THE ROAD
The rain crashes so loudly it drowns out Will's heartbeat.
Moon stands in the middle of the road, soaked, trembling, gown clinging to her thin frame.Will steps toward her—
"One sec," he whispers, breath uneven. "I'm not gonna hurt you."
Moon's eyes flicker — not violet, not glowing, just… afraid.
Will stretches his hand out—
A single raindrop freezes in midair.
Will's breath stops."Moon?"
She whispers:
"He's coming."
Lightning flashes—
Moon vanishes.Completely.Like she was never there.
Will gasps, stumbling backward, staring at the empty space she occupied.
"Moon!" he shouts into the storm.
Only thunder answers.
CUT TO BLACK.TITLE CARD — MOONLIGHT OVER HAWKINS
SCOOPS AHOY
Lunchtime rush.
The bell rings. Customers chatter. Ice cream scoops hit waffle cones.
Steve leans against the counter, chin in his hand.
ROBIN: "You're bored."
STEVE: "I'm always bored."
ROBIN: "Then use your brain—"
The bell rings again.
And every word dies in Steve's throat.
Moon stands in the doorway.
Barefoot.Soaked.Pale like morning fog.Gown torn.Hair dripping onto the floor.
Steve freezes.
Robin's mouth drops open.
Moon wavers slightly, knees buckling—
Steve vaults over the counter so fast the customers gasp.
"Hey—hey hey hey— Woah, easy," Steve says, kneeling by her. "You okay? Can you hear me?"
Moon's eyes lift to his.
And Steve's pupils immediately dilate.It's like the entire world delays by half a second.
Purple lightning blooms quietly behind her irises — just a glimmer.
STEVE (softly, stunned):"…holy shit."
Moon blinks.Eyes dim back to brown.
She sways.
Steve catches her before she hits the floor.
INSIDE SCOOPS
Steve sits her in a booth.Robin places a giant bowl of ice cream in front of her.
Moon stares at it.Then—
She lunges.
Eating like she hasn't had food in days.Hands shaking.Breathing fast.Ice cream smeared across her lip.
ROBIN:"…oh my god she's like a stray cat."
Steve hushes her.
STEVE: "Let her. She's starving."
Moon doesn't speak.Not a word.Just eats.
Steve crouches beside her booth.
"What happened to you?" he whispers.
No response.
"What's your name?"
Nothing.
"Do you know where you are?"
Moon's spoon clatters.Her gaze drifts to the window, to the storm clouds gathering.
STEVE (gently):"You're safe. I promise."
For a moment, she stops eating.
Just looking at him.
Searching his face.
Robin leans in close."That's the longest she's ever looked at you and you're already sweating."
STEVE: "Shut up."
Moon resumes eating.
STAFF ROOM — THE EMERGENCY CALL
STEVE: "Dustin. You need to get here. Right now."
DUSTIN (over phone): "Dude, I'm in the middle of—"
STEVE: "NOW."
Dustin hears something break in the background — Moon knocked over a stack of cones.
DUSTIN: "…bringing everyone."
STEVE: "Good."
ROBIN: "Wait, everyone everyone?"
STEVE: "YES."
ROBIN: "Great. Because we definitely need more chaos today."
Steve runs a hand through his soaked hair.
He's shaking.
But not scared.
Something else.
Something he doesn't understand yet.
HOPPER & JOYCE — INVESTIGATION
A forgotten police storage room.
Boxes labeled:
RUSSIAN FACILITY
CREEL HOUSE
LAB INCIDENTS
UNIDENTIFIED ENERGY SPIKES
JOYCE flips through photos.Burn marks. Twisted steel. Missing children reports.
HOPPER: "Whatever's happening again, it started weeks ago."
JOYCE: "Like the ground's waking up."
HOPPER: "No. Like something's coming back."
Joyce pauses on a photo: a blurred image of a girl in a hospital gown near the woods.
Her finger trembles.
JOYCE: "Hop… who is she?"
Hopper frowns.
"Another kid," he mutters."…or another weapon."
THE WHEELER HOUSE — CHAOS
Evening.
Karen Wheeler places dinner on the table.
Ted reads a newspaper, bored.Holly plays with crayons.
Outside, thunder rumbles.
KAREN: "Ted, can you get the—"
The window SHATTERS.
A demogorgon roars into the living room.
Karen screams, throwing herself in front of Holly.
Ted drops his newspaper, frozen.Doing absolutely nothing.
Another demogorgon bursts from the hallway.
Karen grabs Holly, backing into the kitchen.
TED: "Karen—!"
A claw slices across Ted's chest.
He collapses instantly.
Karen screams.
Demogorgons surround her.
Karen holds Holly tight, voice trembling:
"Close your eyes baby, close your eyes—"
A dark ripple fills the air.
A whisper slithers through the house:
"Holly…"
A voice so soft.So familiar.Almost kind.
Holly looks up.
She sees him.
Mr. Whatsit.Smiling warmly from the hallway.Red lightning glowing faintly behind him.
HOLLY (small, trusting):"Mr. Whatsit?"
Karen turns, horrified.
"No—Holly—DON'T—"
But Holly lets go of her mother's hand.
The world around her blurs—shifts—ripples—
And Holly is gone.
Just like Moon, earlier.
Karen collapses, sobbing—Then a demogorgon strikes.
Everything goes silent.
HOLLY IN THE MEMORY VOID
Holly stands in the red-tinged dimension — Henry's memory.Clocks float.Snow-like ash drifts.
Henry kneels to her height, gentle, comforting.
HENRY:"See? I told you I'd keep you safe."
Holly smiles shyly.
"Where's mommy?"
Henry's smile widens.
"Don't worry. You're with me now."
CUT TO BLACK.
Thunder echoes.
End of Episode 2.