I was about to talk to the three boys when someone interrupted me.

"Step right up ladies and gentlemen" says one of the biggest bullies in Hawkins Middle School. Troy has been bullying me and my friends since elementary school. I always tried to stick up for me and my friends but I couldn't do it.

"Step right up and get your ticket to see the freak show" Troy says to us. I looked over at my friend to see that they were just as annoyed as I am. Troy walks up to Lucas and says as he punches him in the chest "Midnight." He walks over to Mike, punches him in the chest and says "Frogface." He does it again to Dustin and says "Toothless"

Troy looks at me evil like. He grabs my light brown hair and pulls it. I feel the pain in my head. "And last but not least Angelface"

I feel angry bubbling up inside me. I grab Troy's hand so he would let go of my hair and he did and I says, "Stop it Troy!"

He looks at this friends and says, "Or what Angelface?"

I was about to say something but all of my angry died away into fear. Troy laughs at me. He looks over at his friends.

"I'd go with Toothless" Troy's friend says mocking the lisp of Dustin's missing teeth.

"I told you a million times, my teeth are coming in. It's called cleidorcranial dysplasia" Dustin says to Troy.

"I told you a million times," Troy's Friend mocks again. A grin comes onto his face, "Do the arm thing."

Dustin doesn't do it when Troy says it, "Do it, freak!" Dustin sighs as he removes his coat. He extends his arms in front of him to show what he came do without his collar bones.

"Gets me every time." Troy groans as he walks though us. He pushes us out of the way and started to the school.

I felt the embarrassment fill me as I looked over at my friends. "Sorry about that guys" I says softly.

Mike smiles at me and says, "Arden you did great, better then any of us."

"But I should have stopped them this time" I says to Mike.

Dustin suddenly says, "We all should have done something." I smile at my friends and we all started to class.

School was mostly slow and boring until the last hour of the day. Mr. Clarke was our last hour. Me and my friends were probably the only people that really like his class because we are in the Av club after school. Mr. Clarke teaches science and it is my favorite subject. Me and my friends walked into the classroom and sit at our desk which are in the front of the room. I sat down in my desk which is right next to Will. He still wasn't here. The bell rang right after we sat down and our class started.

Science felts longer today. I felt like AV Club was never going to come because time was going so slow. But suddenly the bell rang and it was time for AV Club.

"Remember to read chapter 12 and answer 12.3 on the difference between an experiment and other form of science investigation. This will be on the test, which covers chapter 10 though 12. It will be multiple choices with a essay section" Mr. Clarke sighs and watches as all the kids race out of the classroom.

Me and my friends walk up to Mr. Clarke. Mike was the first to speak, "So did it come?"

Mr. Clarke sighs, "Sorry boys and Arden. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but... it came!" We all light up with excitement. Mr. Clarke got out of his desk and walked us to the AV room.

When they got to the AV room, Mr. Clarke opened the door with his keys and inside was a radio and intercom set. We all run in with a lot of excitement. Mike got the chair first that was right in front of it. "Yes!" Mike says as he looked at the set. Dustin, Lucas and I all have to stand because there is only one chair.

"The Heartkit ham shack!" Mr. Clarke says

"Woah"

"Ain't she a beaut" says Mr. Clarke as Mike puts on the blue headphones.

"I bet you can talk to New York on this thing!" Dustin spoke excitedly.

"Think bigger" says our teacher

"Bigger then New York?" I says thinking.

"California?" suggested Lucas looked at Mr. Clarke

"Bigger."

Mike eyes widen as he thought about it and says "Australia?" Mr. Clarke nodded to him and we all exploded with even more excitement.

Lucas laughed, "Oh man, when Will sees this, he's totally going to blow his shit!" Will. I hadn't thought about Will. I still think that something is wrong with Will. I hope he is just sick and nothing worse.

"Lucas!" scolded Mr. Clarke as he crossed his arms. I punched Lucas lightly on the shoulder. He rolled his eyes at me and I laugh.

"Sorry" says Lucas looking back at the set.

Mike leaned over the sets microphone and says, "Hello, this is Mike Wheeler, President of Hawkins Middle School AV Club."

"Mike, you have the WORST Australian accent!" I say as I started laughing.

Dustin grins and takes the headphones off of Mikes hand and onto his. "Hello, this is Dustin, and this is the Secretary of Hawkins Middle School AV Club. Do you eat kangaroos for breakfast?" Dustin says in a poor Australian accent. We all started laughing.

Lucas take the headphones from Dustin but there is a sudden knock on the door. The door opens to show the principal with two policeman in the hall. I know one of the policeman as Hopper. My parents always talk about him.

"Sorry to interrupt" says the principal "Can I borrow Micheal, Lucas, Dustin and Arden for a moment."

~~~

We all sat on the couch in the principals office. I had been here several times before when Steve was in middle school. Steve wasn't just a baddy in high school but in middle school too. I sat next in the middle of Mike and Lucas, who were talking about what happened to Will. I didn't know how I guessed that he was missing but all I wanted to do was find him.

"Okay, we need you to give us the details of how Will get home from Micheal's house." says Hopper to the four of us. We all started to talk at the same time. We all started to overlap each other as we talked. Hopper seemed annoyed with us already, I could tell. "Okay, okay, okay." We all stop as he says this. "One at a time, all right? You." he pointed at Mike. "You said he takes what?"

"Mirkwood," Mike answered

"Mirkwood?"

"Yeah." Mike gives Hopper a look, "Have you ever heard of Mirkwood?"

"I have not. That sounds made up to me."

"No, it's from the Lord of the Rings," Lucas explained to the officers that still looked confused.

"Well, The Hobbit," Dustin says to correct Lucas.

"Doesn't matter!"

"Yeah Dustin, it doesn't matter. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are basically the same thing" I say to Dustin.

"He asked!" Dustin says

"He asked!" Lucas mocked. I rolled my eyes as Lucas and Dustin started to argue.

"Shut up, guys" Mike started in.

Hopper rolled his eyes and yelled, " Hey, hey hey! What'd I just say? One at a damn time. You." he pointed at Mike again.

"Mirkwood, it's a real road. It's just the name of it that's made up. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet," Mike explained to the officers.

"Yeah, all right, I think I know that-" Hopper started but was interrrupted by Mike.

"We can show you, if you want," says Mike to Hopper, seeming really eager.

"I said I know it!"

"But.." I started but everyone looked at me. I paused and started again, "We can help look. We know Will the best so we know-"

"No," Hopper cut me off. We all started to argue with Hopper but he said, "No. After school, you are all to go home. Immediately. The means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."

"The Hobbit." We all look over at Dustin

"Shut up!" snaps Lucas as he smacked Dustin's knee.

"Hey!"

The two boys are to fight each other. I rolled my eyes, trying to get my mind rapped around everything that just happened. Mike starts trying to break up the fight.

"Do I make myself clear?" Hopper asked us as he towered over us. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. All I could think about was Will.

~~~

I went home after Hopper was done talking to me and my friends. I couldn't stop thinking about Will. I couldn't believe that he was missing. It just doesn't seem right. I know that I felt that way before but I thought that I was wrong. But I was right.

When I got home, I put my bike into the shed and walked into the house. I looked to see Steve and some of his friend talking as they cleaned the house.

Steve looked over at me and said, "Oh Arden, can I talk to you for a moment.." I nodded as Steve took me away from his friends.

He took me upstairs and into my room, "I need you to stay at one of your friends house tonight."

"Why Steve. Are you having a girl over because I won't tell mom and dad about what you and your friends are up too." I say to him with angry rushing though me.

Steve frowned at me, "It's not that I swear. I just.."

"Just what Steve! Don't want me to be around in front of your cool friends because I will embarrass you because I play D&D! Fine! I will leave just don't do anything stupid." I walked to grab my walker talkie before starting to the door. Steve just stared at me as I left.

I felt my face that was hot with anger. I hated when Steve does this when I can tell mom and dad just like that. I opened my walkie talkie. The first person I wanted to call was Mike but I know that he is eating dinner. I couldn't call the Byers because Will was missing and Dustin was just a place where I didn't feel like going. Lucas was my last option.

Lucas and I's friendship was super important to me. I know that I could trust him and that he will always be there for me. I know that I haven't known him for as long but he felt more like a brother to me then any one of the people in our group. I was thinking about telling him about my crush on Will but I don't know.

"Hey Lucas, do you copy?" I say into the walkie talkie.

I wait a minute before I hear, "I copy, what is it Arden?"

"Steve kicked me out of the house again. I need a place to crash for the night" I say.

There is a moment of silence but then I hear, "My mom said that it was okay so you can come."

"Thanks Lucas, your a life saver" I say as I started to Lucas's house.

I get there in a couple of minutes, I rode onto the driveway and parked my bike. I came up to the door and knocked. Mrs. Sinclair opened the door and said, "Lucas! Arden is here!" I smiled at her and looked to see Lucas coming down the stairs. I went after him and into his room.

After he closed the door, he started on talking. "What did Steve do this time?"

I sigh and started on what happened, "He kicked me out so he could have a party with some girl and his friends."

"Probably Nancy."

I nodded and say, "Lucas I need to tell you something-" But I was interrupted by Mike.

"Hey Lucas, it's Mike" says Lucas's walkie talkie. I got that it was Mike's voice. "Lucas!"

I gave Lucas a look and he picked up the walkie talkie. "Hey, it's Lucas with Arden."

"I know it's you and oh hey Arden" Mike says "And say 'over' when you're done so I know your done. Over."

"I'm done. Over" Lucas says sarcastically and I laugh.

"I'm worried about Will. Over."

"So am I" I say into the walkie talkie before Lucas could talk.

Lucas gives me a look and says "Yeah.. this is crazy. Over."

"I was thinking.. Will could have cast protection last night but he didn't. He cast Fireball. Over" Mike says.

I give Lucas another look and Lucas says, "What's you're point? Over."

Mike sighs, "My point is .. he could've have played safe, but he didn't. He put himself in danger to save the party. Over." I think about this for a second then started to understand what Mike was trying to say.

There was a silence between us. Lucas gave a look that told me that we were going to get into some trouble. I smiled and nodded. "Meet us in ten. Over and Out."

Me and Lucas started to his door and out of the house without anyone seeing us. We both grabbed our bikes and started to Mirkwood.

When we got there, I saw Mike and Dustin waiting for us. "Let's get going" I say to my friends as we started into the woods.

"Will!"

"Byers!"

We were in the woods for about two minutes before Dustin said, "I've got your X-Men 134!" I gave Dustin a look for saying this. "Guys I really think we should turn back."

"Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby then go home already!" Lucas says to Dustin in an annoyed voice.

"I'm just being realistic, Lucas!" Dustin yells back.

"No, you're just being a big sissy!" Lucas yells.

"Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad and we're going to the exact same spot where he was last seen?" Dustin argues. I really never thought about it that way but I wanted to find Will so I would take the risk. "-And we have no weapons or anything?"

"Dustin, shut up" Mike says suddenly.

"I'm just saying does that seem smart to you?" Dustin says as he contiunes to talk.

Then I hear something. I looked over at Mike, my heart hopeful.

"Shut up, shut up!" repeated Mike.

"Seriously guys be quiet!" I say to help Mike.

"Did you guys hear that?" Mike contiues what he was saying.

I hear the rustling in the branches again. My heart started to beat faster and harder in my chest. It could be Will. I hoped that it was Will. The footsteps got closer so we all moved around to see if we saw something. We moved again and then we saw.....

A girl....