You grew up in Hawkins. It was common for you to go out and explore the forest, you’ve been doing it every day since you were five. Now you’re fifteen.

You were walking through the forest like usual. You brought your flashlight out, since you planned on being out there until late at night. None of your friends could come because they were playing D&D (You never understood the game, so you never played).

You start hearing footsteps behind you. You don’t think much of it, so you keep walking. The footsteps get louder, so it prompts you to turn around. Nobody’s there. You just keep walking. That’s when something jumps out at you, making you scream.

It’s El. She apparently followed you through the forest. You and El have been close friends for a while. You found her while bike riding with your friends a few years back, and ever since that day you two were close. She used to not be able to socialize properly, but she slowly started to learn. Now, she can socialize well. She still struggles with complex words and social cues, but it’s nothing that she can’t learn.

El starts to laugh. She found it funny how you got scared. You can’t blame her. After she collects herself, she speaks. “Sorry, I had to do it.”