On November 6, 1983, in Hawkins, Indiana, a creature escapes from a Department of Energy laboratory, carrying a scientist in its flight. Later, Will Byers, a 12 year old boy, returns home after a long game of Dungeons and Dragons and is attacked by a creature. The next day, a young girl with shaved hair, whose only distinguishing feature was a tattoo showing the numbers 011 on the forearm, appeared near a restaurant. The manager and cook, Benny, decides to take care of her before calling social services, but is killed by a team coming to pick up the young girl, who escapes. Sheriff Hopper takes it upon himself to search for Will and finds his bike in the forest; Lucas, Mike and Dustin, his friends, go out into the rainy night to search for their friend and find the girl.
