NO ONE'S POV:

Family Video

(We see Steve & Y/N putting movies on shelves.)

Robin: Then Vickie laughed. And it wasn't like a cheap, fake laugh either. It was like...It was a real, genuine laugh.

Steve: Of course she laughed, Robin. It's my Muppet joke. It's hilarious.

(Y/N): Very funny indeed.

Robin: My point is that Vickie laughed and everything was just like...It was perfect.

Steve & (Y/N): But?

Robin: But I'm having this problem where it's like, I should stop talking. I have said everything I need to say. But then I guess I get nervous, and the words keep spilling out...

(Y/N): Sounds familiar.

Robin: And it's like my...my brain is moving faster than my mouth, or...or rather my...my mouth is moving faster than my brain. I'm digging this hole for myself and I want to stop digging, I'm trying to stop, but I can't. And I'm doing it right now, aren't I?

Steve: Yeah, you are.

Robin: I do this on our dates, don't I, (Y/N)?

(Y/N): Every single one. Without fail. I don't mind, It's ad--

Robin: Don't say adorable because it's not.

(Y/N): I'll just keep it to myself then.

Robin: How do you get me to stop?

(Y/N): I kiss you mid sentence. That seems to do the trick.

Steve: Nice, man. Mind if I use that?

(Y/N): Please do. Don't let Vickie kiss you though.

Robin: Obviously. [exhales] I'm hopeless.

(She leans against a movie poster as does Steve.)

Steve: Eh. We both are.

(Y/N): You're both being overdramatic.

Steve: At least you have a girlfriend.

Robin: And a best friend that's the same gender as you.

(Y/N): I--Yeah, I don't know how to respond either of that.

Robin: If only the three of us could just, like, combine.

Steve: Combine?

Robin: No, think about it. I know exactly what I want, and I've finally found my lesbian best friend of my dreams, but I can't get the courage to ask her to be my friend.

Steve: Mm.

(Y/N): Uh-huh.

Robin: Meanwhile, you go on a million dates. And you don't know what you want.

Steve: Mm-hmm.

(Y/N): I am pretty sure he wants a relationship.

Robin: And (Y/N), arguably the best out of the three of us. Always listening and ever so willing to help. Come over here.

(Y/N): Okay?

(He walks up to her. She leans her head against his chest.)

Robin: [sighs] Plus, who wouldn't want to be a werewolf?

Steve: I know, right?

(Y/N): [chuckles]

Robin: So if all three of us combined, all of our problems would be solved. Because, I mean, alone, let's face it...

Steve: We totally suck.

Robin: Totally and utterly. Sorry we bring you down.

(Y/N): Hey, if you two bring me down, then the only thing I can do is bring you two up with me.

(She raises her head off Y/N's chest.)

Robin: [gasps] Ooh, I think I found our morning movie.

(She runs past Y/N & grabs...)

Robin: Doctor Zhivago.

Steve: Ugh, you know I don't do double VHS.

Robin: But it's about doomed love.

Steve: Oh, well, that's relatable.

Robin: Precisely.

(Y/N): Shouldn't we watch something more...positive?

Robin: No! Also, Julie Christie is b-b-bonkers hot in this. Like seriously the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in my life.

(She turns on the tv & the news is on.)

Reporter: We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details right now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the victim's name...

Steve: Holy shit.

Reporter...although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family.

(Some time later, Max & Dustin walk into Family Video.)

Dustin: Hey, Steve. (Y/N).

Steve: You guys see this?

(Y/N): Why?

Dustin: How many phones do you have?

Steve: Someone was murdered.

Dustin: How many phones do you have?!

Steve: Two. Why?

(Y/N): Three.

Robin: If you count Keith's in the back.

Max: Yeah, three works.

Steve: What are you doing?

(Dustin pushes his bag over the counter.)

Steve: What are you--

Robin: My pile!

(Dustin hops over the counter.)

Steve: No, no, no! My tapes! Dude.

(Y/N): You couldn't have walked around because...?

(He sits in front of their computer.)

Steve: What are you doing, man?

Dustin: Setting up a base of operations.

Robin: Base of operations?

(Y/N): At our place of work?

Steve: Get off.

Dustin: I need it.

Steve: Need it for what?

Dustin: Eddie's friends' phone numbers.

Steve: Oh, Eddie, your new best friend you think is cooler than (Y/N) and I because he plays your nerdy game?

(Y/N): Eddie is not cooler than us. What the hell?

Dustin: Yes. I never said that.

Robin: Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around like toddlers, but it's Saturday. It's our busiest day.

Dustin: Robin, I totally empathize, but this cannot wait until Monday.

Steve: Oh, my God.

Robin: 'Cause calling Eddie's friends is an emergency?

Dustin: Correct!

Steve: Want me to strangle him or you want to?

Robin: We could take turns. Or, better yet, (Y/N) can eat him.

(Y/N): Yeah! I could swallow him whole like a snake.

(Dustin turns to Max.)

Dustin: Can you fill them in while I do this?

Robin: Fill us in on what?

(Cut to Max, Dustin, & Robin on the phone, trying to find Eddie while Steve & Y/N are assisting customers.)

Woman: You work here so you must know what the good movies are, right?

(Y/N): Right you are.

Woman: Then what would you recommend?

(Y/N): What are you looking for?

Woman: Hm...drama.

(Y/N): Then I've got the perfect movie for ya. Wait right here.

(As he goes to get the movie, Steve strikes out with a girl who already has a boyfriend.)

(Y/N): Here ya go.

Woman: 12 Angry Men?

(Y/N): It's one of my favorite movies of all time. Plus, it's only an hour and 35 minutes long.

Woman: It's not too long then.

(Y/N): Just the right runtime.

Woman: I don't really want to watch this movie all alone...

(Y/N): Oh, I definitely prefer to watch movies with other people. It...enhances the experience if that makes sense. [chuckles] I love watching movies with my g--

Woman: What time do you get off?

(Y/N): Pardon?

Woman: What time do you get off?

(Y/N): Um, wait, you're asking me out.

Woman: I am.

(Y/N): I'm flattered, but do you see the girl behind the counter wearing a tie?

(The woman looks beside Y/N to see the girl he's talking about.)

Woman: I do.

(Y/N): That's my girlfriend.

Woman: Oh.

(Y/N): I'll tell you this. Do you see that guy over there? The guy with the hair?

Woman: Yes?

(Y/N): He'd be more than willing to watch 12 Angry Men with you.

Woman: Thanks but no thanks.

(She pushes the vhs into his chest.)

Woman: He's not my type.

(The woman leaves Family Video.)

(Y/N): There's a first for everything--Ow!

(A pen hits his head causing him to look at Robin who's glaring at him.)

(Y/N): What? I turned her down. I even tried to hook her up with Steve.

(Max hangs up her phone.)

Max: Hey, guys, I might have a lead.

Dustin: Seriously?

Max: Yeah. Apparently, Eddie gets his drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there.

Robin: That sounds promising. Where does this Reefer Rick guy live?

Max: See, that's the thing. No one knows. He's more of a...legend than someone that people actually know.

Dustin: What about a last name?

Max: I don't know that either.

Steve: I bet the cops know the last name.

Max: What?

Steve: Cops. I mean, listen, if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. Means he's in the system.

Dustin: The cops? Really, Steve? That's your suggestion?

(Y/N): It's a good suggestion.

Steve: I think at this point they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on.

Dustin: You think Eddie's guilty, don't you? Both of you.

(Y/N): It doesn't matter what I think.

Dustin: That's not an answer.

(Y/N): That's the answer I'm going with.

Steve: Whoa. (Y/N) and I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit. I just, you know, don't think we can rule it out.

Max: That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve.

Dustin: And maybe we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and you, (Y/N), helping him and more time trying to find Eddie.

(Y/N): You heard all that?

Steve: Somebody has to attend to the customers.

Steve: Hey, not fair, okay?

(Y/N): You're the only babe I care about.

Robin: I know, I just like to keep you on your toes.

Steve: I attend to all customers equally, babes and non-babes alike. We've got a very big selection here. It can be super overwhelming for these people.

Robin: Yeah, it can be.

(She sits in front of the computer.)

Max: What are you doing?

Robin: Maybe we don't need a last name.

(Steve & Y/N join them at the computer.)

Robin: Twelve Ricks have accounts here.

Max: That's a lot of Ricks.

Robin: So, let's narrow it down. Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo. What are the chances our drug dealer has a family?

Max: Not likely.

Robin: All right. Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone.

Max, Steve, & Dustin: No.

(Y/N): Teen Wolf is actually an underrated movie. It really captures what it's like to be a werewolf.

Steve, Max, & Dustin: Really?

Robin: [chuckles] He's joking. Okay, Rick Joiner. Mask, Footloose, and Grease.

All: Nah.

Robin: Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash.

All: [laughter]

Max: Definitely not.

(Y/N): Nope.

Steve: No way.

Robin: Okay, Rick Lipton. Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams.Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke.

Dustin: Bingo.

Max: Lipton?

Robin: Spelled like the tea. 2121 Holland Road.

Dustin: That's out by Lover's Lake.

Max: Middle of nowhere.

Robin: It's the perfect place to hide.

(Cut to them at Rick Lipton's doorstep where Dustin rings the doorbell rapidly.)

Steve: Okay. Well, that's settled. I guess he's not here.

Dustin: Eddie! It's Dustin!

Steve: Great. Look, we just want to talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help. Eddie!

Robin: Shh.

Dustin: Rick! Reefer Rick!

Steve: Don't scream that.

Dustin: Rick!

(Y/N): He's not here.

Dustin: Reefer Rick! He could be really high.

(Y/N): That is a possibility.

Steve: Is that a foot?

Dustin: No, that's a shoe.

Max: Hey, guys?

(They walk over to Max & see a boat shed. They enter it.)

Robin: Hello? Is anyone home?

(Y/N): [sniffs] Ugh. All I smell is the lake.

Steve: What a dump.

(He grabs an oar & hits the inside of a boat.)

Dustin: What are you doing? What are you doing?

Steve: He might be in here.

Dustin: So take the tarp off.

Steve: If you're so brave, you take the tarp off.

Max: Hey, look over here.

(They walk over to a bunch of candy wrappers.)

Max: Someone was here.

Robin: Maybe he heard us. Got spooked and ran.

(Y/N): Dustin was yelling.

Dustin: Don't worry. Steve will get him with his oar.

Steve: I know you think you're being funny, Henderson, but considering the fact that everyone in this room has nearly died about a hundred times and it takes some time for (Y/N) to change fully, personally, I don't find it funny in the slight--

(Eddie emerges out of the boat.)

Steve: Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!

(He pushes Steve against a wall & holds a broken bottle up to his throat.)

Dustin: Whoa, whoa, whoa, Eddie! Eddie! Stop! Eddie! Eddie! It's me. It's Dustin. This is Steve. He's not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?

Steve: Right. Yeah.

Dustin: Steve, why don't you drop the oar?

(He drops the oar & Eddie pushes the broken bottle against Steve's throat.)

Steve: [groans]

Dustin: He's cool. He's cool.

(Y/N): [growls]

Dustin: Robin. Please tell (Y/N) to calm down.

(Y/N): I'm calm.

Dustin: And that's why you're growling?

(Robin slowly grabs his hand, calming him down.)

Steve: I'm cool, man. I'm cool.

Eddie: What are you doing here?

Dustin: We're looking for you.

Robin: We're here to help.

Dustin: Eddie, these are my friends. You know Robin, from band.

Robin: [imidates playing an instrument]

Dustin: This is my friend (Y/N). You might also know him. He's Robin's boyfriend.

(Y/N): *annoyed* Hi.

Dustin: This is my friend Max. The one who never wants to play D&D.

Max: *waves*

Dustin: Eddie. We're on your side. I swear on my mother. Right, guys?

Max: Yes. Yes. We swear.

(Y/N): Need me to get on my hands and knees? Because I will.

Robin: On Dustin's mother.

Steve: Yeah, Dustin's...Dustin's mother.

(He lets go of Steve.)

Steve: [grunts] Jesus Ch...

(Dustin walks up to Eddie & kneels down to him.)

Dustin: Eddie...We just want to talk. Okay?

(Robin kneels down to him.)

Robin: We want to know what happened.

Eddie: [sniffs] You won't believe me.

Max: Try us.

(Cut to Eddie explaining what happened.)

Eddie: Her body just, like, lifted up into the air and, uh...And she just, like, hung there. In the air. And her bones...Uh, she...[wimpers] Her bones started to snap. Her eyes, man. It...It was like there was something, like, inside her head, pulling. I...I didn't know what to do, so I...I ran away. I left her there. [scoffs] You all think I'm crazy, right?

Dustin: No. We don't think you're crazy at all.

Eddie: Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds.

Max: We're not bullshitting you.

Robin: We believe you.

Eddie: [exhales]

Dustin: Look, what I'm about to tell you might be a little...difficult to take.

Eddie: Okay.

Dustin: You know how people say Hawkins is...cursed? They're not way off. There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours.

Eddie: Like ghosts and shit?

Max: There are some things worse than ghosts.

Dustin: These monsters from this other world...we thought they were gone. But they've come back before. That's why we needed to find you.

Max: If they're back again, we need to know.

Robin: That night, did you see anything?

Max: Dark particles, maybe?

(Y/N): A creature without a face?

(Eddie shakes his head from side to side.)

Dustin: It would look like dust, swirling dust.

Eddie: No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh...or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn't move. It was like she...she was in a trance or something.

Dustin: Or under a spell.

Eddie: A curse.

Dustin: Vecna's curse.

Steve: Who's Vecna?

Dustin: An undead creature of great power.

Eddie: A spell caster.

Dustin: A dark wizard.

The Upside Down