HAWKINS – MORNING
The sky is gray. Wet asphalt reflects the pale dawn. Jonathan's car hums down the empty street, raindrops sliding down the windows.Inside, Will stares out the passenger side, hands tucked under his chin.
Jonathan (glancing at him): "You've been quiet since last night."
Will: "Just thinking."
Jonathan: "About the girl?"
Will nods slowly.
Will: "Yeah. It's like she… wasn't supposed to be there. But she was."
Jonathan tightens his grip on the steering wheel.
Jonathan: "You know, sometimes people who've been through too much… they just appear broken. Doesn't mean they're dangerous."
Will looks down, then back out the window.
Will: "She didn't look broken. She looked… powerful."
Jonathan exhales softly.
Jonathan: "Powerful isn't always a bad thing."
The car slows in front of the school. Students filter in through the drizzle. Will unbuckles.
Will (quietly): "Thanks for the ride."
Jonathan ruffles his brother's hair.
Jonathan: "Go be normal for a day, huh?"
Will smiles faintly, steps out, and watches Jonathan drive away.
Then — movement.At the far edge of the parking lot, near the tree line — a girl.Pale skin. Brown eyes. Hair matted by the mist.Moon.
She stands perfectly still, her gown slightly torn, bare feet sinking into wet grass.Will's eyes widen.
Will (under his breath): "Moon…"
He glances back toward the school doors. Then, without a second thought — he walks toward her.
FIELD BEHIND SCHOOL – CONTINUOUS
Will steps carefully through the wet grass. Moon doesn't move. Her gaze is unreadable, heavy.
Will: "You're… you're real."
Moon tilts her head, rain dripping from her hair.
Moon (softly, monotone): "You saw."
Will: "Yeah. I saw you that night. In the storm."
No response. The silence stretches until Will takes off his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders.
Will: "You must be cold. Come on… I can take you somewhere safe."
Her eyes flicker — not violet yet, but shimmering faintly.
Moon: "Safe?"
Will: "Yeah. Friends. They'll help."
Moon looks away, as though considering something vast and unseen, then nods once.
WHEELER BASEMENT – LATER
The familiar hum of D&D chatter cuts short as Will opens the basement door.Behind him — Moon.
Mike, El, Dustin, Max, and Lucas all turn in unison.
Mike: "Will… who's—?"
El (softly, eyes narrowing): "Her."
Moon steps inside slowly. The light bulb overhead flickers. Her bare feet leave faint damp prints on the floor.
Dustin: "Holy crap. You actually found her."
Lucas (low, uneasy): "This… this doesn't feel right, man."
Moon's eyes settle on Lucas. Her face remains calm, unreadable.
Will: "She's not dangerous. She just—"
Lucas (cutting in): "You don't know that. What if she's one of them?"
The tension spikes.A pen from the desk floats.Then a book.Then a chair.
They tremble midair. Moon's eyes begin to glow faint violet.
Max (whispering): "Uh… guys?"
Lucas steps back, startled.
Lucas: "Okay! Okay! I take it back!"
El rises slowly, gaze locked on Moon.
El (measured, cold): "Stop."
Moon's breath hitches. The floating objects drop with a crash. She stumbles slightly, blinking as her glow fades.
Silence. Heavy, charged.
Mike (gently, approaching her): "Hey… it's okay. You're safe here, alright?"
He kneels, picking up a blanket, draping it around her shoulders.Moon blinks at him, confusion flickering across her otherwise still expression.
Mike (soft): "You hungry?"
She hesitates, then nods once.
Mike slides a plate toward her — peanut butter sandwich and chips.Moon stares at it, then slowly takes a bite.
The others watch in wary silence.
Dustin (quietly, to Will): "You just brought a telekinetic storm witch into the basement."
Will: "She's not a witch."
Max: "Could've fooled me."
Moon swallows, setting the sandwich down. Her voice — faint but clear.
Moon: "Full moon is coming."
The group freezes.
El (tense): "What happens then?"
Moon: "I… lose myself. I hurt things. People."
Her voice trembles, not with fear but restraint.
Mike: "We won't let that happen."
Moon (softly, eyes flicking upward): "You can't stop it."
Outside, thunder rumbles. Rain starts to pour, harder and harder, until the sound drowns everything.
STARCOURT MALL – SCOOPS AHOY – SAME TIME
Steve leans against the counter as Robin rattles off plans.
Robin: "So, you charm her with your fake deep thoughts about movies, she laughs, you smile, she swoons—boom. You get the number."
Steve stares into the distance, eyes slightly unfocused.
Robin: "Steve?"
Steve: "You ever get that… feeling? Like something's wrong before it happens?"
Robin blinks, unimpressed.
Robin: "That's called anxiety, Dingus."
He almost smiles — but the ceiling light flickers. Thunder shakes the glass.The hum of the freezers wavers again.
Steve (under his breath): "No, this is something else…"
ABANDONED LAB – NIGHT
Hopper and Joyce dig through dusty cabinets. Paper after paper, faded folders.Joyce opens one labeled: SUBJECT: MOON. STATUS: TERMINATED.
She freezes.
Joyce: "Jim… look at this."
Hopper takes the file, scanning quickly. His face hardens.
Hopper: "Subject escaped before termination… enhanced telekinesis, atmospheric manipulation, classified as unstable."
He looks up, dread in his eyes.
Hopper: "She's still out there."
STARCOURT – SCOOPS AHOY – LATER
Dustin bursts in, soaked from the rain.
Dustin (panting): "Steve! You won't believe me but—"
Steve (deadpan): "Try me."
Dustin: "We found her."
Steve blinks.
Steve: "The lightning girl?"
Dustin: "Yes! She's real! She's in Mike's basement right now eating chips and talking about the full moon and how she's gonna lose control—"
Robin raises a hand.
Robin: "Okay, that sentence started weird and ended terrifying."
Steve stands slowly, grabbing his car keys.
Steve: "Let's go."
WHEELER BASEMENT – SAME TIME
Rain pounds against the windows. The bulb flickers like a heartbeat.Moon sits quietly, arms wrapped around herself. El watches her — calm, composed, wary.
El (softly): "You were at the lab."
Moon looks up, eyes brown again.
Moon: "Yes."
El: "We met before."
Moon: "Yes."
A crack of thunder splits the air. The lights die completely.
In the dark, Moon's eyes faintly glow violet again — just for a second — illuminating her face.
CUT TO BLACK.