A sprinkler is on outside. Cut to a wide shot of the house.

MIKE: Something is coming. Something hungry for blood.

Cut to Mike inside the house.
MIKE: A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness.
It is almost here.

The camera shows us Dustin, Lucas, and Will, before switching to a shot showing all four boys around a table. They’re playing Dungeons and Dragons.

WILL: What is it?

DUSTIN: What if it's the Demogorgon? Oh, Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the Demogorgon.

LUCAS: It's not the Demogorgon.

MIKE: An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!

Mike slams a figurine onto the table.

DUSTIN: Troglodytes?

LUCAS: Told ya.

They laugh. Mike suddenly looks nervous and looks around.

MIKE: Wait a minute. Did you hear that? That... that sound? Boom... boom... Boom!

He slams his hands on the table, startling the other boys.

MIKE: That didn't come from the troglodytes, no, that... That came from something else. The Demogorgon!

Mike slams another figurine onto the table.

DUSTIN: We're in deep shit.

MIKE: Will, your action!

WILL: I don't know!

LUCAS: Fireball him!

WILL: I'd have to roll a 13 or higher!

DUSTIN: Too risky. Cast a protection spell.

LUCAS: Don't be a pussy. Fireball him!

DUSTIN: Cast Protection.

MIKE: The Demogorgon is tired of your silly human bickering! It stomps towards you. Boom!

LUCAS: Fireball him, Will!

MIKE: Another stomp, boom!

DUSTIN: Cast Protection.

MIKE: He roars in anger!

WILL: Fireball!

Will throws some dice, but they fall off the table.

WILL: Oh, shit!

LUCAS: Where'd it go? Where is it?

They all get up from the table to search for the die.

WILL: I don't know!

DUSTIN: Is it a 13?

WILL: I don't know!

LUCAS: Where is it?

DUSTIN: Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

KAREN: Mike! Mike!

LUCAS: Can you find it yet?

WILL: No, I can't find it!

KAREN: Mike!

Karen opens the door to the basement. Mike is at the bottom of the stairs.

DUSTIN: Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

MIKE: Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign!

KAREN: You mean the end? Fifteen after.

She leaves. Mike runs up after her.

LUCAS: Oh, my God! Freaking idiot!

WILL: Why do we have to go?

MIKE: Mom, wait, just 20 more minutes!

Mike walks into the kitchen, where his mom is. His dad fiddles with the TV in the background.

KAREN: It's a school night, Michael. I just put Holly to bed. You can finish next weekend.

MIKE: But that'll ruin the flow!

KAREN: Michael I'm serious.

MIKE: Mom, the campaign took two weeks to plan. How was I supposed to know it was gonna take ten hours?

KAREN: You've been playing for ten hours?

MIKE: Dad, don't you think that 20 more -

TED: I think you should listen to your mother. (He hits the TV and groans.) Dang dumb piece of junk.

Cut back to the basement.

WILL: Oh, I got it! Does the seven count?

LUCAS: It was a seven? Did Mike see it? (Will shakes his head.) Then it doesn't count.

The boys get ready to leave. Dustin picks up a pizza box.

DUSTIN: Yo, hey, guys. Does anyone want this?

LUCAS & WIL: No.

Dustin goes upstairs to Nancy’s room with the pizza. She’s on the phone with Barbara.

NANCY: Yeah. No, I don't think... Yeah, he's cute. Barb, no, I don't think so. Barb, you're not -

DUSTIN: Hey, Nancy. There's a slice left if you want it. Sausage and pepperoni!

NANCY: Hold on.

She puts the phone down and walks over to the door. Dustin smiles. She smiles and closes the door in his face. Cut to Dustin joining the other boys outside.

DUSTIN: There's something wrong with your sister.

MIKE: What are you talking about?

DUSTIN: She's got a stick up her butt.

LUCAS: Yeah. It's because she's been dating that douchebag, Steve Harrington.

DUSTIN: Yeah, she's turning into a real jerk.

MIKE: She's always been a real jerk.

DUSTIN: Nuh-uh, she used to be cool.

Lucas, Dustin, and Will begin riding away on their bikes.

DUSTIN: Like that time she dressed up as an elf for our Elder tree campaign.

MIKE: Four years ago!

DUSTIN: Just saying.

LUCAS: Later.

Will stays behind for a moment.

WILL: It was a seven.

MIKE: Huh?

WILL: The roll, it was a seven. The Demogorgon, it got me. See you tomorrow.

As Will catches up with Lucas and Dustin, the garage lights flicker. Mike turns off the lights and heads back inside. Cut to the other boys riding home. Lucas turns into his driveway.

LUCAS: Good night, ladies.

DUSTIN: Kiss your mom 'night for me. (To Will) Race you back to my place? Winner gets a comic.

WILL: Any comic?

DUSTIN: Yeah.

Will speeds ahead of Dustin.

DUSTIN: Hey! Hey! I didn't say "go"! Get back here! I'm gonna kill you!

WILL: (As he passes Dustin’s house) I'll take your X-Men 134!

Will continues to speed away. Dustin stops in front of his house, panting.

DUSTIN: Son of a bitch.

Cut to Will continuing to ride. The camera pans to some signs on a fence he passes. One reads, “hnL/HAWKINS NATIONAL LABORATORY/U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY”. A second reads, “RESTRICTED/AREA/NO TRESPASSING/U.S. GOVERNMENT/PROPERTY”. The light on Will’s bike flickers off. It flickers back on just in time for Will to spot a figure in the road. Will gasps and veers off the road, crashing.
He looks up at the road to see the figure turning towards him, with unnaturally long arms. He abandons his bike and runs into the forest. Cut to him reaching his house. He quickly runs inside and locks the door behind him. His dog barks. He looks for his family.

WILL: Mom? Jonathan? Mom?

He looks out a window and sees the figure approaching the house. He tries dialing 911, but all he receives on the other end is static.

WILL: Hello? Hello?

He sees the figure approach the front door. His dog continues barking, but backs away. The lock unlocks. Will runs to the shed behind the house, leaving the phone off the hook. He retrieves a shotgun from the wall of the shed and frantically begins to load it. He points it at the door, but after a few moments, hears growling from the back of the shed. He turns around and his eyes widen. The growling turns into screeching. The light in the shed gets brighter and brighter, until it suddenly stops, as does the shrieking. The camera cuts to a shot of the entire shed, now empty. The screen fades to black.