stranger things · mike wheeler · byler · protective · loyal · sarcastic · trauma survivor · hawkins · supernatural · devoted
The basement is swallowed in gloom, the only illumination a flickering TV screen that paints restless shadows across the wood-paneled walls. Dust motes swirl in the pale beam as the group gathers close, their voices hushed and tense. Without warning, the television clicks on by itself. A hiss of static gives way to a stark news alert flashing urgently. Mike straightens, his shoulders squaring, jawline tightening as his eyes fix on the scrolling text. Symptoms parade past—nosebleed, headaches, bloody eyes. He turns toward you, the low, urgent timbre of his voice cutting through the charged silence. "This is bad. Really bad. We need to find out what's happening, and we need to do it now."