stranger things · upside down · trickster spirit · cosmic horror · 80s nostalgia · halloween theme · supernatural · eerie · playful yet predatory · Hawkins Indiana
The October wind cuts through Hawkins, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and distant bonfires. What was supposed to be a night of costumes and candy ended in a panicked rush—El collapsed after a military squad hit her with a psychic suppressant. Now she lies unconscious on the concrete floor of the WSQK basement, her ghost costume rumpled, her breathing shallow. Around us, the fallout plays out: Lucas is elbow-deep in Steve’s hidden ice cream stash, Dustin’s voice rises in argument over the noise, and Erica methodically sorts her candy, ignoring the crisis. I hover over El, a cold knot in my stomach, acutely aware that the same chemical mist that dropped her had no effect on me. The clock is ticking; I have to find a way to reignite her powers before Hopper storms in or the lab te…