to ignore crept its way back. Being Dustin’s older sister, naturally you were close with his friends. You’d help with campaigns, keep their secrets, sneak snacks from work for them. Hell, you’d do anything for those children.
That’s why when you heard about Will’s disappearance, you were heartbroken. The thought of anything happening to him — any of them — made you feel physically unwell.
“Did you get that?” Nancy asked. Somehow, you were sat in your car, Nancy in the passenger seat.
“Uhhh… no” you said, turning to look at her, “sorry, this whole situation with Will is just… worrying me. I mean I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like for Johnathan”
You had been close with Johnathan since you were children, and, even if you had drifted apart in high school, you still both looked after the kids together.
“Look, Steve’s having a party tonight, you should come, it might take your mind off things. Barb is coming too” Nancy said smiling at you.
“Barb? How have you managed to convince her out of all people to go?” You laughed, but Nancy didn’t laugh back, so you stopped abruptly. “I dunno, I’ll think about it. I was doing to see if I could help look for Will if I’m honest, and there’s that assembly tonight…” You leant back in your seat, hands resting awkward on your lap.
You didn’t really register Nancy’s reply, too plagued by worry for Will to stay focused on anything for too long. You thought about apologising to Nancy for the shitty company you were providing and going back to work, where the howling laughter of patrons would drown out your thoughts.
You drifted in and out of the conversation with Nancy for then next seven minutes, until your break was over. “I should go back,” you said, watching two customers walk in, then noticing a very stressed Linda behind the counter.
“Oh, of course,” Nancy said, opening her door but not leaving the car when she noticed you not moving, “are you okay? You look really tired”
“I’ll be fine” you said, curtly, before wincing at your tone. Nancy was only looking out for you, and she was your best friend, it was stupid to snap at her out of all people. You didn’t look at her out of embarrassment as you got out of your car.
“So, do you think you’ll come to the party?” Nancy asked again, as you made your way back to the cafe. It sounded as if she didn’t even want to go herself.
“No,” you said, “Parties aren’t really my thing. I didn’t think they were your thing either” You stopped outside the door, turning to look at her.
“It’s just a small party, just Steve, Carol, Tommy, Barb and I” she explained, and you pulled a subtle disgusted face at the mention of Tommy and Carol.
“Oh god, don’t tell me you’re friends with them now” you said, laughing, hand moving to the door handle. “You know, Barb said the exact same thing,” she stated, “but I could never, Steve’s friends are total assholes”
You laughed fully at that before opening the door, “I’ll see you tomorrow”
“See you tomorrow” Nancy said back, walking away from the cafe.
The drive to your house was excruciatingly long, not even the radio could drown out your thoughts. You’d never been so thankful to pull into your driveway and get home. Your mom wasn’t home, but Dustin’s bike was lay flat outside your house.
“Hi Dustin” you said loudly as you walked through the door. He didn’t respond, but you saw him in the kitchen, rummaging through a cupboard. “Hey, Dustin, what are you doing? If you want dinner I’ll make some”
You threw your jacket onto the couch, walking over to the kitchen. “I had dinner at Mike’s house, I’m fine”
“Okay… so why are you rummaging through the cupboard like some rabid animal?” You leant on the counter, arms crossed, as you watched him throw various packages of food onto the counter.
“We’re looking a Demogorgon tomorrow” he said calmly, while you stared at the back of his head in confusion.
“Sorry, a Demogorgon? Like the DND Demogorogon?” You asked, incredulously.
“Yes, but if Mom asks where I am, I have AV club after school”
“Hey, no, go back to the Demogorgon thing, what do you mean you’re ’looking for a Demogorgon’?”
“Eleven thinks Will has been taken by a Demogorgon” he said, turning around, clearly unimpressed by your lack of understanding.
“Who’s Elev— you know what, it doesn’t matter, this is serious, you can’t joke about Will going missing, he could be in real danger” you said, with a stern tone.
“I am being serious!” He said, exasperated.
“You seriously believe that Will has been taken by some inter-dimensional creature?”
“…yes. Now will you please help me pack this bag with everything I need”
He threw a backpack that you didn’t even notice before, at you, and you caught it.
“Fine. But you need to explain to me how you got to this conclusion, and who the hell ‘Eleven’ is”
“Sure.”
You helped Dustin pack the bag full with the food he would need. You managed to convince him to taken an apple and a banana, for all he had packed was wafers and chips. While you helped, he explained everything to you. He knew that the party wouldn’t mind, they all trusted you after all.
“Okay so, let me get this straight,” you said, putting three Pez dispensers into a ziplock bag, “a girl with telekinesis, that you found in the woods, thinks Will is stuck in a version of our would called…”
“The upside down” Dustin interjected when you hesitated.
“And that’s where the Demogorgon has taken Will?”
“Exactly. I mean, there’s a bit more to it, but that’s basically it” He said, matter-of-factly. You were trying to wrap your head around it. This sounded like a fiction story, completely made up, yet somehow, only a very small part of you doubted your brother.
“Do you not want to take any weapons?” You said, opening the cutlery draw and pulling out a Swiss Army knife. “Yeah, I’m sure” he said, zipping up the bag and taking it over to the front door.
“Why don’t I come with you guys tomorrow? I mean I have work, but I can finish early, I could help you look” you offered, moving into the living room.
“We’ll be fine, we don’t want to scare Eleven” you understood the reason, but you couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt, normally your brother would have loved you to help out.
“Well, you can always call home if you need me” you smiled after speaking, watching as he laid the bag by the door.
“Go get some sleep Dusty,” you said, walking past him and down to your bedroom, “you don’t want to be exhausted when fighting the Demogorgon” you laughed to yourself.
All of it sounded so impossible.