I have finally finished re-writing Episode 1 of my Season 5 rewrite. I have SO many ideas for Volume 2, but you gotta start building from the ground up. I think I'm going to finish Episode 2 first before posting on AO3.
The goal of this chapter is to help bridge the gap between Seasons 4 and 5, start building more characterization for the characters that were left to the side (Example: MIKE), set up foundations for the rest of the changes, and actually show apocalyptic Hawkins.
Please see the below excerpt (I have never done anything like this before, please go easy on me):
The morning continues as shown. Holly sees Mr. Whatsit in the window. Although vaguely blurry, outside is gloomy, with gray and black clouds covering the sky, as if it is constantly about to start downpouring. There is a light fog hovering above the ground, still obvious that it is early morning. Karen encourages Holly to “Round up the troops!” Everyone collects at the breakfast table. It is loud and noisy, and Ted never gets his bacon. The group is rushing out of the house.
Nancy declares, “Be back at 5:00 or 6:00. Let me know if you need me to pick up anything.”
Nancy rushes out the door before Karen is able to call out. Karen helps Holly with her jacket, gives her a kiss, and catches Mike by the arm before he rushes out the door. “Don’t forget it’s ration day. I need you to stop by the distribution center to pick up our food for the week after you pick Holly up from school. Don’t let them give you any trouble, make sure they give you enough for eight people.”
Mike is already nodding his head, annoyed, “Alright, alright, Mom. I got it, I know.” He waves goodbye and quickly follows Holly out the door. Joyce, who got behind after fixing up the kitchen a little bit, slips her hand between the door and wall, right before it closes and turns to Karen.
“I am so sorry I can’t do more. I am already running late for the volunteer center.”
“It’s okay, Joyce, really. I...understand.”
Mike, Will, and Holly are hopping onto their bicycles.
“The Morning Squawk, Mike, we’re gonna miss it!”
Mike turns on the radio. Around their necks are neck gaiters, in varying colors (Will-yellow, Mike-blue, Holly-purple. The colors are muted and the fabric is peeling, showing that these have been well used), which they almost simultaneously pull up over their noses and mouths before pedaling away. The camera pulls further away and we can see why. The sky is completely covered by swirling clouds of varying shades of gray and black, constantly moving, constantly rolling as if angry. If you look closer, there is a slight red tint. Spores hover in the air like in the Upside Down. Not as many, but enough to be concerning. “Good morning, Hawkins, this is WSQK the Squawk.”
Nancy and Jonathan in the car.
“It’s looking like a regular day in Hawkins. Forty-Five degrees, a little gloomy. A little overcast.”
The WSQK van in-front of the WSQK station.
“But, if you can believe it, a low chance of rain, medium chance of arrest, and a high chance of helicopters.”
Mike glances down at the radio, then quickly over at Will, before looking away.
Mike is pushed roughly into a chair in an interrogation room. His hair is longer, like at the end of Season 4. Officer Callahan stands before him with his arms crossed. Chief Powell is beside him, leaning forward on the table, and slams onto the table the picture of Hellfire Club with all the members, including Dustin, Lucas, Eddie, and Mike.
“What the hell is your guys’ problem?! I was in California for the last week. What do I have to do with anything?”
Officer Callahan scoffs. “You’re telling me that all your friends are running around with a murderer who's a part of your little Hellfire Club and you’re sitting here telling me you have no knowledge...of any of it. You’re completely in the dark.”
Mike takes a deep breath, but he doesn’t look away. He is not intimidated, certainly not by them. “I. Was. In. California.”
“ ----That’s convenient!” Powell interrupts.
“I know you talked to my parents. I know you harassed my friends. I don’t know what shitty police work you guys have been up to since Hopper died, but Eddie Munson wasn’t a murderer. I don’t know what level of incompetence you have to be to think a group of teenagers that play a FANTASY role playing game murdered three people and were somehow connected to and caused an earthquake to tear apart our town in the span of a week, but I think you need to reevaluate your career choices. And I’m a minor, you pieces of shit.”
Powell and Callahan glance at each other. Callahan begins, “We may not have knowledge of whatever Satanic rituals you guys get up to in your spare time,”
Mike jumps out of his seat “Satanic!”
“Sit down you little---!”
The door to the room flies open, and in walks Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan. Two other officers follow him into the room and stand behind him at guard. “Gentlemen, I think that is enough. We’ll take things from here.”
Chief Powell does not look happy. “Who the hell are you? We were in the middle of something.”
“I am Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan. And we are under orders from the United States Government to take this town under military command. For the protection of its citizens, and for the protection of everyone outside of this town, we are instituting a quarantine until the cause of the destruction and mysterious air particles can be determined.”
“Quarantine! We’re still investigating multiple homicides and hundreds of people are now homeless,” Callahan protests.
“This is our town,” Powell continues, “And---”
“No sirs, this is our town now. You are relieved of your duties. Your services to this town are no longer needed. We will take it from here.”
End Flashback. Mike continues to ride his bike and the radio continues. A helicopter flies over the three of them as they pedal on to school.
“But general banality aside, it's an exciting day for me, your friend, entertainer, and DJ, Robin Buckley. Nice to meet you!...AKA Rockin' Robin. And why is it a big day for me, you ask? Well, it's my 500th broadcast. Yeah, you heard that right, folks. Five-double-O! Which means it's been even longer since you've heard the sultry voice of Jimmy "Fast Hands" Lee. But while Jimmy was fleeing Hawkins even faster than he moves those hands, yours truly was watching slack-jawed as the earth split open beneath her feet and coughed up that tsunami of mysterious dandruff.”
Mike stands with his hands in his pockets, glancing briefly at Will and Eleven, who stand together beside him, holding hands. He notices the slight tear tracks on both of their faces, but doesn’t say anything. They are outside of Hopper’s cabin in the woods. Before them all is Jonathan, who is in the process of hugging Argyle.
“Are you sure you don’t want to fly home?” Jonathan asks Argyle as he pulls back from the hug.”
“Nah, man, I gotta get the van back. You know how those pizza bosses be, man.”
Jonathan chuckles. “Right, right. I just want to make sure you get back safely.”
Will lets go of Eleven’s hand and steps up to give Argyle a hug. “We’re going to miss you, Argyle. Thank you for everything. And I don’t just mean the week long drive into the dessert. I’m going to miss our drives to school. I don’t know if we could have done it without you.”
Eleven gives Argyle a hug next. “Thank you, Argyle. I will never forget you.”
“Ah, no problem little Byers. Plus,” Argyle leans in towards WIll and Eleven and grabs them by the shoulders, one hand on each, “I gotta couple bags of those mushrooms. Those are gonna sell up the wazoo back at Surfer Boy. My dudes, something tells me you twins are gonna get up to more trouble here than anything I’ll run into driving back home. You’re gonna need some back up.” From his pocket, Argyle pulls out a couple rounds of purple palm tree delight and places them in the top pocket of Will’s buttoned shirt.
Will and Eleven glance at each other and laugh. Argyle slowly backs away, and he glances behind them at Mike, who is standing awkwardly in the background. He gives Argyle an awkward wave goodbye.
Jonathan slams the door to the pizza van shut, and turns to Argyle for the last time. “You better head out, buddy. You’re going to hit traffic going out of town, and they’re closing the gates tonight. No more in, no more out after 8 p.m.”
While Argyle and Jonathan exchange a couple last words, Mike turns around and walks back into the cabin. He is briefly startled by noise blaring from the TV that is standing alone in the newly cleaned living room. The static goes in and out before the channel settles on the news station.
“There may still be a hole in the roof, but at least the TV is working. Dustin for the win, man,” Mike mumbles to himself. The pizza van drives away and Will, Eleven, and Jonathan, walk into the house. They all stand there and watch the TV:
“Please stand by for a message from our Mayor.....” The TV screen shows the town’s new mayor after Mayor Klein, standing before a podium. “Citizens of Hawkins. I know that we are all in desperate need for some answers for the horrors that have befallen our small town. There is nothing that we can do to make the happenings of the past couple weeks any better. We all must weather this storm together. We all must move forward. Tonight, the miliary are closing the gate around Hawkins, and quarantine will be officially initiated. We are also issuing a curfew. Every person, adult and child, must be in their homes, with the doors locked by 8:00 p.m. every night. No exceptions will be authorized. Any outings from your home should be severally limited. Once the military has set up their zones and medical centers, more information will be given.
Hawkins Elementary, Middle, and High School will remain closed for the foreseeable future, and will continue to be help centers for those in need. This decision will be re-evaluated in a couple months, when the new school semester would begin....”
The Mayor continues on in his update, but Mike begins to tune it out. “How are we going to get around town with the air being toxic, the military everywhere, and a curfew? It’s already hard enough to get around as it is.”
Before anyone can respond, Hopper walks into the cabin, with Joyce close behind him, with a shovel in hand.
“And now, I'm stuck here with you, my fellow quarantine compatriots. And if I can be brutally honest, I couldn't be happier. Because when you really think about it, why would you want to live anywhere else? I mean, what town on Earth can match our very impressive military-to-civilian ratio? And those free, mandatory medical checkups? I mean, very cool. 'Cause after we inhaled those springtime snowflakes, who knows what's wrong with us?”
Will, Mike, and Holly ride up to a military truck that is blocking the road. Behind the truck is a large, blue tent. Military men surround the tent while people with white lab coats direct the line of people into the tent one by one. Just over the top of the incline of the road, you can barely see the roof of the schools. They are almost there.
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