DUSTIN THROWS THE GYM DOORS OPEN and they bang against the wall causing the gym to go silent and all eyes to turn to them.

Mariella sucks in a breath as they pause in the doorway awkwardly.

"Abort," Dustin whispers, turning to fun out but Lucas grabs his shoulders and pushes him in and they walk towards the bleachers.

"We come together to heal..." The principals voice drones on buy they all seem to zone it out as they find their seats and sit.

"Will Byers' death is an unimaginable tragedy. Will was an exceptional student and a wonderful friend to all of us. It's impossible to express the hole his loss will leave on our community," He goes on as the party looks to each other in distaste at the blank-faced students who listened.

"I'd like to introduce you to Sandy Sloane. She's a local grief counsellor from the church over in Jonesboro. But before she comes up here, I just want those who are having trouble dealing with this tragic loss..." The party continues to zone out, going into their own worlds.

Mike nudges Mariella and Licas who both turn to him with raised brows. "Look at these fakers!" He whispers, upset.

"They probably didn't even know his name until today," Lucas whispers back as Mariella leans forward and points a finger to Troye and James who sat a few seats away chuckling to themselves.

She sucks in a breath again and clenches her fist, "I'm still open to telling my dad," she mumbles before leaning back and shaking her head with her eyes shut.

Eleven peeks and watches as they imitate and laugh about Will. "Mouth breather," She whispers, looking to Mike and Mariella who smile softly and nod.

After what felt like ages, the bell rings and student begin filing out, stomping down the bleachers and onto the gym floor.

"Hey! Hey!" Mike calls out, walking away from the party and towards Troye and James with a scowl on his face.

"Mike, stop!" Mariella says, following after him and grabbing his arm but her pushes her off. She follows after him and stands next to him.

"Hey, Troye!" He shouts now, close to him as he turns back and faces Mike in the face.

"You... you think this is funny?" Mike asks, shouting at him as other students begin to watch.

"What's you say, Wheeler?" Troye asks, threateningly.

"You heard him, Troye," Mariella says, looking at him dead in the eyes.

"I saw you guys laughing over there and I think that's a real messed up thing to do," Mike stammers at the beginning.

"Didn't you listen to the counsellor, Wheeler? Grief shows itself in funny ways," James speaks up.

"Oh, can it, James. You don't even have a backbone!" Mariella spits at his foot as she steps closer to him and stares up. There were a few exclaims from around them.

James gets ready to grab her shoulder but she leans back slightly and shakes her head. "I wouldn't do that," She says, leaning into Mike.

"Besides, what's there to be sad about, anyway? Will's in fairyland now, right? Flying around with the other little fairies. All happy and gay!" Troye laughs as he skips in spot, a crowd as formed now. Watching as Mariella DeGray and Michael Wheeler stare down their longtime bullies.

Troye and James begin to walk over, satisfied as they laugh. "Mike," Mariella whispers, grabbing his arm before he walks forward and pushes Troye's back angrily. Exclamations come from all around them as people stare at Troye on the ground of the gym floor.

"You're dead, Wheeler! Dead!" Troye grunts, getting up quickly and readying himself to lunge at Mike. He stops in his tracks cause everyone to stare at him confused and mumble amongst themselves.

Quickly, they realize why, Mariella and Mike hearing the sound of running water and they look down to see Troye's pants begin to get wet.

"Dude, Troye peed himself!" A boy calls out as everyone bursts out laughing.

Mariella looks to Mike holding in a laugh before they both turn to Eleven who wipes her nose which blood ran from and walked off.

"Hey! What's going on here?" The principal shouts, walking towards the situation as Lucas runs towards the two and grabs their hands, running off. Leaving their tormentor in a puddle of his own pee.

♧

Walking into the AV room, they switch on the lights and situate themselves around the radio. Eleven in front.

"Now what?" Dustin asks, stopping behind Eleven and looking around.

"She'll find him. Right, El?" Mike assures, while adjusting the radio.

Eleven nods, closing her eyes and breathing heavily. It goes like this for a while, her breathing the only thing filling the room.

"She's doing it! She's finding him," Mike says.

"This is crazy!" Dustin smiles with excitement.

"This better work. Oh God, this better work," Mariella whispers to herself.

"Calm down. She just closed her eyes," Lucas butts in, pulling them back to reality as the radio crackles and light burns out.

"What the!" Mariella gasps as they look up at the light above them.

"Holy..." Dustin mumbles, a clanging erupting from the radio making them all lean closer to listen.

"What is that?" Dustin asks, clanging intensifying.

"Mom?" A voice whispers out from the radio and they all go wide eyed.

"No way!" Lucas mumbles.

"Mom!" The voice says again, pleadingly.

"That's Will! Will's alive!" Mariella says as she breathes shakily and moves from one foot to another nervously.

The voice continues to call out for his mom as the party begins to desperately scream into the Mike begging for him to hear.

"Will!"

"Will, it's us! Are you there?"

"Will, please answer! We're here!"

"Can you here us?"

"Hello? Mom?" Will's voice calls out again distorted.

"Why can't be hear us?" Lucas panics, leaning back.

"I don't know!" Mike answers, blinking rapidly.

"Maybe, the radio isn't..." Mariella starts and quickly stops as Will speaks again.

"It's like home, but it's so dark. It's so dark and empty. And it's cold!" Will cries out. "Mom? Mom!" He cries again.

And then, the fuse blows from the radio and it catches fire. The party yelping and backing away quickly, Mariella grabbing Eleven's chair and pulling her away as Dustin grabs the fire extinguisher and spraying it on the fire, fire alarm ringing.

"We gotta go! El! El? Are you okay?" Mariella asks as she looks at Eleven who tiredly bobbed her head with blood coming from her nose.

"Can you move?" Mike asks worriedly, the boys crowding and watching as Mariella tries to get her to come to.

"Here, help her up," He adds as Mariella begins to panic and look to them with bulging eyes.

Mike and Lucas support both her arms and Mariella and Dustin grab both her feet. Mariella spots a rolling tray in the corner of the room.

"Put her on there!" She shouts out as they move towards it and drop Elevem onto it gently, Dustin opening the door while Lucas and Mike push the tray rapidly. Mariella runs in front of them and opens the exit shouting out, "hurry up!".