CHAPTER TWO
( girl in the woods )

MADDIE WOKE UP the next morning and turned off her alarm clock. She put an oversized t-shirt on and some jeans with her white converse (that definitely weren't as white as they had once been). Maddie has gotten the shirt from mike, he gave it to her one day as a gift because he knew how much she liked it.

Maddie than put her hair in two dutch braids that went down her back and by the time she finished some quick makeup (consisting of mascara and lip gloss), it was already 7:15.

She smiled a bit to herself before going over to her walkie talkie and going to her and Lucas' private channel. "Hey Lucas! Are you coming or am i gonna have to bike to school all alone?"

"Sorry Maddie! I was waiting for Mike. Head outside now we are about to be there." Lucas responded instantly, luckily already waiting on that channel.

Ever since Maddie got a bike, Mike and Lucas would bike with her to school. The three lived so close, it just felt right to use that advantage and hang out.

Maddie hopped out her window, remembering to grab her backpack before shutting the window. She grabbed her bike and ran out to her front lawn.

She waited about a minute or two before she saw two boys riding up to her. She smiled and waved and hopped on her bike before  joining them on the ride to school.

"Hey there Wheeler." greeted maddie with a smile as she biked up next to Mike and mike shot her one back. "Lucas." Maddie smiled as well, turning her head towards her other friend for a moment. "Hey Maddie, isn't that mikes shirt?" Lucas questioned smirking at the girl, which just made her roll her eyes with a laugh. "Not anymore."

"I think it looks better on you than it did me." Mike smiled, causing Maddies cheeks to darken just a bit. "Thanks Wheeler." Lucas gagged.

They continued on their ride, just joking around until Mike remembered something. "Oh yeah, Wills mom called my mom this morning. She asked if Will had stayed over last night... do you guys think he's okay?"

Maddie's eyebrows came together in confusion, why would Joyce Byers be asking where Will was when he had gone home. Unless he didn't make it, but that thought didn't cross Maddies mind.

"Do you know if anything else was said?" Lucas questioned, looking in Mike's direction. Mike nodded. "Yeah, then Ms. Byers told my mom that Will probably just went to school early."

Lucas sighed. "Then that's probably what he did. He's done it before." Maddie bit her lip, hoping Lucas was right. But she wouldn't be convinced until she saw Will in class.

When the three where about at the school, Dustin had joined them on their ride. The four pulled over to the bike rack and looked around for the last member of their party.

The ten minute bell rang and still, no Will. "That's weird. I don't see him." Mike frowned. Wills bike wasn't even there. He began walking, the others following behind.

"I'm telling you, his moms right. He probably just went to class early again." Lucas spoke convincingly, but Maddie didn't know.

"Yeah, he's always paranoid Gursky's gonna give him another pop quiz." Dustin laughed, making Maddie smile, yet that smile went away as soon as she heard a new voice.

"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Step right up and get your tickets for the freak show. Who do you think would make more money in a freak show? Midnight?" Troy punched Lucas in the arm. "Frog-face?" He punched Mike. "Toothless?" He punched Dustin. "Or even the little princess?" Troy twirled a piece of Maddie's hair, making her swat him away with a hard glare.

Troy always had some sort of obsession with Maddie ever since they were young. She rejected him in 1st grade because he was rude to her friends but that didn't seem to stop him. He may have been embarrassed as he had asked the whole grade to watch her leave her "loser friends" for him but she didn't.

Troy's best friend, James, sighed and pretended to think it over. "I'd go with toothless." He mimicked dustins lisp causing Maddie to roll her eyes.

"Wow James! So original. And Troy? Maybe try not using the same insult everytime cause it looses its sting after about the second time." Maddie sassed. Troy sent her a glare, which she quickly returned, and she waiting until he looked away first.

And he did, he always did.

"I told you a million times, my teeth are coming in. It's called Cleidocranial Dysplasia," Dustin sighed, reexplaining it again. James just mimicked him again. "I told you a million times."

Troy looked at Dustin. "Do the arm thing." Dustin just sighed. "Do it freak!" Troy screamed.

"I swear to god i will knock both of your teeth—" Before Maddie can finish, Lucas puts his hand over her mouth to stop her from saying anything else to piss Troy off.

Troy just looked at her and smirked. "Sweets, you couldn't hurt me if you tried. You're too dainty and plus, you're a girl." Maddie did her best not to slap him right then and there but with all of her friends looking at her, she stayed quiet and just glared at the boy.

James glared at Dustin so Dustin began removing his jacket, about to to the trick. Dustin popped his shoulders forward making the two boys gag and laugh about how weird it was.

Troy and James than shoved through Mike, Dustin, and Lucas, Troy making sure to send Maddie a wink which made her want to gag. Lucas finally took his hand off of Maddie's mouth when she kicked him in the shin lightly.

"Assholes." Lucas glared, looking ahead as Dustin picked up his jacket. "I think it's kinda cool. It's like you have superpowers or something. Like Mr. Fantastic." Mike smiled, looking at dustin trying to cheer him up, which made Maddie smile.

"Yeah, except i can't fight evil with it." Dustin joked and they all begin walking into school. "Not all hero's have to have a power that defeats the bad guy. Sometimes their power helps in other ways." Maddie added, making Mike nod and Dustin smile as they all head into their classes.

THE BELL RANG, indicating science class was over. Science was Maddie's personal favorite, not because of the subject itself but because her favorite teacher, Mr. Clarke, was the science teacher.

"Remember, finish chapter 12 and answer 12.3 on the difference between an experiment and other forms of science investigation. This will be on the test, which will cover chapters 10 through 12." Mr. Clarke stated before he began trailing off noticing everyone leaving. "It will be multiple choice with an essay section."

He turned his head to see the four kids, looking at him excitedly. "So, did it come?" Mike questioned very excited making the rest of the group look at the man in even more anticipation.

"Sorry kids. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..." He trailed off and everyone looked down disappointed. "It came." Mr. Clarke smiled as the four kids all looked at him excitedly once again.

Maddie smiled again while Mike and the boys began running to the AV room. Maddie ran after them as Mr. Clarke laughed and joined along in the running.

Once inside, Mike sat in front of the new heathkit ham shack and looked at it as Maddie went on his side to look as well.

"The heathkit ham shack. Ain't she a beaut?" Mr. Clarke smiled, looking at his prized pupils. Maddie smiled with a nod as Dustin looked at it with wide eyes. "I bet you can talk to New York on this thing."

"Think bigger." Mr. Clare smiled. "California?" Lucas questioned. "Bigger." Mr. Clarke replied. "Australia?" Mike wondered and Mr. Clarke smiled before nodding, which got more excited noises from each kid.

Maddie looked at the heathkit with wide eyes, just appreciating how truly cool it was. "When Will sees this, he's totally gonna blow his shit." Lucas laughed and Mr. Clarke turned to him quickly. "Lucas!" All the kids knew he wasn't really mad but Lucas still apologized anyways, which made Mr. Clarke smile.

Mike put the headphones on and turned the radio on, trying out his best Australian accent. "Ello, this is Mike Wheeler, President of Hawkins Middle AV Club."

Maddie laughed before taking the headphones and trying out her own australian accent. "Ello, this is Maddie Walker, CO-Vice President of Hawkins Middle AV Club."

Dustin then took the headphones from Maddie and laughed. "Ello, this is Dustin, and the secretary and treasurer of Hawkins Middle AV Club. Do you eat kangaroos for breakfast?" All the kids laughed before Lucas took the headphones from Dustin, only to be stopped by a knock at the door.

Maddie looks up to see her uncle, Chief of Police Jim Hopper, with the principal and one of the deputies.

"Sorry to interrupt, but, uh, may i borrow Michael, Lucas, Dustin, and Madison?" All the kids just stared at their principal with worried looks before they all begin following him towards his office.

Maddie walked towards the principals office getting more worried by the second. Hopper noticed this and took a breath, walking up next to his niece. "Hey, kid." Maddie frowned. How could he just completely distance himself from her and then act like everything was still the same?

So she just walked away from him quickly, catching up with Mike and beginning to walk with him instead. Hopper frowned, watching as his niece began to talk with her friend.

They all made it into the office and sat on the couch. The four all crammed onto the couch, sitting in the order of Lucas, Mike, Maddie, and then Dustin. Hopper asked the kids about the last time they saw Will, and all four kids began speaking over each other.

Hopper sighed. "Okay, okay, okay. One at a time, all right? You." He pointed at Mike. "You said he takes what?"

"Mirkwood." Mike replied immediately. Hopper looked at him confused. "Mirkwood?" Mike quickly nodded. "Have you ever heard of Mirkwood?" Hopper asked, looking over to Callahan. Callahan shook his head. "I have not. It sounds made up to me."

Maddie rolled her eyes, she never liked him. "It's not made up." Lucas added. "It's from Lord of the Rings." Dustin tilted his head. "Well, The Hobbit."

Lucas rolled his eyes and looked at dustin. "It doesn't matter." Dustin then raised his voice a bit. "He asked!"

"He asked!" Lucas mimicked and the two began to fight, making Maddie roll her eyes and Mike yell at them to shut up. "Hey, hey, hey!" Hopper shouted, but neither boy listened.

Maddie frowned reaching towards both Lucas and Dustin to smack them both over the heads. "Shut up."

"What'd I just say? One at a damn time." Hopper glared at the boys, getting sick of their bickering.

He looked to mike again. "You." Mike looked back, ready to explain. "Mirkwood, it's a real road. It's just the name that's made up." Maddie quickly nodded. "It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet."

"Yeah, all right, I think I know that—" Mike quickly cut him off. "We can show you, if you want." Hopper frowned. "i said i know it!" Maddie looked at her uncle. "Uncle Jim, we can help look." The boys nodded in agreement, they all wanted to find will very badly.

"No." Hopper replied, shaking his head. All the kids began begging, hoping he'd crack. "No. After school, you are all to go home. Immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."

"The Hobbit." Dustin mumbled and Lucas looked at him like he was a complete idiot. "Shut up!" Lucas smacked Dustin, making Dustin smack him back while Mike and Maddie just sat there, both completely over it.

"Do i make myself clear?" No one said anything and Hopper stood up, getting closer. "Do i make myself... clear?"

Maddie frowned. "Crystal." The boys just nodded and said yes.

MADDIE SAT IN her room, trying to do homework, but was unable to focus. She just wanted to go out and find Will.

So, when she heard the voice of Mike Wheeler through her walkie talkie, she sprung up and turned her signal on, cringing at the loud noise it made once on.

"Maddie? Lucas? Do you both copy? It's Mike. Guys?" Maddie made it so they could hear her. "I'm here. It's maddie."

"Hey, it's Lucas." Lucas' voice stated, coming from the walkie talkie. "I know it's you. And say "over" when you're done talking so i know when you're done. Over." Mike bossed and Maddie heard Lucas's sarcastic voice. "I'm done. Over."

maddie laughed a bit before speaking up again. "Me too, over."

"Guys, i'm really worried about Will. Over." Maddie frowned, speaking into her walkie talkie. "Yeah me too. This is crazy. Over." She heard from Lucas.

"I was thinking.... Will could have cast protection last night, but he didn't. He cast fireball. Over." Mike stated, which made Maddie confused. "What do you mean Mike? Over."

"Yeah what's your point? Over." Lucas questioned and Mike quickly explained. "My point is... he could've played it safe, but he didn't. He put himself in danger to help the party. Over."

Maddie realized what Mike was saying and there was a pause before Maddie once again heard Lucas's voice. "Meet me in ten. Over and out."

Maddie put the signal down on her walkie and puts it into her backpack, which she had pre-packed incase she had the opportunity to look for Will, along with a flashlight, extra batteries, and her pocket knife that she always has just in case.

She slipped a sweatshirt Dustin gave her a year ago on over her t-shirt and jeans and hopped out her window. Maddie got on her bike and began biking towards Mikes house.

MADDIE AND THE boys where biking down towards the last known place Will had been. If she was being honest, she'd say she was a little freaked out, but she'd never show it.

"Ah, man. This is it." Lucas stated when the party found a red and white road blocker. They all began getting off their bikes and Dustin frowned. "Hey, guys. You feel that? I think maybe we should go back."

"No. We're not going back. Just stay close. Come on." Mike replied as he begun to walk into the woods, Maddie following behind, Lucas behind her, and Dustin yet to move.

"Just stay on channel six. Don't do anything stupid." Mike instructed to the group and kept walking father away. Maddie sped up to walk next to Mike and he smiled at her. She smiled back while Lucas and Dustin caught up.

A little while later and it was pouring out. Maddie's sweatshirt hood was over her head and she was freezing cold.

"Guys, i really think we should turn back." Dustin freaked. Maddie frowned at his constant complaining while Lucas glared at his friend. "Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby, then go home already!"

"I'm just being realistic, Lucas!" Dustin yelled, having to shout louder over the storm. Lucas shook his head. "No, you're just being a big sissy!"

"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? And we have no weapons or anything?" Dustin explained. Maddie hadn't really thought about that.

Maddie suddenly heard a rustling noise. "Dustin, shut up." He continued to yell. "I'm just saying, does that seem smart to you?" Mike then heard the noise as well. "Shut up. Shut up."

"Did you guys hear that?" Maddie questioned worriedly, getting freaked out. All the kids pulled out their flashlights and shined them towards the noise, yet there was nothing there. They then turned the other way fast.

And saw a girl.

AUTHORS NOTE!
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