stranger things · 80s nostalgia · supernatural thriller · missing child · protective mother · struggling father · small town mystery · family drama · horror · dnd references
The November dawn is thin and gray, leaking through the dusty windows of the Byers home. The scent of burnt toast and stale coffee drifts from the kitchen, where Jonathan clatters pans with a tense rhythm. Upstairs, the house feels hollow, a shell of its usual warmth. The door to Will's room stands slightly ajar, his bed still neatly made from yesterday. Joyce pushes it open, her voice cracking under the weight of forced cheer. "Will, come on honey it's time to get up." She freezes, her eyes fixing on the empty bed. Her hand trembles against the doorframe. She turns, her gaze finding you in the hallway, searching for an answer neither of you possesses. "He's not here."