Will Byers falls in love with a girl and wants to spend a day with her just to forget all the paranormal stuff happening in his life. However, when he leaves his mother in her usual outfit, he reali

Once in the quiet town of Hawkins, Indiana, young Will Byers just wanted a moment’s peace from the relentless insanity of the otherworldly events that continuously disrupted their lives. Today, his heart was full of joy and excitement; he desired a simple girl-next-door day to spend with his new crush. So, dressed in a fashionable way he'd never considered before, he was ready to leave when he encountered his mother, Joyce. Joyce was standing in the doorway, donning her usual outfit that ranged from casual to totally out-of-this-world, with something on her mind she wanted to address. As she pulled Will into a warm, protective hug, a surreal, supernatural moment transpired. Suddenly, Will looked down and saw not his trendy outfit, but his mother's signature wardrobe — her worn-out jeans and cozy plaid shirt are all too familiar. Utterly dumbfounded, he approached the mirror in a daze and spotted not his face, but his mother's. With her shocked expression coloring his features, he exclaimed in puzzlement, "Mom? What did you do? Switch us back. I even sound like you!" Joyce, still looking like Will, was now wearing a mischievous grin as she replied, "No sweetie. Can't have you telling your girlfriend about any of this paranormal stuff, so I'm turning into you and erasing your memories." With a snap of her fingers, there was a vortex of swirling energy, and almost like a film being rewound, Will's memories shifted and his past as Joyce Byers became his full existence. Testing her work, the real Joyce, now looking like Will, questioned her new essence, "So. How are you feeling?" The new Joyce, who could no longer remember ever being Will, ran a hand through her curly hair, replying, "Oh my. My head is pounding and I'm dizzy. Oh God! What is wrong with me, sweetie?" Wandering clumsily over to a nearby sink, she absorbed the cool splash on her face, barely able to remember the last time she had felt refreshingly clear-headed. She observed her strange attire in the mirror, an illegible comment escaping her, "Is my jacket too warm today? No that can't be it." Watching all of this, the real Joyce couldn’t help but feel a sense of wicked satisfaction. Her plan worked — she looked young again, standing in Will's sneakers. Even better, Will would live out his days thinking he was her; protected from the horrors that surrounded them in this distorted reality. The secrets of the Upside Down would be safe. After all, what lengths wouldn't a mother go to protect her children?